Septimus Thompson 1857 - 1897

[chempat]

Something as simple as Reading and Writing?

[Peter L. Mitchell]

Of course! How obvious! Thank you!

[jmozz64]

Further to Septimus Thompson who died at Melbourne in 1897.  His former wife Rosa Maria Grimsley states on her marriage certificate to Bill Wraith in 1902, that she has not heard of her former husband, Septimus Thompson for 12 years.  This would mean that she was deserted by Septimus not long after the birth of daughter Hilda Margaret.  Rosa clearly did not know that by this time she was a widow anyway!  According to her 1902 marriage certificate she had one child to her previous partner.  As to the vagueness of Septimus's death certificate, this is typical of Hospital death registers of that time.

[shanreagh]

Marriage certificate details in full:

Number:            5674
Date:                 16 January 1889.
Place:                Moor Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne.
Groom:              Septimus Thompson (bachelor) of South Melbourne, (born Newcastle, England).
Occupation:        Butcher.
Age:                   27 years.
Present Address: Roy Street, South Melbourne.
Usual Address:    Roy Street, South Melbourne.
Parents:             William Thompson (farmer), Margaret Thompson nee Esther (unclear).
Bride:                 Rosa Maria Grimsley (spinster) of South Melbourne. (born Harrietville, Victoria).
Occupation:        Servant.
Age:                   24 years.
Present Address: Roy Street, South Melbourne.
Usual Address:    Roy Street, South Melbourne.
Parents:             William Grimsley (Parson), Jane Elizabeth Grimsley nee Harris
Minister:             Nathaniel Kinsman (Church of England).

No information regarding time spent in the colony.

I will post a screenshot of the unclear part of the document separately if possible as an attachment.

Looking at the actual marriage certificate  the occupation of William Grimsley is 'Mason' not 'Parson'.

[Peter L. Mitchell]

Of course! How could I have missed that? Thank you for pointing it out! Much appreciated.

Peter

[Peter L. Mitchell]

Hi again shanreagh.

Another interesting part of this is that Rosa's death certificate records William's occupation as "Hotelkeeper". He evidently changed his occupation as some point after Rosa married. More discoveries ahead! Thanks again for pointing it out.

Peter

[jmozz64]

William Grimsley was indeed a mason, he completed the foundation stonework for the Anglican Church at Harrietville, Victoria.  The church still stands today.  The Grimsley's raised a large family of eight children, with one girl dying as an infant.  The family arrived in Harrietville late in 1859, this was during the Gold Rush and Harrietville had many working Quartz and Alluvial mines at this time.  Find attached photo of the five surviving Grimsley girls.

[Peter L. Mitchell]

Update:

Septimus arrived in Australia on 2 February1886. He had stowed away on Lavinia from Mauritius to Albany, Western Australia. When discovered, the captain allowed him to work his passage. Septimus was arrested on arrival but not charged. The magistrate at a subsequent court hearing criticised the captain for not keeping Thompson locked up for the journey and for not handing him over to the authorities upon arrival. How and why he got to Mauritius is unclear.

Thompson next turns up in Melbourne in 1889 when he married Rosa Marie Grimsley on 16 January 1889. By the end of that year he had deserted Rosa and their baby, Hilda. I have no information regarding Septimus's movements up to his death on 21 June 1887. He was buried at Melbourne General Cemetery on 23 June.

Rosa subsequently married William Henry Wraith (a widow) in 1902. She had to sign a declaration stating that she hadn't seen Septimus for 12 years before the wedding went ahead.

If I find out any more I will post it.

Peter