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

[RoserAncestors]

I purchased the death certificate of Mary Balwin nee Lovett who died in Brisbane in 1915 (see attached). It says she was born in Launceston, Tasmania, about 1852. It doesn't mention an O'Donnell marriage or child but her funeral notice mentions a son "Mr A O'Donnell" (courtesy of jorose).

I haven't located Mary's Launceston birth record yet but I have located a birth record on 18 November 1874 in Launceston of an Arthur Lovett son of Mary Lovett (no father recorded). I strongly suspect this is the Arthur O'Donnell who married Eliza Jane Bryans in 1892 in Brisbane, despite the birthplace and age on his marriage certificate being different.

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fNAME_INDEXES$002f0$002fNAME_INDEXES:976489/one?qf=NI_INDEX%09Record+type%09Births%09Births&qu=mary&qu=lovett

I also found a marriage between a Jane Roe and a John Hendricks on 31 December 1849 in Launceston, but none with a John Lovett. There are several John Lovett's recorded in Trove and on the Tasmanian BDM site.

https://linctas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fNAME_INDEXES$002f0$002fNAME_INDEXES:840406/one?qu=jane&qu=roe

Many thanks for everyone's help.

[RoserAncestors]

Oops, the Arthur Lovett 1874 birth was registered in Hobart, not Launceston. I'm still guessing it's him though.

[wivenhoe]

The death certificate is good information. Albert BALWIN has not included Arthur among the children of Mary LOVETT, when he is obviously known to the family by the funeral notice in the paper.

The marriage certificate, BALWIN O'DONNEL 1880, would have information by Mary about herself.

I think this incident is about your Arthur O'DONNELL. 
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/83673738?
...Arthur O'DONNELL....to the reformatory.........


https://www.qld.gov.au/dsiti/qsa/search   (Schools, Hospitals, Orphanages)
Westbrook Reformatory for Boys
There is a file here for Arthur. Usually it is possible to see an  image from here (search by name) but that does not seem to be possible just now.

Go to the bottom of the page to download the index.......to see his name, and age 14. The files are usually one line of admission details including birth date and some indication of domestic/social circumstances of family.

[RoserAncestors]

Thanks heaps wivenhoe, the newspaper story is very interesting if a little sad. I've been working on this line a bit since I got the clues from this thread and now have a theory for how it all hangs together going back to convict origins in Tasmania. Once I'm finished I'll give a proper update.

[RoserAncestors]

Just thought I'd give an update on what I think I've worked out with everyone's help.

I now strongly suspect that Arthur O'Donnell was born in Hobart, Tasmania, on 18 Nov 1874 (not Paddington, NSW, in 1868). He was registered as Arthur Lovett son of Mary Lovett (nee Row and later Mary Balwin) with no father recorded.

I believe his father may have been the Daniel O'Donnell mentioned in this snippet from the 1868 Tasmanian reports of crime: "Mary Lovett, charged with leaving her children at Latrobe without means of support. ... Supposed to be in company with Daniel O'Donnell, late District Constable."

This Daniel O'Donnell was a convict transported to Tasmania in 1850 for assault with intent to ravish Jane Jack in Inverness-shire while a private in the 27th Regiment stationed at Fort George. His native place was County Donegal and he became a police constable in Tasmania.

Mary Row seems to have been the daughter of another convict, Mary Maguire/Mary Roe/Jane Roe, who came from County Tyrone, married, was widowed, had two illegitimate children, was transported to Tasmania in 1848 for stealing a gown, married John Hendrick (a ticket of leave convict) in 1849 in Launceston and died in the New Town Pauper Establishment in Hobart in 1885.

[RoserAncestors]

Here's the 1880 marriage certificate of Henry Balwin & Mary O'Donnell: