PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHY BEFORE SUGGESTING EDITS TO THIS INVDIVIDUALS NAME.

Joseph BANHAM (alias 1) "Frederick MANNING" (alias 2) "Frederick BENHAM" was born in 1848 at Stratford St Mary, Suffolk, England to parents Joseph BANHAM and Eliza PEARSON and christened on the 25th January 1848. He married Harriet COLE in 1868. His first child, "Frederick Walter BANHAM" was born in 1869 in the same district. The 1871 UK Census shows Joseph aka "Frederick" was employed as a gardener. He and Harriet moved to Sydenham, Lewisham, London, England where in 1876, their then 6 year old son Frederick died.

Joseph abandoned his wife Harriet during this period and boarded the ship "Golden Sea" under the alias "Frederick MANNING". He arrived in South Australia, in April 1876. In September that year, he took out an advertisement in the newspaper "South Australian Register" wishing to obtain a Head Gardeners position claiming he had previously worked at the "Crystal Palace" in Sydenham, England.

His next known location was in Victoria, Australia where on the 11th August in either 1878 or 1879 he undertook a "form of marriage" with Euphemia ALEXANDER.

(Note: While the day and month of their "form of marriage" remains the same and is provided on several of their children's birth records, Euphemia being the informant on these occasions, states the marriage year was both 1878 and 1879.

In April 1879, he suffered an injury while hunting, accidently shooting himself in the foot and was admitted to Melbourne hospital. In June 1879, he was accused of stealing "lost goods", which related to a woman's hat he had found and given to Euphemia. He was prosecuted but found not guilty of the offence.

His first child with Euphemia, named Ettie/Etty Manning was born in Victoria, Australia in 1879 and died that same year. This was followed by the births of their son Frederick Joseph Manning (1881 - 1940) who later changed his surname to "Alexander" and daughter Marion Ethel Manning (1882 - ?), daughter Isabella Manning (1884 - ?), followed by daughter Jessie Manning (c1884 - 1948) who had also changed her surname to "Alexander" by the time she married Frederick Gray in 1920.

At some point after his daughter Jessie's birth, his second wife Euphemia discovered he was already married to Harriet Cole. Meanwhile, the 1881 and 1891 UK Census records show his first wife Harriet BENHAM nee COLE was still alive and well working as a laundress in Sydenham, Lewisham, London, England. The 1881 Census also showed Harriet had a 7 year old daughter Ellen BENHAM born circa 1874 in Suffolk, England suggesting he also abandoned a daughter along with his first wife.

He and Euphemia went on to have two more children who were born under the "Banham" surname. They were son William Banham (1889 - 1962) who later changed his surname to "Alexander" but reverted to the surname "Benham" upon his death, and daughter Gladys Banham (1891 - 1892). His second wife Euphemia was the informant on all of their children's birth records and though many assumptions could be made, for reasons unknown, she gave Joseph aka Frederick various ages, names and also gave his birth location as both Essex and Kent, England, none of which were true.

The couple parted c1891 and Euphemia went on to marry Henry Stone that year.

In 1903, he was located in Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia where he was recorded in the 1903 Australian Electoral Roll as "Frederick Benham", occupation: gardener.

On the 6th December 1908, he married Lena Louisa Henrietta Dorothy Von der Wall in Broken Hill, NSW at the home of Mrs. Schloithe.

On the 2nd September 1922, his cause of death was recorded as senility and chronic bronchitis. He was buried as F. Benham. His death transcript records his name as "Frederick Benham" age 75 and states he was born in "Straford", South Australia rather than the correct location of Stratford St Mary's, Suffolk, England.

Throughout his life, Joseph Banham's aliases included the names "Frederick Manning", "Frederick Walter Manning", "Frederick Joseph Manning", "Frederick William Manning", "Joseph Badham" and "Frederick Joseph Banham".

Upon his death, he was recorded in the New South Wales Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages as "Frederick Bankam" under the index number 12980/1922. His death certificate states he was not married and none of his children were recorded.

It is thanks to intense research and the co-operation of his Great Great Grandson undergoing DNA testing that evidence was ultimately obtained to assist with the unravelling of his true identity and allowed it to be revealed without a doubt that this Joseph aka "Frederick" Banham aka Benham alias Manning, was indeed the same "JOSEPH BANHAM" born in 1848 at Stratford St Mary, Suffolk, England to parents Joseph Banham and Eliza Pearson .

(L. M. Hebbe, DipFamHist - Researcher - Find a Grave ID: 49856570).

(DNA Tester: W. G. Alexander, Great Great Grandson).

Sources:

1. Christening: Joseph BANHAM, 25 Jan 1848, Stratford St. Mary, Suffolk, England, Mother: Eliza, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975, http://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVRV-JW5
2. Residence: Joseph BANHAM, age 3, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk, England, Head: Joseph Banham, 23, Ag Labourer, Wife: Eliza, 23, 1851 England Census, Ancestry.com
3. Residence: Joseph BANHAM, age 13, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk, England, Head: Joseph Banham, 33, Thatcher, Wife: Eliza, 33, 1861 England Census, Ancestry.com
4. Marriage: Joseph BANHAM and Harriet COLE, 1868, Samford, Suffolk, England, England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915, Ancestry.com
5. Birth of son: Frederick Walter BANHAM, 1869, Samford, Suffolk, England, https://www.freebmd.org.uk/
6. Residence: Joseph BANHAM, Head, Gardener, Wife: Harriet, 28?, Son: Frederick, 1, 1871 England Census, Ancestry.com
7. Death of son: Frederick Walter BENHAM, age 6, 1876, Lewisham, London, England, https://www.freebmd.org.uk/
8. Arrival: Fred MANNING, April 1876, South Australia, per "Golden Sea", Occupation: Gardener, Age: 28, Marital Status: Single, Nationality: English, South Australia, Australia, Incoming and Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1845-1940, Ancestry.com
9. Application for Head Gardeners Position: TO GARDENERS. —FREDERICK MANNING, lately arrived from Crystal Palace, Sydenham, wishes to meet with a Head Gardener's situation ; well up in all its branches. Apply Mrs. Dale's, Ifould street, Adelaide, Advertising', South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), 27 September 1876, p. 1. , col. 7, par. 17, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43005168
10. Marriage: 11 August 1878/1879, Stawell, Victoria, "Form of Marriage" term as stated by former wife Euphemia STONE (nee ALEXANDER), on her son William Benham's (aka William Alexander's) 1903 arrest warrant, marriage dates recorded on birth transcripts of daughters Marion Manning (b: 1882), Isabella Manning (b: 1884) and son William Banham/Alexander/Benham (b: 1889).
11. Birth of Children 1879 - 1892: (1) Etty/Ettie MANNING, B: Reg: 14598 / 1879, Carlton, Victoria, D: Reg: 7231 / 1879, Carlton, Victoria, (2) Frederick Joseph MANNING (changed to ALEXANDER, B: Reg: 2820 / 1881, Flemington, Victoria, D: Reg: 11949/1940, Broken Hill, NSW, (3) Marion Ethel MANNING B: Reg: 17073/1882, Mickleham, Victoria, D: ?, (4) Jessie MANNING? (recorded as ALEXANDER at marriage), B: No Issue, D: Reg: 21177/1948, Mildura, Victoria, (5) Isabella MANNING, B: Reg: 26013/1884, Wanganella, New South Wales, D: ?, (6) William BANHAM (changed to ALEXANDER and BENHAM) B: Reg: 35463/1889, Pooncarie, New South Wales, D: 1962, Reg: 5199/1963, recorded as BANKAM, (7) Gladys BANHAM, B: Reg: 37933/1891, Wentworth, New South Wales, recorded as BANTAM and BAUHAM, D: Reg: 13952/1892, Wilcannia, New South Wales, recorded as ALEXANDER.
12. Shooting Accident 1879: 'CITY AND SUBURBS.', Advocate (Melbourne, Vic. : 1868 - 1954), 19 April 1879, p. 16. , col. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170497355
13. Stealing Lost Goods 1879: 'MELBOURNE GENERAL SESSIONS.', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 3 June 1879, p. 3. col. 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199356707
14. Manning vs Corbett (1) 1879 : 'LAW COURTS.', The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), 19 September 1879, p. 3. col. 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244748370
15. Manning vs Corbett (2) 1879: 'COUNTY COURT.', The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), 20 September 1879, p. 3. , col. 3, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244746192
16. 1881 England Census: Sydenham, Lewisham, London, Harriet BENHAM, Head, 36, Laundress, Widow, Ellen BENHAM, Daughter, 7, Scholar, Ancestry.com
17. 1891 England Census: Sydenham, Lewisham, London, Harriet BANHAM, Head, 47, Laundress, Widow, Ancestry.com
18. Residence 1903-1904: Frederick BENHAM, Wilcannia, Occupation: Gardener, Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903 - 1980, Ancestry.com
19. Marriage: 10430/1908, Frederick BANHAM and Lena Louisa Henrietta Dorothy VON DER WALL, district of Broken Hill. Age: 40, Born: Sydenham, England, Occupation: Gardener, Father: Joseph BANHAM (deceased), Mother: Eliza PEARSON, Marriage Certificate, 1908/010430, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, https://www.nsw.gov.au/
20. Death 1922: Reg: 12980/1922, Broken Hill, New South Wales, as Frederick BANKAM, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, https://www.nsw.gov.au/
21. Death Notice: Frederick BENHAM, age 73, 'Family Notices', Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), 5 September 1922, p. 2. ,col. 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45582708