Christopher Collins Burgin

Christopher Collins Burgin (junior) was born in 1883 at Balderton and was the son of Christopher Burgin (senior), a boot repairer, and Mary Ann Burgin néé Dunford of 21 Woodbine Terrace, New Balderton. His father, Christopher (senior) was born in 1853 at Fenton, Lincolnshire, and his mother Mary Ann Dunford was born in 1854 at Castle Blytham, Lincolnshire. They were married in 1878 at Newark and went on to have the following children: John William b1881 Beckingham, Archibald b1888 Balderton, Cecil b1891 Balderton, Percy b1891 Balderton and Albert Burgin b1897 Balderton. In 1891 and 1901 the family lived at 21 Woodbine Terrace, Balderton. Christopher enlisted in the Royal Marines Light Infantry (Chatham Division) at Grimsby on 23 March 1901 on a 12 year engagement, joining at the Recruit Depot Deal in Kent. He enlisted as Thomas Lee but this was discovered as his service document is annotated 'Thomas Lee Alias Christopher Colin Burgin'. He forfeited service for 'fraud enlistment', perhaps because he had enlisted under a false name, and his 12 year service engagement was then counted from 22 July 1901. The majority of his service was spent in HM Ships and he had an exemplary record. His record names his mother Mary (no surname) of Woodbine Cottage, New Balderton, as his next of kin. In the 1911 census his mother and siblings are living at 21 Woodbine Street, Balderton and are shown as Mary Ann Burgin 54 yrs, married who is living with her children Archibald 23 yrs a labourer in a plaster pit, Cecil 20 yrs a brass moulder, and Albert 14 yrs a gardener, In the same 1911 census we find his father Christopher Burgin (senior), 57 yrs a boot repairer, is living at 18 Grove Street, Balderton, with his eldest son John William and his wife. They are shown as John William 30 yrs head of the household, a blacksmith's engineer, and his wife Alice Maud 29 yrs. In the same census, Christopher Burgin (junior), 28 yrs, is serving in HMS Edgar, a cruiser (completed 1893, name ship for her class). HMS Edgar was later rerecommissioned at Portsmouth on 18 March 1913 to join the Training Squadron in Queenstown, Australia. Christopher was still serving with the RMLI in 1913, probably in HMS Edgar which was on the RN's Australia station. He left the ship on 29 May 1913 and may have been attached to a shore establishment from 30 May before being discharged shore on 23 July 1913 on completion of his engagement. He was discharged to 222 Cowper Street, Waverley, Sydney. He settled in Australia marrying his wife Emma Lloyd Barnes on 22nd December 1913 at St Peter's Church, Cooks River, Sydney, Australia. They had a daughter, Colleen Lloyd, born 23rd November 1914. The family lived at 'Balderton', Edwin Street, Tempe, New South Wales. According to a newspaper report of Christopher's death, two of his brothers also served: Archibald in the Sherwood Foresters and Albert in the Royal Engineers.