CHARLES WILLIAM CLARK (1841-1921) -- pics and Parramatta asylum details.

[GeoffTurner]

Hi all,

A few years ago when I started researching my 2 x great grandparents Charles William Clark and Mary Ann Dodd, I found these pictures on someone's Ancestry tree. The similar captions make me think they might have been in some sort of document, perhaps unpublished, compiled by someone interested in the family. Charles Clark senior and his wife Elspeth left Aberdeen in September 1852 with their nine children abord the "Jane Geary", arriving in Melbourne in January 1853. Charles William Clark was 11.

On 19 February, 1873 he married Mary Ann Dodd in Ballarat, Victoria.

Hence the picture of Mary Ann and of Mary Ann with her family, including her father, a former convict named Aaron Dodd. There is an error in the Dodd family caption -- Aaron's wife (Mary Ann's mother) should be nee White or Whyte, not nee Pierce.

I would be interested to know if such a document exists. I'd like to get a better copy of the Dodd family picture for starters. But I would also be keen to buy a copy of the document, and I know others of my relatives would as well. If the moderators think it might be a Scottish family historian's work, perhaps they could copy this into the Scotland page as well.

My second query relates to Charles William Clark's death. I believe this is his death from NSW BDM: CLARK CHARLES 15332/1921 CHARLES ELIZABETH PARRAMATTA. Of course his parents were Charles and Elspeth or Elspit, not Elizabeth, but that might just be an informant's error. He is buried at Rookwood Cemetery.

It appears that Charles died in the Parramatta Mental Hospital. I'd be interested to get proof of that, and if he did end up in the asylum it would be good to know when he was admitted and why.

He also seems to have lost an arm, but I don't suppose I'll ever find out what happened there.

Thanks for all your help in the past and, hopefully, the future.

Geoff Turner
Brisbane

PS: I will try to attach the pics one at a time.

[GeoffTurner]

Mary Ann

[GeoffTurner]

The Dodd family.

[GeoffTurner]

Clark house in Scotland.

[Jennaya]

Losing an arm usually made the newspapers.
Search Trove using the state/ area he lived in to see what you can find out.

[GeoffTurner]

Thanks, I had a good look through but couldn't see anything. Too many damned Charles Clarks! A "popular lecture named the Rev Charles Clark was everywhere. It may have been a less newsworthy medical issue.

I did find a 1911 Sydney court case where a Charles William Clark was pleading guilty to theft. If we think he died at Parramatta in 1921, that might have been the start of a slippery slope for him.

[maddys52]

There is an error in the Dodd family caption -- Aaron's wife (Mary Ann's mother) should be nee White or Whyte, not nee Pierce.

There is an image of the marriage certificate published on Ancestry as a public image - this has Mary Ann DODD's mother "Mary Jane Dodd, maiden name Pierce".

There is also an image of Charles CLARK's death certificate. Definitely the correct man, with parents Charles CLARK (blacksmith) and Elizabeth nee TAYLOR, spouse - Mary DODD. Aged 80, farmer. The place of death is the Parramatta Mental Hopsital. Cause of death - chronic nephritis, myocardial degenration and something else I can't quite read. (58 years in NSW, 10 years in Victoria.)

[maddys52]

There is a very detailed obituary for Mary Ann CLARK nee DODD in 1938. Strangely it says her husband "predeceased her over thirty years ago" - which is obviously not correct. Just an error, or were they estranged? They lived at "Clyde" near Greenvale (Riverina area) after moving from Victoria. she moved to Lockhart after 1902.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/142877134

Another obit
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/119430410

[GeoffTurner]

Hi Maddy, thanks for your input. The bride's mother's maiden name is incorrect on the marriage document, which is why the caption-writer would have been misled. I have the marriage document for Aaron Dodd (27) and Mary Jane White (16) at Longford, Tasmania, in 1840. Mary Jane's father was William Whyte, so I have no idea why Mary Ann Dodd would have said her mother's maiden name was Pierce.

Could you give me any help in finding that copy of Charles William Clark's death certificate you mention?

It does seem from the obits for Mary Ann that Charles had disappeared out of her life, which increases the chances of him being the Charles William Clark who was up on the theft charge in Sydney in 1911, then entering the Parramatta Mental Hospital.