Author Topic: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907  (Read 16938 times)

Offline thetowers

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Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« on: Monday 29 September 14 04:19 BST (UK) »
Here's a mystery which may benefit from a fresh pair of eyes.

One of my in-laws relatives recently came across this newspaper account of the wedding of her great-aunt,  Sophia Louise Madgwick (1878-1950),  to George Toynton in 1907.   Apparently, the "Wellington Times" was only added to Trove recently.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/141591291

The curious and novel feature of this story,  is the mention that the only bridesmaid was Miss Elsie Nichols, niece of the bride. The identity of this Elsie is a mystery.

This Sophia Madgwick had one brother,  who was married in 1906 and whose oldest son was born in 1907.   Sophia also had 9 much older half-siblings by the name of Nicholls or Nichols,  the offspring of her mother's first marriage.  Obviously,  this alleged niece would seem to be one of their children.  But whose  ?

Only one of Sophia Madgwick's Nichols ( or Nicholls ) half-siblings was a male - William Nicholls (1854-1934).  According to Sophia (Madgwick) Toynton's daughter, who passed away a few years ago,  she knew this old chap, when she was a child, he was not married and had no children that she knew of.

The other 8 of Sophia Madgwick's Nichols half-sisters were females.   Apart from one who died aged 6,   the others had a whole bunch of children.  The catch is,  there doesn't seem to be any Elsie among them,  and they all seem to have had their husband's surnames.  There doesn't seem to be any obvious reason why any of Sophia's identifiable nieces would have been called "Miss Elsie Nichols".

Any suggestions on how to identify a mystery niece bridesmaid ?

My in-laws' screed on this family runs to about 97 pages,  I haven't retyped all of it here,  happy to provide any further details that are already known.

Sophia's half-sisters were:
Catherine (1851? 1937) married Dougherty, 13 children.
Elizabeth (1856-1931) married New, 5 children
Ellen (1861?-?) married Brown, 9 children.  When this lady died, is another mystery.
Mary(1864-??) married New and then McLeod. 2 children.
Margaret(1866-1905) married McLeod, 8 children
Flora(1868-1952) married Clifton, probably 2 children.

My relative says she has looked for any subsequent marriage or demise for this 'Miss Elsie Nichols"  and could not find any.

Any suggestions on how to identify a mystery niece bridesmaid ?




 














Offline majm

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #1 on: Monday 29 September 14 07:15 BST (UK) »
Well it is definitely a mystery  :)

Sands 1905 and 1909 NSW Country Directories
None with surname TOYNTON
None with surname MADGWICK

Sands 1905
NICHOLS, J R, a baker, Ballina
NICHOLS,S A wheelwright, Baulkham Hills

Sands 1909
NICHOLS, K, fruiterer, Woonona
NICHOLS W.T, jun, auctioneer etc Ashford
NICHOLS William J., butcher, Ournie

At the conclusion of your cutting there’s mention of “Mudgee Guardian”, so perhaps that newspaper was the source of the Wellington Times article?  Perhaps there’s more info in the Mudgee Guardian?   (currently it is in the process of being digitised)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/20258079?selectedversion=NBD8101450
http://blog.sl.nsw.gov.au/pls/index.cfm/2013/12/17/future-nsw-newspaper-digitisation

Mention that Miss Elsie MICHOLS, the bride’s niece, attended her….
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/103246735 The Newsletter: an Australian Paper for Astralian People  23 March 1907
Groom of Windorah, Wellington. 

NSW Electoral Roll 1903 ROBERTSON, polling at Leadville
William NICHOLS, of Denison Town,  labourer
None with the surname MADGWICK; none with given names Sophia Louisa (there were 161 electors listed)

Cheers,  JM
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Offline thetowers

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #2 on: Monday 29 September 14 07:59 BST (UK) »
I don't get your point.    The existence of Sophia Madgwick and George Toynton,   and their large family,  is not in any doubt,  regardless of whether they appear in your directory.

The question being posed,  is,  who is this supposed niece Elsie ? 

Offline thetowers

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #3 on: Monday 29 September 14 08:00 BST (UK) »
Here's a photo of their tombstone at Molong.

http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=7286158


Offline majm

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #4 on: Monday 29 September 14 08:08 BST (UK) »
I don't get your point.    The existence of Sophia Madgwick and George Toynton,   and their large family,  is not in any doubt,  regardless of whether they appear in your directory.

The question being posed,  is,  who is this supposed niece Elsie ?

I was trying to find your Elsie NICHOLS, so looked in the same districts as the bride and the groom as mentioned in the cuttings, expecting to find them in that 1905-1909 era.  I looked in the 1903 electoral rolls, for ROBERTSON as that is the electorate that covered both Wellington and Mudgee at that time.   

I have found that when I am searching  rural NSW family history these rural families can be found via both the Sands directories and the electoral rolls.

The directory is the Sands Directory.   Here's a link to it ....   It is a well respected directory http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/search-our-collections/sands-directory

Cheers,  JM
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Offline majm

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #5 on: Monday 29 September 14 08:11 BST (UK) »

NSW Electoral Roll 1903 ROBERTSON, polling at Leadville
William NICHOLS, of Denison Town,  labourer
None with the surname MADGWICK; none with given names Sophia Louisa (there were 161 electors listed)

Cheers,  JM


Perhaps your Miss Elsie NICHOLS was of Denison Town and perhaps related to the above chap.
The information in my posts is provided for academic and non-commercial research purposes. 
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Offline wivenhoe

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #6 on: Monday 29 September 14 08:25 BST (UK) »

Denison Town Cemetery 1850 - 1915  has 1 x NICHOLS and 1 x MAGICK

MAGICK / MAGWICK etc .....variations on name to be found.

Offline Neil Todd

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #7 on: Monday 29 September 14 08:58 BST (UK) »
Could this be HER...

ELSIE CATHERINE NICHOLLS Daddy was WILLIAM Mummy was MARGARET and she was registered at    PARRAMATTA Ref # 18001/1876   

Neil
Grewl,Nickerseens,flombastion,Everheads

Offline majm

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Re: Who was Elsie Nichols ? Bridesmaid in 1907
« Reply #8 on: Monday 29 September 14 09:02 BST (UK) »
Good find Neil.

NSW ER 1878 PARRAMATTA
William H NICHOL, of Parramatta Junction, freehold Harris Park.

Cheers,  JM
The information in my posts is provided for academic and non-commercial research purposes. 
Random Acts of Kindness Given Freely are never Worthless for they are Priceless.
Qui scit et non docet.    Qui docet et non vivit.    Qui nescit et non interrogat.   
All Census Look Ups Are Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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