Hi Sue,
You asked me to let you know how we got on with our research in the census records. We have viewed the image of the records through scotlandspeople and I will try to summarise what we have pieced together, so far.

1841 census – record of John Bremner aged 10 living in Cairntown, with a William Bremner aged 60, occupation farmer, an Ann Bremner, aged 20, occupation “F.S” (farm servant?) and a William Shand, aged 5. (Could the similarity between the names Shand/Cheyne/Shanne be significant?)

Also at Cairntown (divided by a double line, which I believe indicates a separate household at the same address. Does this mean in the same dwelling or the same hamlet?) William Bremner, aged 30, Ag lab, Margaret aged 25, and four children.

1851 census
A John Bremner, aged 20, is working as a ploughman on Seafields Farm, in Cullen, Parish of Cullen (still in the same area). Birthplace given as Banffshire, Fordyce. (Provides a possible link with the baptism record of John Bremner, born to William and Ann Cheyne. William registered to marry in Fordyce.)

Living in Cairntown - a William Bremner, aged 75 (?), a farmer of (??) acres, born Boyndie, his son William, aged 40 (farm servant, additional notation “f.son”) and daughter-in-law, Margaret, aged 36, (house servant – additional notation “wife”) along with the same children as in 1841 plus two more - all born in Boyndie.

We could surmise that if this John is “our John” he may have tired of his life as a ploughman and decided to emigrate to Australia. The records say he came to Victoria in about 1854 at the age of about 20.

Our concerns are - there are no obvious candidates for his parents, John and Ann, due to the discrepancy of ages. Also, our John’s Australian death certificate lists his father, William’s occupation as “butcher” – doesn’t match with the above Williams.

As yet we have not been able to find any shipping records for John, but we will be going to Melbourne on Thursday to research these further. We will be very interested to hear your thoughts on this information.

Regards,
Mary and Keith