Dunedin's first execution. What happened to the children?

[minniehaha]

Hi everyone,

I am researching the family of Captain William Andrew JARVEY & his wife catherine* Jane.

Family arrived in 1864 [5 children]

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8825739?searchTerm=captain%20jarvey


[Incorrectly recorded as Charlotte Jane in NZ BDM]

In 1906 NZ Truth summarised the main facts of the sad story.

In 1864 when Catherine was murdered, the newspapers both here and in Australia were full of reports about the trials, of which there were two.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTR19061020.2.30?end_date=31-12-
1950&phrase=2&query=captain+jarvey&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1890

The trial naming the children who gave evidence:

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18650330.2.25.2?end_date=31-12-1950&items_per_page=10&query=england+jarvey&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1864

‘A systematic poisoner’…..

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/30636419?searchTerm=captain%20jarvey

Report from Truth Australia [1913]

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168749494?searchTerm=captain%20jarvey


Death notice for Catherine Jane Jarvey [1864]

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18640928.2.11?end_date=31-12-1864&items_per_page=10&query=catherine+jane+jarvey&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1864&title=ESD%2cODT%2cOW

Buried in Dunedin:

1865/10269   Jarvey   William Andrew**   44Y
1864/8470   Jarvey   Charlotte Jane   40Y
1864/8301   Jarvey   Charlotte   14Y
1864/8298   Jarvey   Archibald   6Y

**Incorrectly shown as being interred many years later. This record is in the process of being amended by the Dunedin City Council. Mistake probably made when re-interred.

From newspaper reports, Captain William Andrew Jarvey may have been born in Guernsey, Channel Islands.

At the time of the execution which took place on 24.10.1865, there were five living children:

Elizabeth Ann, aged 20
Andrew, aged 13 ,the eldest (surviving (?) son
England, aged 9
Frank, age unknown but probably younger than England.
Name of fifth child unknown.

After the death of their mother, this advertisement was placed: [5 children]

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18641001.2.3.7?end_date=31-12-1864&items_per_page=10&page=3&phrase=2&query=jarvey+&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1864&title=ESD%2cODT%2cOW&type=ADVERTISEMENT

I may have to pass this on to Rootschat Australia but in the meantime can anyone discover what happened to the surviving children?


Minniehaha.

[sparrett]

A bit of background
Son England was born in Tasmania in 1853. His mother was Catherine nee SHAW and his father, William was a pawnbroker.  They lived at Murray Street, Hobart.

Alice was born in 1855 .
The address and occupation of the father were the same as above.
Sue

[minniehaha]

A good start Sue, thank you.....


Minniehaha.

[kiwihalfpint]

Hi Minnie,

Not sure if this will tell you much, but the children are mentioned in the "People of Port Chalmers Index".   Perhaps fire an email to The Hocken Library in Dunedin.

Having the Christian name "England" you would think he would be easily found, wouldn't you?


Cheers
KHP

[sparrett]

This is not helpful in locating the children, but fills out the picture a little

Catherine SHAW was a convict per 'East London' and sought permission to marry William Andrew JARVEY. (free)  It was approved August 1844

A section in the book by Colleen Arulappu entitled "The East London" tells the story of this female convict ship

Use Control F to locate a couple of passages about Catherine SHAW.

https://www.femaleconvicts.org.au/docs/seminars/ColleenArulappu-April2016-Seminar.pdf

I think we can assume it is unlikely Catherine  had relatives in Tasmania who may have taken the children
Sue

[kiwihalfpint]

There is a tree for this family, Catherine Shaw was born in Dublin 1824, but England Jarvey (Shaw), is the only one to have Shaw in brackets. after his name.  Apparently there is a half sister name unknown born in 1856 in Hobart.

Andrew Jarvey looks like he died in 1867 off the coast of NSW aged 15.

I think another Chatter should take a look at the tree, my head is just spinning getting around it.

I think Australia is the place to be looking Minnie instead of this board.


Cheers
KHP

[minniehaha]

Thank you again Sue and also to KHP for your suggestions.

I felt maybe I should head to the Australian board but thought there could be some footprints in New Zealand that I had not found.

Agreed, with that name, I assumed England Jarvey would have been easy to find.

In one of the Australian papers I read that the Captain may have killed off some of his illegitimate children.

It is to be noted that the family arrived in New Zealand in 1864 with 5 children. Within months, two had died in Dunedin but still leaving a total of 5 by the time their mother was murdered.

Minniehaha.

[sparrett]

After sentence to death William Andrew (Captain) JE ARVEY states Miss JEARVEY was neither his or his wife’s child

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64144473

Sue

EDIT Spelling error in surname

[minniehaha]

Yes I read that too. However as she had given evidence against William and he was facing the death penalty, there was probably little that he said which could be trusted.


Minniehaha.