Ann Jane Fleming was the firstborn daughter of William Finlay Fleming and his wife, Ann Jane Knight.
She was born on the 7th of March 1853 at River Plenty, Victoria, Australia.
A couple of years later the family were at Creswick, Victoria where Ann's brother William James Fleming was born in 1855
They remained in the general area and Ann Jane met Arthur Thomson who was a musician born in Birkenhead, England.
Ann and Arthur Married at the Manse in Creswick on the 11th of November 1870.
Witnesses were her parents.
Arthur's parents on his marriage were listed as John Abraham Thompson and Martha Williams.
Marriage record 4224 / 1870 Ann Jane Fleming and Arthur Thompson
Ann gave birth to twelve children in the following years.
Their first son, Arthur Fleming Thomson was born at Creswick in 1871. Birth reg # 8456 / 1871
They had moved to Inglewood where Ann's parents were living at the time and their daughter Louisa was born there in 1874, birth reg # 9495 / 1874
Jane was born next back in Creswick in 1875. Birth reg # 8307 / 1875
followed by Blanche in 1877, birth reg # 1398 / 1877
and Florence in 1880, birth reg # 14322 / 1880
both at Castlemaine.
1883 saw them in the Nathalia area where Ann's parents had settled to farming at Kotupna and it was there that Thomas was born in 1883, birth reg # 6952 / 1883
Selina in1884, birth reg # 15286 / 1885
Laura about 1886 but no birth registration found and Emily Augustine in 1887. birth reg # 25982 / 1887
(I wonder if Emily was known as Laura?)
There were ten children listed on Ann Jane's death certificate in 1925. Ethel and Emily weren't listed.
perhaps either Emily died either at birth or as an infant but I can't find a death registration so maybe she is Laura?
Death record 13936 / 1925, Thompson, Ann Jane Hotham East Victoria
After Emily, it seems that Oliver was born at Elmore, then Ethel in 1889 at Kerang but I can't find their birth registrations.
Bertha Elsie Adeline was the last born in 1891 at Minyip and her birth was registered but father's name not given.
I haven't been able to find a death for Arthur Thomson but according to some records found for their later children, he was deceased before 1893.
Perhaps this was what set Ann on her difficult times.
Unless there are family stories out there we may never know.
Bertha's granddaughter, Joy Parker, who was a DNA match to me in Ancestry contacted me to ask if I knew anything about her grandmother being a State Ward.
I knew where to look for the records at the Public Records Office Victoria website and lo and behold 6 of the youngest children, Thomas, Selina, Laura, Oliver, Ethel and Bertha were all made Wards of the State in 1893.
A Mrs Faulkner in Bendigo was Foster carer to most of the children.
Following are transcriptions of those records as far as I could read them.
Thomas Thompson No. 19164
Date of Birth: 29 - 3 - 83
Native Place: Kotupna
Religion: C of E
Date of Committment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Committment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 29 - 3 - 1901
Previous History Of Child -
Father- Arthur Thompson, Deceased
Mother- Ann Jane Thompson, character bad of drunken habits. at present doing 3 months in gaol for vagrancy.
Relations- Brother 19170 Sisters 19168, 19169, 19171 & 19172
Subsequent history of relations:
Cut off all communication between Mother & Children says secretary 4 - 9 - 93
Grandfather & Grandmother Wm Findlay and Jane Knight Fleming also Uncles James, Donald & Findlay Fleming are farmers in good circumstances at Kotupna Victoria & good repute. In P office Kotupna G94/3646 of 28 - 5 -94 still there on 13-1-95 G 95/320 In Post office Koyuga. G95/4838 of 30-7-95 In still there on 14-10-95 G95/6774 In Post Office. ? ? on 7-2-96 G96/1057. Sister J Thompson ? St, ? on 13-7-96 G96/5076, M Mrs A J Thompson, Womboo Hotel, Womboo, N S Wales G97/1504, ? Womboo NSW G97/6227 17-8-97 Sister Mrs Frauenfelder Black Range PO ? Albury
PRO Victoria SERIES:Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION:VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 137
Selina Thompson No. 19168
Date of Birth: 11 - 3 - 84
Native Place: (Nathalia) Katupna (sic)
Religion: C of E
Date of Commitment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Commitment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 11 - 3 - 1902
? not to be extended for ? mandate ?
Previous History Of Child -
Father- & Mother } See folio 137
Relations- Brother 19164 & 19170 Sisters 19169, 19171 & 19172
Subsequent history of relations: see folio 137
Subsequent history of child
Where Stationed
Date: 2 - 9 - 93 Girls depot, 20 - 9 - 93 Girls Depot, 14 - 1 - 95 Girls Depot, 31 - 12 - 98 Girls Depot
20 - 12 - 99 Training Institute, 31 - 7 - 99 Training Institute, 22 - 2 - 01 Training Institute
Training Institute, Training Institute (see ? orders?)
Date: 14 - 9 - 93
Foster Parent: Mrs Faulkner, Bendigo
1 - 2 - 95 Rel? Mrs Faulkner
With whom & where licensed:
1 - 10 - 97 Mrs Galbraith Forest St Bendigo, 14 - 5 - 98 Mrs Noonan ? street Benalla.
30 - 5 - 99 Mrs Gray Vale st East Melbourne. 5 - 8 - 99 Mrs Smaile, ?
4 - 3 - 01 ?, 18 - 11 - 01 ?, 26 - 11 - 01 Mrs Shindrow? Balwyn Rd, Canterbury
Date of Discharge: 22 - 12 - 93
Manner of Discharge: ? page 137
PRO Victoria SERIES:Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION:VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 141
Laura Thompson No. 19169
Date of Birth: 14 - 9 - 86
Native Place: Nathalia
Religion: C of E
Date of Committment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Committment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 14 - 9 - 1904
Previous History Of Child -
Father- Mother - } See folio 137
Relations- Brother 19164 & 19170 Sisters 19168, 19171 & 19172
Subsequent history of relations: see folio 137
Subsequent history of child
Where Stationed
Date: 2 - 9 - 93 Girls depot, 20 - 12 - 93 Girls Depot, 14 - 1 - 95 Girls Depot.
more writing but too faint to read
Date: 14 - 9 - 93 Foster Parent: Mrs Faulkner, Bendigo, 1 - 2 - 95 Rel? Mrs Faulkner
Date of Discharge: 22 - 12 - 93
Manner of Discharge: on probation sec 30
SS ? Act ?
Mrs Fleming of Kotupna
State of Health when Discharged
30 - 5 - 02 ???
Has gone to sister Mrs W Frauenfelder
Black Range N S Wales No 5282
PRO Victoria SERIES:Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION:VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 142
Next is the interesting record.
It appears that Oliver had a different father.
Morris, August, Oliver Thompson
No. 19170
Date of Birth: 14 - 8 - 89
Native Place: Elmore
Date of Committment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Committment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 14 - 8 - 1907
Previous History Of Child -
Father- August, Henry, Sherlock, Zimmerman, Oyster Saloon ? Benalla
Mother- Ann Jane Thompson
Relations- Brother 19164 Sisters 19168, 19169, 19171 & 19172
The mother states Zimmerman is in good circumstances. She states he has a house at Warracknabeal for which he accrues? 16/6 per week rent she also believes he has property in Portland and Kerang. The justices refused to make order against him on the statement of the woman only
Subsequent history of relations:
see folio 137 Mother's address P. Office Kotupna G94/1804 of 13-3-94 ? page 137
Subsequent history of child
Where Stationed
Date: 2 - 9 - 93 Girls depot
Date: 14 - 9 - 93
Foster Parent: Mrs Faulkner, Bendigo
With whom and where Licensed
11 - 9 - 02 Mr Geo J Butcher Campaspe
PRO Victoria SERIES:Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION:VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 143
Transcription of Record for
Ethel Thompson No. 19171
Date of Birth: 3 - 12 - 89 (3 - 12 - 90 crossed out) Notation under date of birth that I can't decipher
Native Place: Kerang
Date of Committment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Committment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 3 - 12 - 1909 (3 - 12 - 1908 crossed out)
Previous History Of Child -
Father- Morther - See folio 143
Relations- Brothers 19164 & 19170 Sisters 19168, 19169 & 19172
Subsequent history of relations: see folio 137
Subsequent history of child
Where stationed:
Date: 2 - 9 - 93, 5 - 10 - 07, 10 - 4 - 07, 29 - 7 - 08
Depot: Girls Depot
With whom and where boarded out
Date: 14 - 9 - 9 Foster Parent: Mrs Faulkner, Bendigo
With whom & where licensed:
11 - 12 - 03 Mrs Butcher?, Colbinabbin
8 - 4 - 04 Mrs Jno Cail? Kamarooka
1 - 12 - 04 Mrs Reeves, ? King St. Bendigo
23 -10 - 06 Mrs Moloney, 28 Denmark Hill? Road, ? Hawthorn
6 - 2 - 07 Mrs Jenkins, 76 Highbury Grove, Kew?
1 - 5 - 07 Mrs Westwood, St Helens, Cochrane St, Elsternwick
State of Education when Discharged
1 - 8 - 08 (I can't decipher it)
PRO Victoria SERIES:Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION:VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 144
Transcription of Record for
Bertha Elsie Adaline Thompson No. 19172
Date of Birth: 17 - 9 - 91
Native Place: Minyip
Date of Committment: 1 -9 - 93
Committing Bench: Nhill
Cause of Committment: Neglected
Expiration of Term: 17 -9 - 1909
Extension of term unnecessary
If Vaccinated: (there is a notation that I don't understand)
Previous History Of Child -
Father- Mother - See folio 143
Relations- Brothers 19164 & 19170 Sisters 19168, 19169 & 19172
Subsequent history of relations: see folio 137
Subsequent history of child
Date: 9 - 93 Girls Depot
Date: 14 - 9 - 93 Foster Parent: Mrs Faulkner, Bendigo
With whom & where licensed:
17 - 9 - 04 Mrs Faulkner, Kangaroo Flat
2 - 2 - 05 Mrs Reeves, Bagshot
17 - 2 - 06 Mrs Morris, Kamarooka
18 - 4 - 06 Mrs M J Watts, Kamarooka
1 -10 - 06 Mrs ?, Kangaroo Flat
PRO Victoria SERIES: Ward Registers (known as Children's Registers 1864 - 1887)
CITATION: VPRS 4527/ P2 item Vol. 15, record page 145
About these records
"What is in these records?
Language warning
The language used in these records can be distressing or offensive. It reflects the attitudes of the time and PROV does not endorse these attitudes.
The ward registers might record:
name
sex
date of birth
birthplace
religion
ability to read or write
cause of admission to State care
dates of admission to State care
the court which ordered the child to State care
term (length of time to be in State care)
details of parents and other family members (if known)
vaccination details (if known)
where stationed (location and date of placements in government or government-approved private institutions)
if ‘licensed’ or ‘boarded out’ (dates and location of placements of children made with named, approved individuals within the community)
From late 1880 children in State care for their protection were mostly placed with approved private individuals within the community through ‘licensing’ / apprenticeship or ‘boarding out’ arrangements. Formal State organised adoptions of wards of the state commenced when the Adoption of Children Act 1928 became law in July 1929."
Ann Jane Thompson died of apoplexy and cardiac failure on the 26th of December, 1925 at 15 Vale Street, North Melbourne.
I've been trying to see if I can find out anything further about her later life.
Thanks to Lenore Frost for pointing me to this Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works Map from 1897, held by the State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/120816
which shows 15 Vale Street where Lenore says would have stood a row of narrow-fronted terraces right on the street which around Melbourne were often widow's rentals.
I had to chuckle at the name of the lane the little red arrow is pointing at. Hit or Miss Lane!
Again thanks to Lenore looking in the Sands & Mc online at the State Library for the year 1925, living at 15 Vale Street was a John M Gallagher.
In the electoral roll, I found a John Michael Gallagher living for some years with his wife Susan at 2 Vale Street. It appears Susan died in 1924.
Perhaps John owned 15 Vale Street.
I looked in the 1924 electoral roll for Ann Jane Thompson and found her living at 13 Vale Street.
Still searching, to be continued...........
