The WOMBWELL families in south-western Victoria trace their roots back to the English County of Essex.

John WOMBWELL 1774-1845 married Honor KING 1775-1845 in 1795 at Langley, Essex. According to information from England John was the brother of George WOMBWELL (1777-1850) who started Wombwell's Menagerie which travelled throughout Britain in the 1800's. There is some information about this famous George WOMBWELL on the web at:

• George Wombwell's Lion Tomb in Highgate Cemetery
• George Wombwell's Lion Tomb in Highgate Cemetery
• George Wombwell's Death

John WOMBWELL and Honor KING had a large family of 15 children born between 1795 and 1823, with at least two of their children emigrating to Australia.

9. Charles WOMBWELL, b. 1810 Langley, Essex, m. Susannah REED
13. Peter WOMBWELL, b. 1818 Langley, Essex, m. Susan DYER

Charles WOMBWELL was born in 1810, Langley, Essex, England to John WOMBWELL and Honor KING. John, a labourer had married Honor KING at Langley on 10 Dec 1795.

Charles WOMBWELL (1810 - 1860) & Susanah REED (1819 - 1904) were married at Argeston, Essex, England in 1834. They had 10 children born in England before sailing for Australia on the "Tasmania" in 1851. They arrived at Portland on 23 November 1851 after their 11th child James had been born on the voyage to Australia.

Charles went to work for J. S. ROBERTSON at "Wando" then the Hentys at "Muntham". Later he selected land near Merino known as "Emerald Hill".

Charles died at Merino in 1860 and was buried in the Merino Cemetery. Susan stayed on the land with her family and died in 1904 and was also buried at Merino.

Mary Ann WOMBWELL married Thomas DYER in England and did not emigrate to Australia.

Joseph WOMBWELL worked for Stephen George Henty in Portland then at Muntham. He married Betsy Ann COULSON from Merino in 1869 and was a carrier operating between Portland and Casterton.

William WOMBWELL was a butcher and married Penelope Jane CLARKE at Merino in 1868. He opened a butcher shop in and lived in Coleraine for the rest of his life.

Uleyear WOMBWELL married William DOLMAN at Merino in 1858. William was a stockman for Stephen George HENTY and worked at 'Muntham" for Edward HENTY for 14 years. He established a butchering business in Casterton, then Merino and finally Coleraine in 1864. They took over the Cobb & Co. Coach business in Coleraine and both are buried in the Coleraine Cemetery.

Abijah WOMBWELL had a carrier service between Coleraine and Portland and Married Emily Sarah HARRIS at St John's Digby in 1869. They lived at Digby and Coleraine.

Phyllis WOMBWELL married Thoams NOBLE and lived at Henty, between Merino and Casterton. Thomas died in 1902 and is buried at Merino.

Emma WOMBWELL did not marry and lived until 80 on her land at "Moonlight" near Casterton.

James WOMBWELL was born at sea in 1851, married Lydia Radford THURLBORN in 1873 at "Sandford House" and selected land at "The Bluff" near Casterton in 1870. They had 13 children and both are buried at Merino.

David WOMBWELL and his brother AMOS were born in Australia, did not marry and owned a sawmill at "Moonlight". Amos died in 1900 at 44 from complications associated with a broken leg and David died in 1902 at 49 from a riding accident.

Charles WOMBWELL and Susanah REED had the following known family:

1. Mary Ann WOMBWELL b. 1834, Essex, Eng m. Thomas DYER (remained in England)

2. Joseph WOMBWELL b. 1836, Essex, England, d.1918, m. Betsy Ann COULSON (1845 - 1896) in 1869 at Merino, Victoria and they had the following family:
   1. Mary Susanna Georgina WOMBWELL b. 1870 Merino, Vic, m. John Augustis PETTERD
   2. Charles Christopher WOMBWELL b. 1872 Merino, Vic, d. 1941 Casterton
   3. Amy Oliver Jemima WOMBWELL b. 1873 Merino, Vic, m. Stepehn James Osborne ROWLEY
   4. Francis Stubbs Coulson WOMBWELL b. 1875 Casterton, Vic, d. 1939
   5. Agnes Uleya Jane WOMBWELL b. 1876 Casterton, Vic, m. Charles Wittley CHESTER
   6. Pauline Emma Read WOMBWELL b. 1880 d. 1881 Casterton, Vic

3. William WOMBWELL b. 1837, Essex, England, d. 1897, m. Penelope CLARK (1847 - 1940) and had the following known family...
   1. William Henry WOMBWELL b. 1870 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1946
   2. Frederick Robert WOMBWELL b. 1872 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1924
   3. Ada Jane WOMBWELL b. 1875 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1934
   4. Thomas WOMBWELL b. 1877 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1940
   5. Ethel Ann WOMBWELL b. 1880 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1957
   6. Ann Penelope WOMBWELL b. 1881 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1947
   7. Lilian WOMBWELL b. 1883 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1953
   8. Trevor Howe WOMBWELL b. 1884 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1941, m. Gerte Eileen RUTHERFORD
   9. Elsie Clara WOMBWELL b. 1887 Coleraine, Vic, d. 1977, m. George O'MALLEY

4. Mayar (Honnor / Helen ?) WOMBWELL b. 1838, d.1838, Langley, Essex, England.

5. Uleyear WOMBWELL b. 1839, Essex, England, d. 1912, m. William DOLMAN (1817 - 1884) at Merino, Victoria.

6. Abijah WOMBWELL b. 1840, Langley, Essex, d. 1907, m. Emily Sarah HARRIS (1853-1950) at St John's CofE, Digby in 1869. Abijah worked at "Warrock" & "Muntham" Stations and had the following family:
   1. Susannah WOMBWELL b. 1870, d. 1870, Digby, Vic
   2. Charles Robert WOMBWELL b. 1872, Digby, Vic, d. 1903
   3. Emily Harris WOMBWELL b. 1875, Digby, Vic, m. John William McCURDY
   4. Amos Herbert WOMBWELL b. 1879, Digby, Vic, m. Amelia May McGINTY
   5. Ann Joyce WOMBWELL b. 1882, Coleraine, Vic.
   6. David Victor WOMBWELL b. 1885, Coleraine, Vic, m. Annie Elizabeth JOYES
   7. James Abijah WOMBWELL b. 1888, Coleraine, Vic m. Evelyn Selena JACKSON

7. James WOMBWELL b. 1842. d. 1843, Langley, Essex.

8. Harriett WOMBWELL b. 1844, d. bef 1852, Langley, Essex.

9. Phyllis WOMBWELL b. 1845, Langley, Essex, d. 1927, m. Thomas NOBLE (1831 - 1902) and had children at Merino, Victoria.

10. Emma WOMBWELL b. 1848, Langley, Essex, d. 1928, Coleraine, Victoria.

11. James WOMBWELL b. 1851 at sea "Tasmania" d. 1925, m. Lydia Radford THURLBORN (1851 - May 1919) and had the following known family...
    1. William James WOMBWELL b. 1873, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1964, m. Adele Maud CLARKE
    2. John Cornelius WOMBWELL b. 1875, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1926.
    3. Archibald "Archie" WOMBWELL b. 1876, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1934, m. Annabella THOMPSON
    4. Mary Susan "Polly" WOMBWELL b. 1876, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1935, m. George Arthur HANCOCK
    5. Martha Sarah "Weeny" WOMBWELL b. 1880, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1936, m. William James FOLWELL
    6. Uleyear Ann "Tottie" WOMBWELL b. 1882, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1954, m. Martin George GULL
    7. Abijah WOMBWELL b. 1884, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1887.
    8. Jane "Jinny" WOMBWELL b. 1886, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1961.Alfred Alexander GALPIN.
    9. Peter WOMBWELL b. 1888, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1961, m. Edith Lilian GALPIN
    10. Lydia WOMBWELL b. 1891, Merino, Vic, d. 1892.
    11. Emma WOMBWELL b. 1894, Merino, Vic, d. 1898.
    12. David WOMBWELL b. 1898, "The Bluff" Sandford, Vic, d. 1974, m. Mabel Bernice LEISHMAN

12. David WOMBWELL b. 1853, Coleraine, Vic, d. 1902, Strathdownie, Vic, (single, accidental death).

13. Amos WOMBWELL b. 1856, "Muntham" Station, Carapook, Vic, d. 1900, Merino, Vic (single).

Peter WOMBWELL b. 1818, Langley, Essex was a younger brother of Charles WOMBWELL. Peter married Susan DYER in 1839 at Langley, Essex. They emigrated to Australia in 1857 on the "Bee" with 3 children and lived at or near Merino, Victoria. Their known children are:

1. Mary Ann WOMBWELL b. 1840, Langley, Essex d. 1913, Merino, Vic m. Joseph JONES 1836-1919

2. Maria WOMBWELL b. 1846, Langley, Essex d. 1930, Merino, Vic m. George Jones CRAWLEY

3. Elizabeth WOMBWELL b. 1849, Langley, Essex d. 1932, Merino, Vic m. James CRAWLEY