Harlettee (Groombridge) Rothery
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Harlettee Louisa (Groombridge) Rothery (1846 - 1921)

Harlettee Louisa Rothery formerly Groombridge aka Williams, Smith, Turner, Haward
Born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Daughter of DNA confirmed and DNA confirmed
Sister of , , , , and
Wife of — married 10 Jan 1862 (to 10 Jul 1882) in Sorell, Tasmania, Australiamap
Wife of — married 30 Jun 1883 (to 1 Jul 1893) in Collingwood, Victoria, Australiamap
Wife of — married 1896 in Victoria, Australiamap
Wife of — married 1898 in Victoria, Australiamap
Descendants descendants
Mother of , , , , , , , , , and
Died at age 74 in Kingston, Tasmania, Australiamap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carol Turner private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 3 Mar 2016
This page has been accessed 427 times.

Contents

Biography

Harlettee (Groombridge) Rothery was born in Van Diemen's Land (1826-1856)

Birth and Early Life

Arlette (later Harlettee) Groombridge was born on 20 November 1846 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. She was the daughter of Richard Smart Groombridge and Hannah Maria (Holt) Palmer. Note that the Tasmania birth registration entry gives no forename for this child. [1][2].

Although she was baptised Arlette Elizabeth Groombridge, she used the middle name Louisa throughout her life.

When Harlettee was about 12 years old, her father died suddenly from an epileptic seizure. Her mother remarried in 1861.

First Marriage

Harlettee was 15 when she married William Williams on 10 January 1862 in Port Sorell, Tasmania[3]. Her age is falsely stated as 18; likely because she did not have parental consent to marry.

Harlettee gave birth to her first child, a son, on 18 September 1863[4]. Unnamed on his birth registration, the records of St Clements Anglican Church show he was baptised Richard John Williams on 1 January 1864[5].

Baby Richard died on 23 August 1865 at Mountain River, Tasmania, Australia[6], just weeks before his second birthday. The cause of death was "Teething", and the informant for his death registration was his father William Williams.

No further record of William Williams exists after this date. However, nineteen days after Richard's death, Harlettee gave birth to a daughter on 11 September 1865 at Mountain River, Huon. The birth registration records the parents as William Henry Smith (informant for birth registration) and Arlottee Louisa Groombridge Williams.[7]

It is probable that William Williams and William Henry Smith are the same man. Oral family history passed down to descendants is that "William Henry Smith" was an assumed name, and the real identity of the gent in question was Robert David Stapleton; he was a man on the run from authorities after deserting from the British Army and jumping the first boat to Australia with his brother. This is an unconfirmed family legend.

Smith's profession was variously given as labourer, splitter, furrier and tailor. The Smith family moved regularly, having children in Huon, Sorrell, Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania. Between the deaths of their two youngest (known) children - William George Stapleton Smith in November 1876[8] and Albert Smith in August 1878[9] - the family moved from Tasmania to Melbourne, Victoria.

On 10 July 1882, William Henry Smith died at Gipps Ward Hospital, South Melbourne of Pneumonia. His death certificate contains very little information - parents, children and marriage information are all omitted[10]. William is buried in a public grave at Melbourne General Cemetery[11].

On 11 October 1882 Harlettee (age 35) was living in Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.[12]

Second Marriage

Harlettee remarried the year after William Smith's death. On 30 June 1883, she married William Turner (abt.1813-1893). William had been an early European settler in Victoria. He had opened the first tailor shop in Elizabeth St, Melbourne, and was one of the earliest recorded European settlers in the Croydon/Lilydale area. He is credited with founding Croydon. He was also widowed, as his wife Margaret had died in December 1882, and had ten children from his first marriage (eight living, two dead). William's living children were all adults, ranging in age from 18 to 41.

A son, Sydney, was born about two weeks after their marriage, on 12 July 1883[13].

Although William Turner took responsibility as Sydney Groombridge Turner's father of record, and was the informant for Sydney's birth, DNA tests undertaken by Sydney's descendants in the 21st century have confirmed no biological relationship with descendants of Turner's children from his first marriage. It appears that Sydney's biological father was Christopher Powell (1850-1927). Sydney's baptism record shows he was baptised with the middle name Christopher, though it never appears on any other record throughout his life.

No oral history has been passed down to record the circumstances that lead to this chain of events. Sydney's daughter, Joyce, was able to recall her father telling her that his parents had married because "she was his washerwoman, and they married so she could get his pension". She also recalled that her father had no memory of his father (William Turner) because he died when he was a child, but this isn't an explanation as Sydney was ten when William died. There seems to have been no awareness that there was no biological connection between Sydney and William.

It may be that Harlettee met Turner through her first husband. Both men were tailors, and Turner was recruiting tailors for his business around the time the Smiths moved to Victoria. It is also possible that Harlettee worked as a "washerwoman" or as a seamstress, and was employed by Turner either in his business or at his home.

Two more children were born during the Turner marriage:

1889

In 1889, the family endured a series of life-changing events.

July 1889
Birth of Harlettee's last child, Myrtle Elsie Adelaide Turner[15].
September 1889
Harlettee's second daughter, Ettie, married William Henry Gavin[16].
October 1889
Harlettee reported William Turner to the police for deserting her and a warrant was issued for his arrest[17].
November 1889
William and Harlettee's second youngest child, Clarabelle, died of diphtheria, aged 3[18].
December 1889
Ettie went into premature labour and gave birth to a daughter, Elsie[19], who lived for only a few hours[20].
Four days later, Ettie also died[21], four days shy of her twentieth birthday.

In 1893, aged about 81, William Turner died[22]. He was interred at Lilydale with his first wife, Margaret, and their children, Joshua and Louisa.[23]

Third Marriage

In 1896, Harlettee married Edgar Robertson Haward (1853-1938). He was younger than her by about seven years, and this may be why the marriage registration says she was 45 years old, closing their age gap to 2 years. The registration also falsely claims she has had 4 children; 2 living and 2 deceased. Edgar Haward is recorded as a bachelor (first marriage), with no children.

Little is known of Edgar Robertson Haward other than his conviction for stealing various items from a boarding house keeper in Adelaide in 1877[24]. It's also unclear what happened in this marriage, but Harlettee never appears to have used his surname, and within two years she was remarried, apparently without divorcing. Edgar outlived Harlettee, dying in 1938.

Fourth Marriage

Harlettee's final husband was William Henry Rothery (1831-1912). He had previously been married to Emma (Goulding) Rothery, who died in 1895. There were no children of the marriage.

On 13 February 1899 Harlettee (age 52) was living in Northcote, Victoria, Australia.[25]

There is some evidence to suggest that the Rotherys lived in Victoria and Tasmania over the course of their marriage. They may have split their time between the two states.

In 1909, Rothery was charged on warrant with deserting Harlettee[26].

In 1912, William Henry Rothery died at Melbourne, Victoria[27]. He is interred at Springvale Botanical Cemetery[28].

In 1914 Harlettee (age about 67) was living in Richmond Central, Yarra, Victoria, Australia.[29]

Children

With William Williams:

With William Henry Smith:

In June 1883, Harlettee was claimed to have had 10 children (four living, six dead). This suggests there are two children still unaccounted for at this time.

With Christopher Powell:

With William Turner:

Death

Harlettee died at the age of 74 on 1 October 1921 in Kingston, Tasmania, Australia.[30] She is interred at St Clements Churchyard, Kingston, Tasmania[31]

DNA

  • Paternal and Maternal relationships are both confirmed by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between G Turner and A Woods, his 3rd cousin . Their most-recent common ancestors are Richard Groombridge and Hannah Holt, the great great grandparents of both G Turner and A Woods. Predicted relationship from AncestryDNA: 2nd - 3rd Cousin, based on sharing 130 cM across 9 segments
  • Paternal relationship is supported by an autosomal AncestryDNA test match between G Turner and A.G., his third cousin once removed (3c1r). Their most-recent common ancestors are Richard Groombridge and Sarah (Stevens) Groombridge This match cannot be confirmed to meet Wikitree standards for matches beyond third cousins as it cannot be triangulated on a site with a chromosome browser (see: Help: Triangulation).

Research Notes

Alternate Names

There are alternate names for this person:

  • Arlette Louisa Groombridge
  • Louisa Groombridge
  • Harlettee Louisa Groombridge

Sources

  1. ↑ Birth Registration: Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922.
  2. ↑ Birth: "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9CH-CWVV?cc=2125029&wc=QDTQ-3TN%3A387523701%2C387523702%2C387525101 : 26 August 2016), Hobart > Births > RGD 33/02. Births, 1 Jan 1844-18 Jan 1847 > image 209 of 217; Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart. (accessed before 26 January 2023)
  3. ↑ Marriage register entry of William WILLIAMS to Arlette Louisa GROOMBRIDGE, married 10 January 1862, Registers of Tasmanian marriages, Tasmanian Archives, RGD37/1/21 no 614, https://stors.tas.gov.au/NI/867162, accessed 26 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Birth register entry of Williams, Given Name Not Recorded, born 17 Sep 1863, Registers of Births in Hobart, Launceston and Country Districts, Tasmanian Archives, RGD33/1/41 no 1594, parents William WILLIAMS and Louisa GROOMBRIDGE, https://stors.tas.gov.au/NI/1016120 accessed 26 January 2023
  5. ↑ Kingston Baptism Register NS2020/1/1, Baptism of Richard John was January 1, 1864, Born September 10, 1863; Son of William and Arlotte Louisa WILLIAMS, of Victoria, Huon; Occupation: Labourer.
  6. ↑ "Australia, Tasmania, Civil Registration, 1803-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27M-1XT4 : 3 October 2018), Richard John Williams, 23 Aug 1865; citing Death 23 Aug 1865, Victoria Huon, Tasmania, Australia, line #62275, Archives Office of Tasmania, Hobart; FHL microfilm 7,368,141.
  7. ↑ Birth register entry of Williams, Given Name Not Recorded, born 11 Sep 1865, Registers of Births in Hobart, Launceston and Country Districts, Tasmanian Archives, RGD33/1/43 no 1631, parents William Henry SMITH and Arlottee Louisa WILLIAMS formerly GROOMBRIDGE, https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD33-1-43p477j2k accessed 26 January 2023
  8. ↑ Libraries Tasmania; RGD35/1/45 no 3206; https://stors.tas.gov.au/NI/1208471 (accessed 26 January 2023)
  9. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Albert SMITH, Year: 1878; Parents: William and Louisa GROOMBRIDGE; Spouse: -; Death Place: PRAH; Birth Place: ; Age: 4 Months; Reg. Number: 9624/1878; Reg. Number: 9624/1878
  10. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for William Henry SMITH, Year: 1882; Parents: and <Unknown Family Name> <Unknown Family Name>; Spouse: -; Death Place: MELB S; Birth Place: ; Age: 52; Reg. Number: 9265/1882; Reg. Number: 9265/1882
  11. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214702170/william-henry-smith: accessed 26 January 2023), memorial page for William Henry Smith (unknown–10 Jul 1882), Find a Grave Memorial ID 214702170, citing Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton North, Melbourne City, Victoria, Australia; Maintained by Carol Turner (contributor 48977876).
  12. ↑ Residence: Victoria, Australia, Rate Books, 1855-1963 Ancestry.com,
    Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Australia; Series Title: 2340/P Microfilm Copy Of Rate Books, City of Collingwood [copy of VPRS 377] [1864-1901].
  13. ↑ Birth Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Sidney TURNER, Year: 1883; Parents: William and Harl GROOMBRIDGE; Place: HOTH Reg. Number: 17339/1883
  14. ↑ Birth Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Claribell Victor TURNER, Year: 1886; Parents: William and Carlotte GROOMBRIDGE; Place: HOTH Reg. Number: 11021/1886
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Birth Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Myrtle Elsie Adelaid TURNER, Year: 1889; Parents: Wm and Harletta Loui GROOMBRIDGE; Place: COLLINGWOOD Reg. Number: 20501/1889
  16. ↑ Marriage Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for SMITH, Henrietta Louisa and GAVIN, Wm Hy; Year: 1889, Reg. number: 6658/1889
  17. ↑ Victoria Police Gazette Indexes. CD-ROM. Ridgehaven, South Australia: Gould Genealogy and History, 2009.
  18. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Claribel TURNER, Year: 1889; Parents: Unknown and Unknown UNKNOWN; Spouse: -; Death Place: Melbourne East; Birth Place: ; Age: 3; Reg. Number: 17600/1889; Reg. Number: 17600/1889
  19. ↑ Birth Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Elsie Ivy GAVIN, Year: 1889; Parents: Wm Hy and Henrietta SMITH; Place: BRUNSWICK Reg. Number: 28961/1889
  20. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Elsie Ivy GAVIN, Year: 1889; Parents: Wm Hy and Henrietta SMITH; Spouse: -; Death Place: Brunswick; Birth Place: ; Age: 1 Days; Reg. Number: 15378/1889; Reg. Number: 15378/1889
  21. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Hettie GAVIN, Year: 1889; Parents: Smith Wm and Harlotte GLOOMBRIDGE; Spouse: -; Death Place: Prahran; Birth Place: ; Age: 20; Reg. Number: 18396/1889; Reg. Number: 18396/1889
  22. ↑ Death Index (Victoria Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages : accessed 26 Jan 2023). Index entry for Wm TURNER, Year: 1893; Parents: Thos and Catherine UNKNOWN; Spouse: -; Death Place: Ringwood; Birth Place: ; Age: 85; Reg. Number: 11909/1893; Reg. Number: 11909/1893
  23. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/153339968/william-turner: accessed 26 January 2023), memorial page for William Turner (1813–1 Jul 1893), Find a Grave Memorial ID 153339968, citing Lilydale Lawn Cemetery, Lilydale, Yarra Ranges Shire, Victoria, Australia; Maintained by ! woowoo (contributor 49949980).
  24. ↑ Law and Criminal Courts. (1877, January 9). Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912), p. 2 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved January 26, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197697025
  25. ↑ Residence: Victoria, Australia, Rate Books, 1855-1963 Ancestry.com,
    Public Record Office Victoria; North Melbourne, Australia; Series Title: 2346/P Microfilm Copy Of Rate Books, City of Northcote [copy of VPRS 3203] [1882-1901].
  26. ↑ Victoria Police Gazette Indexes. CD-ROM. Ridgehaven, South Australia: Gould Genealogy and History, 2009.
  27. ↑ Family Notices (1912, July 3). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196248103
  28. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214671210/william-henry-rothery: accessed 26 January 2023), memorial page for William Henry Rothery (1832–4 Jul 1912), Find a Grave Memorial ID 214671210, citing Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Springvale, Greater Dandenong City, Victoria, Australia; Maintained by Carol Turner (contributor 48977876).
  29. ↑ Residence: Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980.
  30. ↑ Death: Tasmania, Australia, Index to Death Notices in The Mercury, 1854-1930.
  31. ↑ Burial: Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007,
    Compiler: Genealogical Society of Tasmania Inc.

See also:





Is Harlettee your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Harlettee by comparing test results with other carriers of her mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known mtDNA test-takers in her direct maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Harlettee:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.

Images: 1
Myrtle Turner and Linda Smith at their mother's grave
Myrtle Turner and Linda Smith at their mother's grave


Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.

Featured National Park champion connections: Harlettee is 19 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 12 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 17 degrees from George Catlin, 20 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 27 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 20 degrees from George Grinnell, 19 degrees from Anton Kröller, 19 degrees from Stephen Mather, 15 degrees from Kara McKean, 21 degrees from John Muir, 18 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 30 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

G  >  Groombridge  |  R  >  Rothery  >  Harlettee Louisa (Groombridge) Rothery

Categories: St Clements Cemetery, Kingston, Tasmania | Hobart, Tasmania | Collingwood, Victoria | Kingston, Tasmania