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Jimmy wrote:It looks a dead cert to me.![]()
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Jennik wrote:Has it helped? Yes, and no. I have a feeling I've heard the one about the horse bolting, but a very long time ago.
I am also bothered by the bit about John Troman marrying Ann Gadd---daughter Hannah's birth Cert says her mother was Jane Gadd and I've already had a lot of discussion over this one as in the various censuses his wife is listed as Mary Jane in 1861 and 1871, then Jane in 1881 and 1891. In 1851 I can't find any of the clan. I had a theory that John married 3 times, but this has since been scotched by a distant cousin who turned up the gravestone for John and his 'beloved wife Mary Jane' and a Christening for Thomas & Phoebe Gadd's daughter, also Mary Jane.I was fascinated by the photo Suki directed me to of Hannah Willetts (perhaps). I can see a resemblance to several family members even in such a poor reproduction. But having studied period costume for years, I would estimate the date of the photo around 1867, at the period where the crinoline (think Gone wth the Wind) was transforming into the bustle dress of the 1880's. Hannah would have been a new bride or young mum in her early 20's at that date, and all of my family think this woman is older. Also the cap is more likely to be worn by a mature woman than a young one. Which brings in the other theory that the lady is Hannah's mother-in-law, Sarah Parkes/Willetts/Troman. I've since been sent another photo endorsed "Grandmother Troman", which would appear to be the same woman, a bit older and greyer. by another descendent of Sarah Parkes and Edward Willetts the miner.
I too have been wondering if it's worth getting the death certificate for Edward Willetts the confectioner, if only to resolve the query, but it probably won't give the details of his accident, if there was one. Apparently he made his mark when he made out his will, presumably because he was unable to write his name at the time, something he was well able to do when he got married. It also stikes me there would be a coronial inquest if he had been killed as a result of an accident. Are coroner's reports available to view anywhere? A lot of what I'm looking at on Ancestry.com.au seems to go round in circles through parish registers of the 1700's and I'm getting nowhere searching through it all for something in the 20th century.
Thanks to everyone for the interesting advice (and the funnies)
Regards
Jenni