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John & Isabella Smyth (nee Shields) – Children

 

 Martha Graham Smith

b.   5 Aug 1875, in Strabane, Tyrone, Ireland

m.  10 Apr 1895, Hugh Alexander (Hughie Shanks)  (QLD Archives B95/001992)

d.   12 Jan 1949   (QLD Archives 1949/000931)

Margaret Smith

b.   11 June 1878, in Knockmoyle, Tyrone, Ireland

m.  30 Oct 1901, John (Jack) Story (QLD Archives 01/002379)

d.  8 Aug 1956 (QLD Archives 1956/B015092)

Isabella Smith (known as Annabella  or Annie) 

b.  1881  (birth place unknown)

m.  5 Jun 1912, Thomas Erskine  (QLD Archives 12/003660)

d.   23 Dec 1937

Eliza Smith

b.  1882  (birth place unknown)

m.  never married

d.   12 Apr 1922

Mary Jane Smith

b.  10 April 1884 (Knapp St, Townsville)

m.  4 Mar 05  Joseph Raynor (St James Cathedral Townsville)

d.   27 Dec 1956 (Townsville)

There were also 2 deceased children – 1 Male, 1 Female

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Joseph Raynor – Siblings

Joseph Raynor

There is also a brother of Joseph as there was a photo taken of them together.  Unsure where the photo was taken, but I suspect it was taken in Australia. I think this because if the photo was taken in Sicily, why did he not also have a photo of his mother?  Also, all my family history research so far shows a pattern of ‘chain emigration’.  This is where one family member emigrates first and then encourages other family members to emigrate to the same location.

Given cost of travel back then, Joseph’s brother might also have emigrated to Australia – it seems unlikely he would come to Australia back then for a holiday.  It is also uncertain whether the brother is a full or half brother (ie. different fathers).

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Joseph Raynor – Insolvency 1899

Queensland State Archives reference details:

Townsville Insolvency Register – Series 9302

Department No:  1/1899 – 59/1928

Joseph’s involvency file reference is No#55/1899.

Date petition filed:  5 June 1899

Declaration of Bankruptcy:  17 June 1899

First Meeting with appointed Trustee (Chas Norris):   22 June 1899

Joseph’s signed statement of financial affairs:  23 June 1899

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SS Bobby Towns

Joseph Raynor was employed as a Seaman on the SS Bobby Towns.    I’m interested in Joseph’s employment on Bobby Towns as it might give clues to his early life in Townsville, and possibly pointers to his earlier life before arrival in Townsville.  As I understand, he arrived in Townsville as a crew member of a Ship, and then left the Ship in Townsville, subsequently finding a job on the SS Bobby Townsville.

The SS Bobby Towns was based in Townsville, therefore Joseph was based in Townsville from then on (if not earlier).  The ship was part of the Burns, Philp and Company (formed in 1883).

As part of the family research, I have done some initial searching about SS Bobby Towns, and found some reference books that might provide more information:

1.  The Main Line Fleet of Burns Philp (1981)

2.  The Ships of Burns, Philp and Company” – Ronald Parsons 1978. ISBN 09O9418 12 8

3.  The History of Burns Philp-The Australian Company in the South Pacific” –  K. Buckley and K. Klugman 1981

Description of Bobbie Towns:   BOBBIE TOWNS 135 gross tons, 75 net. Lbd: 98’2″ x 23’3″ x 7’5″.

Wooden steamship built by G Frost at Kincumber New South Wales for this company. Compound surface condensing engine producing 21 nhp.

Cyclone Leonta (1903):  The Wodonga (moored nearby) broke her moorings and hit Bobby Towns.

New Owners:  October 1915 to Hetherington & Rylance Ltd, Brisbane.

Scrapped:   Brisbane July 1924

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Family History – the story so far

Joseph Raynor:

Born:   2 November 1866 – Messina Sicily (no birth certificate to verify this)

Parents:  Joseph Raynor (Master Mariner), Rosa Cefaly  (no verification of parents names or Joseph’s name)

Arrived in Australia:  – circa 1897 (family oral history)

Naturalisation:  – 11 Jan 1899 – Supreme Court Townsville (register entry found only – no oath of allegiance – he would have signed –  exists)

Enrolled to vote:  24 Jan 1899 (not yet verified)

Insolvency:   17 June 1899

Married:  4 March 1905 – Mary Jane Smyth

Employment:   SS Bobby Towns (based in Townsville), Waterside Worker (member of Waterside Workers Federation)

Will written:   24 July 1923

Homes:  Initially lived on Palmer St South Townsville, prior to moving to McIlwraith St (1915-16) and later purchased a home 9 March 1927  (date listed in his Estate File held at Queensland Archives).  Possibly rented the same home he later purchased.

Age pension:  On the pension at the time of his death.

Died:   14 February 1937

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Mary Jane Raynor (nee Smyth)

Born:   10 April 1884, Knapp St, Townsville

Parents:  

John Smyth (born Edinburgh Scotland? circa 1846-47) died 14 December 1883

Isabella Smyth nee Shiels  born Strabane, Tyrone, Ireland circa 1847-50) died 12 April 1909

Family Tree:  Limited search conducted so far – no ancestors yet verified.

Arrived in Australia:  – Parents and older siblings arrived 1882 – SS Stirlingshire, disembarked at Townsville.

Married:  4 March 1905 – Joseph Raynor

Homes:     Appears to have grown up in Wills St, Townsville, prior to moving to South Townsville with Joseph

Died:   27 December 1956

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Abraham Wilson

Born:   27 June 1876, Portadown, Armagh, Ireland

Parents:  

Christopher Wilson:  Occupation Weaver, later Shipbuilder, born 1831, died circa late 1880s in Belfast in a Shipyard accident.

Catherine Wilson (nee McFall):  Born circa 1835, died 5 November 1922, at Dunwich Asylum in Queensland.

Family Tree search so far:

Most of Abraham siblings names are known, however there is one female unknown (deceased at the time of Catherine’s death) – the sibling was probably born before 1864, as this is the year Ireland Births commenced being registered (prior to this it is Parish Church records).  Parents of Christopher & Catherine not yet located, but surnames are known.

Christopher & Catherine married 14 March 1853 at Moyntaghs, Armagh Ireland.

Catherine’s father’s name was John McFall, and her mother (Mary Sturger) married a Thomas Bunting (after Catherine was born), and Catherine assumed the surname of Bunting.  Catherine had a half-sister, Ann Eliza, who also later married a Wilson – a Robert Wilson (not apparently related to Christopher Wilson)

Arrived in Australia:  – December 1891, SS Roma, disembarked Rockhampton.  Mother Catherine and Brother Robert also onboard.  Older brother  Thomas Andrew emigrated earlier, arriving Townsville on SS Dacca.

Married:  9 December 1908 – Emily Jane Coleman (Townsville)

Employment:   Painter, Signwriter – initially employed by a German resident in Rockhampton, then later the Ross River Meatworks. Other later employment in Townsville.

 

Homes:  Rockhampton, Oonoonaba (Fairfield), Ninth Avenue Railway Estate

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