Help with a Mystery

[KathMc]

Thanks all for responding. To start, I do have the census records for the Hayes family from 1851 onward. James Sr. is also in the 1891, living with his deceased wife's sister (as well as with her in the 1881), still in Staffs. James and his wife Margaret (McLean) were both born in Ireland. If the 1891 census is correct, in Wexford. Margaret died in 1880 and by 1881, her sister Mary is living with James. The 1861 census would also include a daughter, Mary Jane, who died in 1870, age 15. As you can see, Michael is gone by 1871, and George by 1881. James is working in an asylum in the 1881 census and then heads to America (he is the gentleman in my avatar and my gg grandfather). I have no clue what happened to George and Michael. And to be honest, until just a couple years ago, I had no clue of them at all. My great aunt and my mother remember James talking about John and Mary Jane but never mentioned the others. There is rumor of a falling out with some family members and I have wondered if that was why he never mentioned them. I wouldn't say it's because they died, because Mary Jane did also, but the family knew about her.

For John and Hannah, their son William James died in 1884. Caroline Hodson was Hannah's sister and I am not sure what became of her.

Can I tell you anything else? Let me know. I will post a link to this thread on the Australia boards. I just cut and paste, right? I am sure someone will correct it if it's wrong (yay for the moderators  ).

Kath

[KathMc]

Gadget,

I wouldn't know who this father is, though, unless he could be John Sr.'s cousin. I know nothing of the family beyond James Sr. and Margaret, and Margaret's sister Mary. Timothy doesn't seem to be a popular name in England at that time, but I do have a gg grandfather born in Ireland named Timothy. I am wracking my brains, and wearing out my computer, trying to come up with solutions and/or scenarios.

Kath

[Gadget]

That was the only one I found that fitted, Kath. I'm not sure if it's related or not 

I still think that the best bet would be to ask on the Oz board. They do know a lot about the immigrant records and afterwards.

Gadget

[andycand]

Hi Kath
Australian passenger lists tend not to be very informative. They don't usually indicate relationships so Agnes's family could simply be a case of sharing accomodation. Also there are different columns for adults, children, infants etc so even if they don't have ages, you do get an indication.
The other thing the actual passenger list has is the passengers destination. Many ships travelling to Australia would visit more than one port. For example they may call into Fremantle (which is in Western Australia) Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and as passenger lists are just that, not immigration, they include not only people disembarking but people continueing to other ports. Unless you know your Hayes family settled in Western Australia you need to find there destination as BMD records are held by individual States not centrally.
Andy

[KathMc]

Thanks Gadget. I just posted on the Australia board with a link to this thread. Thanks for that suggestion. I wasn't sure which board to post on originally, as there are ties to England and Australia. Now I keep my fingers crossed and keep hunting.

Kath

[Gadget]

Good luck, Kath. I saw your posting. I think you did the right thing. They are very good on these matters 


Gadget

[KathMc]

Andy,

Thanks for all that. I do know what happened to the Hayes siblings (where they went, who they married, etc). It's Timothy, Walter and Clare I am at a loss for. And I would love to see the passenger list, to know exactly how it was all set up and what might have been lost in transcription. I know they all disembarked in Fremantle. This is a whole new world for me, research in Australia. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Kath

[KathMc]

Good luck, Kath. I saw your posting. I think you did the right thing. They are very good on these matters 


Gadget

Thanks Gadget. Now for a glass of wine. It is evening where I am. 

Kath

[ChristineR]

Mrs. Agnes Hayes is really Miss and is 16 years old. She is John and Hannah's oldest daughter.

They might have been doing something shifty to qualify for assisted passage as a family grouping?  Else she is not actually your Agnes at all, could be a cousin's wife and family going to join her husband.

Are you able to obtain more information from the genealogical society?
If is was an assisted passage then there would be much more information given - ages, if they could read and/or write, religion, if they had employment to go to, stuff like that.  There is scant information for persons who paid their own way.

And then there is this entry elsewhere for the family - does not mention these other people being with them at all. 
http://202.14.152.31/search_viewlisting.asp?PID=807&PN=12&SearchKey=H&SearchType=2

Christine
Australia