Tuesday, 4 January 2022

Mary Morgan of Hosier Lane 1863

A search in Trove for information about Mary Morgan, wife of my Dad's 2nd Great uncle,  or anyone living in Hosier Lane, Melbourne around 1863 revealed a sad incident to which Mary Morgan, was a witness.

APA citation
NEWS OF THE DAY. (1863, April 2). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 5  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154962400


Transcription of above full page
Charlotte Cannon deposed
I am the wife of James Frazer Cannan - a seaman - I live in Hozier Lane Melbourne.  The deceased female infant - five weeks old- was my child.  Deceased was a healthy child from its birth.
On ? night the 30th instant I went to bed at one o'clock taking the deceased with me.  She was quite well at that time.  I gave her the breast and laid her against my arm as usual.  I went to sleep and did not wake again until 7 o'clock yesterday morning when Mrs Morgan knocked at my door and woke me.  As soon as she woke me I found the child dead.  I called out to Mrs Morgan who came into the room and we sent for Dr Lilienfield.  The bedclothes were not over deceased's face when I woke.  She was lying in the same position in which I had placed her.  She was quite cold.
Charlotte Cannan.

Transcription of above full page

Page 6

The deponent Mary Morgan on oath saith as follows:

I am the wife of Felix Morgan.  The mother of the deceased lives in my house.

I was with the mother up to one o'clock yesterday morning.  She was sitting in her room and I was with her.

She was working as a tailoress up to that hour.

In the morning at 7 o'clock I called her and almost as soon as I did so she called me into the room and I found the child was dead.  I sent for a doctor.  The mother seemed much distressed at losing the child..  

Mrs Cannan had only one glass of beer during the night preceding.  She was perfectly sober when she went to bed.

I have no reason to think that the child's death was from any other cause than an accidental one.

Mary Morgan

*************************
In the findagrave website I found the burial information for the infant who died.
The cemetery record states she was 
Charlotte Emily Cannan
BIRTH unknown
DEATH 31 Mar 1863
BURIAL
Melbourne General Cemetery
Carlton North, Melbourne City, Victoria, Australia
PLOT MGC-COE-Comp-LL-No-Public
MEMORIAL ID 201314421 · 

Gravesite Details
Public plot - no headstone - No Photo

Sunday, 19 December 2021

John Patrick Morgan

Further on my theory that Felix Morgan is the brother of my great-great-grandfather, John Morgan, DNA results do support this and also the fact that Felix's wife Mary, "Mrs Mary Morgan of Flinders Lane, sister-in-law," sponsored the migration to Australia in 1855 of Felix's sisters Margaret and Bridget on the ship Calliance.  My great-great-grandfather John was also on the Calliance.

With help from Mary Ellen's great-grandson, Dr Philip Morgan who is a DNA connection with my family and many Morgan cousins I have done some further research on Felix and Mary Morgan's children, who would have been my great-grandmother's first cousins. 



Alexander died not long after his birth in Ireland in 1853.

Agnes Ann was born in Richmond, Victoria in 1854 after Felix and Mary arrived in Australia.  Agnes Ann died a Morgan in 1895 at the Prince Alfred Hospital, so never married.

Then Margaret died at the age of 2 years in 1860.  

Also in 1860, Mary gave birth to Thomas who died in 1900 at the age of 40 years. I haven't found if Thomas married.

About the 4th of January 1863, Mary gave birth to twin daughters Mary and Ellen.  

Mary died in Hosier Lane off Flinders Lane in Melbourne on the 18th of January at only 2 weeks of age. The cause of death was debility, born a twin and very weak from birth. Marasmus certified by L Martin

Ellen died on the 7th of  March in 1863 Off Flinders Lane East Melbourne.  Cause of death Marasmus, convulsions, certified by L Martin.  age 10 weeks.

This may well have been the reason Mary went back to her parents in Ireland.

Notes from Mary Ellen's great-grandson, Dr Philip Morgan -

"Mary Ellen Morgan boarded the Norfolk in June 1864, accompanied by her children Agnes and Thomas.  All ages fit.

Mary must have been pregnant at the time as John Patrick Morgan was born at Carrick-on-Suir Tipperary, Ireland on the 20th of December 1864.

In December 1865 Mary Ellen Morgan disembarked from the Royal Standard with children Agnes, Thomas and an unnamed third child.  

Given Mary's straitened circumstances at that time, someone paid her and the children's fare, probably her father who was apparently prosperous and living in Carrickbeg, which is just over the bridge from Carrick on Suir."


from familysearch.org, FHL film number 101103


Felix and Mary's last son Edward James Morgan was born in Melbourne in 1867 and died in 1957.

John Patrick Morgan went on to marry Mary Ann King at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne on the thirteenth of February 1901. (source - Marriage certificate supplied by their grandson Philip Morgan)

John Patrick and Mary Ann Morgan had three children
Thomas Alexander Morgan, (1901-1959)
Edward James Morgan, (1902-1974)
John Joseph Leo (Jack) Morgan, (Philip's Dad)

Phil's told me that John Patrick was "described as difficult and idiosyncratic (he's been a cobbler and made his own boots, and they were robust and noisy - mum said you could hear him all over backstage when he walked around!).  He was a great union man and dad followed him into both the theatre and the union.

In 1917 John Patrick Morgan was a stagehand in the mechanical department at Melbourne's Theatre Royal and was for many years a Union member on behalf of the theatrical workers. 

APPOINTMENT OF A CONCILIATION COMMITTEE IN THE THEATRICAL, MOVING PICTURE AND AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY—THEATRICAL AND AMUSEMENT EMPLOYERS' DISPUTE. (1930, September 25). Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973), 1892.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232595276

Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 4 July 1911, page 8
STAGE EMPLOYEES.
The third half-yearly meeting of the Victorian branch of the Theatrical Employees' Association was held on Sunday. Mr. J. P. Morgan (president) occupied the chair.......


THEATRICAL WORKERS HEARD (1917, April 12). The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), p. 12. from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242690119

John Patrick Morgan died at Richmond on the 12th of December 1934.
He was held in high esteem by colleagues.





John was buried with his wife Mary Ann and his brother Thomas at Melbourne General Cemetery





Saturday, 20 November 2021

Felix Morgan

I'm fairly certain that Felix Morgan is a son of Alexander Morgan and Agnes/Ann/Nancy Lennon of Derrynoose, Armagh, Northern Ireland and so a brother to my great-great-grandfather, John Morgan.

Felix's great-grandson shares DNA with many known Morgan cousins.

But

We can't find a baptism for him in the Derrynoose, Armagh baptism records.  

Although

There are gaps in the records that could account for that.

Felix appears to be a family name passed on through later generations.

For about five and a half years Felix was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary. 

 Their records state he was born in Armagh.

  • 10385 Felix Morgan, a native of County Armagh. 
  • Catholic 
  • 5 foot 7 3/4. 
  • Aged 20 on joining on 20 May 1847. 
  • Recommended by Sub. Inspector Armstrong. 
  • Previously a labourer. 
  • Assigned to Tipperary South Riding. 
  • Promoted 1st Sub Constable 1 May 1848.
  • Reduced to 2nd Sub Constable 1 Feb 1852. 
  • Promoted to 1st Sub Constable 1 Jun 1853. 
  • Resigned 6 Oct 1853.
Felix married Mary Hayes in Cappawhite Tipperary on the 2nd of May 1852 in the presence of John Douglas and James Brien.


Felix and Mary had eight children:

Alexander, baptised 5th May 1853 Cappawhite Tipperary. 
(Ancestry and FindMyPast have transcribed father's name as Robt but it is clearly Felix)


Agnes Ann Morgan was born in  Richmond, Victoria, Australia in 1854 after Felix and Mary arrived on the ship Truro.  
Agnes died in 1895.

Margaret was born in Melbourne in 1858 and died in 1860.

Thomas was born in Melbourne in 1860 and died in 1900.

Ellen and Mary were both born and died in Melbourne in 1863.

John Patrick Morgan was born in 1864 and died in 1924.
John was born in Ireland so Mary at least must have returned there for a short while.

Edward James Morgan was born in Melbourne in 1867 and died in 1957.

Then things began to get a bit messy.  I'm not sure why.  Perhaps Felix and Mary's relationship had been strained and maybe that's why she returned to Ireland for a while.


But it looks like things then got a little worse.  
I'm told by a descendant that Felix was an alcoholic so perhaps that was the cause of their troubles.


Felix died on the 19th of February 1878 at the Melbourne Hospital.

Cause of death looks like Morbus Brightis.  
Brights disease is kidney failure so perhaps it was that due to his alcoholism.


The informant on Felix's death was a hall porter at the hospital so it seems he was estranged from his family.

No family or parents are named on his death certificate only that he was 24 years in Victoria.


1878 'Family Notices', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 21 February, p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article200544498



A couple of years ago I requested a photo of where Felix was buried in Findagrave where I am a volunteer and another kind volunteer sent me this.  
It appears Mary was also buried there in 1887.




We are now seeking any other descendants of Felix who are open to doing a DNA test to hopefully add more information or clarification to our data.  Any takers out there?









Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Morgan family from Armagh, Northern Ireland

 


My Morgan family from Armagh in Northern Ireland is driving me crazy!

I have recorded most of my research at 


and


with lots of DNA matches that lead me down various rabbit holes, I'm feeling a bit lost on where to go next.

It appears our Morgans are in both County Armagh (Monaghan/Armagh border) and County Monaghan.


With many DNA matches whose connections are so hard to pinpoint I feel that I am running around in circles.










Sunday, 24 October 2021

Subscribers to my blog

 I haven't been very active blogging lately so this is a quick test post to see if those who subscribed will still receive email notifications of my new blog posts since the Blogger platform took away the Feedburner option.

You will see in the side panel to the right a "GET NEW POSTS BY EMAIL" box where you can subscribe if you wish.

I really do hope to get myself out of this brain fog and start doing some further constructive research, new posts and the part I love most, to make contact with more family members.




Sunday, 22 August 2021

Genealife In Lockdown - sharing once again

 Oh my, it has been a roller coaster of a week this week.

Regional Victoria is back in Lockdown once again due to covid cases in my home town of Shepparton.

Finally finishing off sanding the plaster joins then undercoating the kitchen ceiling and keeping up with all the exposure sites of the Shepparton covid outbreak has been time-consuming and rather nerve-wracking.

Once again I am so lucky that my lovely third cousin June has shared some old family photos with me.

I was also able to share some with her and we were able to fill in blanks of names in photos for each other.

Our common ancestors are Agnes Mason and Peter Hart.


June's great-grandmother, Amelia Agnes "Millie" Hart and my great-grandmother, Margaret Hart were sisters.

Millie married Edmond Wills Kiely in 1901.

The first photo June sent me last week was the following.


The photocopy of a photo that I had was the following.
Unfortunately, due to computer crashes etc over the years, I have lost my source information for this photo.


Maryanne Hart (1872 to 1963) married George Rathbone in 1898
Margaret Hart (my great-grandmother 1869 to 1960) married Donald Fleming in 1889
Hannah Hart (1870 to 1956) married 1. John Prest 1889 2. Angus McDonald 1905.
Amelia Agnes "Millie" Hart (1879 to 1971) married Edmund Wills Kiely in 1901

Amelia "Millie" Kiely nee Hart



Below is Agnes Hart nee Mason and Peter Hart. 
A copy was given to me years ago by another family member.
Peter died in 1900.


Agnes later married Hosea Matthews in 1904.

Agnes and Hosea, from June.
Again, Agnes and Hosea from June

Hanscom Hart and his wife Mary Ann nee Sadd
photo from June.


This photocopy was given to me years ago by another family member

The name Hanscom has been passed down many generations.
I wrote about the Hanscom name in our tree

H is for .......

And finally this wonderful photo from June

Front Left is Hanscom Hart and his wife Mary, their daughter Marcella, Agnes Matthews, the young boy is perhaps one of the Prest boys (son of Hannah), Hosea.
Back Left could be Amelia, Margaret and Rose. (These are a guess). 


Alex at Family Tree Frog has set a new challenge for Family history bloggers in Australia to post about Genealife in Lockdown for the family history month of August.

This is my fourth post.


Sunday, 15 August 2021

Genealife In Lockdown - Thankful once again

 We're lucky here in Regional Victoria to have come out of  Victoria's 6th Lockdown last week.

This came about earlier than Melbourne due to there being no active cases of Covid found in Regional Victoria.

Goodness only knows how long our little bit of freedom will last this time.

Unfortunately, too many people are defying health advice and keep doing the wrong thing.

 The "Powers that be" are not yet saying when Melbourne's restrictions will ease.  

I suppose that will depend on the daily number of cases and contact tracing results.

Sadly I can't visit my daughter and grandchildren down there until then. 

I haven't seen them now for two months so missing them terribly.

In my first two posts for this 2021 National Family History Month of August, I mentioned being thankful for wonderful sharing cousins.  They are keeping me motivated!

This week that theme once again came into play.

Today I received a photo of a certificate earned by my Dad's first cousin Len Adams 

Photo courtesy of Len's nephew Warren Delbridge


It appears Len attended the Flemington Primary School which was a part of the Essendon district schools cluster.

I found the following article in Trove but the Football wasn't mentioned.
1930 fits with Len's age and the Headteacher of Flemington Primary School being G.J. Neuss.

SCHOOL SPORTS. (1930, December 5). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 12. Retrieved August 15, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4231818


George James Neuss was Headteacher from 1930 until 1939.
    source - FPS School History - Flemington Primary School (online PDF document)


Alex at Family Tree Frog has set a new challenge for Family history bloggers in Australia to post about Genealife in Lockdown for the family history month of August.