Hi wivenhoe,....thanks for your interest.
I have a lady here in Vic, who has found mention of John and Ann Oakley living at Lancefield (where I know that my gggrandmother grew up)....she said that she had found a child to them in 1863 (which overlaps the children of Jane and John Oakley) on Digger, and was going to forward both entries to me, but never did. I have tried to contact her again without any luck.
Unfortunately, I don't have access to Digger to check just at the moment, but I do have a newspaper clipping from the Argus, July 3, 1873 stating that an Alfred Oakley, at Lancefield, had an argument with a fellow, and had shot at him. It went on to say that Oakley IS married to a 'sister of Riley, who was recently hanged at Wagga for the murder of drover Eppell'....now, I cannot place an Alfred Oakley in the children of John and Jane...there is an Albert Oakley b1860 (who would have only been 13 in 1873) who married a Mary Reily...but this Reily connection seems to go back to convict John (if he is our John) who can be found on his original records in Tasmanian Archives, to have been disciplined for 'locking himself in a room for hours with a Hannah Reily'.
As you have probably read, we are not sure of our John's name, and my ggrandmother has his name as Alfred John Oakley on her wedding certif. The date of 1873 would point to this Alfred being our John, as there are no other known Alfred Oakleys that I know of in my line, living in Lancefield. It also supports the marriage of John and Ann Reily still existing at this time....but we know that my gggrandmother's name was Jane Hamilton! Was there two John Oakley's living at Lancefield from 1870 to 1885?
I am waiting for a reply from the Lancefield H.S to see if there were two Oakley families living in the area at that time....still waiting!
Typical of people with convict pasts, they are very good at hiding their identities and their past history! ....not giving up yet!
Many thanks wivenhoe, and best wishes. Rap