Hi All,
Apart from the fact that this family appears unable to lie straight in bed, there are several things about which I wouldn't get hung up at all.
For instance, Norwegian Peder, the purported step-father of little George describing himself as "A Friend" (or, if little George was a BALLI, Peder would have been step-grandfather). I have a Vic cert where the informant is the blood Grandmother (mother of the mother) of the baby who died - but is listed as "Friend"!!
As for William HEASMAN being described as a 'Gentleman' on one cert - on Vic certs I have, all that meant when it came to my lot was, I'm sad to say, Unemployed!
And as for fake statements about being married, and fake dates for real and non-existent marriages, and fake dates for deaths of previous husbands/'husbands' etc etc - in one family I've researched in Vic these were more usual than not.
Whether or not Jane was with Mr BRANSGROVE at the time of the 1856 Petition for Admission to the Orphan School we can't know; but you'd have to assume that she would not have told the Rev J Dunmore LANG that she was with someone when she was busily pleading that she'd supported them by her own efforts but was no longer able to do so due to infirmity. And, having pleaded infirmity in 1856, how could she have admitted that she was suddenly able to care for them in 1859 - fewer questions would be asked were they to be released into the care of their sister.
Interesting that Mrs J EASTMAN was a witness for the defence - this presumably the same Jane who, writing the pathetic letter to the creditors, said that her husband had listened to the advice of evil men!
Incidentally, I guess that the HEASMAN/MORININI mc does not necessarily mean that Jane was with BRANSGROVE - it might just mean that she was going by the name BRANSGROVE ...
It would certainly be interesting to see whether any members of the families, and those connected to them, appear in the various Victorian/Melbourne directories ...
JAP
