Photo wish list

I have been extremely lucky over my years of research in having found or been given some fantastic photos of ancestors and family members.

To those many people who have shared photos with me over the years, I can't thank you enough.

Today I happened to notice in the pedigree view of my family tree that in my first four generations I am missing photos of only three of my ancestors.

So I made up a wish list image in the hope that one day the universe may smile on me and fill in these blanks on my paternal side.

John Adams parents were George Adams and Catherine Barry

John Morgan's parents were Alexander Morgan and Ann Lennon

In memoriam - Catherine Adams nee Barry

Today is the 134th anniversary of the death of my great-great-grandmother Catherine Adams nee Barry.

My research notes for her are set out below as I dedicate this post to her memory.

I am yet to visit Catherine's resting place where she is buried with her daughter, Mary Adams and a grandson Angus McFadyen at Melbourne General Cemetery in the Roman Catholic area, compartment U, grave no. 71.

photo courtesy of Melbourne General Cemetery

I found in June 2012 at www.rootsireland.ie a baptism record is for a Catherine Barry on the 10 March 1831, Parish/District - St. Mary's Co. Limerick. Roman Catholic denomination. Father - John Barry, Mother - Mary Boyle No sponsors or informants.

Thanks to the initial research by Marg Goodwin I learned that Catherine Barry arrived Western Australia on the 13.1.1853 aboard the ship "TRAVANCORE". 

Catherine came to Australia by assisted passages under the colonial land and emigration commission, which encouraged the migration of young single women from poor circumstances to help balance the sexes here. There was also an Honora and Mary Ann Barry on the same vessel and it was originally thought they were sisters but with further research, it seems highly unlikely although cannot be ruled out altogether.

The arrival of the ship Travancore was mentioned in the book, THE BRIDE SHIPS by Rica Erickson page 38 - Since the demand in Western Australia for single women was so pressing the Land and Emigration Commissioners had no hesitation in sending Irish girls there. Their haste is evident in the shipping records. Comparison with other documents reveals that false information was sometimes given regarding the number of passengers, their ages, occupations and marital status. The fault lay not only with the agents. Some migrants were known to give misleading information in order to comply with regulations.

During 1853 four large contingents of Irish girls and women came to Western Australia, selected mainly from orphanages and poorhouses of Cork and Dublin. These were shipped to England to board the immigrant ships, the Travancore which arrived at Fremantle in January, the Palestine in April, the Sabrina in June and the Clara in September. These four ships brought over 400 single women (mostly Irish) also about 400 married people with 330 children, and 65 single men. Such crowds of immigrants arriving within nine months were far in excess of Fitzgerald's estimates of the number that the colony could absorb annually. The problems of housing and employment were aggravated by the arrival of four convict ships in the same year. Five cottages in Murray Street leased from Charles King in July 1851 were to be used as lodgings for immigrants when the need arose.

The Travancore arrived in the full heat of Summer.  The 115 Irish girls were taken in parties of forty or fifty up the Swan River to Perth where a large crowd gathered at the William Street jetty to greet them. Some of the girls were barefoot and most of them wore simple gowns with shawls for head coverings. They were soon dubbed "bog Irish" At first the employers were reluctant to take girls who were not trained as cooks, scullery maids or nursemaids, especially when they were Catholic. Protestants naturally preferred Protestant servants to avoid embarrassment in their homes. But the Irish girls were good-natured, healthy, willing to work and were not averse to leaving town and going into service on distant farms. Within a few weeks, ninety of the girls were in employment, some going to Albany and sixteen to Bunbury. By February the Immigration Officer reported with satisfaction that: 'The exemplary good conduct of the Travancore girls while at the Home, and their general willingness to learn quite dispelled any feeling of prejudice against them on account of their Catholic faith'

It is interesting that only 6 days later she married my great-great-grandfather, George Adams at St. Patrick's, Fremantle, Western Australia on the 19th of June 1853. 

Witnesses were Thomas GASSEN and Mary WIGAN.

Their first daughter, Susan was born in Fremantle in 1854

George and Catherine moved to North Melbourne, Victoria 2 years later where their next child, son George was born in 1856. Then followed my great-grandfather, John, in 1858, Mary in 1860, Edward in 1862, Catherine (known as Katie) in 1864 and David in 1866.  They were then back in W.A where their last two children, Margaret and Annie were born in Albany in 1868 and 1870. This is most likely when George was involved in building the Albany Courthouse and Customs building.

Others of my blog posts linked to Catherine can be found BY CLICKING HERE

Mysterious David Adams Found

I have been trying to find my grandmother's paternal Uncle for so many years now I can't remember how long.  

David Adams, whose death details we couldn't find, was the only child of George Adams and Catherine Barry whose death and further life movements we hadn't found.

Christine Stafford nee Adams, my 3rd cousin once removed and I had all but given up hope but every few years a small snippet of information would show up in searches just to tease us I'm sure.

After his birth registration details in 1866, the next bit of information on his whereabouts was that he was a witness to the marriage of my great-grandmother Mary Agnes Morgan to his older brother, John Adams in  Essendon, Victoria in 1887.

Christine had later found some newspaper articles that mentioned a young David Adams in the Flemington area of Victoria where our Adams ancestors lived.  

We still don't know for sure if this was our David though.

David's father, George Adams, died in 1921.

David was one of the beneficiaries in his Will.

He was also a beneficiary in the Will of one of his sisters, Margaret Mansfield in 1926, so we knew he must have been still alive.

I hadn't found any more family Wills.

The last hint was nearly 12 months ago when I came across an obituary for David's sister, Catherine McFadyen who died in 1946, that mentioned her brother, David Adams in Sydney.  

Family Notices (1946, September 7).
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 9.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206366530

Yesterday a new record hint in ancestry.com.au came up for him.

A marriage was recorded in The Sydney, Australia, Anglican Parish Registers, 1814-2011 which had been added to ancestry. (I'm not sure when)

This record actually showed a marriage certificate for a David Adams to an Evelyn Maude Sutton in 1938.  I thought Nah ......

His age was 71 years and he was a builder who lived in Sydney.  

Well that occupation ran in the family but I had previously found another death for a David Adams, builder so I wasn't convinced.

Hopeful.

Born in North Melbourne, Victoria, tick.

He was a Widower which would explain his age, tick.

The big YES came at his parent's names, George Adams, builder and Catherine Barry.  

BIG TICK and BINGO!!

It took a while to sink in but you can imagine the happy dance!

After all these years I couldn't believe he had been found.

I had actually looked at the marriage record previously for these two but due to financial restraints, I can't spend willy-nilly on BMD certificates.

Chris Goopy, a genealogy blogging friend, once said David would help us find him when he was ready.  

He did!

I hooked up with my cousin Christine in messenger and we both began a frantic search for other information.

In the excitement, I can't remember now who found what but we found his death and funeral notices in April 1951.

"Family Notices" The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) 27 April 1951: <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18210317>.

"Family Notices" The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) 27 April 1951:  <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18210317>.

Further searching of the electoral rolls determined that David's sons were John Lockyer Adams and David Bernard Adams.

Christine found his death notice in 1987.

John married Eileen Marie Holmes in 1928.

I haven't found David Bernard Adams death as yet but we are fairly sure he married a Maisie Lilian Belcher.

On looking in ancestry there doesn't seem to be any of his descendants researching or as obsessed interested in the family history as I am.

Hoping this blog post may attract contact by David's descendants one day.

David ADAMS - back to the drawing board

In my post last week on 'David ADAMS breakthrough - I hope' I was excited at finding mention of my great-grand-uncle David, living in Sydney, in the newspaper death notice of his sister Catherine McFadyen in 1946.

Up until then the last trace of him was a mention in the Will of his sister Margaret MANSFIELD in 1926 but that revealed no address for David.

I felt quietly confident that a David ADAMS who married Juanita Agnes ADAMS was the one.  He was a builder, as was his father.

But alas, on purchasing his marriage certificate this David ADAMS was aged 37 and born in Manchester, England about 1870 to parents David and Jane Ann nee Holloway or Halliday?

parents of David ADAMS and Juanita HERRICK

Our David was born in 1866 in Victoria, Australia to parents George ADAMS and Catherine BARRY.

The next David to look at is one who died in Narrabeen, NSW in April 1951.  He also was a builder.  In the electoral rolls in 1943 & 1949 a David and Evelyn Maude Adams were living at 56 Wimbledon Ave Warringah, Narrabeen.  

Family Notices (1951, April 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 20.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18210317

The only David Adams deaths listed in the NSW BDM website in 1951 are: DAVID ADAMS #8490/1951 father DAVID mother ANN registered at MANLY and EDWARD DAVID ADAMS #28008/1951 father EDWARD GEORGE mother DOROTHY MARY registered at PETERSHAM.

There are no NSW deaths for just a David Adams from 1946 onwards with father George nor even just a David Adams from 1946 with no father listed.  Sigh.

David Adams breakthrough - I hope

Trove comes up trumps again!

Our mysterious David ADAMS, born 1866 in Hotham, Victoria to George ADAMS (builder) and Catherine nee BARRY,  had seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth.  

Until now.

Our last known record of David was a mention in the will of his sister Margaret MANSFIELD in 1926.  Unfortunately, no address was given for him in that document.

In my most recent visit to Trove, a death notice for another of his sister's appeared with the words "Loving sister of David ADAMS, Sydney"

So now we know that David was still alive in 1946!

Family Notices (1946, September 7).
The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 9.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206366530

I went through every David ADAMS in Sydney electoral rolls.  

There were only about four probables.

The one I feel is most likely our David married a Juanita Agnes HERRICK in Victoria in 1907 marriage registration number 7751.

They were living at 51 Carr St Crows Nest Sydney.

Electoral roll entries

1913 at Crows Nest Road. builder. 

1930, 1933, 1943 & 1949 they are living at 51 Carr Street Nth Sydney no occupation.  

1958 Juanita is still at 51 Carr Street, no David.

Juanita died in 1959 death registration number 15980 in North Sydney.

RE the estate of JUANITA AGNES ADAMS, late of (1960, May 13).
Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001),
p. 1470.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219905814

I then found the following probate notice for a David Adams also in Trove.

Executor was a Henry Herrick EDWARDS.

Advertising (1953, July 6).
The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 11.
from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23254192

This David died on the 21st of January 1953 in Sydney but it seems that a copy of his Will is also at the Public Records Office of Victoria. Perhaps because his lawyer was in Victoria.  And .... David was a retired Builder.

Another hopeful clue is the link to Victoria.

His Will file number - 468/443

VPRS 7591/P3 unit 16, item 468/443

and Probate - 468/443

VPRS 28/P4 unit 609, item 468/443

Unfortunately, the only New South Wales death I could find for a David Adams in North Sydney in 1953 was registration number 1564 listing parents as David and Jane Ann which don't fit.  

Another David Adams?

There isn't a Victorian death for a David Adams in 1953.

But I still have a good feeling about this.

Next steps are to obtain the relevant certificates to confirm or not.

Fingers crossed.

UPDATE - This turned out not to be our David Adams

George Adams (1831-1921) and his sister Sophia (1836- 1914)

http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/284236

George ADAMS was born 1831 in Saffron Walden, Essex, England to parents Edward ADAMS and Susannah HARRIS.

Edward (1798-1874) had three marriages, first to Sarah RICHARDSON in 1821. They had a daughter, Caroline (1822-1901)

Sarah possibly died in childbirth as her death was recorded in 1822.

He then married Susannah HARRIS in 1828. They had two children. My great great grandfather, George and his sister Sophia born 1836.

Susannah died in 1840 and in 1842 Edward married Sophia Andrews LOMER (1800-1880)


Young George emigrated to Fremantle Western Australia where he married an Irish lass named Catherine BARRY on the 19th of June 1853. They went on to have nine children and travelled back and forth between Victoria and Western Australia.

George was a successful tenderer for the building of the Albany Post Office and Customs House in 1868-69 during which time their youngest daughter Annie was born at Albany.

1. Susan Adams (1854 –1880) married John TUNNEY in 1871

2. George Adams (1856 –1876)

3. John Adams (1858 –1937) married Mary MORGAN in 1887 (my great grandparents)

4. Mary Adams (1860 –1878)

5. Edward Adams (1862 –1933) married Selina Rose CLIFTON in 1883

6. Catherine "Katie" Adams (1864 –1946) married John MCFADYEN in 1885

7. David Adams (1866 – ?) a mystery

8. Margaret Adams (1868 –1926) partner was James MANSFIELD

9. Annie Adams (1870 –1960) married Henry SLOAN in 1911

After the death of his wife Catherine in 1884, George married Sarah OAKLEY nee HARMAN.


Sarah's first husband had disappeared and after being missing for seven years she was legally able to remarry.

Sarah and George had one daughter, Sarah Selina ADAMS (1886- 1977). She was known as Sadie. George died at the age of 90 in 1921 at 5 Brixton Street, Flemington where he and Sarah had lived for many years. In 1915, their daughter Sadie had married Harold STONE (1890-1924) and she lived next door at number 7 Brixton Street for many years. 

It seems that both houses belonged to her parents. Sadie and Harold have one daughter.

George's sister Sophia also emigrated to Australia, possibly around 1858, as her death certificate states she lived 55 years in Victoria.

Sophia married James LORIMER (1835-1919) on the 26th of January 1861 at Kew, Melbourne, Victoria.

They lived all their married lives at 28 Davis Street, Kew and had two children. 

James Edmund LORIMER 

James was born in 1861 at Kew and died in 1948 at Moonee Ponds. He married Emma MERRETT in 1887. 

James and Emma had one daughter, Fairy May Sophia LORIMER (1895-1985) 

Fairy married Henry William COLE (1892-1973) in 1921. They have one daughter. 

Lucy Sophia LORIMER. 

Lucy was born in 1872 at Kew and died there in 1961. Her first marriage was to Joseph Henry THOMPSON in 1917 and second to David PETCH. 

I haven't found any children for Lucy. 

Mystery Monday - What happened to David Adams? (Updated)

I'm updating and reposting this earlier blog post as a part of  Geneabloggers prompt  Mystery Monday.

My great grandfather, John Adams, was one of nine children born to George Adams and Catherine nee Barry listed below.  John married Mary Agnes Morgan on the 7th of November 1887 at Essendon, Victoria.  John's brother, David Adams, was a witness at their marriage.

1. Susan born 1854 Fremantle WA married John Tunney.  Died 1880 Victoria
2. George born 1856 Hotham (North Melbourne).  Died 1876 Major Plains, Victoria
3. John born 1858 North Melbourne. Married Mary Agnes Morgan.  Died 1937 Victoria
4. Mary born 1860 North Melbourne.  Died 1878 Richmond, Victoria.
5. Edward born 1862 Hotham (North Melbourne.  Married Selina Clifton.  Died 1933 New Zealand
6. Catherine (Katie) born 1864 Melbourne.  Married John McFadyen.  Died 1946 Victoria.
7. David born 1866 Hotham (North Melbourne) was still alive at his father's death in 1921.
8. Margaret born 1868 Albany, Western Australia. Married James Mansfield.  Died 1926 Victoria
9. Annie born 1870 Albany, WA.  Married Henry Sloan.  Died 1960 Ascot Vale, Victoria.

David is the only one we don't know anything more about.  We have searched multiple combinations and variations of possible marriages and deaths to no avail.  The only clues we have found on him so far are mentions in family Wills that at least tell us he was still alive but not where he was living. 

He was a beneficiary in the Will of his father, George Adams in 1921 and also in the Will of his sister, Margaret Mansfield in 1926.

After that ZILCH but I recently had a phone conversation with, Mrs Fisher, a newly found niece of David Adams - read that story here.  

She mentioned a vague memory of her younger years (she is currently 91) of meeting an Uncle of hers who she visited at his tiny jewellers shop in Bourke Street, Melbourne.  She thought this was in her teenage years, so around 1940, and was fairly certain this Uncle's name was Joe Adams.  She said from memory he was a very nice gentleman but unfortunately can't remember much more.  Her mother was another who never spoke much at all about her family.  

After researching as much as possible, all the other Uncles in her family, we just can't find anyone named Joe who was a jeweller or similar.  Could this Joe be David?

 Christine, my sleuthing partner and fellow Adams descendant, found a possible David Adams in some interesting old newspaper articles.

In 1886 David would have been a young man of 20.  A young David Adams, along with some mates, got into a bit of bother with Police when they became mixed up with a rather dubious couple.

Could this be him?  As the article states, David was from a "respectable working class" family.

ALLEGED OUTRAGE AT ROYAL PARK.

A SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST FIVE YOUNG MEN.

The Hotham police on Friday and Saturday arrested five young men well known in the town, one of them being Joseph Tankard, a prominent member of the Hotham Football Club, on a charge of having criminally assaulted a woman named Mary Ann Shields At about 1 o'clock on Friday morning Constable Kenny, who was on duty at the Royal park had his attention attracted to a number of men who were close together at some distance from the road. On proceeding close to the spot, the constable noticed that there was a woman with them, and he went for assistance, returning shortly afterwards with Constable Glynn. The constables soon overtook two of the party with a woman. The latter, on seeing the police, cried out, and stated that she had been outraged by five men. The two men with her, David Adams and Thomas Crystal, were then arrested and placed in the lockup. Late the same night Joseph Tankard, Arthur Forrest, and William Anderson were arrested. On Saturday morning they were presented at the local police court on the serious charge, and remanded till Thursday next. They are all young men, their ages ranging from 19 to 24 years, and they belong to the respectable working class. The woman, who gave her name as Mary Ann Shields, is about 40 years of age, and miserably clad. Her reputed husband is described by the police as a "professional sundowner," and he has been convicted a number of times at Malmsbury, Castlemaine, and Hotham. The pair have no home, and they generally sleep out in such places as parks or unoccupied houses. The Government medical officer, Dr Shields, who examined the woman, does not speak positively as to the offence having been committed .

The boys were discharged.  

I can't with any certainty find David after the 1886 Royal Park adventure but on further hopeful searching for any information on the other young men it appears that Thomas Chrystal moved to Queensland.  

Interestingly, many years later in 1929, Thomas again came before the courts and was again discharged.  This time it was rather a sad tale though.

U is for .... Unknowns

Unknown

Everyone has  "Unknowns"in their family trees.  These are just a few of mine.

The date and place of the death of  my 3rd Great Grandmother, Margaret Mason, nee Carstairs b 1823 Cupar, Fife, Scotland.
Her husband, Peter Webster Mason, died on the 1st of March 1892 at the Bendigo Benevelont Asylum. He was aged 77 years.
Quite a few think they have found death information from the Vic BMD Indexes but these certificates have been purchased by family members and none match Margaret.

The date and ship my Great Great Grandfather, George Adams (b 1831 - d 1921) arrived in Australia.  He married Catherine Barry on the 19th of June 1853 in Fremantle, Western Australia.  He came from Saffron Walden, Essex, UK.



Where in Limerick, Ireland, my Great Great Grandmother, Catherine Barry was from.  Born about 1832 to John Barry and Mary Boyle she arrived in 1853 at Fremantle, Western Australia on the Ship Travancore.


I purchased the book THE BRIDE SHIPS by Rica Erickson from Gould Genealogy a few years ago.
The following is an excerpt about the Travancore arrival.

"The Travancore arrived in the full heat of Summer. .  The 115 Irish girls were taken in parties of forty or fifty up the Swan River to Perth where a large crowd gathered at the William Street jetty to greet them.  Some of the girls were barefoot and most of them wore simple gowns with shawls for head coverings.  They were soon dubbed "bog Irish"

At first the employers were reluctant to take girls who were not trained as cooks, scullery maids or nursemaids, especially when they were Catholic.  Protestants naturally preferred Protestant servants to avoid embarrassment in their homes.  But the Irish girls were good natured, healthy, willing to work and were not averse to leaving town and going into service on distant farms.  Within a few weeks ninety of the girls were in employment, some going to Albany and sixteen to Bunbury.  By February the Immigration Officer reported with satisfaction that:
'The exemplary good conduct of the Travancore girls while at the Home, and their general willingness to learn, quite dispelled any feeling of prejudice against them on account of their Catholic faith'"


Is the Peter Hart in 1851 census a "prisoner in custody" Huntingdonshire, Great Stukeley, Huntindon, Ramsey, my Great Great Grandfather?
According to dates on marriage and death certificate Peter may have migrated to Australia around 1854.
He died at Echuca, Victoria on the 2nd of September 1900.

Who was the mother of my Great Great Grandmother, Anne Jane Knight?  Her father was John Knight and they were from Gloucestershire.  Anne Jane was born about 1832.

Any further details or information on one Great Grand Uncle, David Adams b 1866 Hotham Victoria - died after 1921.  Son of George Adams and Catherine Barry.

Any further details or information on Great Great Grand Uncle, Edmond Kelly baptised 16 September 1838 at Dualla, Ballysheehan, Tipperary. His parents were Cornelius Kelly and Mary Moloughney.  Baptism sponsors were Thomas Ryan, Julia Kelly

These "Unknowns" are from relatively (pardon the pun) latter years in my research.
Further generations back of course hold many many more Unknowns.

This is my contribution for the Letter U in the

Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge 

 My family history through the alphabet list

©AncestorChasing 2012

Sunday's Obituary - Donald Fleming

My great grandfather, Donald Fleming.  (1860 - 1921)

Every time I look at his photo I see his son (my grandfather) Archie's smiling eyes.

Wangaratta Chronicle, Sat Dec 24th, 1921.

Mr. Donald Fleming died suddenly on Thursday afternoon, Thursday 22nd December, 1921, at his home in King Valley.  He appeared to be in his normal state of health that day but about 4 o'clock he collapsed and died.  The occurrence was reported to Constable Harry, of  Whitfield, and an inquiry was held by J.J. Stephens, J.P. of Whitfield when a verdict of death from natural causes was recorded.

The late Mr. Fleming was a son of Mr. and Mrs W.F. Fleming of Edi and 62 years of age.  Born at Castlemaine and after some years residence in the Goulburn Valley district he settled at King Valley about 30 years ago, and there with Mrs. Fleming and members of his family carried on mixed farming, dairying receiving most of his attention.

Mr. Fleming took an interest in many district movements and was an active worker towards their success.  He was a member of the King Valley school committee and a trustee of the cemetery.  He was well respected in the district and the news of his sudden death was heard of with deep regret by the residents.

Mr. Fleming, who was married at Echuca to Margaret Hart is survived by his wife and grown up family of 10 children.  Members of the family are:-  Messrs Alf (Melbourne), who was the 14th man to enlist in the A.I.F. rising to the rank of lieutenant.; Donald; Archie; and Harold Fleming (King Valley)

Mesdames H. Crockett; Black; and Routledge (of Albury); Mrs A Barry (Myrtleford) and Misses Nellie and Myrtle Fleming (King Valley)

Brothers and sisters of the deceased are:-  J.K. Fleming (Wangaratta); W.J. Fleming (Northcote) and M. Fleming (Wyalong NSW)

Mesdames Tuckett (Kensington); Worrall (Brunswick); and Thompson (Nth Melbourne)

Interred at King Valley ? (Edi) cemetery yesterday.  G.V. Steele in charge of arrangements.