Catherine (Woodward) McKenzie (1855 - 1912)

Born 22 Nov 1855 in Horton, Tasmania, Australia.

Ancestors

Wife of John Thomas McKenzie — married 1887 in Lancefield, Victoria, Australia.

Descendants

Died 18 Oct 1912 at age 56 in Lancefield, Victoria, Australia. [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Peter Patten [send private message] and Phil Gorman [send private message]

Preface & Data Changed

A review of the following 'Biography' and 'Source' materials, in May-June 2018 [ this in preparation for the Merge of duplicate-entries] led to the expanded narrative below.

One of the ‘ten commandments’ of a family genealogist is to “Keep 'family-secrets' - Secret”.

‘’’’Not everyone wants the information about ‘court records’ or ‘births out of wedlock’ to be posted on the internet or written in books. A family historian can records 'family-secrets' as facts but does not necessarily publish them publicly.’’’’

In piecing together all the components of this ‘family-tree’ we find it strewn with secrets; in particular: court appearances, and births out of wedlock. [The, Parent and Grand-Parents were of 'Colonial-Convict-Stock’]... All twelve children of the ‘principle-ancestral-couple’ [parents] William & Elizabeth Woodward, were born prior to the couple’s 'religious-marriage'…

Some of the data for the following was gathered from secondary sources, ‘facts collected from the internet’, our task to sort and compile the data into a story that outlines the life of this ‘girl’ [after much of the detail had been distorted in previous accounts]. She obviously had difficult times throughout a life, 57 years-long…

These facts are somewhat subjective as they rely on a series of newspaper-articles relating to events in the adult life of a Fanny Woodward born in 1855 who was in the right locations at the right times. A reported given-name of 'Catherine' only appears once, this on the death-certificate of her partner 'John Thomas McKenzie'.

There is ‘real-evidence’ within the researched source newspaper-articles that supports 'Fanny' being the person who is portrayed in them, it ‘primarily-explained’ that she was the younger sister of sibling Mary Ann Woodward (1845 - 1885) who was "the-first-recorded" partner of John Thomas McKenzie (1840 - 1924)…

Biography

It is concluded that this Fanny Woodward was a daughter [born 1855] of William Woodward and Elizabeth (Taylor-Thomas) Woodward. ^[1]

Her father William was born in England around 1802 and worked as a ploughman in Yorkshire. In 1828 William ran afoul of the law, accused of stealing a watch and was convicted to seven years. In 1829 he was one of 200 convicts transported on the sailing ship Prince Regent, arriving in Hobart April 1830. His native-place, then registered as "Near Chesterfield, Derby[shire]".

On arrival in Hobart, William was assigned as a labourer to a Mr Cooke, a prominent landholder in Norfolk Plains near Launceston. William was in the employ of Cooke for about five years, after which he had completed his penalty and was a freeman [October 1835]…

Norfolk Plains is where William met his partner and wife to be, ‘Elizabeth’, the daughter of new locals, Thomas Taylor & Mary Smith, whom like William, were both convicted transportees, ex Manchester U.K. [See: Thomas Taylor ].

Daughter, Elizabeth had become a widow at just 18 years of age, she had been ‘married’ to Edward Thomas in 1834, who had died in 1837, leaving Elizabeth with two children, 'Charles Edward' born in 1835, and 'Ellen' born 1837.

In 1927, a Tasmanian-Historian [Richard Hilder] wrote ^[2] that 'William and Elizabeth' had twelve children of their own, all born prior to William and Elizabeth [religious] marriage in 1869.

The ‘Birth-Registry-Entries’ for some of their children were incomplete, being recorded without ‘given names' [see the image [dated-1855] attached]. By using, chronological the dates of the various, news-paper-accounts, travel, marriage & death, events with-in the following, it is fair to accept that this girl called 'Fanny Woodward' was the ninth child of William & Elizabeth, the female born Nov 1855. ^{[3] [4]}

In '1873' this girl [Fanny] was 'eighteen-years-old’ , and pregnant. On April 23rd, moving interstate, ^[5] sailing from 'Emu Bay' on the Schooner ‘Maldon Lewis’ to Melbourne Victoria and then travelling onto a farm in Cobaw [just West of Lancefield in Victoria]. Cobaw was then home of her sister 'Mary Ann Woodward' [born 1845, 10 years Fanny’s senior] Mary had some years earlier [early 1860’s] settled in Cobaw with partner John Thomas McKenzie.

About two months after Fanny’s arrival at Cobaw [late April 1873] she gave birth, to a son – that she, named ‘George William’. The detail was confirmed in the actual words of John Thomas McKenzie, testimony during later: [Kyneton Police Court – proceedings – of Friday, June 26th 1874]

Life had becomes difficult. It is apparent that Fanny has no permanent partner to support 'her & or her child' Fanny had decided to literally give ‘George William’ away, this being illegal, she had been taken in by the police and charged for 'wilfully exposing her male infant, whereby it's life might have been endangered'. ^[6]

John Thomas McKenzie [a witness for the accused, testified under oath] that he knew the prisoner and the child before the Court. Believed the prisoner was his sister-in-law. She came from Tasmania something over twelve months earlier and was recognised by his wife as her sister. Believed she was pregnant when she came, and was confined at witness' place. A about two months afterwards. -- The child to which she gave birth was that before the court.

At a later court-hearing Fanny pleaded guilty to this charge and was sentenced to six months imprisonment, at The Castlemaine Goal. ^[7]

A NOTE: Re the 'adult-life' of Fanny's first born ‘George William’: Research has found that a child named George William Woodard [reported to be born in Lancefield at about this date] ^{[citation needed]} is to go on and eventual relocate [he & his then family] to Stowport near Emu-Bay in Tasmania, this the location, close to where his mother 'Fanny' was born and the where many of his Woodward relatives [grandmother, aunts, uncles & cousin's] were then living.

In 1916: at an age of 43, this same 'George William' registered for ‘war-service’ , stating: his 'family-name' was that of his mother “Woodard”. ^[8]

During action in France ‘George William’ suffered debilitating medical issues that became more complicated after learning that his son, ‘George William [Junior] ’ had died [06-10-1918] from wounds received in action, close by. ^[9]

George William [Senior], on returning home from war-service was successful in acquiring a ‘Repatriation-Farm’ at Natone, close to Stowport [& Emu Bay], it was reported that he was to develop this (farm) to a remarkable degree.

Just like his grandfather William Woodward had done, he was farming potatoes. It was unfortunate that he never fully-recovered from his war-time injuries [the emotion and hurt] as in February 1930 he died. ^[10].

Back to this account of George William’s ‘Mother - Fanny' : Several years after ‘George William’s’ birth [in April 1877], Fanny once again made ‘Newspaper Headlines’, this time for the neglect of a second child, 'Frank McKenzie'. A court statement indicated that David McKenzie, [brother of John McKenzie], was the father, and likewise, the father to the foetal / child Fanny was then carrying and soon due to deliver. ^[11]

Eight years later in 1885, Fanny’s sister 'Mary Ann' [at 39 years of age], passed away. The year coincide with the registration- year of the death of Mary & John's last two-children. It is registered [at Vic. BDM - Family History] that John and Mary had as many as twelve children, only six had survived, four under 14, [at this date - Fanny is still under 30] …

Fanny remained close to the McKenzie household. It is most likely she is helping to care for her nieces and nephews [and possibly, son George William, as he would ‘now’ have been about twelve years of age].

It is in 1888, Fanny is pregnant to John Thomas, [sister Mary’s ‘widower' husband], a daughter was born. Emily Ellen [b1888] 'John and Fanny' go on to have six children in total: Annie & Henry twins [b1889 - Unfortunately recorded as dying at birth], Jimena Scott [b1890], Daniel Fraser, [b1892], and Kenneth [b1895] who is to die in his first year of life.

Fanny, lived-on until October 1912 dying at an age of 57. ^{[citation needed]}.

For this record: Partner John Thomas McKenzie had been born in Scotland in 1843, twelve years Fanny's senior. John lived on to an age of 81, and is 'registered' as passing away in Cheltenham, Victoria, May 28th 1924. [It is from John’s death register that we learn of Fanny’s [AKA] Catherine, we have no other credible evidence legitimising - ‘any-given-name' -] . This 'death-registry' also lists the names & ages of the children to both partnerships’, still living, at that time: [Copy available on request]...

Sources

1. ↑ Libraries Tasmania -- Names Index – (Birth) UnNamed Woodward --Transcription of Reg.: (https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/997596)... Image of Reg: (https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-33p430j2k)
2. ↑ Recommended Reading [Pioneers of the North-West]: The Advocate (Burnie, Tas.), [Saturday 6 August 1927] (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/67766525?searchTerm=Woodward#)
3. ↑ Libraries Tasmania's Online collection -- Search Archives Portal: (Woodward), 1855, Woodward, No given name - 'Image 52' (https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-33p430j2k)
4. ↑ "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTXF-WM4 : 28 January 2020), Woodward, 1855.
5. ↑ National Library of Australia -- Trove [& Partners] (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198912106?searchTerm=Fanny%20Woodward) -- Search: Fanny Woodward -- Result: Article - The Tasmanian (Shipping) Saturday 3 May 1873 - Page 7 [Passenger = Miss Fanny Woodward]
6. ↑ National Library of Australia -- Trove [& Partners] -- Search: Fanny Woodward -- Result: Article - Kyneton Guardian of Saturday 27 June 1874 - Page 2 [Court proceedings; Fanny Woodward charged -- exposing a male child] (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232495622?searchTerm=Fanny%20Woodward)
7. ↑ National Library of Australia -- Trove [& Partners] (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/) -- Search: Fanny Woodward -- Result: Kyneton Guardian of Saturday 18 July 1874 - Page 2 & 3 [Sentenced to six months; indictment by Judge Fellows In the case of Fanny Woodward, ]
8. ↑ National Archives of Australia. [Defence and war service records – Search]: WOODARD George William : Service Number – 3778 (https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8855973)
9. ↑ National Archives of Australia. [Defence and war service records – Search]: WOODARD George William: Service Number – 3779 (National Archives Australia: 8855974)
10. ↑ National Library of Australia -- Trove [& Partners] -- Search: George William Woodard -- Result: Article - Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954)Tuesday 25 February 1930 - Page 2) FARMER'S DEATH Due to Poisoning? (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/84923129?searchTerm=George%20William%20Woodard)
11. ↑ National Library of Australia -- Trove [& Partners] (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/) – Search #’s 5: “Fanny Woodward” -- Result: Kyneton Guardian (Editions of: March: 21, 28, & April: 11, 18, 21, 1877) [ [Re] Neglected Child - Frank McKenzie and Fanny Woodward - The mother] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]