Jane Coutts (1845 - ???)

[david.povey5]

I am after information regarding the death of my great-great grand aunt Jane Coutts born 1 April 1845 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. (My mother was a Coutts)

Her father was George Coutts B: 27 JANUARY 1814 • Deeside, Scotland D: 15 JULY 1852 Keilor, Victoria, Australia and her mother was Mary Peggie B: 19 SEPTEMBER 1813 Auchtermuchty, Fife, Scotland and D: 30 JANUARY 1876 Kingower, Victoria, Australia. They were married 26 May 1834 Parish of Dron, County Perth, Scotland and arrived in Melbourne, Victoria on 26 January 1842 on the "Robert Benn".

Jane married Francis Coventry (B: 17 MARCH 1836, Ontario, Canada, D: 3 FEBRUARY 1916, Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia) in Geelong, Victoria on 23 January 1862, and she was divorced in Adelaide, South Australia on 4 April 1872 for adultery. In the divorce papers, Francis said she had returned to Victoria in July/August 1871 on the "Coorong" for Melbourne to return to her parents.

In the will of Jane's mother (1875), Jane is listed as a beneficiary, thus is alive in 1875, and that is the last heard of her.

[sparrett]

Just to clarify a point here.

The will of Mary, the mother is under the name Mary FORBES as she had married Alexander FORBES in 1858. Written in 1875.

The mention of her daughter in the will digitised at provic suggests Jane was not married at that time.
Sue

[david.povey5]

Thanks for what you have done so far.

Yes, that is correct, Mary married Alexander Forbes in 1858. In her will Mary is called Mary Coventry still.

To rule this out, a different Mary Coventry married a Robert Baron in 1875 in Vic.

[sparrett]

Thanks for what you have done so far.

Yes, that is correct, Mary married Alexander Forbes in 1858. In her will Mary is called Mary Coventry still.

To rule this out, a different Mary Coventry married a Robert Baron in 1875 in Vic.

Yes,
I really should have typed "Jane was not remarried at that time"
Sue

[david.povey5]

I understood what you were saying.....

[sparrett]

I have looked at the death notices of some, but not all, of her siblings and see no reference to sister Jane.

An illustrious family, as hers was, may have been embarrassed about her conduct in South Australia and chosen to exclude her.

Her stepfather Alexander FORBES died in 1862.??

She seems not to have ended up with Frederick KENT the co-respondent in the divorce proceedings, and I think he got shot dead in 1875 in Stirling SA.

Usually when there is a bequest in a will, as there was in this case, from her mother Mary, one would expect it to be noted that the recipient lived outside the state or country ( ....e.g to my daughter ......now living in London).

This is not seen in the will written a year before Mary died. It makes me think Jane was not far away at that time, but only a speculative thought.

A woman hard to find!
Sue

[david.povey5]

Yes, you have all the right information...

So, I rang a Coutts family tree expert (check your inbox) and she has been looking for her for over 30 years. She has heard two possible things about Jane. First, she went to Scotland. There is a possible photo of her from 1885. Second, she married a railway worker and moved to Tasmania with him....