Looking for Relatives of Richard Napoleon Wyombe Townsend REECE

[pocketrocket]

Gee Margarate, that would be great, but only if you have time.  His ancestry is a real mystery.  The family story was that he may have had afgan heritage.  On all the certificates it states born in Italy.

Regarding Paramatta hospital for the Insane, if you ever come across a Sarah Shepherd who may or may not be a widow by that stage, let me know.  It would be somewhere between 1856-1870.  There is a family story she died there. More likely earlier rather than later in those years.

Cheers,

Caroline

[pocketrocket]

She thought that he'd died in Sydney possibly in a rail accident and that it was shortly after the birth of George, but perhaps it was before. Do you happen to have the exact birth date for George?

We didn't know that he was in the Parramatta Hospital for the Insane.

I have George's birth certificate.  Date of birth is 11 September 1900.  John dies 10 April 1900.  Mary is the informant and signs her name with a mark.  Winessed by A W Childs and W McGrath.

C

[outback_thunda]

Hi all,

Sorry have been out of touch with all this rain and flooding etc. The info we are looking for seems to be always just that BIT out of reach. We will get there oneday. i have given myself a little break from the tree at the moment but please do keep in touch and if i discover anymore will be sure to let you know. Does anyone have a friend or relative that knows much about video camera memory sticks??? I have somehow lost all the video of my little girls and im devastated to say the least. it just dissapeared of the card. I feel absolutely i dont know but feel like everything is gone

[margaretatwinmalee]

Hello Caroline

Thanks for the information about George's birth - so Mary Jane was in the early stages of pregnancy when husband John died.

I asked mother-in-law about this again and she says that her mother Nora (Mary Jane's daughter) told her that John went to Sydney with his son Christopher. After John died, Christopher apparently went missing causing Mary Jane considerable distress (as you can imagine particularly after the death of her husband). Christopher managed to eventually find his way back home (we don't know how). She was very surprised that John had died at the insane hospital and now she wonders if he went there for treatment. Perhaps the trip to the Archives (in a few weeks time) will help with this.

Anyway M-I-L then said that Christopher had then died in an accident in the Hunter River. I found the account of this accident (Google Christopher Halligan and Prawning) but it can't be the same Christopher - the drowned one died in 1952 aged 34 and NSW B,D and M indicate that his mother was Isabella. I found the death record of the actual Christopher William Halligan, John and Mary Jane's son in 1967 (he was born in 1887) - so obviously a mistaken identity has occurred here. I don't know if the drowned Christopher is related without getting the actual certificate. I did locate a marriage record for an Isabella to a Christopher Halligan but his middle initial is listed as J, not W. Can you shed any light on this?

Thanks again for your help
Margaret

[margaretatwinmalee]

Hello Dianne

I've had another look at the microfiche for the Women's factory at Parramatta. Went through all the "B"s and "M"s again and double checked for an Ellen Mather, but I still can't find anything - sorry.

Perhaps when I look at the other records at the Kingswood Archives in a few weeks time I might have more luck. If there's anything else you'd like me to check let me know sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Cheers
Margaret

[pocketrocket]

Interesting indeed about Christopher being down in Sydney with him.  I wonder why he was there?  I would imagine that Johns symptoms must have required care.   I will message you more about this.    Poor Mary having to deal with her son missing at that time.

I don't have much on Christopher I am afraid I will check if I found a grave or not.  I found Mary's and photographed it.

A lot of questions have been answered but still quite a few to go...

I have found a similar mystery in my hubby's tree as well.  More mysterious and unlikely to solve unfortunately.  50 years earlier with no father's name on the birth certificate..

If i come up with something I will let you know.


C

[pocketrocket]

Ok, found a photo of a grave with Chirstopher W Halligan, Isabella and Christopher jrn, (says drowned).  Will send to you.  Sandgate cemetary Newcastle.

Regards,

Caroline

[margaretatwinmalee]

Hello Caroline

Thanks for the information about the Christophers. I suspected that B, D, M may have had the wrong middle initial for Chris senior and that the other Chris was possibly his son. Mother-in-law must have fused the two together in her mind.

Cheers
Margaret

[outback_thunda]

Hi there Yes Christopher Halligan JNR is the son of the Christopher William Halligan..I have photo's of these graves on Ancestry I believe they are from when i went and visited and looked for these photos. i did like 15 cemeteries in 1 week. MY OH MY what a week.LOL

Ok well to draw this thread out some more

I have just spoken to a LIVING REECE..decendant of the said Annie Adelaide and Isaac Reece and she informs that she is under the impression that Annie was only actually 13ish when she married Isaac(which ties in with my THOUGHTS) although I can't find a birth record if she was 13ish when married in 1861 then she would have been born the year or year after annie came out of the Convict thing and given her ticket of leave or whatever you call it.

Hmmm just smething to ponder.