Missing family on ionic ship 1897

[Arnside98]

You have all done incredible research in the short space of time that I went out! I’m on a different time zone to you all I think. I am going through it all now - so many lies and so many people involved in their lives that probably had no idea what the truth was ! What was John running from all those years ago, can’t just be to hide from his wife!

[sparrett]

You have all done incredible research in the short space of time that I went out! I’m on a different time zone to you all I think (I’m in NZ). I am going through it all now - so many lies and so many people involved in their lives that probably had no idea what the truth was ! What was John running from all those years ago, can’t just be to hide from his wife!

Do we think John was absolutely without involvement in the English court cases, fraud, mentioned by Maddy Reply #22 Page 3 ??

Sue

[Arnside98]

His death cert is on Ancestry. As Gordon Forrest
Here if you have access

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5164/images/42410_2421406274_0894-03981?
treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.174204386.1389959400.1642616127-231156398.1625019848&pId=5877975

Thanks. Yes I have ancestry. I think this is him. I saw on documents for his father, John Edmund, where he’s been recorded as Scottish. His mother Margaret Daquid Forrest was Scottish. Easy to pull off the accent.

3 June 1948
Says his father is John Forrest born in Scotland and his mother unknown, but born Scotland.
Says he was born in Australia.

Added. And date of birth is the same 11 Dec 1885.

[majm]

Yes, it could well be he was simply running from his wife.  He took the children, a very brave thing to do in those times.  He gave them his protection from her during their childhood.  He did not put them into orphanages.  There is integrity in those decisions,  the family name is retained.


The research done once that FORREST sighting was found is absolutely grand,  Well Done.


JM

[maddys52]

I really think he was simply a witness in the cases reported that I found earlier. I would think there would have been more reporting, or subsequent reports on the matter if he had been involved. 

I don't have a subscription to newpapers.com, however I note that are some hits for "Owen Gordon FORREST" in Pennsylvania at least, probably others too.

[majm]

Can't help with finding them in Australia, however John Edmund SMITH, bank cashier of the London and County Bank, Hammersmith branch is mentioned as a witness in a cheque fraud case in 1886.
Wednesday,  Dec. 8, 1886, Publication: The Times

Then in 1894 there are a number of items about another fraud case where he is mentioned as manager of the Bayswater branch of the London and County Bank. eg
Saturday,  July 28, 1894, Publication: Sheffield Evening Telegraph

Happy to send you copies if you're interested.

Does seem strange a bank manager travelling under an alias and disappearing. Very intriguing.

Yes,  Agree with Sue.

JM

[maddys52]

I have emailed these to Arnside, but in case others are wondering, here are the articles mentioning John Edmund SMITH. The 1894 is just part of a much longer article, but shows that he wasn't really involved in the fraud, merely a witness in the trial.

The first is the 1886, and below that the 1894.

[Neale1961]

Some relevant NZ newspaper items re Owen Gordon Forrest
Letter to Editor 1908 – a long but interesting read
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19081015.2.62?end_date=31-12-1911&items_per_page=10&query=%22Owen+Forrest%22&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1839

[Neale1961]

A couple of items regarding Trooper Lionel Forrest ..