Arthur O'Donnell (policeman) & Mary Lovett 1800s NSW & Qld

[RoserAncestors]

Hi there, I'm doing some family history research for that part of my half-sister's family that I don't share. I've successfully traced all her lines back to their places of origin overseas except one.

The line I can't trace is that of an Arthur O'Donnell who married Eliza Jane Bryans in 1892 in Brisbane (see attached marriage certificate).

Arthur lists his birthplace as Paddington, Cumberland, NSW about 1868 and his parents as Arthur O'Donnell (policeman) and Mary nee Lovett. The same parents are listed on his death registration record on the Qld BDM index in 1943.

I can't trace Arthur Junior's parents. The best I can find is a small Trove reference to an Arthur "McDonnell" as a constable stationed at Gayndah near Maryborough in Queensland: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/148729762

Can anyone identify Arthur's parents in the records? Many thanks in advance for any assistance.

[majm]

Sands directories freely available to search
City of Sydney https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/search-our-collections/sands-directory

1868, Paddington : http://cdn.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/history/archives/sands/1858-1869/1868-part2.pdf

JM

[jorose]

There are several deaths in QLD showing father Henry Baldwin and mother Mary Lovett ** late O'Donnell, tracing this family, I can see children to Mary and Baldwin:

Henry Baldwin b. 1881
Mabel Mary Ann Baldwin b. 1883
Sydney Ernest Baldwin b. 1885
Albert Edward Baldwin b. 1888

I can't see a marriage under Baldwin but there is a 1880 marriage of Henry BALWIN (no D) and Mary O'Donnel

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/179684599?searchTerm=%22A%20O%27Donnell%22
This death notice for Mrs M. "Balwin" mentions children Henry and Albert Edward Baldwin, Mrs J. P. Kennedy, and Mr A. O'Donnell.

Her death is registered as "Mary Balwin", daughter of John Lovett and Jane Roe

[RoserAncestors]

Hi JM, thanks for those links. I can find a Mrs Mary O'Donnell living at Sussex Street in the city so perhaps that is her. I will investigate.

Hi jorose, thanks for that detective work, it definitely sounds like her and now I have some more certificates I can order!

[wivenhoe]

BDM QLD births
1876   C4171   Percival Henry   LOVETT parents     Mary Lovett
1879   B24610   Alice Mabel   LOVETT  parents     Mary Lovett   

BDM QLD death
1881   B13927   Alice Mabel   LOVETT    parenrs-   Mary Lovett ** born Queensland aged 1 year

1886   B18615   Sydney Ernest   BALDWIN parents   Henry BALDWIN / Mary LVETT ** late O'Donnell

https://graves.brisbane.qld.gov.au/   (buried in same plot)
Toowong Cemetery   location 7-37-9
BALDWIN      Sydney        bur.   15 Feb 1886
O'DONNELL   Alice Mabel   bur.   6 Feb 1881

Arthur O'DONNELL was not around by 1876?

[RoserAncestors]

Hi wivenhoe, yes that sounds right - I'll have to look for a death record or something else for Arthur O'Donnell before 1876 it seems. Many thanks for your help.

[Jamjar]

If the Lovett births in QLD are of the correct Mary, then does it mean that she wasn’t an O’donnell?

Arthur Jnr was born c1868.

I can’t see her registering the children in her maiden name and then re-marrying in her first married name.

Jamjar.

[majm]

Re that Qld m.c. 

If we assume that Arthur’s dad was a policeman in NSW at some time in the 1860s to 1890s … then we should expect to find some indexed info at NSW State Archives
https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/police-service-guide
and
https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/police-service-registers

I have had a quick skim for Arthur O'Donnell…. But please do check and re-check…. I found ziltch… (two as O'Donnell, but not Arthur  )

I have also tried just keying in Arthur as the given name and leaving everything else blank … so that for example the Surnames are in alphabetical order for all those with a given name of Arthur ….

So the nearest to O’DONNELL seems to be :

Arthur DONNELLY
Arthur Joseph W DONNELLY
Alfred Arthur Rynsey OCONNOR
Arthur John ONEILL
Arthur OSBORNE

I haven’t searched my pre-federation NSW electoral rolls for Arthur O’DONNELL simply because policemen were exempt from enrolling as they were the ones acting under the authority of the Police Magistrates and compiling the lists of those males aged 21 and over who were British Subjects and thus eligible to be enrolled to vote in NSW elections.

Noting a birth place as Paddington, Cumberland, New South Wales on a 1892 m.c. is somewhat unusual …. I would have expected it to be recorded in 1892 as Paddington, N.S. Wales …. But I have no detailed knowledge of the Queensland Primitive Methodists Clergy’s admin rules and practices.   

Have you considered searching Trove for ‘Constable O’Donnell’    

JM

[RoserAncestors]

Hi jamjar, yes that is a little strange isn't it? It makes me wonder if maybe there is something more complicated going on than simply the death of a first husband prior to a remarriage.

Hi again JM and thanks again. As you suggested I did just do a Trove search for "Constable O'Donnell" and found a large number of hits for me to go through - there seem to be a few separate individuals in NSW & Queensland over that period. I will also have a look at the police registers that you linked.