COMPLETED - Mary Ellen COLLETT born around 1851 in Australia?

[Lyn S]

I hope someone can throw some light on this 'mystery'.

The following, rather confusing, information appears on the IGI:

Mary E COLLETT born about 1851 Louta Falla, Victoria, Monmouth, England.

In the 1861 UK Census, Mary Ellen and her parents are living in Chedworth, Gloucestershire, UK. Mary's place of birth is shown as 'Douta Galla, Victoria ?'

In the 1881 UK Census, Mary, who is now married to Richard HICKS, is shown as having been born in 'Chedworth, Glos.'

In the 1891 UK Census, by which time Mary Ellen is a Widow, her place of birth is shown as 'Australia, Melbourne'.

Is there a way of checking if Mary was, indeed, born in Australia?

If this is the case, would someone be able to throw some light on why her parents might have been in Australia at that time?

Her Father was shown as a Grocer and Bacon Factor in the 1861 UK Census. He and his Wife had at least six children (one born before Mary Ellen), all of whom were born in Gloucestershire.

Any help that can be offered would be much appreciated.

Lyn S

[Siouxsie]

Dear Lyn,
I can't tell if this is your Mary as it is a pay per view service, but there is a Mary Collett listed in the Victorian BDM's between 1845-1860. You can check here https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search

Also, Doutta Galla is such an unusual name, and it is listed as a province in Victoria....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doutta_Galla_Province

With the Victoria BDM, you can pay a very small amount to see the details of the certificate before you purchase which enables some verification of family details.

Good luck

Siouxsie

[deeiluka]

Lyn, if you post the names of Mary's parents, I can check the Victorian BDM for you.   


Dee   

[judb]

Hi Dee,

According to the 1861 census Mary Ellen's parents are John and Sarah COLLETT.  Her brother Henry aged 13 (thus b abt 1848) has a birthplace which looks on the image as though it just might be Brunswick, with a question mark next to it so perhaps he, too, was born in Victoria?? That bp is indexed as  'Barnswick' but gives no English county with it which is unusual in my experience. 

Judith

[deeiluka]

Thanks for that Judith.   

There's no Mary or Henry listed as born to a John Collet* and Sarah in Victoria in the time period under discussion.   

I also checked every Mary born with parents John and Sarah....no surname in the search engine, and nothing likely.


There is the possibility that the birth wasn't registered.


Dee   

 

[majm]

If this is the case, would someone be able to throw some light on why her parents might have been in Australia at that time?

Hi there,

Gold Fever ....
Gold discovered in about 1851 in NSW  ....  http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/goldrush/
Eureka Stockade (Victoria) 1854     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_Stockade

Cheers,  JM

[PrueM]

Hi Lyn 

The birthplace of Henry on the 1861 census looks like "Bainswick" and because it's not followed by "Victoria" as Mary's birthplace is, I suspected that it was a local name...discovered there is a place in Gloucestershire called Painswick, and there is this birth showing on FreeBMD:

June qtr 1848
COLLETT, Henry - District: Stroud - Vol 11 Page 436

Stroud is the registration district for Painswick 

Hope that helps somewhat 

Cheers
Prue

[judb]

National Library digitised newspapers has these mentions:

http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home

The Argus Monday 26 July 1852
A list of unclaimed letters shows Collett, J  (I realise this is very vague but may be him)

Advertisment in The Argus, Monday 24 February 1853

If Charles CLINCH, Collingwood or John COLLETT, Douta Galla would wish to hear from friends in Engalnd they will send their address to William MORRIS, Post Office Melbourne.

Doutta Galla was an area of Melbourne near what is now Flemington, although it was also an early name for the settlement of Melbourne.

[Lyn S]

Thanks to Siouxie, deeiluka, judb, Just Moi and PrueM for the very rapid response to my plea for help!

I apologise for not including Mary Ellen's parents' names with my initial query - thank you, Judith, for supplying the information.

As you say, Prue, Henry appears to have been born in Glos. I think that the question mark after his place of birth (which I also read as 'Painswick') may have been entered by a confused Enumerator, somewhat taken aback by the very unusual place of birth details offered for Mary Ellen!

The advertisement in The Argus (supplied by Judith) is very interesting and I will certainly be looking at the possibilty that the family may have remained in Australia for several years after the birth of Mary Ellen, particularly in view of the fact that the next child to be listed in the 1861 Census after Mary Ellen was John R COLLETT born 1856. His birth was registered in Northleach (Glos.).

Thanks again for all the help and information that will give me something more to go on!

Lyn S