Thanks for the info Debra. I'm a bit new t this game so your help is appreciated.
I bought the certificate and it shows that Harry's full name was Henry Alexander Sarell Douglas. His father's name was Alexander Douglas (engineer) and his mother was Jane Sarell. So it seems family rumours about his mum's name (being Jane) were correct.
Minnie Wood's parents were Thomas Wood (farmer) and Mary Ann Alberry, which I already knew.
For those who are interested in the Wood family (transparent attempt to stay on the subject of this thread), Thomas was born in approx 1812 (calculated from his age at death) in England. He came to Australia in approx 1835, evidently as a free settler (can't find a convict record). He died at his residence* on 15 Jan 1890 His death certificate says "A colonist for 55 years".
*The Wood residence was a fruit and vegetable farm called "Woodlands" at 66 Augusta Road New Town (now a suburb of Hobart). The farm and house are long since gone and the site now accommodates an ugly block of flats.
Mary died on 5/7/1910 (20 years after Thomas) at Woodlands at the ripe old age of 92. Good longevity genes there!
I haven't yet made a serious attempt to research Thomas and Mary's origins in UK.
Children of Thomas and Mary (as far as I know) are:
1. William, born 1838 (no further info -possibly died in infancy).
2. Henry, 1839-10/8/1906. Married Elizabeth Francis (don't know surname) Died in New Zealand
3. Mary Ann, 1840-3/7/1925 (died in her 85th year) at her residence in Howard Rd, Glenorchy.
4. Helen, born 1842 (no further info)
5. Elizabeth Amy, 1843. Died 22/11/1843 as an infant.
6. Thomas, 1846-22/8/1919. Married Eliza Louisa Watkins, as discussed previously in this thread.
7. Caroline, born 1848. Married Alexander Ross of Inverness Scotland. Had 3 sons who all served as soldiers in WW1, one of whom was killed in France and is mentioned in the British honour roll. Also had a daughter only known to me as Mrs W T Brown. I've done no further resarch of this line.
8. Emma, 1850-1868. Died at the age of 16 (no further info)
9. George Edward, 20/12/1852-9/2/1853. Another infant death, buried with Elizabeth (above)
10. Charles Edmund, born 1854 (no further info)
11. Florence Amelia, born 5/01/1856, death date unknown. There's another F Wood listed as born in 1857. This may be an erroneous double listing of Florence, or another child.
12. Minnie Louisa, 1860-22/5/1944. Married Harry Douglas (refer above) - my great grandmother.
13. Laura Julia, born 1863 (no further info)
I guess that those with only a birth date and no other information probably died shortly after birth.
As for my great Gran, Minnie Louisa Wood, she was known among my dad's siblings as "Big Gran" because she was taller than their maternal grandmother who was known as (wait for it, you'll never guess ... ) "Little Gran". Minnie and Harry's progeny were:
1. Douglas, Charles William 1878-? (Richmond Vic.) 1878 Reg#18332
2. Douglas, Harold Tasman Sarell b. 1880 (Richmond Vic.) Reg#24589, d. 30/7/1882 at parent's residence, Albert Terrace, Carrington Street Adelaide SA
3. Douglas, Henry (AKA Joe) born ~Nov 1884, died in Hobart 18/2/1888 (aged 3yrs 3mths)"
4. Douglas, Herbert Edward 25/12/1889-1969, farmer, zinc worker, carpenter (my grandfather). Married Alice Dean (my grandmother)
5. Douglas, Minnie Josephine. born Hobart 30/11/1891, d? "Aunty Min". Never married. Had several partners and illegitimate kids, including:
Victor Mansfield ("Cobber") (father Victor Mansfield senior)
Mavis Mansfield
Jack Carroll (3 daughters: Maureen, Dianne, Gay).
6. Douglas, Mary Janet "Pardy" b ~1888, d 1/2/1954 (aged 66). Never married. Supposedly died as a virgin from cancer of the hymen (another family rumour - a bit too much info there!). Buried in Cornelian Bay Cemetery with her mother and sister.
7. Douglas, Donnie Rose (mentioned earlier in this thread), b ~1883, d 19/6/62 (aged 69). Buried in same grave with Minnie Louisa and Mary Janet. Married Alfred Good (AKA "Goody") in 19/2/1913 St James Church, Ranelagh, Tasmania.
Daughter: Vera Isobel Lindsay Good, b 29/10/1918 Huonville
Son: Edward "Teddy" Good
8. Douglas, Nancy (no further info)
9. Douglas, Bill? (could be Charles William above) evidently ended up n New Zealand.
I visited the grave of Minnie Louisa, Mary Janet and Donnie Rose at Cornelian Bay Cemetery. The attached photo shows the headstone.
Phew! That will do for now. Happy to answer questions.
Cheers,
Cam
