RootsChat.Com

Maybe a long shot, but certainly worth looking at. I need to make a list of all these suggestions and work through them all.

I don't know about schooling, but I imagine she did go to school.

Oh well, did say i was thinking outside the square

No harm in that. Your thought is as likely right as I mine.

And also a shame we don't have the census kept like the UK.

Yes, that would be so helpful. They have been so useful in my UK research. And I really don't know why it isn't done here - after all, the UK ones are only released after 100 years.

Melbourne Lying In Hospital, Midwifery Record Book No. 1, from Aug 19th 1856 to Mar 15th 1879

I am constantly amazed at how much help I get by posting on this forum, and how many sources of information other people know about that I don't. Thanks so much. I will see what I can find.

hope the link works

The link works fine, but like you I have to work out how to enlarge it - just enlarging the graphic leads to blurred text. I suspect that, because it is from The Wayback Machine, that it can only be enlarged graphically from the original, which may not be enough. I will do my best! Othwerwise, it may require a visit to PRO.

It seems the records are now offline.
There is a names index here

That's great thanks, but only goes to 1876, and Charlotte isn't in it. Do you know of a link to the next period?

.........so the proceeds would be handed to the widow and children,......

Thanks. It seems Henry and Olive weren't the only children Charlotte adopted, or at least cared for. So I guess this includes them.

That is certainly very interesting. JJ Clark(e) a bus driver is a pretty clear pointer to "our" John Clark. This decision was reported on 13 September, for a benefit on 3 October. Unfortunately John died on 21st September 1902 and so presumably the benefit money was given to Charlotte.

I thought it was a different Clarke because I found this reference to a different John Clarke, and this one.

But I think you must be right, and it is certainly some reflection on the high regard for John, if not necessarily for Charlotte.

Thanks for digging this out.

Thank you everyone who has contributed to the information and discussion here. I will be happy to receive any further ideas, but I think it might be a good time to sum up what we can now know about this situation.

1. It seems likely that John and Charlotte had four miscarriages or stillbirths, which were not registered. But Charlotte, doubtless grieving over her losses, nevertheless gave these children the names recorded at John's death.

2. Charlotte and John adopted or cared for several other children. Perhaps, as per the Police evidence, she was a good mother for these. My grandmother Olive was one of those adopted.

3. But by the time Charlotte adopted Henry Dwyer, she appears to have become more mercenary, first trying to have him adopted by someone and thus making a profit on the arrangement. When no-one took up the offer, she appears to have either deliberately mistreated the child or, more likely, tried to cut corners by dispensing with a wet nurce too soon, thus precipitating Henry's death.

4. In 1903, a year after John died, Charlotte's In Memoriam for John only mentions one child, Olive. We can only speculate why other children weren't mentioned - perhaps they had only been cared for for a short time.

This is a sad story, especially for Henry, but also for Charlotte. I can be thankful Olive made it through, or I wouldn't be here!