I haven't been able to get a new post up for a few days because my 3 year old, The Womble, hasn't been well. Long nights without much sleep have been eating into my genealogy and blogging time. Hopefully he'll be back to his regular self in short order and life will resume. :)
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Myrtle Elsie Adelaide Turner 1889-1963
Myrtle Elsie Adelaide Turner was born in 1889. The youngest of the three children of Harlettee Louisa Groombridge and William Turner, she was only 4 when her father passed away.
 |
| Undated photo of Myrtle |
Though she was born in Victoria, as an adult she lived in Tasmania. She married Francis Henry Rush and they had three children - Harlettee (Margo), Ivy and Francis William.
Letters from her mother in the early 1920s mention she had unspecified health problems, and in 1932 The Mercury (Hobart) reported on an apparent suicide attempt following "a serious operation".
Mrs. Myrtle Rush, 42 years, of 175 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, was admitted to the Hobart Public Hospital about 11.30 last night, suffering from the effects of an irritant poison. She is alleged to have taken a quantity of disinfectant.
It is stated that Mrs. Rush underwent a serious operation about four months ago. An emetic was administered, and her condition was afterwards satisfac-tory.
Her only son, Francis, was killed in the Second World War, and in 1950 she travelled to his final resting place, in Stompetoren, Holland. Shipping manifests reveal her travelling companion was I. C. Kendall - Ivy?
Myrtle's daughter Margo married a Mr Denehey and had five daughters and a son. When her marriage failed she took her son with her and moved to Alice Springs. Myrtle joined her there. Margo changed her surname and that of her son Alfred to Turner, her mother's maiden name.
 |
| Undated photo of Myrtle with her half sister, Linda |
 |
| Undated photo of Linda, Myrtle and their friend Bill Nash, NSW. |
 |
| Undated photo of Linda (standing) and Myrtle |
 |
| Undated photo of Linda, Myrtle and Ivy |
 |
| Undated photo of Ivy |
 |
| Undated photo of Ivy |
 |
| Myrtle in later years with friends |
 |
| A letter to Linda telling her of Myrtle's failing health. 3rd of July 1963 |
 |
| Myrtle's grave, Alice Springs. 1963 |
 |
| An undated photo of some of Myrtle's descendants - Tommy, Daryl, Alf, Tracy |
Also, Margo's daughters who remained in Tasmania must have descendants, and I would dearly love to catch up with them. I look at these photos of Linda and Myrtle together, and I know that Linda lived across the road from her brother, my great grandfather Syd, and I feel like there must have been a closeness in the family once upon a time that was lost through time and moving and divorce and death. How wonderful it would be if we could find each other again, and know each other, and share what we remember and know of those that came before us before those memories are lost forever. Tracey Grey, Michael Turner, Alf Turner, and of the Denehey girls... if you're ever reading this, please please please reach out and contact me :)
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Three Postcards
Tonight I want to talk about the Three Postcards. They came in the box of treasure from Linda Grumont that I've mentioned previously, and two of them are perfectly charming pieces of family history. The third is (EDIT: No longer) a head-scratching mystery.
The earliest of the three postcards is from 1921, and was sent from Hobart, Tasmania. Harlettee Louisa Groombridge signed the back of it, wishing her granddaughter Lottie a Happy New Year. Harlettee wouldn't actually see in the New Year, passing away in Kingston Tasmania on the 1st of October, 1921. Perhaps that is why this particular postcard was not thrown away - Lottie may not have even received it until after her Grandmother's death.
There are other letters in the box of treasure from around the same time, and they suggest there was ongoing correspondence between Harlettee and Lottie. Lottie was born Harlettee Margo Rush, daughter of Myrtle Turner and Francis Rush. She married a Mr Denehey. I believe at some point she took her son Alfred, changed their surnames to Turner, and moved to Alice Springs. I would love to hear from Alfred's descendants, or those of Lottie's 5 daughters who remained in Tasmania. Hopefully one day they may stumble across this blog.
The second ever-so-understandable postcard is a lovely thing to have. It is from Myrtle Rush (nee Turner), and she mailed it from Stompertoren, Holland, in 1950. My previous post, A Fortuitous Discovery, has the shipping record that shows her departing London on 6 September 1950 on her way home from that voyage. She had gone to see the final resting place of her only son, Francis William Rush, who was killed during the war. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record his burial at the Oterleek (Stompertoren) Churchyard cemetery. I came across this wonderful site that gives an account of Francis's final mission and has pictures of his headstone, and of the memorial plaque installed in 1994.
The card says (in grey pencil)
The third card is another of those crazy mysteries that this family love to keep throwing at me. It is a photo of a beautiful and new looking house The postcard has been cut along the left edge, but only a small sliver seems to be missing - less than a centimetre, I'd guess.
The inscription seems to be in Harlettee's handwriting, if you compare it to the first card, and it says
The address is filled out in Harlettee's handwriting
Given that this postcard is in my possession, it either was never mailed to Canada, or it travelled back to Australia with its owner. Unlike the other cards, it hasn't been dated - I can only say that it must be from no later than the 1st of October, 1921, because that's when Harlettee died. Perhaps someday, someone will recognise the house, or will stumble across this entry while researching the Collisters of Craigflower, Victoria, BC, and we'll be able to compare notes to solve this little puzzle once and for all.
UPDATE! (already! it has only been 20 minutes!)
Google turned up this:
The earliest of the three postcards is from 1921, and was sent from Hobart, Tasmania. Harlettee Louisa Groombridge signed the back of it, wishing her granddaughter Lottie a Happy New Year. Harlettee wouldn't actually see in the New Year, passing away in Kingston Tasmania on the 1st of October, 1921. Perhaps that is why this particular postcard was not thrown away - Lottie may not have even received it until after her Grandmother's death.
To my dear Grand Daughter Lottie wishing you and yours a happy new year from Grannie Rothery. Tasmania, 1921.
There are other letters in the box of treasure from around the same time, and they suggest there was ongoing correspondence between Harlettee and Lottie. Lottie was born Harlettee Margo Rush, daughter of Myrtle Turner and Francis Rush. She married a Mr Denehey. I believe at some point she took her son Alfred, changed their surnames to Turner, and moved to Alice Springs. I would love to hear from Alfred's descendants, or those of Lottie's 5 daughters who remained in Tasmania. Hopefully one day they may stumble across this blog.
The second ever-so-understandable postcard is a lovely thing to have. It is from Myrtle Rush (nee Turner), and she mailed it from Stompertoren, Holland, in 1950. My previous post, A Fortuitous Discovery, has the shipping record that shows her departing London on 6 September 1950 on her way home from that voyage. She had gone to see the final resting place of her only son, Francis William Rush, who was killed during the war. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record his burial at the Oterleek (Stompertoren) Churchyard cemetery. I came across this wonderful site that gives an account of Francis's final mission and has pictures of his headstone, and of the memorial plaque installed in 1994.
Dear Linda & HughieI wonder who she was travelling with?
Holland is lovely with all its lovely windmills & waterways.
(in black pen)
Went to Amsterdam yesterday & it was lovely. We are leaving here tomorrow hope we have a good trip across & hope that you & Hughie is much better love Myrtle xxx
The third card is another of those crazy mysteries that this family love to keep throwing at me. It is a photo of a beautiful and new looking house The postcard has been cut along the left edge, but only a small sliver seems to be missing - less than a centimetre, I'd guess.
The inscription seems to be in Harlettee's handwriting, if you compare it to the first card, and it says
To Linda from her mother.and then in larger writing
Our new home.Linda Grumont has added the words "Harlette" and "Nana's mother's home in Canada".
The address is filled out in Harlettee's handwriting
Mrs Captain CollisterLinda Grumont insisted that Harlettee had lived in Canada for a time with her husband, Captain Collister. That would have been a sixth husband hitherto unknown. It's possible that she married someone else overseas after William Rothery died in 1912, but she was still using the Rothery surname right up until her death in 1921. Besides, this card looks like it was addressed to Mrs Captain Collister, Craigflower, Victoria, British Columbia - not from. As it is also addressed to "Dear Linda" from "her mother"; that would make Linda the addressee. Linda Collister? Also, is that an "s" next to Collister? Mrs Captain Collister's _what_?
Craigflower
Victoria
British Columbia
Given that this postcard is in my possession, it either was never mailed to Canada, or it travelled back to Australia with its owner. Unlike the other cards, it hasn't been dated - I can only say that it must be from no later than the 1st of October, 1921, because that's when Harlettee died. Perhaps someday, someone will recognise the house, or will stumble across this entry while researching the Collisters of Craigflower, Victoria, BC, and we'll be able to compare notes to solve this little puzzle once and for all.
UPDATE! (already! it has only been 20 minutes!)
Google turned up this:
- 02/08/37 Collister, Rich, m, head, m, 12 Dec 1838, 63, ENG, to Can: 1876, Meth, Steam boat inspector.
……Rems: HOW3, p.827: In shipbuilding in Liverpool, ENG & Brisbane, AUS, to Victoria 1875, d.Victoria, 1908.
02/08/38 Collister, Elizabeth, f, wife, m, 12 Aug 1831, 60, ENG, to Can: 1877, CE.
……Rems: Age & yr. born as entered. RBCR: Collister, Elizabeth, 89 y, 26 Jan 1923 at Victoria, b.ENG. DN, Times, 27 Jan 1923, p.9: Mrs Elizabeth Collister, wid of Capt. R. Collister, former inspector of hulls, b.LAN, ENG, 12 Aug 1833, d. at res. Craigflower Rd, leaves sons: John R. Collister (d.A1, p.18, l.41), Victoria & Wm. H.R. Collister (d.17, p.6, l.44), Vancouver; daus: Mrs John Barnsley (d.18, p.10, l.11), Vancouver; Mrs N.G. Douner, Victoria & Mrs H.O. (Harry Oxenborough) Miles, Long Beach, CA, USA.
On a hunch I searched Ancestry.com for "collister" and "rothery", and lo and behold, I found this:
Rothery was the surname of Harlettee's fifth and final husband. Judging by these dates, this could well be his sister. It even says that she died at her home on Craigflower Rd (I guess "Rd" was what was written in that missing centimetre of card). Perhaps Linda Grumont was right about Harlettee going to Canada - but rather than living there, perhaps she just visited her sister in law?
This all makes sense now! Mrs Captain Collister, nee Rothery, the sister in law of Harlettee Rothery, nee Groombridge must have sent the photo of her new house to Harlettee, who then forwarded it on to her daughter Linda and wrote Mrs Collister's address on it. This must be the house in Craigflower Road, Victoria, British Columbia that Mrs Collister lived in until her death in 1923. Case: Closed!
This all makes sense now! Mrs Captain Collister, nee Rothery, the sister in law of Harlettee Rothery, nee Groombridge must have sent the photo of her new house to Harlettee, who then forwarded it on to her daughter Linda and wrote Mrs Collister's address on it. This must be the house in Craigflower Road, Victoria, British Columbia that Mrs Collister lived in until her death in 1923. Case: Closed!
Monday, 26 May 2014
Live Blogging An Ancestor Hunt
My fortuitous coincidence from the other day has continued paying dividends. Ancestry informed me that someone had the death certificate of my great great great grandmother, Hannah Maria Holt, saved in their private tree. I contacted them to ask if I might be able to have a copy, and it has turned out to belong to a close relative - my Dad's cousin's husband. I'm thrilled to be in touch with them again, as I last spoke to them probably 15 years ago, and wasn't sure how to find them again.
Right now I'm working through my daughter Poss's paternal ancestry. I've found a branch of her family came from Jersey, on the Channel Islands. The main family lines there are LeBoutillier and Payn(e). A quick search for Leboutillier returns this factoid about the surname:
I have Eliza or Elizabeth Maria Esther Le Boutillier marrying Elias Payn or Payne in Jersey. She died in 1860, but he remarried in Surrey to Susannah Horlick and died in 1891.
I can't find any hint through Ancestry of what Eliza(beth) Maria Esther Le Boutillier's father's name was, but Trove has come up trumps again with this little gem:
I found an 1841 census entry for Jean LeBoutillier and Elizabeth Hacquoil's family that supports the Rootsweb poster's information; it shows that three of their children are John, Philip and Elizabeth, but it doesn't offer any way to confirm if that's our Elizabeth who went on to marry Elias Payn.
Further census results show Elias Payn(e) was a Master Carpenter. His marriage to Susannah Horlick gives his father's name as Philip Payne. Digging around Ancestry, I find some trees have his father recorded as "Phillippe Payne Jr" (born 24 June 1787, at St Martins, Jersey) and his mother as "Anne Le Sueur" (born circa 1790, at Trinity, Jersey).
Looks like I've got a whole new chapter of research opening before me. Lots of clues, very few sources so far.
Right now I'm working through my daughter Poss's paternal ancestry. I've found a branch of her family came from Jersey, on the Channel Islands. The main family lines there are LeBoutillier and Payn(e). A quick search for Leboutillier returns this factoid about the surname:
<snip>... recorded in Jersey, Channel Islands U.K. as far back as 1205So there could be some lengthy links with that part of the world.
I have Eliza or Elizabeth Maria Esther Le Boutillier marrying Elias Payn or Payne in Jersey. She died in 1860, but he remarried in Surrey to Susannah Horlick and died in 1891.
I can't find any hint through Ancestry of what Eliza(beth) Maria Esther Le Boutillier's father's name was, but Trove has come up trumps again with this little gem:
Interesting that the maternal grandfather was singled out by name in this notice. Was he important?
I can't find any records in Ancestry that confirm that Elizabeth's father was George LeBoutiller, but I did find this interesting post on Rootsweb:
John married Mary Falla, His sister Elizabeth born 1816 married Elias Payn. Parents of John, Elizabeth and Phillippe were Jean Le Boutillier and Elizabeth Hacquoil.If that's the case, then I can easily identify Elizabeth Hacquoil (born 1797 at St Ouen, Jersey) in other Ancestry trees, and her family connection to Jersey goes back generations. The earliest Hacquoil I can find without stretching myself at all is Nicolas Hacquoil, born "Abt 1570 in Bailiwick Of Jersey, Channel Islands". The trick is going to be to find some supporting evidence to tie it all together.
I found an 1841 census entry for Jean LeBoutillier and Elizabeth Hacquoil's family that supports the Rootsweb poster's information; it shows that three of their children are John, Philip and Elizabeth, but it doesn't offer any way to confirm if that's our Elizabeth who went on to marry Elias Payn.
Further census results show Elias Payn(e) was a Master Carpenter. His marriage to Susannah Horlick gives his father's name as Philip Payne. Digging around Ancestry, I find some trees have his father recorded as "Phillippe Payne Jr" (born 24 June 1787, at St Martins, Jersey) and his mother as "Anne Le Sueur" (born circa 1790, at Trinity, Jersey).
Looks like I've got a whole new chapter of research opening before me. Lots of clues, very few sources so far.
Thursday, 22 May 2014
A Fortuitous Discovery.
Well, the other half has returned from his jaunt halfway around the world and life is returning to normal here, so I've gleefully dived back into my tree.
Tonight I put some effort into researching Hannah Maria Holt, my great great great grandmother. She married Richard Smart Groombridge in 1842, and gave birth to my great great grandmother, Harlettee Louisa Groombridge in 1846. Tragically she was widowed in 1858 when Richard Groombridge suffered "a series of epileptic fits" which resulted in his death.
In 1861 she remarried to Edward Henry Palmer.
Reviewing my tree today, I saw some impossible dates on Hannah Maria Holt. Her birth was given as 1800, and her deadth as 1902. While she could have lived to 102, I doubted that she married for the first time at the age of 42, and was having children into her late 40s. I found other trees that recorded her year of birth as 1820, which sounded far more reasonable. I thought I'd try to look up her death record to see if I could find any further information, and I went to Trove because I was curious to see who might have placed a death notice for her. That was a dead end. I searched for Hannah Maria Palmer in vain.
I turned my attention elsewhere and worked through some other bits of the tree. I looked into her granddaughter, Myrtle Elsie Adelaide Turner, and found the shipping record of her departure from England after the visit in 1950 that I referred to in an earlier post. Myrtle's address in the UK was given as 6 Beckenham Road, W. Wickham, so that's another angle to pursue some day.
She left England on the Himalaya on the 6th of September, 1950.
I also took another look on Trove at the account of Myrtle's apparent suicide attempt some years prior. The Mercury reported on the 4th of January 1932:
After that, I suddenly decided to try searching for Hannah Maria Holt again, but this time I used the surname from her second marriage, Groombridge. In doing so I found her death notice. It had been listed under the name "Parmer" instead of "Palmer". I never would have found it but in a stroke of enormous good luck, George Groombridge died a couple of days later and his obituary was in the same column (good luck for me, not so good for George).
Tonight I put some effort into researching Hannah Maria Holt, my great great great grandmother. She married Richard Smart Groombridge in 1842, and gave birth to my great great grandmother, Harlettee Louisa Groombridge in 1846. Tragically she was widowed in 1858 when Richard Groombridge suffered "a series of epileptic fits" which resulted in his death.
Reviewing my tree today, I saw some impossible dates on Hannah Maria Holt. Her birth was given as 1800, and her deadth as 1902. While she could have lived to 102, I doubted that she married for the first time at the age of 42, and was having children into her late 40s. I found other trees that recorded her year of birth as 1820, which sounded far more reasonable. I thought I'd try to look up her death record to see if I could find any further information, and I went to Trove because I was curious to see who might have placed a death notice for her. That was a dead end. I searched for Hannah Maria Palmer in vain.
I turned my attention elsewhere and worked through some other bits of the tree. I looked into her granddaughter, Myrtle Elsie Adelaide Turner, and found the shipping record of her departure from England after the visit in 1950 that I referred to in an earlier post. Myrtle's address in the UK was given as 6 Beckenham Road, W. Wickham, so that's another angle to pursue some day.
I also took another look on Trove at the account of Myrtle's apparent suicide attempt some years prior. The Mercury reported on the 4th of January 1932:
Woman PoisonedMy understanding is that Myrtle's marriage was not a happy one, but even her mother's letters from the early 1920s mention Myrtle suffering from health problems.
Mrs. Myrtle Rush, 42 years, of 175 Elizabeth Street, Hobart, was admitted to the Hobart Public Hospital about 11.30 last night, suffering from the effects of an irritant poison. She is alleged to have taken a quantity of disinfectant.
It is stated that Mrs. Rush underwent a serious operation about four months ago. An emetic was administered, and her condition was afterwards satisfactory.
After that, I suddenly decided to try searching for Hannah Maria Holt again, but this time I used the surname from her second marriage, Groombridge. In doing so I found her death notice. It had been listed under the name "Parmer" instead of "Palmer". I never would have found it but in a stroke of enormous good luck, George Groombridge died a couple of days later and his obituary was in the same column (good luck for me, not so good for George).
GROOMBRIDGE. - On Tuesday, December 16, 1902, at his late residence, 11 Cross-street, Battery Point, George, the beloved husband of Margaret Groombridge, in the 58th year of his age.
PARMER - On December 10, at her son's residence, Kingston, Hannah Maria Parmer, aged 82.No information on who placed the notice, but I have something I didn't have before: an exact date of death.
Friday, 16 May 2014
I Aint'nt Dead
In the immortal words of Granny Weatherwax, I aint'nt dead. I'm just taking a few days off while the other half is away on a business trip. My kids, Poss (aged 6 years) and The Womble (3 years) keep me on pretty tight schedule of fetching drinks, cooking meals, adjudicating arguments, assisting with bodily functions, watching this, cleaning up that... You know, Mum stuff. With Himself away, it's the same as usual but a little bit moreso. I will resume posting just as soon as I can.
Take care!
-- Carol
Take care!
-- Carol
Wednesday, 14 May 2014
The Ladies in the Photos
It came from Linda Grumont and she's the one who has written (and scribbled out) names on it. Eventually she settled on the left one being Auntie Annie (Marianne Smith, who married Thomas Talbot), and the right one being Auntie Ettie (Henrietta Smith, who married William Gavin). I don't put a lot of stock in that because one of the names she initially wrote (and crossed out) is Auntie Clara. That would be Clarabell Turner, who died at the age of 3, and is therefore absolutely not the subject of the photos.
Someone once told me the outfits are not inconsistent with the 1880s. Ettie died at the age of 20 in that decade, so this wouldn't rule her out.
I think the photos may both be of the same woman, although it could be sisters with a very strong resemblance. It could be one (or two) of Linda Grumont's grandmother's sisters (another daughter of Harlettee Groombridge), as she said, but I don't see how we'll ever know.
