Agnes Jane (Allison) Carruthers (1900 - 1968)

Born 1900 in Workington, Cumberland, England

Wife of John William Carruthers — married 1919 in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England

Died 1968 at about age 68 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Agnes (Allison) Carruthers was born in Workington, Cumberland, England.

Agnes Jane Allison was born in 1900, in Workington, Cumberland, England, the eigth of eleven known children born to George Allison and Mary Elizabeth Crone, with the event being registered in the 2nd Quarter at Cockermouth.^[1]

On the 31st March 1901, the 1-year-old Agnes was living with her family on Cavendish Street, Workington. Home at the time were her father: George (42), a minding machine borer (metal); her mother: Mary (35); and her siblings: 13-year-old George, an errand boy; 10-year-old John Edward; 8-year-old Sarah Ann (known as "Sally"); 5-year-old Henry; and 2-year-old Margaret.^[2]

On the 2nd April 1911, 11-year-old Agnes, a visitor, was residing at Halifax St James, Yorkshire, in the household of her brother-in-law: Halifax, Yorkshire-born Thomas Henry Corrigan (40), a genral laboure for the Borough council. Others in residence were her sister, 18-year-old Sally, a restaurant waitress; their oldest sister, Thomas Corrigan's wife: Workington, Cumberland-born Mary (25); the Corrigan daughters: 2-year-old Halifax-born Mary Elizabeth; and the baby: Halifax-born Julia; and Thomas's brother: Halifax-born Edmund Corrigan (24), a blacksmith stripper with a Wheelwright.^[3]

She married John William Carruthers in 1919, the event being registered in the 4th Quarter at Cockermouth.^[4] They were to have eight children, three daughters, and five sons, with the first of the troop (David Allison) arriving in 1920, and the second, a daughter, in 1922.

Agnes (Allison) Carruthers migrated from Cumberland, England to New South Wales, Australia.

John, Agnes, David and, Edna emigrated to Australia in 1924, travelling aboard the "Berrima" out of London, and settling in New South Wales.^[5]

In 1948, son James William went to London to represent Australia in the Olympic Games, for bantamweight boxing. Despite being the favourite to win Gold, Jimmy was forced to retire due to injury (the Gold eventually going to Tibor Csík, of Hungary). Jimmy turned professional in 1950, and his mother followed his fights with near religious fervour, never missing one. After his fight with Eliot "Elley" Bennett in 1951, Agnes spoke to reporters about her son. The 4ft 10-inch tall, 6st 9lb, dynamo described herself as the "paper-weight" champion of Paddington. She displayed two permanently injured knuckles which she had got in shaping up to Jimmy, admitting she had hit him too hard, and explaining she was too ashamed to own up to the doctor just what had happened when he diagnosed arthritis!^[6]

Agnes Jane née Allison passed away in 1968, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in the 68th year of her age.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration — England & Wales births, deaths and marriages registrations, General Register Office United Kingdom, Southport, England, HM Passport Office online search Births: Name: ALLISON, AGNES JANE; Mother's Maiden Surname: CRONE; GRO Reference: 1900 J Quarter in COCKERMOUTH Volume 10B Page 626
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSVK-PJZ : 21 May 2019), Agnes J Allison in household of George Allison, Workington, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Workington subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWJH-RQM : 15 May 2019), Agnes Jane Allison in household of Thomas Henry Carrigan, Halifax St James, Halifax, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
4. ↑ Marriage Registration — "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26KW-494 : 13 December 2014), Agnes J Allison and null, 1919; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1919, quarter 4, vol. 10B, p. 1500, Cockermouth, Cumberland, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
5. ↑ Immigration — "Australia, South Australia, Immigrants Ship Papers, 1849-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP39-PR3V : 8 August 2019), A J Carruthers, 1924; citing Emigration, Australia, name citing Berrima, Attorney General of South Australia, Adelaide.
6. ↑ News Article — "Mum packs a punch" The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954) 20 May 1951: 29. Web. 21 Feb 2022 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230759289>.
7. ↑ Death Registration — New South Wales State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages Death Registration details: Name: CARRUTHERS AGNES JANE; Registration Number: 4993/1968; Father's Given Name(s): GEORGE; Mother's Given Name(s): MARY ELIZABETH; District: SYDNEY

• Marriage Registration — "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26KH-W9S : 13 December 2014), John W Carruthers and null, 1919; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1919, quarter 4, vol. 10B, p. 1500, Cockermouth, Cumberland, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.