SMEDLEY - Victoria

[Smeddles]

Hi Sue,

As requested, I will either type up the Birth Record  for Michael (1889) or insert an image in a while.

In the meantime, my apologies for the confusion, but just to stop you going down the wrong path though, Michael and Isabella's Marriage Record reflects:

Father: George Allan Smedley
Mother: Emma Rigby

Sorry I confused you. I was really just highlighting that while George Allan (SMEDLEY) appears nowhere else in the records, my father was named Alan George SMEDLEY (he was presumably named thus as an acknowledgement of George).

Cando,

Thanks for the feedback on WC Rigby. It was one of those things my father spoke about from time to time, but as a younger man, I typically didn't pay the attention due.

Emma clearly fell on very hard times (whether these were self inflicted is difficult to know). The thought that she and William (or George for that matter) had never been officially married had crossed my mind - I guess record keeping of the day and the ability to verify what someone had said would make it relatively easy to represent yourself as married.

At the moment I figure I'm best to try and identify Emma Rigby/Smedley and William Smedley's deaths and work backwards. Records don't reflect anything obvious, but I'm still looking.

Thanks Again.

Again, I'm banking on the woman at PROV responding with the State Ward info as she offered. . Unfortunately I otherwise might have to make a trip to Melbourne at some point to get it.

[Smeddles]

Sue/Cando,

If I've done it correctly, the following link will take you to Michael's birth record in my dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6yuhmfua6s5sjn5/Birth%20Record%20Michael%2003011889.pdf

Appreciate your feedback.

rgds
John

[Smeddles]

Cando,

In reply to your questions:

What were Wm and Emma's ages: According to Michael's birth record Emma was 37 (born Ballarat) & William 40 (born? London)
 
Where were they married? Place of Marriage was Colac 05/10/1880.
What was the place of birth?Michael was born at Womens Hospital (Smith Ward), Carlton

What are the ages of Patrick and Alfred?....I would suggest this is Michael Alfred.According the Colac Baptism records Patrick's DOB was 31/11/1881 which would have made him 7 at the time, while Michael (Michael Alfred) was born 31/07/1883, making him 5. It is noteworthy the State Ward information you provided earlier reflected a John Smedley, on their list, being born in 1889 - I suspect the 1889 Michael became John?

Who registered the birth?The informant, as for all on the page, would appear to be J Humphries, Messenger?, Womens Hospital, Carlton, the registrar John Glennon, recorded the birth on 6/02/1889.

Thanks again.
John

[cando]

What are the ages of Patrick and Alfred on the 1889 birth certificate please John 

Cheers 
Cando

[cando]

 John but the link is not opening to view the cert.

Cando

[cando]

Ah at long last...it doesn't open at the page but you have to click on download direct...well at least I've got it now.  Thank you.  Patrick and Alfred are noted as twins aged seven years on the cert.  Emma 37 years born Ballarat c1852 well that's before William Charles RIGBY emigrated to Australia.

Cando

[cando]

Where were they married? Place of Marriage was Colac 05/10/1880.

Back to the Colac parish records then 

Cando

[Smeddles]

Cando,

Thanks - good point about Emma's birth date and WC Rigby. Hmm.

As for the marriage, I'm waiting on a reply from the Colac Parish, so I'll update once known.

The fact that Patrick & Alfred are listed as twins, do you discern that from the brackets - they and a comment adjacent were undiscernable to me?

PS: Glad you got the Dropbox item to open.

rgds
John

[cando]

There was an Isaac RIGBY and wife in Ballarat according to the indexes.  Of course if Emma was born c1852 that is before the introduction of civil registration in Vic which was in Jul 1853 so unless she was baptised and the parish records forwarded to the Vic Registry which was required by law, there will nothing on the Vic bdm's.  Many churches did not comply with the legislation.

Perhaps I have misinterpreted the info in the previous issue column.  I think it looks like Patrick and Alfred bracket and twins 7

Cheers
Cando