Thank you Riley and Terry.
The newspaper item that Terry found made very interesting reading. It was a little eerie to read the words of an ancestor as she spoke at the inquest regarding the death of a neighbour. Quite wonderful.
The intention to marry notice tells me such a lot!
It begins to look as if they knew each other at home in England [both were born in Middlesex]
Both had been in the same place in NZ..Timaru, up to the application
Both their fathers were in builidng, Elizabeth's father was a builder and Thomas' a carpenter and now I see that Thomas was a plasterer.
They arrived in the same year, making it possible they travelled together.
In the inquest notice dated 1877 that Terry found Elizabeth declares herself to be the wife of Thomas MacBeth even though the marriage was not till 1878.
So we have the common- law marriage situation. Probably the birth date of of the son Thomas Albert [1875 per another researcher, unsubstantiated] may well be correct. Just after the arrival of the couple into NZ.
By the late 1880's the family were in Sydney and, when Elizabeth's nephew stowed away on a ship from England, he finally made his way to her and Tom McBeth who looked after him in Sydney. He was 16 years old and was dumped in Adelaide, the ships first port of call, with nothing.
Warmest thanks to all who have taken an intererst in my mystery. I have learnt much more than just some facts about my ancestors. I appreciate the time put in on my account.
Regards, Sue
