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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: YJC on Thursday 24 February 11 16:43 GMT (UK)
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Winifred, was the sister of my Mum-in-law, she was known to the family as Winnie. She was the daug of Edward James Smee (1882-1943) & Harriet Harford (1883-1975). Winnie born 1914 @ Newcastle area of England. Her illegitimate son was born 1932 Newcastle. Winnie emigrated to Australia , on her own, onboard SS "New Australia", sailing from Southampton - Melbourne, 29/8/1951, at the time her address was given as 4 Caroline Cottages, Oxhey, Herts, England which was the home of my husband's parents where she had been staying.
It is possible she may have returned to live in the UK briefly during the 1960s but no proof of this.
I can find no trace of her once she reached Australia. Did she ever marry ? Did she stay in Victoria ? When did she die ?
Can anyone help me please ??
Thanks Yvonne
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Are you sure she got off the ship in Melbourne? It could have stopped at Fremantle on the way, or gone on to Sydney ??
Uncommon surname - is there any connection with C J Smee who has produced a lot of genealogy / fh books and indexes in Australia. (Craig James Smee, lives in Sydney, according to library catalogue of QFHS Inc.)
Dawn M
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Hi Dawn - In a word, NO, I don't know anything about where Winnie disembarked. All I know for def is that she sailed to Aust as per my earlier details & then she becomes an absolute mystery !!!!! I do know that she def lived in Aust for some years but where is another question.
The name Craig James Smee doesn't mean anything to me/us but that's not to say there isn't a connection.
Sorry, I'm being terribly vague I know ! ???
Any help anyone can provide would be brilliant
Many thanks
Yvonne
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I have been having a look around for her nothing as yet
Did her son stay in England Please?
Jenn
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Hi Jenn
Yes he did, he stayed with other members of the family here in the UK.
Winnie certainly seems to be proving very elusive doesn't she !
Bye Yvonne
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Hi again Jenn - I've just had another look at the travel recs for Winnie from Southampton - Melbourne, departing UK 29/8/1951.
Under the heading 'passenger detination port' in the trans version + 'Port at which Passengers have contracted to land' in the orig doc - both say Melbourne. So I would assume from this that she did actually disemarked there ?
I've also noticed that she had a middle initial of A.
Bye Y
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I notice the middle initial of A on what appears to be her birth registration.
I couldn't find a death to 1984 in Victoria
Nothing in NSW
Jenn
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Hi Yvonne,
There is a death on the New Zealand BDM for a Winifred Annie Smee died 2000 but her date of birth is 9th April 1906 so she may not be the lady you are looking for.
Pauline
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Do you know what kind of employment WINNIE was likely to have looked for?
Was she used to city life, or more inclined to living in the country?
Sue
ADDING
No newspaper death notice appeared for her (under that name) in Victoria between 1988 and 1992
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And no death for her found in NSW 1951-1980, all Smee deaths that period are males.
No marriages 1951-1960 either
Dawn M
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Hi to all of you who are trying to find any info on Winnie for me ..... she is really proving to be one elusive lady !!!! ???
Her birth is rec on BMD as Q3 1914 @ Tynemouth area of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland. As far as I'm aware she would have spent most of her life in the North Shields area of that part of the country until she emigrated to Aust. On the travel recs to Aust her employment is given as domestic duties, it is also possible she may have been able to work as a dressmaker or needlework of some description as quite a few members of her family did.
I had already thought that her middle initial of 'A' could have been for Ann or Annie as this was her maternal Gran's first name.
Is it at all poss that the death rec in NZ could have an incorrect YOB ?? does it give any other info on her please ??
Don't know if any of the above will be of any help to anyone. I have a large supply of huge shovels/spades if anyone is interested, they might help with your digging !!!!!! ::)
Please don't give up on me :D
Thanks & bye for now
Yvonne
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Is it at all poss that the death rec in NZ could have an incorrect YOB ?? does it give any other info on her please ??
NZ BDM is online here:
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/
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Thanks for the info of the website.
Y
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1928reg no 8901
Winifred Annie Stephenson married Thomas Fuller Smee in New Zealand
I feel that may be her death in 2000
Jenn
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Hi Jen
Thanks for that, I think we can safely say that this isn't 'our Winnie' but I wish I can find something def about her. She just seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth once she arrived in Aust !!! Yet I know she was alive for at least a few years as my husband can remember his Mum (Winnie's sister) baking & sending her a Christmas cake for quite a few years.
Would anyone be able to look at the electoral rolls for me .... just a thought ???
Bye for now
Y
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I checked the electoral roll till 1954 in NSW QLD VIC WA but no luck
What about her son did hehave any contact at all?
Jenn
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Unfort we do not have any contact with the son or even know if he is still alive. My husband has not seen him for many, many years.
Y
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Update re Winnie Smee ..... it now appears that Winnie retd to the UK & probably stayed here, not sure of dates. However, a possible marr rec (Smee) in 1982 & death in 1987 - both Watford, Herts- look as if they may be her ,I'm still checking .
No wonder we have all been having probs finding her in Aust !!!!
However, I would still be interested if anyone is able to find any info about her whilst she was in Aust. The details re her sailing, 29/8/1951, Southampton-Melbourne are DEF correct but don't know how long she remained out with you.
Bye for now
Yvonne
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Hi Yvonne,
I'm sure all here will be interested to hear whether Winnie made a late in life marriage in Eng.
Do keep us up to date ;D
Sue
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Hi All
Just to let you know that I have now received a copy of a marriage cert for Winnie Smee & it is our Winnie. It seems she marr over here in 1982, she was 68 & her husband Wm Low was 81 !! All the details from the cert tie up so I'm happy it is our elusive Winnie - EUREKA. I'm assuming the death rec in Watford, 1987, for Winnie Low is also her
If anyone discovers her on any recs in Aust I would still love to hear from you as she is still a mystery whilst in your country ??!!!
Many thanks for everyone who has been looking for me.
Bye Yvonne :)
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Glad to hear you have found her :)
regarding her husband William Low was he born and bred in the UK?
thanks Jenn
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Hi Jenn
I'm not really sure about Wm Low. However, I've found a couple of poss birth recs in UK + what I believe to be his first marr & birth of 2 daughters all in Watford, Herts - this info ties up with what I had already been told by a family member. I'm therefore assuming he was English & is the same man Winnie had a relationship with before she emigrated to Aust.
Thanks for all your help.
Bye Yvonne :)
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Hi all - just to let you know that I have now (finally !!) been able to locate Winnie on the Aust Elect Rolls for 1958-1977 incl. It seems she was in the area of Toorak,Victoria for her entire time in your country.
Many thanks to all of you who have either helped or attempted to offer assistance. I think the query on Winnie can now be called RESOLVED.
Bye Yvonne
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Hi Yvonne
I didn't participate in the thread but spent sometime searching. I had already looked up Winifred's electoral roll listings for you and now see you had already found them ;D I will type them up in case you did not actually look at the image of the rolls with all the detail. I also checked googlemaps streetview to see where she had lived. You may like to do the same :)
Australian Electoral Roll
1958, 1963
SMEE Winifred Ann 35 Canterbury Road, Toorak HD
1968
SMEE Winifred Ann 529 Malvern Road, Toorak Hospital employee
1972
SMEE Winifred Ann 529 Malvern Road, Toorak Orderley
1977
SMEE Winifred Ann 201 William Road South Yarra HD
Cheers :)
Cando
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Hello Cando - Many thanks for that & I'm sorry ::) that you appear to have wasted your time on my behalf !!!!!!!!!!!!
You have found exactly the same info as I have & yes I was able to access the elect rolls. I've also googled her addresses to have a look where she lived.
Winnie has proved to be a mystery once she landed in Aust, until now that is, so I really pleased to have finally located her.
Once again [i]A BIG THANK YOU. [/i]
Bye Yvonne :) :)
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Winifred Smee was my grandmother, her son James Edward was my father. Any contact with members of the family,very welcome !!
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Hello Lizzieanne and welcome to RootsChat
YJC hasn't been active on this forum since early 2016.
Let's hope her email is still valid and you get a reply :) :) :)
Dawn M
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Hi LizzieAnne - I'm going to try & send you a private reply, not been on this site for a long time so I'm a little rusty , fingers crossed ........... Yvonne
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Hello Yvonne,
Please do not forget that new members do not have full access to all RootsChat functions until they have made a couple of posts....is the information you want to share so sensitive ????
Regards
Sarah