Mary Joseph Carrigg/May Carrig

[maggbill]

Am researching "Mary Joseph Carrig(g)" - also later known as May Carrigg, teacher, linked with Adelaide South Australia, but also very closely linked with Far North SA - Blinman in particular.
Have Certificate of Title info which tells me that she is listed in 1911 as "Mary Joseph Carrigg married woman" - then in 1927 she changes her name to "May Carrigg, spinster".  Have also found lots of other info, she taught in various schools, and owned property in Woodville Park, Blinman, Largs Bay etc.  I have also found a possible death for a "May Carrigg, Cheltenham Cemetery, 1973" age 78 - which could be her?

My question is what is the logic of changing name - not surname, but only first name?  Could have been divorced - as she calls herself spinster thereafter?  Is Carrigg her married name / has she another maiden name?  Have found a possible birth Mary Carrigg in Lyndhurst Siding in Far North in 1894 - ?? not her if "Carrigg" is married name.

I am a total newbie with South Aust. records - but would be glad of any advice on this. 

[cando]

Birth
CARRIG May
13 May 1894
Father Michial [sic]  Mother Mary RYDER
At Lyndhurst Siding  Fro 543/426

Michael, Mary and daughters May and Josephine [DAVIES] are all buried at Cheltenham cemetery.
http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/Records

Mary's death notice and I think May be 'Molly".
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92348879

Could the Title be for Mary, May's mother?

I can't find a teaching record for May CARRIG/G here
http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/condon/teachers/
However I notice she is mentioned a number of times on TROVE.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/

Also a number of mentions for Michael CARRIGG, storekeeper at Lyndhurst.

Cando

[cando]

Michael's death notice in 1928
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90417370

Cando

[cando]

http://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-databases.html
Advertiser death notices
CARRIGG   May   1973

You have the date of her death from the Cheltenham Cemetery database so I would contact the Ask a Librarian Service at the State Library of South Australia and request a copy of that notice.  SAGenealogy charge for a copy.
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=387
Scroll down the page to an online request form.

Cando

[maggbill]

Wow Cando,

Well, what can I say - you have solved the basic mystery I had - with what should have been a simple solution... the mother is the original name on the Certificate of Title, and she passes it on to "May" the daughter, teacher.. in 1927.. I still haven't looked at all the info you have found - will do it now... but I just had to reply straight away and say "Thank You" !!!  And so much other info about the family.  I had found a few "snippets" but you have just managed to find so much - Experience shows!!  A million thanks!!  Will be off to check it all out!  Maggs

[maggbill]

Still mulling over lots of this information. 

It had not dawned on me for a minute that the early Land Title deeds naming "Mary Joseph Carrigg" - and then "May Carrigg" were in fact mother and daughter.  So after the original "Transfer" information naming new owner as "Mary Joseph Carrigg" ( dated 1921) - when I read "The above name Mary Joseph Carrigg is altered to May Carrigg" (dated 1927)... I presumed that it was the one person just changing her name !! - not the  mother handing the Title deeds over to the daughter!!    Not sure if I am explaining this well - the father of the family (who is never mentioned on the Land Title) doesn't die till 1928 and the mother Mary Joseph Carrigg lived till 1936. So it would have nothing to do with "estate settlement". Would it have been normal for the mother to officially hand over the title in this way?  I thought it would only happen after death.

It is amazing just how much info you can glean from Land Title deeds in South Australia.  https://www.sailis.sa.gov.au  (South Aust Integrated Land Information System) -   Helpful website - Could have used such a resource for my Scottish records - only thing is I don't think that my Scottish ancestors ever owned property - poor labourers!!

Great info Cando - have heard back from State Library - very quick - only thing is that there is conflicting evidence that the younger May Carrigg died in 1973, but was buried in Centennial Park (according to austcemindex website) - not at Cheltenham Cemetery as per SA Genealogical Soc databases) - They failed to find any Advertiser newspaper ads re her death...   

[cando]

I don't see any conflicting information.

https://www.centennialpark.org/deceased-search/deceased-search.html
May CARRIG formerly of Felixstow died 27 Feb 1973 and was cremated 1 Mar 1973.
Josephina DAVIES died 24 Jul 1979 and was cremated 26 Jul 1979.

http://www.aca.sa.gov.au/Records
May CARRIG formerly of Felixstow died 27 Feb 1973 aged 78 years and her cremated remains are located at Cheltenham Cemetery, Rose Garden-Woodstock Street, Sub Section 1, Garden 1, Site 23, Cremation Memorial.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hm7/

Interred at the same location is Josephina DAVIES formerly of Felixstow who died 24 Jul 1979 aged 92 years.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hm8/
Funeral Notice with given name Josephine
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/savill/savill-D.html

According to the Savill Index at the State Library of SA there is no funeral notice for May but I doubt SAGenealogy would have her name in their death notices index if there wasn't one.
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/savill/savill-C.html

http://www.genealogysa.org.au/resources/online-databases.html
Advertiser death notices
CARRIGG   May   1973

I suggest you ask SLSA again mentioning the spelling variation or alternatively pay for the SAGenealogy notice.

I can't see why you are so concerned about the land transfer to the daughter.  Doesn't have to be result of an estate distribution.    Have you considered it was transferred to avoid death duties applicable to deceased estates in South Australia until 31 Dec 1979. I'm not au fait with the stamp duty which may have been applicable in that era.

Cheers 
Cando

[maggbill]

Hi Cando,
Thanks so much again for your input and help.  To explain my particular interest in the Land Title/Transfer issue - well it is a long story.  I live in the old house owned by Mary and her daughter May - and first learned of them through two old lady friends who used to come to this house for music lessons (from May)  around the 1930's.  As I have lots of "Carrigans" in my Tree - the name Carrigg also interested me - (but they are not in any way connected to me family wise).

I love this old house - and had a yearning to learn a bit more about its early days - and in the process, to learn a little bit about South Australian records.  I have lived in SA for more than 50 years, but must admit that I am quite bereft of historical local knowledge.  So doing this research has shown me a very interesting story of an old family (possible of Irish origin?) - who started off in the Far North of SA - what amazing stories of "pioneer times"... And then ended up living (and dying) in this very house.  I started off learning a bit about them through the Land Title info - but as I said was totally bereft of knowledge of the Land systems here....  your suggestion about avoiding death duties sounds like the perfect explanation for the transfer...

And you have even given me the details of May and her family grave in Cheltenham Cemetery.   I will make a point of visiting the gravesite at some time soon, and pay my respects to the previous residents of this well loved old house! 

Your knowledge has been most helpful - and I should also try to find out if there are any relevant "Carrig" family trees online - might be interested in all this info.

I hope I haven't been a bit weird researching all this stuff when not related to me - but it has been and is a very enjoyable and educational process.

Cheers
Maggs

[Spike H]

According to the Savill Index at the State Library of SA there is no funeral notice for May but I doubt SAGenealogy would have her name in their death notices index if there wasn't one.

This might happen if at the end of a death notice it is stated that the deceased has been privately cremated. I've seen a few instances where this has occurred and not been picked up by Savill.