Author Topic: Murder in Western Australia  (Read 22221 times)

Offline Seany

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #63 on: Tuesday 30 January 18 03:43 GMT (UK) »
Hi Everyone,

I'm a little late to Fox family talk. Almost 5 years too late. I hope some of you are still active on here.

I've come up my relative Alexander Fox who was born in Perth 1877, according to his marriage certificate. His parents listed where James Fox and Mary Gord. There's no Marriage between those two in WA, nor any birth certificates from WA to back up that he was born there. All I have is several families bringing up the fact that there was an Alexander Fox, born 1877 in the family of James and Mary Fox. Including an old Perth Pioneers book which mentions this same family that everyone is talking about here.

joboy mentioned this Alexander in the first post. In the murder trial when Alexander spoke it's mentioned that he worked in a popular Perth department store since he was a teenager. A little clue to my Alexander because he worked his entire life as a manager or hardware stores across Australia and NZ.

The other clue is AlexNoodle mentioning the Marriage Cert for John Fox to Elizabeth in 1899 mentioning his mother as Mary Powell Goode. Interesting how Alexander had his mother as "Gord", which sounds very much like Goode when spoken out loud. Maybe it was Mary's Maiden name and she was married once or so before taking the name Barry? There were other spelling errors on the Marriage cert, so I thought it's possible to be another spelling mistake. Roden43 even mentioned that certificates were sometimes in phonetic pronunciations.

Otherwise. I don't have anymore clues about Alexander's life before marriage. He was born in WA, married in New Zealand, had kids in NZ and Victoria, and spent the rest of his life in NSW. He also went by the name Alexander Edward Fox. He didn't bother to state his middle name on his marriage cert. Only after his marriage does he begin to add the "Edward" to his documentation. I don't know how he arrived in NZ before his 1904 Marriage or whether he kept in contact with the rest of his family.

I would love to know what John Alexander Fox's other two marriage certs say about the mother's surnames. If they're consistent. But I feel like I'm grasping at straws at his point.

Hope people were still interested in this family as I am.

Sean

Offline wivenhoe

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 5,546
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #64 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 01:25 GMT (UK) »

from reply #59 -

John Fox (widower) 32 of Harley St Perth married Elizabeth Minnie Irvine (spinster) 24 of East Perth at Charles Street Wesleyan Church Sept 29 1899 and the witnesses were Septimus Dyson and Alexander Fox.

John Fox father was James (deceased) a gardener and his mother was Mary Powell Goode.

......and assuming that I am correctly following the two stories -

If this witness is your Alexander FOX, married NZ 1904, you could compare signatures on the two certificates?

Offline Seany

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #65 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 01:58 GMT (UK) »
I hadn't even noticed on that post that Alexander was a witness.

I'm afraid the copy that I was sent from NZ was a transcribed copy, not the original. I'm not sure if they scan the originals. Or if i cheapened out when I bought the one that was a few dollars cheaper. I was under the impression they were scanned like the Victorian ones were.

Maybe it's possible to get a scan, and look at this other certificate to match handwriting. Still grasping at straws here. I need to find a boat leaving WA with an Alexander Fox on board from 1899-1904 I think.

Offline rosball

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,263
  • John Scott Henderson 1853 Scotland -1919 Vic
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #66 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 02:13 GMT (UK) »
There is a probate packet for an Alexander Edward FOX who died in 1936 at NSW state records.
https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/item/580267
Is this your man?

I could photograph it next time I am there if you don't have it but I doubt if it will give many clues about his early life.  I see the corresponding death entry in NSW BDM has parents as John and Mary so the death cert (if included) may not be much help.  But always worth a try  :)

Ros
Let's not tolerate bullying !
Herrington Kent  Henderson Scotland Kerr Scotland Reston Scotland  Smith Scotland  Kellow Cornwall  Doney Cornwall  Wadeson Lancashire  Whiteley Yorkshire Gregan Ireland


Offline Seany

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #67 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 03:05 GMT (UK) »
I'd never heard of such a probate existing? That would be amazing if I was able to see it.

That's definitely him. The people mentioned in the newspaper for his funeral are my great aunts and uncles. The parents names really sent me on a goose chase last year, but his marriage cert gives a James and Mary as the parents which has lead me to the Foxes of WA.

The father's name being wrong makes me think he didn't speak much about his family to his wife. Death certs aren't always that reliable. I'm still very interested though, even if it doesn't bring much light to his early life.

The born 1877 in Perth, WA. Working as a Salesman on the marriage cert really is the best clue I have of his early life.

Offline rosball

  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,263
  • John Scott Henderson 1853 Scotland -1919 Vic
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #68 on: Wednesday 31 January 18 05:30 GMT (UK) »
Pleasure to help Seany  :)  I've added it to my list.

Ros
Let's not tolerate bullying !
Herrington Kent  Henderson Scotland Kerr Scotland Reston Scotland  Smith Scotland  Kellow Cornwall  Doney Cornwall  Wadeson Lancashire  Whiteley Yorkshire Gregan Ireland

Offline Seany

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #69 on: Wednesday 28 February 18 05:59 GMT (UK) »
Hi Everyone. I just found Alexander Edward Fox's old bible. Kept by his daughter. I have a little bit more info from the back page.

It says. Alexander was born 21 April in Hay Street, Perth, WA.
He died at the age of 60 on 24-6-1936.

There's no birth certs for Alexander on the WA BDM. How on earth am I going to locate that! At least I now have a birthday and a street.

Offline Seany

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #70 on: Sunday 11 March 18 05:08 GMT (UK) »
So this is my best actual evidence that Alexander comes from this family.

http://slwa.wa.gov.au/data/wabi/F/F2709.jpg
http://slwa.wa.gov.au/data/wabi/F/F2710.jpg

These WA Biographical Index Cards have Alexander attached to the Fox family with the same birthday. I was only able to find his birthday from an old bible written on in the 30's. Still would have been nice to find the birth certificate but no one in WA can find the official one yet.

Does anyone already have a copy of James and Mary Fox's marriage certificate?

Offline AlexNoodle

  • RootsChat Senior
  • ****
  • Posts: 493
  • The Large Family circa 1906
    • View Profile
Re: Murder in Western Australia
« Reply #71 on: Wednesday 14 March 18 16:16 GMT (UK) »
Hi Seany

I don't have a copy of James and Mary's marriage cert but I have seen on Ancestry there are a couple of trees that have the date being 23rd August 1854 at the Perth Wesleyan Chapel but not seeing any images or source information for them.

If anyone does order it - would love to see the info on it.

Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk<br />Marshall: Leeds/Silkstone/Ashton/Hyde. Griffiths: Llanrhaeder ym Mochnant/Glyn Ceiriog/Ashton. Pilley: Chelmsford/Maldon. Hallas: Ashton/Stalybridge. Large: Tarvin/Manchester/Mossley. McDonald: Ireland/Whitfield/Mossley.