Hi Mary, I actually spoke with a young lady at the library in Hastings. She was kind enough to do a little research for me. She was unable to locate a record of his birth or of his family having lived in Hastings during the time period following his birth. She speculated that perhaps he left England under an assumed name and moved to Australia to escape trouble with the law or even a bad marriage. I know he was an educated man because he held a Mine Manager position in Australia. Additionally, he bought the rights to a mine so I assume he must have had some money from somewhere. Are you located in Australia or elsewhere?? Best Regards, Linda