jamjar,
The only thing is with that death in 1886, the age could be wrong I would think. The notice that went in the SMH asking Sophia Briscoe to make contact with her niece at the Mariners Hotel, that was 1878, she was then Mrs. Hall. Are we certain of the age of 22 years for Mary's death, if so, that would have made her 14 when this notice went into the SMH, suppose in those days, it could be possible. Could be a typo error of course. Mary was Licensee of the Burbank Hotel in Balmain in 1874 after her marriage to Humphrey Hall.
But the Balmain connection seems to tie in, we are going to get marriage certificate, to see what other information we can find now.
jan