(Anthony) George Prossor

George Prossor was the son of Anthony Prossor and Mary Ann Baker, and the brother of my gt grandfather, Henry.

He was born in 1833 in Cork, Ireland, and apparently emigrated in his teens, possibly in or around 1847. It is unclear whether the trip to Australia was forced (transportation), or if he was a young man chancing his luck, perhaps with the thought of striking lucky in gold mining.

Various certificates mean his life in Australia is relatively easy to trace.

On March 7, 1864, he married 29-year-old Selina Cooper in Bunninyong, Victoria, Australia. The marriage certificate says that George is a widower, which would fit in with a record of a George Prossor marrying an Agnes McDonald in Bendigo, Victoria, on Sept 4 1855. The certificate issued for George's marriage to Selina says he had no children, living or dead, and that Selina was a spinster of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, the daughter of David Cooper, blacksmith, and Anne Wilkinson. George's trade is given as carpenter. He gives his age as 31. The certificate also confirms that Anthony and Mary Ann are his parents. the marriage was conducted according to the rites of the United Church of England and Ireland. 

George and Selina had three children - Joseph, birthdate unknown, and twins John Cooper and Mary Ann who were born at Daylesford, Victoria in 1863.

Goerge died on June 9, 1896, in Macedon, Australia, and was buried in the town. His death certificate says he was a minerand again confirms his parents' details. It says he had spent 39 years in Victoria, pointing to arrival in 1857, but no shipping record has been found to date. Living child was shown to be Mary Ann.

On Selina's death certificate it shows Mary Ann aged 63 yrs and son Joseph (deceased). Selina died on June 9, 1926 at Creswick, Victoria.

George and Selina's daughter, Mary Ann, married Robert Nathaniel Robinson at Buninyong, Victoria, on Feb 6, 1883. Her father's trade is given as a farmhand, and his name is given as George Arthur Prossor.

One mystery is whether gt grandfather Henry knew of George's existence early on - he would have been a small boy when George emigrated.

In the early 1900s, Henry tried to get in touch with George. The thought of getting money from his mother's estate might have been in his mind.

Letter written to Henry Prossor regarding his brother, Anthony George Prossor, from State Nursery Hotel, Macedon, Vic, Australia, October 2, 1902:

Dear Sir,
Yours to hand re Mr. A.G. Prosser. Consider it no liberty & only hope what little information I can give may be of some value. Yes, there was a Mr. A.G. Prosser living here but is now deceased & he also was an educated man. He went by the name of George Prosser, but his name in the Ledger is down as Mr. A.George Prosser. Some time before his death, he saw an adv in the paper & came in so pleased to tell us that he was the Prosser wanted. He sent in his claim through (I believe) the Manager of the Trustees & Executors Agency at 412 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria. But just before it was completed he died & the firm then went on with the case on behalf of the widow. I remember the case so well for they were exceedingly poor at the time & it seemed very hard that he should die just then. After waiting some time we noticed the adv in paper for all that had any claims against A.G. Prosser deceased to send them in. We had a small acct 1-0-10 for groceries but through some delay we were too late. I know that Mrs. Prosser drew some money for as soon as she heard that we were not paid, she called as soon as she drew the first instalment, paid us & said that she was disappointed for Mr. Prosser said that it would be a larger amt. I have no idea what money she receives but can manage on it with care. The late Mr. A.G. Prosser as far as I can remember was a thin wiry man, fair, about 5 ft 6 or 7 high & very small face- large nose inclined to point into mouth-- "Rather vague but I can't describe better"-- As for getting his photo I don't think he'd ever trouble over it. He often used to speak of when he landed in '47. Why I remember the date so well he landed the same day "about 2 hours later" than father (the J. Nicholls you wrote) & they often had many talks of their arrival & the A.G. Prosser is the only Prosser father ever remembers living here & he (father) has been in Macedon over 45 forty five years. The time that Mr. Prosser saw adv would be "as far as I can remember", between /95 &/97. It was in 1897 that the acct was paid. The last I heard of Mrs. Prosser she was living with a son or daughter (I don't know which) by a former marriage- Mr. Hawkins, Wood Carter, Creswick Victoria. As far as father knows there were no children by Prosser. Just the old couple lived in a 2 roomed place. The Manager of the Trustees & Executors Agency could give you all particulars of the Prosser that lived here. I sincerely trust that you are able to trace your own brother living or dead & am only too glad to give you what assistance I can.
Yours Faithfully
Louisa Nicholls