Hello Maggie,
A Bond Store was where imported goods were held until Customs Duty was paid. If he was in the Import/Export business then it could have been conducted through an Agent in Australia and I don’t think this would necessarily mean he ever travelled to Australia. Maybe a situation like that might have arisen if goods were ordered and paid for from Australia but on delivery weren’t acceptable. I’m just guessing really.
At that time it would have been a long hazardous journey to and from Australia not undertaken lightly. But with that missing 1851 census info you can’t discount the possibility.
I couldn’t find any record of a James Bickerton arriving in New South Wales or Victoria in the period under consideration. The nearest I could see was a 33 year old J. Bickerton leaving Victoria bound for Sydney in March 1853.
http://www.access.prov.vic.gov.au/publi ... ide023.jsp
See the Immigration Outbound Passengers. There are insolvency indexes on the same page although if the insolvency was officiated in the UK and the Australian debt was a private one being chased up by an Irish solicitor on behalf of the Australian there may not have been any official paperwork at the Australian end. Hope that makes sense and I haven’t overlooked anything.
Is yours the one mentioned in this 1855 google book – Hat Manufacturer, Castle St. Southwark Surrey - bankruptcy hearing date?
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=LrI ... #PPA507,M1
Here’s one in 1851
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=2qg ... ckerton%22
Here’s one in 1849
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=J3c ... on+hat+%22
In the London Times I came across an 1836 report of a fire in the Castle St. premises and a brief 1850 report mentioning James Bickerton, hat manufacturer, Bread street, Cheapside in a bankruptcy proceeding. There were a few other scattered mentions of this business. If you think he’s yours let me know and I’ll round them up and get the info to you in some form or another.
Hope this helps,
Alan
