Thomas Maskell

[rivergirl104]

I believe the young man mentioned in this article to be my 2nd great grandfather.  He (probably) married my 2nd great grandmother Emma Jane Hollis and she returned to her family home in Melbourne to have their baby.  He was en route there when he died.  Emma subsequently remarried and a man named Walstab and had several children.  The child she had with Thomas Maskell was named Ada Louisa Maskell.
The problem is that I cannot find any public record of the emigration of a Maskell family from Bath.  The most probable family is the Maskell family of James Maskell and Anne White of West Bromwich, Staffordshire, who had children named Rosetta, Walter and Charlotte in addition to their son Thomas who was born in 1840.
If anyone can shed any light on the matter, it would be most appreciated.  Here is the article:

The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864-1933)     Saturday, 7 December, 1867                           page 4
ON her passage down from the north one of the steerage passengers of the Leichhardt, s., died suddenly. He embarked at Rockhampton, and, shortly after leaving the wharf, he was suddenly taken ill, and in half-an-hour he died. His name was Thomas Maskell, a native of Bath, and was quite a young man, his age being 27 years. Disease of the heart is supposed to be the cause of death. His parents reside in Brisbane. The body was taken to Gladstone, and handed over to the police for interment.

Rivergirl

[Ladyhawk]

Thos Maskell Port of Departure:   Brisbane Port of Arrival: Sydney, New South Wales
Voyage Arrival Date: 20 Jan 1865 Vessel Name:   Lady Young
no other details

you probably have this already as you mention Thomas son of James & Anne White - I haven't come across another Maskell family

James MASKELL 40 brickmaker, Anne 39 Eliza 15 Thomas 8 Rosetta 4 & Walter James 1
Arrival  8 Oct 1848 Vessel Name:   Charlotte Jane
Origin Location:   West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England

His sister Rosetta marries in Queensland 1864 (Taylor) & 1876 (Adams)
died 1929 parents named as James Maskell & Anne White

Emma Jane Hollis born 9 Jun 1846 Baptism 11 Apr 1849 St. Mark's, Kennington, Surrey, parents William Hollis & Sarah Charlotte

1851c HO107; Piece: 1716; Folio: 71; Page: 12
HOLLIS family William, Charlotte, Louisa, William, Charlotte & EMMA

William HOLLIS 42, Charlotte 33 Louisa 13 William 10 Charlotte 8 & EMMA 6
Arrival Date: 18 Jan 1853 Arrival Port:   Geelong and Victoria, Australia
Departure Port:   Plymouth Ship:   Stebonheath

Ada Louisa Maskell parents   Thomas Maskell & Emma Jane Hollis
Birth Place:   1865 Campbells Creek, Victoria

I'm not seeing a marriage in the Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950
for a Thomas Maskell to Emma Jane Hollis only her marriage to William Walstab

Her sisters
Louisa Sophronia Hollis married Trythall (1861 Victoria)
Charlotte Maria Hollis married Longford (1870 Victoria)

As the entry for her marriage gives Emma Jane's surname as Hollis
did her 1870 marriage certificate say she was widowed?

Emma Jane Hollis to Arthur Walstab married 1870 Victoria

Emma Jane Walstab age 78 Death Place: Malvern, Victoria (1924)
parents Wm Hollis Sarah Charl Redgrave


The only mention of a Thomas Maskell in Bath I can find is a birth & death entry
Thomas Stuart MASKELL b 1841 buried Bathwick Somerset 4 Mar 1842

the other birth entries on FreeBMD for persons named Thomas Maskell are

1840 West Bromwich
he emigrated 1848 with parents James & Anne

1840 Presteigne (Hereford & Radnorshire)
Thomas born 1840 Radnorshire mother Ann (1861c)

1839 Guildford  there’s also a death 1904 Guildford
son of Thomas & Lucy 1841c Guildford looks as if this Thomas (Jnr.) married 1863

1838 Weobly
son of Sarah (1841) born Weobly he's on 1881 census

[rivergirl104]

Yes, I do have all the records you have kindly confirmed.  All I have to go on is the family story that Emma traveled north from Melbourne to visit a sister, and while she was in Brisbane she impulsively married, and then returned to Melbourne for the birth of the child.  This would have been quite a trip in those days.  Supposedly, one of Emma's Walstab children did find a marriage certificate showing the marriage to Thomas Maskell in Brisbane, but that can't be proved. It could have been a contrived story to cover up the pregnancy of an unmarried girl.  The Hollises were also somewhat "snooty" and if Thomas Maskell didn't measure up to them socially, it may have been a problem.  This is all conjecture....
Anyway, quite some time later, Thomas was traveling south to be with her when he died suddenly aboard the ship. Emma married William Walstab 3 years later in 1870.
I am hoping to find out for sure exactly who this Thomas Maskell was; was he from the Staffordshire Maskells or another branch?  The article states that his family was from Bath and currently resided in Brisbane...was that incorrect?
I am hoping to connect with someone who might have access to letters, a family Bible or an oral history that might shed some light on this mysterious Mr. Maskell.
Thank you for your help!
Rivergirl

[Dundee]

There was an inquest into the death of Thomas which may provide further personal details.  Scroll to the bottom of the page for info on how to order a copy.

http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Indexes/Courts/Pages/Inquests.aspx#search

Doesn't the birth certificate of Ada Louisa give an occupation, age and birthplace for Thomas as well as a reputed marriage date and place?

Debra 

[Ladyhawk]

There was an inquest into the death of Thomas which may provide further personal details.

Good idea Debra

The article says his parents reside in Brisbane perhaps they are named if this is the same Thomas Maskell the father of Ada Louisa maybe she is mentioned along with (his wife) Emma, if he married.......

Have you checked if there’s  an obituary for Thomas Maskell who died 1867?

Not sure that this will help any but FindMyPast has the Electoral Rolls for Queensland there is a 

James Maskell  dates 1865, 67, 68, 69, 71, 1912, 13

and

James Miskell 1876
James Maskull 1877

you would need credits to view full details

[wivenhoe]

A lot of information about a passenger who was on the ship for half an hour......is he travelling with someone.....might be named in the inquest?.

[rivergirl104]

Dundee...that was a very helpful suggestion.  The first real avenue for possible new information.  I did find the stuff I need to order a copy of the inquest, and I will do just that this morning.  I am using ancestry.com as my primary tool for building my family history, and the record there for Ada's birth simply shows name of father, mother, date and birthplace.  I live in New Jersey and was not aware that the Australian birth certificate might show the father's or mother's occupation.  I guess I should order a copy of the birth certificate too.
Thank you all for your interest in this topic.  I will be traveling soon to England and visiting the numerous cities and towns that have significance to my family history, and this man's identity is important, as it would reveal a whole new branch to the tree.
Thanks again, Rivergirl

[Dundee]

You can order and pay for an uncertified image of the birth cert. here http://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/home/family+history/family+history+certificates/  and download immediately once you have paid.  The Reg. number is 2673.

Have a look here at what you can expect to see on a birth cert. for that time period in Vic.:

http://www.jaunay.com/bdm.html

Debra 

[Ladyhawk]

His name was Thomas Maskell, a native of Bath

Hi Rivergirl

I forgot to add that I checked Bath BMD http://www.bathbmd.org.uk/ and there's no
1840 birth entry for Thomas Maskell just for Thomas Stuart Maskell mmn Scott 1841 Bath
and his death in 1842 and there are no other births in Bath with the surname Maskell until 1867

Hope you manage to find out a little more info. from Ada's b/c and Thomas' inquest which hopefully
will help finding Thomas in the UK with his parents & when he/they travelled to Australia