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

[minniehaha]

Hi Matthew,

You are a trooper! You have uncovered so much information, thank you. 

Elizabeth was most certainly back in Australia fairly soon after the execution of her father, as you have discovered a number of her 'footprints' proving this.


Minniehaha.

[matthewj64]

This the Otago Daily Times' account of the second trial, that eventually found him guilty
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650912.2.16
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650913.2.20
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650914.2.17
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650915.2.14
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650916.2.15

I've yet to read it all, but from a browse it has Jarvey telling of how he (it would have been as crew) was on the East London convict ship to Tasmania, and this is how he met Catherine Shaw, as mentioned in this document previously linked:
From https://www.femaleconvicts.org.au/docs/seminars/ColleenArulappu-April2016-Seminar.pdf
'On the other hand nineteen year-old Catherine Shaw, ‘of very prepossessing appearance’, according to Irish newspapers fell in love during the voyage. Her mariner came back to Hobart and married her within a year.'

There is a tree on Ancestry that has Katie as being the Clara Jane JARVEY who married John Sydney FRANCE (NZ Reg 1889/740), and has this Andersons Bay Dunedin cemetery record:
'FRANCE Clara, died 6 Feb 1922, aged 62y, widow, resident of Dunedin Hospital, Born Australia, Lived 50 years in province, buried 29 May'

M

[minniehaha]

Wonderful Matthew!! So it appears the younger children may have remained in Dunedin. In the care of Margaret Little perhaps?

Thank you for your continued and very diligent searching. Much appreciated.   


Minniehaha.

[sparrett]

I hope you won't mind a reflective comment here

It seems very odd to me that Margaret LITTLE, much maligned as she of the big cape and big bonnet, was assigned custody of the children in the first place.

It is hard to imagine there was a warm relationship between her and the children of her executed lover.
The children had lost their mother because of her relationship with their father.

It seems likely they would disengage from her as soon as possible

But none of this is helpful in your search!

Sue

[matthewj64]

There are some newspaper reports about Margaret Little trying to get to Melbourne under an assumed name and being stopped, and of further troubles later. These make it likely that she did not have the children. There are also a couple of reports of a collection in aid of the children too.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650629.2.16
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18680824.2.7
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18651106.2.16

[minniehaha]

Hi Matthew,

From your source @ reply #91, did you discover any details about John Sydney France?


Minniehaha.

[sparrett]

Dunedin and Greymouth seem a distance apart, but is this a  possible 1868 sighting of Margaret LITTLE.
Is she using the surname GLASS as the two names seem to get tangled in the news item
Here
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18680423.2.7

And here, at the court hearing of the above, back to being Margaret LITTLE

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18680423.2.8 

Anyhow, I agree, there seem to be no children involved according to you findings, Matthewj.

Sue

[matthewj64]

From the tree
John Sydney FRANCE born London 1853 to John France and Sarah Woodroof. Death not known

I'm cautious about Clara being Katie, as there's a Jarvey family that emigrated to Australia in 1883, with a Clara born Jersey 1864. This is the same family with an older 'England Jarvey' that I posted here.
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=847744.msg7150261#msg7150261

M

[brigidmac]

Theres an awful lot of reading inthe court paper transcripts
I read most tho did skim over some of the medical evidence .
Its fascinating and incredible to.have so.much detail.