Henry Birch 1818 - 1865

Henry Birch, the son of Sarah Guest and Thomas William Birch, was born in Hobart in 23 September 1818. He died at his home in Macquarie Street in Hobart on Saturday 1 July 1865 after a long and painful illness(Death notices in newspapers including The Mercury, Hobart, 4 July 1865 p1).
When checking the newspapers in Trove to see if there were any further references to Henry (obituaries or will information) marriage notices were located from The Mercury and the Launceston Examiner relating to the marriage of Charles Edward Walch, second surviving son of the late Major James William Henry Walch, HM 54th Regiment, to Fanny Eugenia Clara, youngest daughter of the late Mr Henry Birch.
The search was then to determine any family for Henry.

Ancestry provided three possible marriages for Henry Birch

• Clara Reed 5 April 1841 Avoca
• Ann Wright 1851 Launceston
• Lucy Banister 1854 Launceston

As Fanny was a younger child married in 1865 the dates for last two entries eliminated them as possibilities as Fanny's mother. Having Clara as part of Fanny's name also made it likely that  Clara Reed was Fanny's mother.

The search for the death of Clara Birch located a death notice in The Mercury 23 November 1894 p1 -
BIRCH - On November 22 at Cananore Davey Street, Clara Rich, relict of the late Mr Henry Birch in her 84th year.
Back to Ancestry where a marriage for Henry and Clara was found - 5 April 1841 at Avoca.
A search for births with Henry and Clara as parents provided information for three children

• Louisa Clara Birch 2 September 1841
• George Birch 17 May 1843
• Fanny Eugenia Clara Birch 14 July 1844

This search demonstrated variations of names particularly for Clara (Reed, Read and Rich). Fanny's original name may have been Frances which is used in some records. The birth record in Ancestry uses only the first initial.