Hi Sue
The only ref to William Corkhill’s birthplace is in that letter and there was only one Corkhill living in Melbourne (Milburn) at that time but there was another one in Ballarat (aka Balla Arat) Vic. Later there was another one that was a warder in Pentridge Gaol in Coburg.

The Duke of Argyle is only a guess on someone’s part and Dr Crellin was a doctor used by the family when they lived in Collingwood. So it may have just been family gossip.

As for Richard Blake Corkhill, his grandparents were William Corkhill and Jenny Blake but I am not sure of his actual parents. I currently have assumed he was William (son of William & jenny) and Ann’s son. The name Blake appears among his descendants as well as his Uncle’s name of Oswald. His son was a Baker in Sydney and another son William Henry Corkhill is famous in the Tilba Tilba area in NSW.

I don’t think William was in the Merchant Navy at that time as I have an early address for him in Williamstown, Victoria and I don’t think we had a Merchant Navy as such back then.

Thanks for your help anyway.