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Thank you for the birthday greetings you sent!
I have decided to spend the day researching.
Some years ago, I discovered that my great grandmother's brother, Thomas Gillan, had come to Australia, (he stayed here, and died in 1914 and is buried in Sydney). It is a hugely long and fascinating story. I did find out how and when he travelled, but have had no luck in finding when his "wife" and children came.
The reason for the inverted commas is that they were married in Scotland, but he was already married, and the second one was declared bigamous, and he was sent to prison for it. (I don't know where or for how long. What was the sentence for bigamy? Six months in Barlinnie?
He came to Australia as crew on a ship in 1881, and I searched for Margaret and the children after that date, and found no sign of them. I was contacted by a 'relative' who had seen my posts somewhere or other, and he said that he thought that she had come out with other members of her family, but had no information as to how or when.
I had always assumed that he came out first, and she followed with the children. Now I think that when he was sent to gaol, she came out here with her family, (Mum, Dad & siblings), and Thomas followed her.
My big difficulty is, what name did she travel under?
Thomas did not use his own name when he married her, he called himself Thomas Glen. Her maiden name was Margaret Buchanan Burns. The Buchanan was her mother's maiden name, and she gave it to their daughter as a second name, (Elizabeth Buchanan Gillan. Their son was James Burns Gillan). I do know that he used his real name when living in Weston, NSW.
I don't know if they were ever able to marry legally, but I do know that they stayed together until hid death in 1914.
I'm sorry it has been so long winded, but I did say it was a long story!
If anyone can come up with an idea as to how I would go about finding this lady, I would be most grateful.
Thanking you in anticipation
Ann Bentley
I have decided to spend the day researching.
Some years ago, I discovered that my great grandmother's brother, Thomas Gillan, had come to Australia, (he stayed here, and died in 1914 and is buried in Sydney). It is a hugely long and fascinating story. I did find out how and when he travelled, but have had no luck in finding when his "wife" and children came.
The reason for the inverted commas is that they were married in Scotland, but he was already married, and the second one was declared bigamous, and he was sent to prison for it. (I don't know where or for how long. What was the sentence for bigamy? Six months in Barlinnie?
He came to Australia as crew on a ship in 1881, and I searched for Margaret and the children after that date, and found no sign of them. I was contacted by a 'relative' who had seen my posts somewhere or other, and he said that he thought that she had come out with other members of her family, but had no information as to how or when.
I had always assumed that he came out first, and she followed with the children. Now I think that when he was sent to gaol, she came out here with her family, (Mum, Dad & siblings), and Thomas followed her.
My big difficulty is, what name did she travel under?
Thomas did not use his own name when he married her, he called himself Thomas Glen. Her maiden name was Margaret Buchanan Burns. The Buchanan was her mother's maiden name, and she gave it to their daughter as a second name, (Elizabeth Buchanan Gillan. Their son was James Burns Gillan). I do know that he used his real name when living in Weston, NSW.
I don't know if they were ever able to marry legally, but I do know that they stayed together until hid death in 1914.
I'm sorry it has been so long winded, but I did say it was a long story!
If anyone can come up with an idea as to how I would go about finding this lady, I would be most grateful.
Thanking you in anticipation
Ann Bentley
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