help with deaths please - Flanagan *COMPLETED*

[aniph]

Unfortunately Sarah Jane Flanagan(maybe married Stevens, Stephens) and her mother Anna were convicted of murder for the death of Sarah's baby in 1891

I have looked at NZ BDM and all online cemetries and can't find either of them.

From Papers Past I know Anna the mother was pardoned about 1895. They originally were both sentenced to death but this was commuted to life.

Anna was Anastasia Cullen on her marriage cert (Dublin 1854)

Called Annie, Anna, Ann, Anne and Anastatsia on the birth records of the children.

It would be nice to know what happened to the poor things

Thanks
Annie

[Lucy2]

Mmm ... yes, this is a very sad saga indeed. 

Of course there is a great deal written about the case in PapersPast (which takes a good amount of reading through) so perhaps you could expand a little on the details you already have  ... or provide some clarification ?   

*    Firstly  ... do you have Sarah Jane's year of birth ?

[I note in one article, she's described as being about 30 years of age (in 1891).    There's a birth (NZ) in 1871 of a "Sarah Jane FLANAGAN" ... might that be her ?   That though would make her only 20 years old in 1891 ?]

From Papers Past I know Anna the mother was pardoned about 1895. They originally were both sentenced to death but this was commuted to life.

*  Do you have the actual reference regarding this pardon ?
[Was the mother in Christchurch at this time ?   It seems that Sarah Jane was being held at the Terrace Prison, Wellington in 1902.]

Unfortunately Sarah Jane Flanagan(maybe married Stevens, Stephens)

*   The newspaper reports seem to suggest that  "Mrs STEVENS" was an alias used by Sarah Jane ?   Have you got any further information to show that she was married ?
[Noting that the child's death - 5 January 1891 -  was registered under "FLANAGAN". ]


Lu

[Lucy2]

I'm guessing you've already tried searching the deaths using various spellings of the name "FLANAGAN" ?  (And perhaps looked under "CULLEN" as well ?)
[ The Sarah Jane FLANNIGAN buried at Bromley (ChCh) with "a William" can of course be ruled out.]

Hmm  ... I gather that is the father / husband, Daniel's  death in 1902 ?   No mention of his wife in funeral notice ?

Seems Archives NZ might hold a Letters of Administration file for Daniel FLANAGAN ?   [ PapersPast has a reference to same  - "Star" 28 May 1903" ? ]   Difficult to know whether it would contain any useful information though ?

Lu

Added:   Archives NZ Christchurch have a file for "FLANAGAN - Daniel - Linwood - Police Constable - 1903" listed as a Probate record ?  (A Letters of Admin. file would tend to suggest that he died intestate).   Still, could be worth checking out.

[Lucy2]

You might like to try an email enquiry via the following site (dnzb) ?

http://www.mch.govt.nz/projects/web/dnzb/database.html

The Dictionary of NZ Biography (dnzb) have a large collection of unpublished bio's (or at least, not published on their website) for a variety of newsworthy persons.   You can request copies via email.

A Google search brought up a (dnzb) hit for "a Sarah Jane FLANAGAN".     

Have no idea whether it's the same Sarah ... 

Lu

[Thamesite2017]

NZ Probates

Name FLANAGAN Anastatia
Place Sydney
Occupation Widow
Archives Reference AAOM 6029 21304 Probate Number 21304
Filed Date 31 Jul 1917 Type Will
enquiries to Wellington Archives

BYe
Althea

[aniph]

Lu and Althea

Thanks so much, that is wonderful. I'll now look here for Anna's burial.

I only discovered it myself on Papers Past, never mentioned in the family at all The only reason I picked it up was the use of CULLEN on the boat to W'gton.

Sarah was born Eversley Victoria 1860. The Vic record just says Sarah, no Jane on the index.

I couldn't see a marriage to Stevens/Stephens either though the mother did mention to the child nurse that she was Mrs Stephens.......

Yes poor Daniel, the police constable, is husband/father.

Great link to that bio site, I'll email them.

Cheers
Annie

[Lucy2]

Oooh  ...  good work Althea.   

Fingers crossed it's the mother.     (I note Sarah Jane during the trial, mentioned having a brother living in Sydney).

Incidentally, the death is indexed on NSW BMD as "FLANAGAN, Anastasia  -  458/1917 - Parents /  David and Anna" :

Lu

[aniph]

Yes thanks

I've just found the son and his wife, Daniel Knox Flanagan and Elizabeth Bridget living at Manly NSW. Both buried at Manly Cemetery.  And their daughters details too. I now realise I have met her son years ago but never knew he was a Flanagan descendent:(

Can't find Anatasia's burial as yet but a couple of sites are down.

Ta
Annie

[Lucy2]

Annie

I just noticed on the OZ Newspapers website, a family notice from the Sydney Morning Herald, (not yet available for viewing).

The digitised text (of course) doesn't make a lot of sense but seems the notice might be for death of an  Ana.... ??  FLANAGAN ... George Street, Redfern ??

"SMH" - Friday,  5 January 1917 - page 6

Lu