John Kelly's inquest

Seventeen years after the death of his wife Mary and their seventeen year old daughter, also Mary, John Kelly himself died at Yackandandah, Victoria .

He died from heart failure and fell into the fireplace.

The details from the inquest are as follows.

page 1

29 - 7 - 1905

Proceedings of INQUIRY held upon the body of John Kelly at Yackandandah.

received at the Crown Law Offices,

2 - 8 - 1905

J.J. Hobbs   Coroner.


MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY,
Victoria,
Norther Bailiwick,
To wit.

A Magisterial Inquiry on behalf of our sovereign His Majesty King taken at Yackandandah in the NOrthern Bailiwick State of Victoria, this 29th day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred & five before the undersigned James Joseph Hobbs Esquire, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the said Bailiwick, upon view of the body of John Kelly then and there lying dead.

Having duly enquired when, where, how and by what means the said John Kelly came by his death, I say that the said John Kelly died at Yackandandah in the said Bailiwick on the 28th day of July 1905 from HEART FAILURE.

As witness my hand this 29th day of July
J.J Hobbs  J.P.

This Deponent Charles Conrad Haub on his oat saith, I am a Currier residing at Whiskey Flat Yackandandah.  I am employed by Mr. ...? Tanner .......? the deceased John Kelly was employed at the Du...? Tannery.  I last saw him alive at half past three on the 28th Inst, about 2 O'clock he compained of being ill and said he was ....? and complained of a pain in his chest he left the work about 1/4 past three & on leaving said I am just done Charley I must give up after 5? years labour- He then said call in this evening meaning to deceased's house- about 5 o'clock I saw him in his house in a lying position his head was in the fire place his body was on fire also his clothes - body? was ? and the fire put out - I then went for the police & the doctor - I have known and worked with the deceased for about 8 years.  and I should say he ? ? 64 years of age.

This Deponent John James Sylvester Healy on his oath saith, I am a legally qualified medical practitioner residing at Yackandandah.
I attended deceased John Kelly for some time during April & May 1905.  I last examined him on June 5th.
He was suffering from Valvular disease of the heart.  I cautioned him to beware of exerting himself.  I saw the body which I recognise as John Kelly lying in the fireplace at the cottage at the tannery.  My opinion of the cause of death was heart failure.

This Deponent William Vallance on his oath saith, I am a Constable of Police residing at Yackandandah.
I am a police Constable stationed at Yackandandah.  On the 28th inst from information received about 6 pm I went to John Kellys house about half mile from the town and I there saw the body of a man lying on the floor in the kitchen burnt to such an extent that the features was beyound recognition.  From some of the clothes that were on the body I identified the body as the body of John Kelly.

The foregoing depositions of Charles Conrad Haub J. J. S Healy and Wm Vallance were taken and sworn before me at Yackandandah on the 29th day of July 1905.
J.J. Hobbs   J.P.

Curious

I really do wonder why my grandmother was living at the Bethesda Hospital in Richmond when she met and married my grandfather.  She gives her occupation as home duties.  She wasn't a nurse.

She was a widow who had very sadly lost her first husband and baby within weeks of one another in 1931/2 and then her mother in 1933 (read their sad story here)
During those years she was living at 10 Molesworth Street, North Melbourne.

I can't find her first husband or her in any of the electoral rolls until after she married my grandfather.

Perhaps "Home Duties" meant she was a housekeeper or domestic help of some sort at the hospital.

If anyone has any thoughts or clues I would be grateful.

Mary Kelly's Inquest

Perhaps John Kelly moved his family from Tarraville to North Melbourne because his wife was ill.

John, his wife Mary Ann nee Francis and their two daughters, Mary and Alice were living at 73 Melrose Street North Melbourne in August 1888.

Mary Ann died on the 16th of August 1888 of a Lumbar abscess and debility for which she had been seeing Dr. Howitt for 4 months.

John and their daughters must then have moved to 35 Mark Street, North Melbourne where tragedy struck the family again.  On the 22nd of November their seventeen year old daughter Mary caught her clothes on fire while doing the laundry at the copper situated in the back yard.

Mary was taken to Melbourne Hospital where she died on the 13th of December from the effects of those burns.  An inquest was held into her death.

Page 1
December 15th 1888
Proceedings of Inquest held upon the body of Mary Kelly at the Hospital Melbourne.
Received at the Crown Law Offices 18th Dec 1888
signed the coroner

Page 2
Proceedings before coroners
Inquisition
Colony of Victoria To wit.
An inquisition for our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria, taken at Melbourne Hospital in the Colony of Victoria aforesaid, the Fifteenth day of December A.D. 1888 in the ?? year of the Reign of our said Lady the Queen, before me Michael Gaul Gentleman, a City Coroner of our Lady the Queen for the said Colony, upon the view of the body of Mary Kelly.

(signatures of 5 jurors)

good and lawful men of Melbourne in the said Colony, who being duly sworn and charged to inquire, upon the part of our Lady the Queen, when, where, how, and by what means the said Mary Kelly came by her death, do say upon their oath in the Melbourne Hospital on the thirteenth of December ? the deceased Mary Kelly died from the effects of Burns accidentally received.

Page 3
In witness whereof as well the aforesaid Coroner as the Jurors aforesaid, have to this Inquisition put their hands and seals, on the day and year and at the place above mentioned.
signed by the Coroner Michael Gaul and the 5 Jurors.

Page 4
VICTORIA POLICE - 47
Russell Street Station.  Melbourne Police District 14th December 1888
Report of Const. Davidson relative to death of a girl in the hospital.
I have to report that Mary Kelly 17 years of 35 Mark St. North Melbourne was admitted to Melbourne Hospital on 22nd November 1888 suffering from burns of the legs & arms caused by her clothing taking fire accidentally when washing or boiling clothes at a copper.
She progressed fairly well till the change in the weather yesterday afternoon when she ? and died in 20 minutes.

signed M Davidson const. 5269
M. Gaul Esq. M.D.
City Coroner
Melbourne.

Page 5
This Deponent John Kelly on his oath saith I am a Tanner residing at North Melbourne.
The deceased was my Daughter her name was Mary Kelly her age was seventeen years.  She was unmarried?
On the twenty second of November last my daughter was washing in the yard.  She had a fire under a boiler her clothes were set on fire.  I heard her screaming I went to her assistance.  I found her in flames running up the passage.  I tried to put it out but she got away from me and ran into the house where I was when the fire was put out she was severely burnt.
I had a Doctor to see her who advised me to take her to the hospital.  She was alone in the yard.
Signed John Kelly

taken and sworn before me, the 15th of December 1888 at Melbourne. Mich Gaul Coroner

Page 6
This Deponent Frank Smith Crowther on his oath saith, I am a duly qualified medical practitioner residing at Melbourne Hospital.
The deceased Mary Kelly was admitted into the hospital on the 22nd of November about 4 p.m. and on examination was found to be suffering from a burn of the left arm and extensive burns at the back and inner side of both legs extending to the ankle on the left and to the knee on the right side.  There was also a burn at the lumbar region of the back.  Patient remained in the hospital and was under treatment up to the 13th inst. when she suddenly took? an attack of collapse and died at 9.40 p.m.
The cause of death was the burns.
signed FS Crowther
Taken and Sworn before me, the 15th of December 1888 at Melbourne.
signed Mich Gaul. Coroner

William Kelly

WILLIAM KELLY

William Kelly was the youngest brother of my great great grandmother Alice Morgan (nee Kelly)

Their parents were Cornelius Kelly and Mary Moloughney of  Dualla, Ballysheehan, Tipperary.  Dualla is near Cashel.

William was baptised Roman Catholic on the 6th of January 1846 at Dualla.  Sponsors were Michael Kelly and Mary Ryan.  I don't know if this Michael Kelly was his older brother or another relative.

William had 4 older brothers.  Edmond I know nothing further about.  Michael went to South Africa.  He came to his sister in Australia 1898 where he died of Tuberculosis.  John and Thomas. 

 John, Thomas and William all traveled to Australia on the ship Rising Sun arriving on the 15th of June 1858 just in time for their sister Alice's wedding to John Morgan.

According to Michael Kelly's Will in 1898 his brother, William, was last known to be a speculator of West Australian Mining.

In 1905 a New Zealand newspaper notice said at the death of John Kelly that he was the beloved 'only' brother of Thomas Kelly.  We know that Michael had already died so I would assume that William was also deceased in 1905.

On further searching in the Queensland indexes I found the death of a William Kelly in 1899.  His parents were named as Con Kelly and Mary O'Loughlin.

I'm told the surname Molloughney is pronounced with the 'gh' as MolloKney which I have read is also interchangeable with McLaughlin etc.  This is the closest death entry I can find.

The age is out and I don't know when he left Victoria but death certificates are not always reliable.

I cannot be certain this is our William Kelly.  Hopefully one day further information may come to light.

A Small Social Media Geneameme

My answers to Jill Ball (Geniaus) social media geneameme

1. Tell us about your favourite social media tool and why you like it.

I have 3 favourites,  facebook because my children and so many of my family use it.  
Blogger because I can record my family stories and read the stories of other like minded family historians.  Google+ because I can connect with my genea-mates in circles specifically for that purpose.

2. How do you use social media to further your genealogy career or business?

My genealogy is a hobby/obsession/passion.  
I upload old family photos, or write a blog post and share it on Google+, facebook and twitter. 


3. What advice would you give the cruiser who said “I must be living
under a rock” and is not sure about coming out from under it? (This came from my Social Media presentation)

It is a learning curve but well worthwhile.  Even a small blog would be a good way to ease into social media.

4. What aspect of Social Media makes you grit your teeth?

Spam and rude comments

5. How does social media assist with your CGD (continuing genealogical development)?

I've learnt so many things about genealogy and technology from reading other people's blogs, posts, pages and comments.  

6. How do you fit social media time into your busy day?

Having just moved to a new area and being self-employed in a 7 day a week business I find it a necessity for keeping in touch with family and friends.  It is a bit sad but currently it is my only social life and I would even call it my therapy when I feel stressed or down. I have my laptop on all day for work so I can duck in and out of social media sites as time permits.  Often there isn't much time but even a quick game here and there offers relaxation and diversion from the daily grind.

7. Do you have a story of how social media enabled you to connect with a long lost relation or fellow  researcher?

My Dad's cousin got me started on researching my paternal lineage.  Not a lot was known.  My great grandmother's brother went to New Zealand and I had just started to find details about him.  I wrote about my findings in my blog his great granddaughter found my blog post in a Google search!  They had old family photos that we had never dreamed of seeing.  I connect with many fellow researchers and family members on most of the Social media I use.

8. You have a minute to share a piece of advice about genealogy and social media. Go for it.

Never give up searching for information and writing about your findings. 
You just can't beat the excitement of finding new family members, stories and photos.

Desecration of our ancestors graves!!

Having just read a post about the destruction of headstones at a cemetery in Western Australia and possibly next in South Australia, I am compelled to share the details here in my blog as well.

Even though I live in Victoria and have no ancestors actually buried in the affected cemeteries, if this is allowed to happen there it could well continue to happen all over the country.

These precious headstones are memorials to our country's pioneering ancestors and their descendants.

YOUR / OUR  ancestors!

As Catherine, my fellow obsessed  passionate family historian of the blog Seeking Susan ~ Meeting Marie ~ Finding Family,  puts it so well in her post
 LEAVE OUR ANCESTORS ALONE!!!..   do please read it.

This desecration was written about by Crissouli at That Moment In Time in her blog post    HEARTBREAK IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA  where there are photos to show what is happening -  do please read it.

And then PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click HERE to sign Sandra Playle's petition "West Australian Government: bring an end to the clearing of headstones in West Australian Cemeteries."