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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: wdlocky on Sunday 10 May 20 06:44 BST (UK)
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Hi
Trying to trace my husband's great grandmother - Ada Jane Gray. We have a father for her of John William Gray (labourer) and a mother of Johanna Stanley, but that is all the details that I have. I can't find a birth certificate nor a death certificate - just a marriage in Qld.
It is believed that there is Aboriginal heritage in this line, but not sure where, but believed that Ada was Aboriginal. My husband's grandfather had very Aboriginal traits and his father immigrated from London.
The information I have is:
Ada Jane Gray, born in Dubbo around 1887 (22 at age of marriage in 1909)
Married in Qld 1909 (day after son was born) (marriage dissolved 1929 at Rockhampton - 2 children from marriage both in orphanage)
She was a domestic servant
Father of her child was a Labourer (roustabout) at Longreach - Henry (Harry) Thomas Lockyer
Her mother and father were Johanna Stanley and John William Gray (Labourer) according to the marriage extract.
I have found some chats about a Gray family that lived at Obley that has some similar names (maybe a coincidence) and an Aboriginal background.
There was also a Stanley family that lived in an Aborigine camp according to 1903 poll.
Any leads gratefully accepted. :)
Deb
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Using QLD BDM Index online, finds -
deaths
1932/B/18194 Agnes GRAY died 17/08/1932
Parents Johanna Stanley / John
1937/C/357 Edward Gray died 14/01/1937
Parents Johanna Stanley / Edward John
Brisbane Cemetery Toowong location 7A-48-21
GRAY Agnes buried 18 Aug 1932 age 45
CONWAY James Patrick buried 13 Mar 1898
Burials in the one plot are often for related people.
1898/C/1376 Johanna Gray died 24/06/1898
Parents Mary Raymond / John Stanley
That death record will be useful for your research.
Johanna has not died in Brisbane ( C for country, B for Brisbane)
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There's some relevant info on the following thread
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=679562.0
The original poster was last online back in December last year (17 December 2019).
I will read back over that earlier thread as I had posted some info on it from my offline resources.
JM
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NSW Electoral Roll 1902-1903 (this is not the same roll as the 1903-04 Roll)
Electorate of ROBERTSON, polling Wellington.
Emma STANLEY, Aborigines' camp, domestic duties
John STANLEY, Aborigines' camp, labourer
Sophia STANLEY, Aborigines' camp, domestic duties
JM.
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WARNING, this post contains words from a newspaper article of 1908. some of the words may, in this 21st century, cause the reader to consider these words as discriminating based on ethnicity.
Thursday 4 June 1908. Wellington Times. page 4.
Wedding at the Hospital
A wedding took place at the Wellington hospital on Monday afternoon, the contracting parties being John Stanley and Sophia Jane Ryan, half-castes residing at the Macuarie Blacks' Camp. The woman is in such a serious state of health that she is not expected to recover, and it was the desire of the parties to be married before the end came. The ceremony was performed at the bedside by the Rev F J Dunkley, the witnesses being Matron Suttor and Miss Hetherington, the lady missionary at the blacks' camp.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141599301
JM
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Possible deaths of siblings to Ada:
GRAY, JAMES
7375/1886
Parents: JOHN & JOHANNA
DUBBO
GRAY, JOHN
5689/1891
Parents: JOHN & JOHANNA
DUBBO
https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/
Debra :)
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NSW ER 1913 MACQUARIE, polling at Wellington
Emma STANLEY, Mission camp, domestic duties
James STANLEY, Mission camp, labourer
John STANLEY, Mission camp, labourer
JM
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Ada had another child before she was married, Alfred Easter GRAY/LOCKYER in 1906. It appears that the man she left her husband for was named Thomas HEALEY, and she took Alfred with her.
Son Francis John Thomas HEALEY died in 1931 aged 10.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48721476
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149895853
Francis HEALY
Death date: 27/08/1931
Mother's name: Ada GRAY
Father/parent's name: Thomas
1931/C/2570
There is mention of the father in the article, but not Ada. She is still on the electoral roll with Thomas in 1930.
I am not entirely sure that Eric was their son, it looks to be a bit complicated.
Debra :)
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Ada had another child before she was married, Alfred Easter GRAY/LOCKYER in 1906. It appears that the man she left her husband for was named Thomas HEALEY, and she took Alfred with her.
Son Francis John Thomas HEALEY died in 1931 aged 10.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48721476
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149895853
Francis HEALY
Death date: 27/08/1931
Mother's name: Ada GRAY
Father/parent's name: Thomas
1931/C/2570
There is mention of the father in the article, but not Ada. She is still on the electoral roll with Thomas in 1930.
I am not entirely sure that Eric was their son, it looks to be a bit complicated.
Debra :)
Wow, this is a complicated one indeed! So I need to look into the in between times by the looks of it. If Ada Gray had a child in 1906 Alfred Easter Gray/Lockyer, it was probably to Henry Thomas Lockyer (who she married in 1909), then perhaps she left him after Eric was born and took Alfred with her as well - as only Leslie and Gordon were with their father and placed in the orphanage and their children (my husband's father) only thought there was the two of them.
If she had left him with the two kids and Thomas Healy and then had another child (who tragically died) there is a gap between that and her re-marrying William Cummings in 1935 (where it appears she has lied about her age (10 years younger) and ethnicity (from Mexico) on that marriage certificate). Her death extract only states the three boys as her sons - Leslie, Gordon and Eric.
Is she on the electoral roll with Thomas Healy or with Alfred Easter?
:)
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The first time I can see Alfred is in 1934 in Mareeba, and then he is in Rockhampton.
Ada is with Henry LOCKYER up to 1916 in Longreach and in 1919 she is in Rockhampton and he is in Longreach. She is then with Thomas HEALEY from 1925 to 1930 in Herberton, then with William CUMMINGS from 1935 in Herberton, and she died in 1945.
I doubt that Alfred was a LOCKYER and that is why she took him with her. He was born three years before they married. Henry states that there were only two children from the marriage.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55329906
Eric wasn't their son.
Birth
Eric Norris HEALY
Birth date: 27/02/1917
Mother's name: Mary Anne Sharkey NORRIS
Father/parent's name: Eric NORRIS
1917/C/33
Death
Eric Norris HEALY
Death Date: 30 Oct 1960
Father's name: Eric NORRIS
Mother's name: Mary Anne SHARKEY
Registration Year: 1960
Registration Place: Queensland
Registration Number: 005880
Page Number: 1237
Eric enlisted in WW2 and gave Thomas as his NOK and his POW card names Thomas and Ada as his parents.
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx
The recording of the names on Eric's birth registration are unusual and you would need to see the cert to know what was going on. Ancestry also have this birth indexed but this version doesn't appear in the Qld BDM registry.
Name: Eric Clifford NORRIS
Birth Date: 27 Feb 1917
Registration Year: 1917
Registration Place: Queensland, Australia
Father: Eric NORRIS
Mother: Mary Anne SHARKEY
Registration Number: 33
There may have been alterations to the registration.
Debra :)
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I wonder if, when Qld BDM were changing over to EDP or the more recent updates to more modern databases if they had problems with software and apparent duplications, I am aware that NSW BDM had significant practical failings with EDP introduction and the cards physically falling .... I mention the following bdm online index has same first given name, and in same 'quarter' of 1917:
Queensland bdm
Eric Clifford CHERRY, born 14 January 1917
I think reference C3221
https://www.ryersonindex.org/
Ryerson index has funeral notice for Mr Cherry indexed as Courier Mail, 19 March 1997, aged 80.
JM
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Mary Anne SHARKEY married Eric NORRIS 10 October 1916. Qld bdm #C2743
JM
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Thanks so much everyone, this is starting to piece together now. i can't believe how much we have found out in just a few days.
I have found eight possible siblings of Ada Jane Gray born in Dubbo NSW (and at Bundaleer Station, Qld). I also found a death certificate of an infant brother of hers, James, which states "where born and how long in the Australiasian Colonies or States", "Narrau, NSWales, Native". I think this could explain why it has been difficult to get details in the past.
With Ada deserting Henry, this explains why the 2 boys were put into an orphanage, and then later collected by their Aunties. I also know that Alfred Easter Lockyer, turned up one day at Gordon Lockyer's house and stayed for a few days to visit, his son was told that he was not his dad's brother, but he remembers that they acted like they were and it was like a big family reunion. He was born Alfred Easter Gray "illigitimate" and was adopted by Henry Lockyer when they married. That would be why Ada took him with her.
I will have to try Ada's parent's now - they have been a bit more difficult.
Deb :)
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Hi all
So after a few months of further research and comparing notes with other family researchers, we have pieced together a lot of the Healy part of the family and have copies of lots of notices etc.
However, one part I can't find out, is the birth details of Francis John Thomas Healy (or Healey). I have found a Francis John Healey from a family that lives at Eden Monaro (which is where our Ada's father came from - see attachments) but can find nothing else on a birth for him in either Qld or NSW, only the death details which state Ada and Thomas Healy were the parents (which may not have been correct as their other child was not theirs but raised by them). ???
Any suggestions on birth details for this child (he died at 10 years old in tragic shooting incident at Stannery Hills).
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Hi. I am Eric Healy's grandson. My father is Russell Healy. My grandfather died when my father was 2 years old. So my dad never knew his father. One thing I was told recently was that Healy might not be our own natural surname and I'm trying to piece things together and would be grateful for any help given. Please contact me at (*) if you would like to do so.
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Hi Jamie Healy - these posts are on the right track and as such, you're a cousin of mine via the Norris side. I live in Florida USA but am from Melbourne Australia and I've spent a lifetime researching the Norris family from Bendigo Victoria back to the United States and before then to the UK. The info previously posted here is correct but a few corrections...
Birth
Eric Norris HEALY - Real birth name was Eric Clifford Norris born Longreach, Queensland, Australia.
Birth date: 27/02/1917
Mother's name: Mary Anne Sharkey NORRIS
Father/parent's name: Eric NORRIS
1917/C/33
Death
Eric Norris HEALY
Death Date: 30 Oct 1960
Father's name: Eric NORRIS born 1895 Heathcote, Victoria, Australia
Mother's name: Mary Anne SHARKEY born 1898 Lanarkshire, Scotland
Registration Year: 1960
Registration Place: Queensland
Registration Number: 005880
Page Number: 1237
Eric Norris (a motor mechanic) and Mary Anne SHARKEY married Oct 10 1916 Longreach, Queensland, Australia and their son Eric Clifford Norris was born four months later Feb 27 1917.
Both Eric and Mary were minors under law at the time of their marriage. Eric was 20 and Mary was 19 years old and Judge had to approve their marriage at that time - Mary was 5 months pregnant. There was lots controversy in the Norris family at the time and the unwed pregnancy was not approved by the parents. My family used to have letters in our family tree box when I was kid speaking of the pregnancy and the kerfuffle that went along with it at that time and I think Eric's parents disowned him or vis versa. The letters are currently in possession of a brother who refuses to share anything with family right now.
Eric Sr's parents were Alfred George Norris b1862 dApr 29 1924 and Emma Mary Wilson May b1860 dDec 14 1926 both were born in Heathcote, Victoria, Australia.
Alfred's mum and dad were Jeremiah Norris b1810 in Pennsylvania USA and dOct 7 1889 Caledonia Gully, Heathcote, Victoria, Australia. Elizabeth Casey bMar 15 1829 Queenstown, Youghal County Cork, Ireland dSep 9 1909 Frankston, Victoria, Australia and are my ggg grandparents. Jeremiah was a descendant of enslaved africans as our gggg grandparents were slave holders and slaves on both of those lines. Our Norris DNA has led me to every corner of the globe.
Eric Clifford Norris married Joyce Isabel McGachie on May 10 1946 at Longreach, Queensland, Australia a few weeks later he changed his name by Deed Poll on Jun 14 1946 to Eric Norris Healy.
Eric Healy's father was Eric Norris Sr. born in 1895 he was married twice first to Mary Anne SHARKEY married Oct 10 1916 and then Stella Dulcie Edith Coates on Apr 18 1929 Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. He divorced Stella Apr 10 1940 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Stella was b1907 Long Gully, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia dMay 7 1983. Stella was his 1st cousin 1x removed (also within our same Norris family in Bendigo).
Before that divorce from Stella, Eric Norris Sr. changed his name to William Evans. I don't know why? I found that in his divorce papers.
I have quite a bit of family info on my site https://www.myheritage.com/site-437279601/summers-kindred-spirits-family-tree or via Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/178218727/family?cfpid=192317960011
You can write to me there or via the private chat here and send me your email address.
Regards,
Cous David Summers
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Hi. I've posted here before. Eric Healy was my grandfather. I don't know much about him at all. My dad, Russell Healy was only 2 years old when Eric died. Eric took his own life in 1960. I'm sorry for posting that information on here but don't know how else to get in contact with anyone here. I've stumbled on this site as I Googled my grandfather's name looking for information. Also my dad told me that he thought his father had shot his own brother. Again sorry for posting this here. But these are some of the pieces I've picked up over the years. I was born in Townsville. My dad was born in Hughenden and Eric was born in Longreach as far as I know. My mother was Scottish and I've lived in Scotland since i was young. I tried to put my email address on here but it has been removed. But I would like to learn what I can.
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Hi David Summers. Thank you for your reply. You have given me lots of information. Fascinating stuff. You've obviously worked very hard to piece it all together. I'm interested to learn more about Jeremiah Norris and would be grateful if you could help me. You said he was descended from African slaves but also the family were slave holders. Does this mean we have sub saharan DNA? That might seem like an ignorant question and I apologise. I'm just trying to understand the picture. Also you mentioned that Mary Anne Sharkey was born in Lanarkshire Scotland. My mother was from Lanarkshire and spent most of my life there. I'm currently in Lanarkshire.