More on Hiding in Tasmania

[PatLac]

Regarding the passenger lists I'm going through them now and I think it's likely that they didn't go all together to avoid being caught, and probably under different names, but Basil would be hard to disguise given his age, unless they lied big time about it as well

[Ranolki]

PatLac, thanks so much for looking at this, you are coming up with far better info than I can find! 

I have just received a fantastic book called "Then Awake Sea Lake" - the latest update from April 2022.  To an extent it's an update on an original book from 1911 called The Progress of Sea Lake which was itself updated in around 1951 but with, it seems, a lot more up-to-date information.  There are lots of photos and lots of references to Mrs Maydwell.  It's a huge book and I haven't really had chance to look at it properly yet though.

I've been looking at the situation with Electoral Roll entries and it seems it was a definite "thing" around 1911 in New Zealand so it obviously can't be relied upon as proof Isaiah had gone back there.  It wouldn't surprise me though that once Christiana abandoned him at the dock in Melbourne that he might have decided to go back to England, almost on the spur of the moment.  He had his money from Ringwood, potentially had sold Empire Bridge Farm and would have had no ties at that point.  Why he would have gone back to Australia again is interesting though... But he was obviously there in 1918 and finally left in 1919.  So I suppose I have to wonder what he was doing in that period.  Might be hard if he was using John Wilson as a name though. 

He had run a very large business manufacturing axles back in the UK so I suppose a look around a few business directories might tell me something. He described himself as a retired blacksmith on the 1921 census and I think that was his first trade.  Quite heavy work to take up again in his seventies though and I think he had more than enough money not to need to get into manual labour.  Management might be another thing though.  I think he was also a freemason which might give me some pointers...

[PatLac]

How exciting 

[PatLac]

Isaiah arrived back in the UK in April 1919 on the Osterley (probably as soon as he could after WWl ended) and by then he was 78/79 years old.  Christiana was born in 1868 so would have been 52 in 1920.  I don't think she was aware of the Wilson name and had deliberately distanced herself from Isaiah when she left Tasmania in 1910.  I would be very surprised if she even had a way of contacting him (and vice versa).

I think Mrs E Maydwell must have been a typo.  Maydwell was a name Christiana came up with herself so other than her own children (none with a E...) there would have been no one else

I haven't been able to find anyone over 70 amongst the passengers on the Osterley. Under which alias did he travel?

[PatLac]

Do you have access to FindMyPast?

I wonder if they went to Durban (Port Natal, South Africa) in 1905 before heading to NZ?

[PatLac]

Riverina Recorder (Balranald, Moulamein, NSW : 1887 - 1944)  Wed 29 Jun 1910
 Page 1
 "DEAD MAN" IN COURT.

The Sea Lake Coffee Palace has
been sold for £2,475 to a Melbourne
buyer.


The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Tue 28 Jun 1910
Page 2
AUCTIONS TO COME.

AUCTIONS TO COME.
PROPERTY AND CLEARING SALES.
As advertised in The Bendigo Indepen
dent:—
Wednesday, June 28, at Sea Lake, by
Messrs. Thomas Morrow and Co. — Important
sale of valuable property, viz., the Sea Lake
Coffee Palace.


 The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918)  Sat 25 Jun 1910
 Page 12
 Advertising


SEA LAKE COFFEE PALACE.
THOMAS MORROW and CO., under in-
structions from the vendor, Mrs. Lugg,
will sell by public auction, on Wednesday,
29th June, this most, desirable property,
situate in the very centre of the town, hav
ing a frontage of 84 feet to Best street by
a depth of over 300 feet. Part of the pre
mises are let to good tenants at a weekly
rental of £4 2s 6d. 4 blocks, the property
adjoining, belonging to the estate of the
Mrs. Garden, Gold by auction last Wed
nesday up to £12 10s per foot.
The reason of Mrs. Lugg selling is that
the business is getting too large for her to
manage single-handed, otherwise she would
not think of selling.
Terms liberal, declared at sale.
THOMAS AIOREOW and CO., Sea Lake.
Auctions.

[Lucy2]

Do you have access to FindMyPast?

I wonder if they went to Durban (Port Natal, South Africa) in 1905 before heading to NZ?

PatLac ... I'd also found this shipping information earlier but as the New Zealand thread had progressed to other matters, I thought it not worthwhile to include it there.

I'm sure I also found information concerning the mystery of the children's whereabouts (in UK or other Court (divorce) reports c. 1909) - and it seemed to have been presented by a lawyer contradicting William I'ANSON's statement that OLDBURY had some part in the children's disappearance.

Yes, Isaiah OLDBURY did go to South Africa (September ?  1905) ... ostensibly for a holiday and business trip ...and he made an announcement locally to that effect - although at the time he did not relinquish the Mayoralty of Wednesbury.

Of course the UK (and other) newspapers are chock-full of this "scandalous" divorce case in 1909. 
I've tried to again locate the article(s) which carried information clarifying dates and other important  matters - it's very time consuming.      Also re-read the divorce file @ ancestry.com).

The following newspapers carry quite lengthy reports re: divorce.   ("Tip of the iceberg" ... a hell of a lot more to be read in others papers.  )

*   "The Leeds Mercury" - 30 July 1909  -- Mayor's Elopement
*    "Hull Daily Mail" - 31 July 1909 - Ex-Mayor as Co-respondent
*    "Illustrated Police News" - 7 August 1909 - An Eloping Mayor

   ~  Lu



 

[Lucy2]

Travel from UK, Southampton to Natal, South Africa
- Ship:  "Kenilworth Castle" - departure 14 October 1905

- WHITFIELD - looks like "Mrs" and Miss - no ages were given but the columns ("Married female" and "Single female" over age of 12) were checked. )

- OLDBURY - Mr, Mrs and Master (aged 12 or below)

I remember at the time trying to exclude the WHITFIELD females (1905) as that surname also came up in other voyages to Natal.   (All to no avail).

What I find a little odd, (and it's mentioned by Ranolki - Reply # 9 of NZ thread), is that the youngster Basil I'ANSON, was enrolled at a Christchurch school in July 1905  :
[I'm unable to further check that school record -- I believe it comes from the NZSG Collections CD (subscription needed) ].

   ~  Lu

[Lucy2]

Re:   Basil I'ANSON .... enrolled as Basil OLDBURY at Christchurch School on 3 JULY 1905:

Record kindly provided by "kiwihalfpint" at Reply # 3  (NZ thread)

at this link >   https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=708766.0

 

   ~   Lu