Isaac Henry Boxshall

Isaac Henry Boxshall: Constable 2486: Condensed from Croker Prize entry for Biography 1403. Isaac's father came to Brighton as a boy, having emigrated from surrey with his parents who were Dendy emigrants. (Information on forebears profiles.) His mother came to Australia as a15 year old Irish orphan and was only 16 at the time of her marriage. She died in childbirth with her 11th child, when Issac, her first born was 20. A year later his father married again producing a further 8 children, some who did not survive infancy. Isaac , prior to his mother's decease , having inherited his father's love of horses, got work as a groom.On Oct. 27th, 1871 he joined the Artillery Corps. On Aug. 5th 1872 he joined the Vic. Police Force as a mounted constable.He was only 18, but gave his age as 21, a fabrication that persisted and one of many lies that he told during his life. He was stationed at Graytown , a mining town in Central Vic., and behaved badly within the force, attending a public house when he should have been working, and using unbecoming language tp a member of the public. About the time that Isaac's mother died he met the Ann Page daughter of a respected local chemist in Graytown. He added the middle name Henry to his name when he married the pregnant Ann. He continued the web of confabulations when he lied about his age and marriage dates on his new baby's birth registration The following month on 21/06/1874 Isaac was transferred to El Dorado. He was soon in strife, being fined 10 shillings for playing cards in a public house instead of being on patrol. Ann was weak and unwell after giving birth. Isaac, burdened with medical bills began to write post dated cheques that he could not honour, and obtained money under false pretences from his supervisor resulting in his dismissal from the force. Isaac challenged the rulings and lost. Ann and baby returned to Graytown. She was 18 and Issac 21 (real age) Isaac returned to Brighton, obtained a little work as a blacksmith, but continued to obtain goods for which he could not pay. On 15th Dec. 1875 he was charged with forgery and was sentenced to prison for 2 months, Isaac returned to his young wife and daughter and got work as a storeman,A second child was born.heT family soon moved to Violet Town and obtained a clerical position. Child number 3 was born and died a few hours later. Isaac's movements are unclear. Ann moved to Wangaratta, conceived, but Isaac did not hand around Nothing more was heard of Isaac, and his own family no longer acknowledged him.