Seeking Ada Sullivan

[Stephen Collicoat]

Joseph Job Downes married Ada Sullivan at the Lutheran Parsonagein Adelaide on December 5, 1891. She was 16 and Joseph 28. Both resided in Kent Town. Witnesses were E.M.Galle, a teacher from Flinders Street and H.Dorsch, who was probably the officiating Minister, Casper Dorsch's wife. She later went on to have a distinguished academic career, while her husband, a man of sternly religious views suffered a nervous breakdown.

I don't place much faith in the note on the death certificate that Ada was born in Adelaide. She seemed to deliberately keep her background secret. One touching note was that Ma died quietly from a heart attack listening to a 'Music for the People' concert in the Melbourne Botanic Garden.

Such hard times! Michael Sullivan died at age 54 and left a wife and seven children. The redoubtable Mary died at age 61 in 1893 which meant she could have attended Ada's marriage if she had wished to do so. I can't however imagine good relations between a very devout Catholic woman and Joseph Downes who was a fervent member of the Salvation Army until he fell out with them. Mary was largely instrumental in the achievement of equal pay for policewomen. Her sister, Mary was a bold advocate  for womens' suffrage.

All very interesting, but it doesn't help in the search for the elusive Ada's beginnings!

[wivenhoe]

For births in Victoria, how is Ada's birthplace recorded?

[Stephen Collicoat]

Thanks for the information on Haylock which is news to me. His children probably wouldn't have known about Ada. The mother might easily have stayed in Adelaide to give birth before returning to Carisbrook in Victoria. Certainly the sisters kept in close touch. Whether he was Ada's father or Ada was the result of his wife having an affair (or being raped) will probably never be known, assuming my theory is correct.

[Stephen Collicoat]

To answer the question about Ada's birth certificate, this is none which isn't all that rare in those times.

[cando]

Thanks for the information on Haylock which is news to me. His children probably wouldn't have known about Ada. The mother might easily have stayed in Adelaide to give birth before returning to Carisbrook in Victoria. Certainly the sisters kept in close touch. Whether he was Ada's father or Ada was the result of his wife having an affair (or being raped) will probably never be known, assuming my theory is correct.

I'm confused...what information 'on HAYLOCK' and his chn?

How do you know that Mary HAYLOCK and Mary SULLIVAN were sisters?  What proof do you have eg are they both mentioned on Thomas  and Bridget COONAN's death certificates?

I should perhaps add that when Ada married she is recorded in her Marriage Certificate as living in Little Rundle Street which is just around the corner from Mary's home in Grote Street, Kent Town.

No mention of Little Rundle Street on Ada's marriage cert that I attached to reply#25.  According to an 1890 directory Mary SULLIVAN lived on the southern side of Grote Street on the corner of Burlington Place, Adelaide.  Now appears to be named Marlborough Street.  There has never been a Grote Street, Kent Town.

I have marked the site of her house with a red dot on the attached map.

Have you contacted the Catholic Archives in Adelaide to search for any information about Ada?  If she was, as you have suggested, been born in Adelaide, surely she would have been baptised.
http://www.adelaide.catholic.org.au/our-works-and-community/archives-and-history/records-services/archives

Over the many the years I've assisted people with their family research and especially with family stories, I've often found that the stories have become distorted and embellished over the years.

Cando

[cando]

Witnesses were E.M.Galle, a teacher from Flinders Street and H.Dorsch, who was probably the officiating Minister, Casper Dorsch's wife. She later went on to have a distinguished academic career, while her husband, a man of sternly religious views suffered a nervous breakdown.

All very interesting, but it doesn't help in the search for the elusive Ada's beginnings!

No it may not but some of your info is not quite correct.

Casper DORSCH's wife in 1891 was Friderike Sophia Hulda STREMPEL, who died in 1892. He remarried in 1893 to Agnes HEYNE .

Their family
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90952083

Cando

[Stephen Collicoat]

Greatly appreciate the heads up on Mary Sullivan's home in Adelaide and the Lutheran Minister. I8'll adjust my records accordingly.

[Stephen Collicoat]

It's great to now know the location of Mary's home so I can see it when we travel to Adelaide, I did check the Catholic baptisms without success.

One of the things I have found most interesting is the insight one gains into society at that time from the poverty and lawlessness in Tipperary that encouraged the Coonans to come to Australia, the moral hazard that many young women faced in the colony, the revivalist movement and so on. It's an education.

[cando]

Difficult researching family history based on a grandmother's stories.  Perhaps she wasn't secretive and simply didn't know anymore than she told you mother.

Do you have any proof that the two Mary's were sisters?  I very much doubt it as Mary SULLIVAN nee COONEY arrived SA with her brother and sister on the WANDERER in 1851 and not mentioned in Thomas COONAN's deceased estate papers.  There is a baptism for a Mary COONAN 1832 at Lorrha and Dorrha, Tipperary with parents Martin COONAN and Ann DELANY.  Of course you could purchase an image of Thomas or Bridget COONAN death certificates which would give you the names of their children both living and deceased.

You didn't answer the questions asked on the thread.  Bit difficult to help when there is no feedback.

Cando