Thomas Davis - Born 1880

[Grandies]

Hi, I am helping a friend with her family history. My experience is mainly with my U.K.forebears.
However this fellow seems to have gone AWOL, and we would like to tie up loose ends by finding a death registration for him.
He was born Thomas Davis in 1880 in Riverton, Invercargill area New Zealand. He was born of English migrant parents, and lived most of his traceable life in Australia, mostly in Victoria.
His parents were John Bloor Davis, and Emma Beech, both born Stoke upon Trent ,Staffordshire. England.
Thomas and family lived in Victoria from 1881, spending some time in NSW and Brisbane, briefly.
He married Florence May Sievers in 1900, deserted her and had 2 children by Christina Isabella Woods in NSW. After divorcing Florence, he married Christina in Melbourne in 1913.
Thomas served in WW1 and apparently formed another attachment in the U.K. while having medical treatment or having officer training. The young ladies sister wrote on her behalf trying to establish his whereabouts after her letters were returned. The letter is in his war record documents.
After living with his wife Christina for several years on his return, they appear to have separated, and he drops off the scene. Family rumours have him moving back to NZ to get away from his wife.
However he left NZ at age 1, and I haven't found any ties there.
Sorry this is so long winded, but I am hoping to find a death registration to answer my friends question of whatever happened to her great grandfather?
I will be grateful for any help or advice on where to look next? Thanks in advance, Eileen

[Jamjar]

Have you checked Wangaratta area cemeteries for Christina, to ensure hubby isn’t buried with her?

1982 6126 DAVIS Christina Isabella parent’s WOODS Joseph Thomas and Matilda Mary Isabella (Hutton), aged 95

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

Or, Melbourne cemeteries to see if buried with folks?:

1934 3347 DAVIS Emma parent’s BEECH Thomas and Hannah (Bailey) aged 82

Thomas (AIF) mentioned in mother’s death notice 1st column:  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203830350

Jamjar

[Grandies]

Hi Jamjar,
Christina was my friends grandmother, and from family knowledge, she never spoke of him, & never remarried. It seems to be a mystery as to where he went, and didnt apparently keep in contact with his side of the family either. In his WW1 records is a letter from his brother, in the early 1960's from memory trying to find his whereabouts, perhaps from pension records. He wasnt successful. Thanks for looking. I will now have a look at the link mentioned in your second reply.
Eileen

[Jamjar]

The military record mentioned, for reference:

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1897201

Jamjar

[Grandies]

That is very helpful Jamjar. In the newspaper notice he wasnt listed as deceased when his mother died.
So, as far as his family were aware he was still living in 1934.
The letter to the Army records office in 1966 trying to trace him, was from his nephew Percival W F Davis.
He mentioned that shortly after returning to Australia from the war he left for New Zealand.
I have him on the electoral roll with Christina until 1919, but after that she is alone, and working as a waitress.
Eileen

[Jamjar]

No mention of siblings, unfortunately, in Rose Emma’s (O’Brien) death notice, 1st page, second column:

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22543848

Nor in Samuel Gordon’s in 1972, type 11 in little white box, or scroll to page 21: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19720601&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Nor in George Arthur’s in 1964, type 7 in little white box, or scroll to page 13: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19640601&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Nor in Herbert’s in 1951, page 2: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19510328&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

I don’t know how you are going to find him. He has an extremely common name and no middle name. 

Percival William Frederick was looking for him 4 years after his father’s, William Joseph, death.

Do you know where the brother Charles was? I cannot see his death.

I was reading about Florence’s application for divorce. Thomas was quite the womanising cad, wasn’t he?

Jamjar

[Grandies]

Thank you for all of your help jamjar, yes, he does seem to have been a wanderer.
Not to forget the English lass who was trying to catch up with him after ww1.
He must have forgotten to mention his wife!

His daughter Isabella Rose Woods (mothers maiden name) was married as Isabella Rose Davis in 1928 in Wagga Wagga, to Alexander W M R Melville. The copy of her marriage cert shows her father to be alive. However when his son, Gordon Samuel Woods / Davis was married in 1937, he shows his father as deceased.
Isabella Rose married again  after her divorce. Her second marriage cert in 1947 showed her father as deceased pottery worker.
Letter from nephew Percival suggested his Uncle may have gone to New Zealand. All supposition, but it narrows the time window for his death.
Thanks for helping.
Eileen