Mary Ann Matilda (Thomas) Geake (1848 - 1921)

Born 28 May 1848 in Albany, Western Australia, Australia

Wife of Richard Diggory Geake — married 24 Jan 1885 in Albany, Western Australia, Australia

Died 5 Jan 1921 at age 72 in Albany, Western Australia, Australia

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Biography

Mary was born on 28 May 1848 in Albany, Western Australia, the daughter of John Thomas and Fanny Davis. Her birthplace was listed as King Georges Sound.^[1]

Her father John Thomas named Fanny's Cove after his second daughter, Fanny. Hopetoun was originally known as Mary Ann Harbour having first been named after John Thomas's eldest daughter.

She married Richard Diggory Geake on 24 January 1885 in Albany.^[2]

Albany Advertiser (WA : 1897 - 1954), Wednesday 12 January 1921, page 3
With the death of Mrs. Richard Geake, another link with the very early days of Albany is snapped. The deceased lady was the eldest daughter of the late Captain John Thomas, and was born at Albany in 1848. Captain Thomas was the head of the first resident whaling expedition in this locality. He came over from Adelaide with a complete outfit of boats and gear and operated from Cheyne's Beach. The late John McKenzie and William Sherratt were associated as boys with the enterprise. Captain Thomas maintained a home in Albany and here his family, which comprised only three daughters, was raised. The three girls afterwards became Mrs. Geake, Mrs. Broomhall and Mrs. Cowden. The deceased lady in her turn had two children, both daughters. One is Mrs. Jefferson and the other Miss Geake.

The remains of Mrs. Geake were interred in the Anglican Cemetery. The Ven. Archdeacon Louch officiated at the burial service. Messrs. John Moir, Cuthbert McKenzie, Josiah Norman and James Turner acted as pall-bearers.^[3]

Mary is buried with her husband and daughter Eva Mary in the Anglican section of the Albany Memorial Park.^[4]

The memorial inscription is as follows:
GEAKE, Richard Diggory - Born 23rd Aug 1853 Died 15th Oct 1923;
also GEAKE, Eva Mary - Born 26th July 1889 died 11th June 1896 age 6 years 10 months;
also GEAKE, Mary Ann - Born 28th May 1848 Died 5th Jan 1921.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT6C-T94 : 28 January 2020), Mary Ann Matilda Thomas, 1848.
2. ↑ WA Marriage Index 1885/5929 (his surname mis-indexed as LEAKE)
3. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70150443
4. ↑ https://albanycemeteryboard.com.au/allambie-park/search-results/?formid=public-view&dbtable=mem_park&no=1689
5. ↑ Cemetery Series, Memorial Inscriptions, Albany Memorial Park Cemetery Western Australian Genealogical Society Publication: Cemetery Listing MIs (Memorial Inscriptions), Western Australian Genealogical Society) , Microfiche,Perth, WA, AUS.

• From Creaton to Camballup. An Historical and Genealogical Record of the Herbert and Arber Families in Western Australia Eugene Forrest Herbert Publication: (Birchgrove, NSW, Eugene Herbert, 2001). 24 Dec 2001 Note: Copy held by Mrs. D. McAleese.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 08 January 2021), memorial page for Mary Ann Matilda Thomas Geake (28 May 1848–5 Jan 1921), Find a Grave Memorial no. 179864244, citing Memorial Park Cemetery, Albany, Albany City, Western Australia, Australia ; Maintained by Scout731 (contributor 48372293) . https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/179864244/mary-ann_matilda-geake