Jens Christian Welleng Christensen (abt. 1865 - 1941)

Born about 1865 in Randers, Jutland, Denmark

Husband of Violet Ursula Blanche (Makins) Christensen — married 2 Aug 1898 in St Monica's Catholic Church, North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia

Died 25 Apr 1941 at about age 76 in Balmain, New South Wales, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Cleary [send private message]

Biography

Jens Christian Welleng Christensen was born in Randers, Jutland, Denmark in 1865.^[1]. A family source has identified his parents as Christian and Ane (Kerstin Welleng) Christensen.

The circumstances of Jens' travel to Australia are not confirmed but the most likely history is that he arrived from California on the barquentine Yolande in 1888. This is based on information from his application for naturalisation (citizenship) in 1911 but this application was made quite a few years after his arrival so that details are possibly imprecise. For example, he states he arrived on a ship named Yulanda but no ship of that name has been located in records. There are records of multiple ships named Yolande, one of which arrived in Sydney from California on 6 September 1888 and, on board, was a Danish citizen named John Welling who had worked as ship cook and steward. Family legend is that Jens was shanghaied from Yreka, a town in California, but there are no records to support this story and Yreka is an inland town, not on the coast. The Yolande which arrived in Sydney in September 1888 had embarked from Humboldt Bay in California which is accessible from Yreka so the story is not impossible. The ship's Danish cook and steward John Welling was stated to be 26 years of age while available information indicates that Jens Christensen would have been just 23 years old in 1888, but such discrepancies were not uncommon especially where other aspects are shrouded in mystery.

The spelling of his name varies on different documents but his Australian naturalisation (citizenship) documents are clearly signed as Jens C W Christensen. It may well have been other people in Australia who struggled with the Danish spelling of his name. He was apparently known to many people as "James", probably the name given to him by Australians who were unfamiliar with his Danish name. "Jens" would more accurately have been translated as "John" but the "s" on the end of the name and Jens' Danish accent probably made his name sound more like "James".

In his application for naturalisation, Jens stated that he had resided in Sydney for six months, Wollongong for eight months and Galston for 22 years. Galston is in the north western outskirts of Sydney. Jens is reported to have worked as an orchardist at Fagans orchard, although he also taught violin.^[2] In the 21st century, there is a park named Fagan Park in Arcadia Road, Galston - this was once the property of the Fagan family. There is also a road named Fagans Road in nearby Arcadia and, while not certain, it is possible that Fagans orchards were located in one or both of these two places.

On 2 August 1898, Jens married Violette Ursula Blanch Makins at St Monica's Roman Catholic Church in the Sydney suburb of North Parramatta.^[3] At the time there were probably no Catholic churches in the Castle Hill/Dural/Galston area. On the marriage certificate, Violette is stated to have been a housemaid and Jens to have been an orchardist, and both were stated to be residing at Galston.

Seven children were born and raised in Galston.

In later years, possibly the late 1920s or early 1930s, Jens and Violette moved to Balmain, much closer to Sydney city. While residing in Balmain, Jens's wife passed away and then Jens himself died in Balmain on 25 April 1941.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Information from Pamela Peters, descendant of Jens
2. ↑ Information from Pamela Peters, descendant of Jens
3. ↑ New South Wales marriage registration 6190/1898 with the groom's name stated as "James Christianson" or "Christionson" both believed to be incorrect spellings of the Danish name
4. ↑ New South Wales death registration 12205/1941