Jane Isabella (Giles) Watts (1824 - 1894)

Born 10 Jan 1824 in Mitcham, Surrey, England

Ancestors

Wife of Alfred Watts — married 18 May 1842 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Died 19 Aug 1894 at age 70 in Burnside, South Australia, Australia

Biography

Jane (Giles) Watts came free to the Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

Jane was one of nine children born to William Giles and Sarah Giles nee Roper in Surrey England. Her father remarried and accepted a position with the South Australian Company to manage their post at Kingscote in the new British colony of South Australia. The whole family boarded the ship Hartley in 1837 and arrived in Nepean Harbour, Kangaroo Island, in October the same year.

Jane was highly intelligent, curious about her new surroundings and held a mischievious sense of humour. She wrote "Family Life in South Australia". Her husband Alfred and Jane lived at Leabrook and Hazelwood and had no children. Alfred Watts (1815-1884) was a businessman and politician in the early pioneering days of South Australia. Initially a cashier for the SA Company he then partnered the firm Watts and Wells who were importers and exporters. The firm dredged at Port Adelaide, planned a new Outer Harbour, tendered for construction of lighthouses and jetties, the first being Cape Jaffa Lighthouse. He was later elected to the South Australian House of Assembly. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ State Library of South Australia - Mr and Mrs Alfred Watts

• Family Life in South Australia Fifty Three Years Ago by Jane Isabella Watts, pub W.K.Thomas, Adelaide, 1890

Also a precis version of the first part of her book covering the time on Kangaroo Island . Family Life in South Australia Fifty-Three Years Ago Dating from October 1837 by Jane Isabella Watts Published 1890 by W.K. Thomas & Co, Adelaide. Precis compiled by David Wilson, 2015, Kangaroo Island Pioneers Association https://sites.google.com/site/kipaview/history/family-life-in-south-australia---precis

• Immigration Citation

Pioneers and Settlers Bound for SA (Secondary evidence) Text: https://bound-for-south-australia.collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/1837Hartley.htm

• Death Citation

SA BDM (Secondary evidence) Page: Ade 221 97 Text: Given Name(s): Jane Isabella Last Name: WATTS Death Date: 19 Aug 1894 Gender: F Age: 70y Approx. Birth Year: 1824 Marital Status: W Relative 1: Alfred WATTS (DH) Relative 2: Residence: Burnside Death Place: Burnside District: Norwood Symbol: Book/Page: 221/97

• Burial Citation

Genealogy SA South Australian Cemeteries (Secondary evidence) Text: Given Name(s): Jane Isabella Surname: WATTS Death Date: 19 Aug 1894 Age: 70y Relations: Wife of Alfred Cemetery: Kensington Clayton Congregational

• Marriage (m. WATTS, Alfred) Citation

Misc. newspaper (Secondary evidence) Text: First name(s) Jane Isabella Last name Giles Marriage year 1842 Marriage month May Marriage day 18 Marriage place 'Residence of William Giles, South Adelaide' Address - Father's name William Giles JP Spouse's first name(s) Robert Adolphus Alfred Show Spouse's last name Watts Spouse's address South Terrace Adelaide Celebrant Rev Thomas Quinton Stow Notes Newspaper says marriage in Rundle Street State South Australia Country Australia Sources SA Gazette & Colonial Register 28 May 1842 Record set South Australian Marriages