Hi Jean,
Re... "his parents Joseph and Harriet Holmes , who arrived in NSW c1880 from England"
After the arrival (which I have not yet located), two more babies were born in NSW, in 1882 and 1884:
25653/1882 HOLMES LETTICE JOSEPH HARRIETT (District) LAMBTON
28208/1884 HOLMES JOSEPH JOSEPH HARRIETT (District) NEWCASTLE
And the death of young Joseph HOLMES on 06.10.1884:
12230/1884 HOLMES JOSEPH JOSEPH HARRIET (District) NEWCASTLE
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/135853013?searchTerm... holmes" sandgate&searchLimits=l-decade=188|||l-state=New+South+Wales
http://www.sandgatecemetery.org.au/index.php/search-our-virt...And, the death of the mother, Harriet HOLMES on 17.10.1884, at Newcastle, NSW.
Wow, heaps of information, in her Funeral Notice. Joseph HOLMES' father, was Samuel HOLMES. Harriet's brother was Mr. William SMITH.
12237/1884 HOLMES HARRIET JAMES B MARY A (District) NEWCASTLE
And her unmarked grave, at Sandgate Cemetery, and her funeral notice published 18.10.1884.
http://www.sandgatecemetery.org.au/index.php/search-our-virt...http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/135857836?searchTerm... holmes" sandgate&searchLimits=
Please confirm, if Harriet HOLMES' maiden name was SMITH?
Ohhh, how sad, also in October 1884, just before Harriet HOLMES died, her nephew, George Samuel SMITH, died, at Ada-street, Waratah, near Newcastle, NSW. Harriet HOLMES fathers names was George SMITH.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/135857109?searchTerm... holmes" sandgate&searchLimits=l-decade=188|||l-state=New+South+Wales
12640/1884 SMITH GEORGE S WILLIAM ELLEN (District) LAMBTON
The marriage in 1883, of little George Samuel SMITH's parents:
6612/1883 SMITH WILLIAM STANIER ELLEN (District) LAMBTON
Mary