• Born: 19 May 1852, Tours, France
• Marriage (1): UNKNOWN, (First Wife)
• Marriage (2): McNEIFF, Mary on 17 Jun 1890 in St Patrick's, RC Church, Grosvenor St, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia ¹
• Died: 18 Jan 1926, 25 Ebsworth Road, Rose Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia at age 73 ²
• Buried: 19 Jan 1926, Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

  Noted events in his life were:

• Oral history. ³ From his daughter Mary Frances O'NEILL nee FUSSEN: At 18 George fought in the Franco-Prussian War (1871). His first family didn't come to Australia and he later found that they had died in France [?]. He came to Australia on holidays but was robbed and forced to stay. He went to live in a boarding house in Pyrmont run by the Ryans (Brother-in-law and sister of Mary McNEIFF / McCUNNIFF). He met Mary there and they were married at St. Patrick's in Grosvenor Street, Sydney by Father Ginisty

It was also believed that George came to Australia from Canada.

N.B. - Most of the letters appear to be written by Mary and not George - his signature appeared to be written by a child - perhaps he wasn't good at writing?

• Immigration, Abt 1886, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. between 1871 and 1890
Stated as 1886 on his Application for Naturalization - on the ship "Caledonien"
Immigration / shipping record not yet found.

• Residence: 37 Forth Street, 1892, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: 35 Forth Street, 1894, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: gardener of 35 Forth Street, South Side, 1895, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: 35 Forth Street, 1896, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: 35 Forth Street, 1897, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: Pickering Lane, 1901, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: Pickering Lane, 1902, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 141 Sutherland Street, 1903, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴ Located on the south side between Taylor Street and Elizabeth Street.
According to George's daughter Mary, the house was never owned by the family - only rented. This fits with George's naturalization in 1910 - he had to have his citizenship before he could own property.

• Residence: of 165 Sutherland Street, South Side, 1905, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 94 Hargrave Street, 1906, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 139 Sutherland Street, 1907, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Naturalization: Reference certificate, 23 Aug 1910, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁵ CERTIFICATE
Referred to in paragraph 10 of annexed Application
I Patrick Scott Cleary, JP District Registrar of Births Deaths & Marriages residing at 157 Queen Street Woollahra in the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia, do certify that George Fussen an applicant for a Certificate of Naturalization under the Naturalization Act 1903, is known to me, and is a person of good repute.
Signature: P S Cleary

• Naturalization: Statutory declaration, 23 Aug 1910, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁵ STATUTORY DECLARATION
I George Fussen do solemnly and sincerely declare that-
My name is George Fussen
My age is 58 years, and I was born on the 19th day of May in the year 1852, at Tours in the Indre et Loire in the country of France.
My occupation is that of Gardener
My place of residence is 147 Sutherland St, Paddington, in the State of New South Wales in the Commonwealth of Australia.
I have been resident in Australia for 24 years.
I intend to settle permanently in the Commonwealth.
I make this solemn declaration as to the matters aforesaid according to the law in this behalf made, and subject to the punishment by law provided for any wilfully false statement in any such declaration.
Made and declared before me at Woollahra this Twenty third day of August 1910 ... P S Cleary JP
[Signed:] G Fussen

• Naturalization: Application, 25 Aug 1910, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁵ APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION
1. I George Fussen
of 147 Sutherland Street, Paddington
hereby apply for a Certificate of Naturalization under the Naturalization Act 1903.
2. I am by birth a French citizen
3. I arrived in Australia from Tours, France on the ... day of ... in the year 1886 per the Caledonien (M.M.S.) and disembarked at the port of Sydney.
4. Since my arrival in Australia I have resided at Woollahra about 15 years, and Paddington 9 years.
5. I have resided in Australia continuously for a period of two years immediately preceding the date of this Application.
6. I forward herewith a Statutory Declaration, setting for the particulars required by Section 6, Sub-section (1), paragrah (a) of the said Act.
7. I am married & wife resides with me.
8. I have five children 3 males and 2 females, all residing with me.
9. I am not a naturalized subject or citizen of any other country.
10. I forward also a certificate signed by Mr P S Cleary, Justice of the Peace to the effect that I am known to him, and am a person of good repute.
[Signature:] G Fussen
Dated at Paddington the 25 August 1910

• Naturalization: Oath of allegiance, 26 Aug 1910, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁵ OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
I George Fussen do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty Kin George V. His heirs and successors according to law. So Help me God!
Signature: G Fussen

CERTIFICATE
I Frederick P D Meares [?] Police Magistrate do hereby certify that on the 26th day of August 1910 George Fussen of Paddington in the State of New South Wales, gardener an applicant for a Certificate of Naturalization appeared before me and took the Oath of Allegiance in the above form.
Signature: F P Meares [?] PM

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, South Side, 1910, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Naturalization: Certificate receipt, 21 Oct 1910, Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia. ⁵ Received from the Secretary to the Department of External Affairs
Certificate of Naturalization No. 10437
Signature: George Fussen
Date: 21st October 1910

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, 1911, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, 1913, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, South Side, 1915, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴ Same address shown on enlistment papers for George jnr.

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, 1916, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: of 147 Sutherland Street, 1917, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia. ⁴

• Residence: "Verona", Ebsworth Road, 1921, Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia. ³

• Death, 18 Jan 1926, Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia. ⁶ Certificate informant: Winifred SMITH nee FUSSEN, daughter.
Died at 25 Ebsworth Road, Rose Bay
Age shown as 68 - this would mean he was born in 1858.
Father's name shown as Louis FUSSEN
Mother's name shown as Frances GENEE
Age when married shown as 33
All of these differ from the information provided on George's marriage certificate.

• Burial, 19 Jan 1926, Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ⁷ Roman Catholic cemetery, Section H, Plot No 374

George married (First Wife) UNKNOWN. ((First Wife) UNKNOWN was born est 1854.)

George next married Mary McNEIFF, daughter of John McNEIFF and Winifred McNULTY, on 17 Jun 1890 in St Patrick's, RC Church, Grosvenor St, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.¹ (Mary McNEIFF was born about 1866 in Co Sligo, Ireland, died on 13 Feb 1935 in State Hospital, Newington, New South Wales, Australia ⁸ and was buried on 15 Feb 1935 in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage: St Patrick's, 17 Jun 1890, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ¹ George FUSSEN, widower, gardener, aged 38, born France, parents - Peter FUSSEN & Françoise GENISE
Mary McNEIFF, spinster, house keeper, aged 26, born County Kerry, Ireland, parents - John McNEIFF & Winifred McNULTY [believed to be Co Sligo and not Kerry]
Usual place of residence for both: Sydney

• Marriage: St Patrick's, 17 Jun 1890, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ⁹ Roman Catholic Church, Grosvenor Street
St Patrick's was built 1840-1844
Designed by John Broadbent, reworked by J F Hilly

• Marriage: by Fr Augustin Ginistry, 17 Jun 1890, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ⁹ Fr Ginistry married George FUSSEN and Mary McNEIFF.
The Marist priests were at St Patrick's from 1868.
Fr Ginistry was assistant priest from 1881 to 1901 and returned in 1904 as Parish Priest.
Fr Ginistry was French - this was obvious as he wrote George's mother's name as "Françoise".