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CLICK this photo to learn more about James Robert Mullett and his Sealion adventures. 
We have a birth certificate for James Robert 
which says he was born on 24th October 1840, at 174 Tooley Street in the district of St John in the County of Surrey. [This was his father's address] The certificate says he weighed 6lb 5 ozs. and his mother was Frances Miller (now Mullett). However the Parish Records for Saint John Horseleydowns, Bermondsey, London  show that his mother was Mary Amelia Ann [nee Harvey] |
JAMES ROBERT MULLETT 1840-1923was christened on 18 Nov 1840 at Saint John Horseleydowns, Bermondsey, LondonCLICK HERE for Jame's IGI REFERENCE. William Mullett came to Australia in 1848 with his sons William (11) and James (8), and two daughters Mary (9) and Fanny (6). Mr Thomas, Schoolmaster, George Street/Gilles Street, Adelaide accepted the enrolment of James Robert MULLETT (abt 9yrs) and his sister Fanny MULLETT (abt 7yrs), both living at Rosina Street, Adelaide c.1849 To see the list of Admissions at this school during 1849 CLICK HERE After James Robert left school (c.1856 when aged 16) he became a Mate on the schooner "Morning Light" (see below) He married MARY 'EMILY' MITCHELL OATEY eldest daughter of John Oatey of North Adelaide, on January 21st, 1863 at Lot 134 Graves Street Kadina, at the home of the bride's uncle, Mr William Henry Beaglehole.(confirmed by The Adelaide Register Newspaper of Jan.21,1863) We understand they had four children: Albert James MULLETT was born in 1864 in Adelaide and died in 1938 at HEALESVILLE Fanny MULLETT was born in 1866 in Adelaide, and died 6 months later in Bendigo at the home of Uncle James Mitchell (her grandmother Susan Mitchell's brother) Ada Marion Oatey MULLETT was born 1867 at Collingwood and died in 1923 aged 56 at Prahran, Melbourne The only reference we have regarding a fourth child is on Mary Emily's Death Certificate. A report in the CHICAGO DAILY INTEROCEAN 1907 indicates that JAMES ROBERT MULLETT was the mate of The Blackball clipper Morning Light, sailing between Liverpool and South America in the guano trade. Sometime in the Australian spring of 1864 he resigned his berth. He had saved up some money and went to Santa Barbara, chartered a schooner and after three months of work, caught his first two sealions. He expected $5000 from P T Barnum, and received $10,000. When James Mullett returned home late in 1865, he sold everything and left Kadina. They must have spent Christmas with his wife's uncle James Mitchell at Bendigo, as this is where their youngest daughter Fanny died in January 1866. |
helped purchase the Drapery shop in Kadina (see below). This would have provided her with an income whilst he was away at sea.  CLICK HERE to learn more about why he sold the shop and left Kadina. |
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