Help Needed to Locate Death of James Greenlees

[Elizajb]

Thanks for that Whiteout,

I've had a look but none are my man. Worth a look though.

Regards Eliza.

[Elizajb]

Hi All,

I have just received the transcription of the 1903 death in Barraba of a James Greenlees.
Sadly it is not the James I am after, the person was too old and had been in NSW for many years.

Darn - back to the 'drawing board'.

Eliza.

[sparrett]

Oh Dear
Disappointing for you.
Perhaps he changed his name to conceal his desertion of wife and family and then just melted away.
 
Sue

[Elizajb]

Yes possibly. He's a rather elusive fellow. It doesn't seem that he stayed in the Wanganui area as he would be known well there, so if he died there, there would be a record somewhere.

I checked Scotland's deaths, just in case, but no matches.

Perhaps he fell in the river and disappeared, stranger things have happened.

Eliza.

[Elizajb]

Hi All,

This is just an update to topic to say that I am no further forward, no news I'm afraid.

Eliza.

[bandalogan]

Hi Eliza,
I have just found your post from a few years ago regarding James Greenlees. I'm a direct descendent of James as he's my 3rd great grandfather. From what the family have told me James was a troublemaker and Emily his wife kicked him out because he was an abusive husband. You should find in Papers Past an article based in the Wanganui Paper proving this. The article describes that he threw Emily down the steps outside of their home and poured petrol over her and threatened to set her on fire. I will find the article link for you if you wish and post on here. After this event his children never spoke to him as he was never to return home however according to my grandmother he turned up while Emily was on her deathbed and she told him to get lost type of thing. But after this he just vanished and from what I can gather there's no record of him anywhere in NZ after Emily died. I have checked all the records in Australia and Scotland and have found nothing. However, my grandmother mentioned to me to check psychiatric hospitals because he had become in that state of mind after Emily died. The nearest to Wanganui at that time was Lake Alice Hospital near Marton as there is possibility he could have been admitted and possibly died there. They also have a cemetery there which is not registered officially and his death may have not been recorded at the time if he was a patient at the hospital. His daughter Janet (my 2nd great grandmother) also didn't have a sound mind either as its known she rode her horse down Victoria Avenue in Wanganui in a state many many times. So I'm wondering if there is a connection here with James state of mind. Not sure if you want to check it out but I will be going to Lake Alice to check out the cemetery as I'm also struggling to find James and if I find anything I will let you know.

Regards
Toni

[bandalogan]

Hi Eliza,
Here's the link from Papers Past regarding James Greenlees and his domestic abuse towards his wife.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH18960908.2.21.12?query=James Greenlees

Regards
Toni

[Elizajb]

Hi Toni,

Thankyou, yes I saw that, I was sad to read some time ago that he was not a good husband or father.

It's good to hear your family info, especially since it is clear from what your grandmother said that James was alive right up until the death of his wife in 1915. I'm pretty sure that I have seen him referred to as the 'late' James Greenlees in the WW1 death notices for his sons but whether that was because his children 'wrote him off' as dead after the death of their mother, I have no way of knowing.

Was Lake Alice open in those days?

However, many thanks for your inside info, it adds a  bit more in terms of background and last sightings of him. I'll be keen to know whether you have any luck with the institution avenue. I had run out of new leads, but continue to have a go at him from time to time to see if I can make any progress.

If you reply again to this topic, I will then be able to send you a personal message (you need to post 3 messages). Many thanks again.

Regards Eliza.

[minniehaha]

Hello Eliza,

Link to the history of Lake Alice Hospital..........

http://www.lakealicehospital.com/history.html


Minniehaha.