Brisbane research: Help needed.

[Kelly]

My husbands Great Grandmother, Evelyn Faith Betts, emmigrated to Australia in 1950, I am currently trying to find information about her life in Australia.

The details from the passenger record are:

Mrs E.F Betts departed London on the 25th November 1950. Travelled on the R.M.S Otranto, Orient steamship line. Port at where contracted to land: Sydney.

I can't find any information about Evelyn in Sydney but I have found her on the 1954, 1958 and 1963 Brisbane electoral rolls. Evelyn is listed as Eveline Faith HARPER on the electoral rolls and she is living with a Thomas William HARPER.

I am trying to find a marriage and death records for Evelyn but unfortunately the Queensland BMD doesn't cover the years I would need to search.

I can't find Evelyn on any Electoral rolls after 1963, we know she was still alive in 1966 because she was a witness to my husbands parents marriage.

Is there any way I could find when Evelyn married and also when she died?

[kylejustin]

i assume your in the uk kelly. i have a great grandmother who died in the 80's in brisbane. i havn't tried it, but maybe you can email or call births, deaths and marriages and explain the case. you can prove your husband is the descendant, so maybe if his name is on any forms they require, you can get the certs.

[Kelly]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I live in the UK.

I will send them an email to see what they say.

[Harrys mum]

Have you tried the cemetery indexes? Most of our cemeteries are run by local councils.

I'll see what i can find.

[Harrys mum]

There is a Eva Harper buried in Brisbane in 1969 aged 71.

[Harrys mum]

Here is the grave location search I used. This covers all the cemeteries run by Brisbane City Council.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/parks-and-venues/cemeteries/index.htm

Also there is Mt Thompson Crematorium.

http://www.mtthompsoncrem.com.au/driver.asp

If you email Mt Thompson they will reply.

Eveline Harper lived at West End in 1963. That is right in the centre of Brissie so I can't see her being buried elsewhere if that was her address at her death. Mt Thompson is only a couple of miles from West End.

If you find her and want a piccie, let me know.

[Kelly]

Hi Harry's mum,

Thank you for your help.

I did find the burial for Eva, but I think that is for a different lady. I should have put in my first post that Evelyn was born 1889.

On the 1963 electoral her address is West End.

I will send an email to Mt Thompson Crematorium, I will let you know what they say.

I am not sure now if Evelyn actually married Thomas Harper, because my mil had a wedding album and on one of the pages it has details of her wedding and the witnesses signatures and Evelyn signed as Mrs E.F Betts.

[Harrys mum]

JUst give Mt Thompson both names and ask. Maybe she moved to a nursing home outside of Brisbane City Council area. Unless you live there you wouldn't realise the boundaries.......that would put her cemetery into a different council area. She may have stopp registering to vote if she did become unable due to old age. So, she could have lived on for some time without being on the rolls.

Brissie is my home town so yell if you need help.

[Kelly]

Hi Harrys Mum,

I have sent Mt Thompson an email and I have gave them both of Evelyn's surnames. When I receive a reply I will let you know what they say.

Are the records on the Brisbane Council website complete, or would it be worth sending them an email aswell?

[Harrys mum]

I would say they are complete on the Council website. Was Evelyn married when she came to Australia? If so, did her husband come too?

How do you know the Harper lady is your Evelyn?

I'm just trying to fill in some holes....

[Kelly]

Evelyn was married but she was seperated from her husband so she emmigrated to Australia on her own.

One of Evelyn's sons and his family ( my husbands Grandparents) emmigrated to Australia in 1949 but they went and stayed in Sydney. Then in 1954 another of Evelyn's sons emmigrated to Australia and he is on the electoral rolls in Brisbane. On the 1963 electoral roll the 2nd son is living a few doors down from Evelyn. It is this information that makes me believe that Evelyn Faith Harper is my husbands Evelyn Faith Betts.

Also my husband has got a congratulations card which Evelyn sent his parents when they married and she has signed from Granny and Tom.

I couldn't find any information that would suggest that Evelyn Faith Harper was a different lady.

[Harrys mum]

Fair enough...sounds OK, at least until you can prove otherwise.

Have you traced the other Brisbane son?

[Kelly]

Hi,

The only information I have for the other son is the 1963-1980 electoral and that he was a prison officer at the Boggo Road Prison.

[Harrys mum]

Do you have his name? There are a few Betts males living in that area. Boggo Road Prison (now closed) is in the South Brisbane area as is West End.

[Kelly]

I have sent you a pm about the 2nd son.

[Kelly]

Hi Libby,

I have received a reply from Mt thompson, they have found a record for Evelyn.

Evelyn Faith Harper passed away on 5/3/1967 aged 77 years and she was cremated on that day. Her ashes were scattered on the bushland at Mt Thompson.

Thank you for all of your help, it really is truly appreciated.

Kelly.

[Harrys mum]

Well done Kelly. I've always found Mt Thompson very good at replying to emails.

I'm happy to get a photo of Mt Thompson if you like. It might be next week.

[Kelly]

Hi Libby,

Thank you for your kind offer, we would love a photo but please don't go out of your way to get one.

Thank you again for all of your help, I would never have found anything if it wasn't for you.

Kelly.

[Harrys mum]

Kelly......if you are still around.......I know this was ages ago, but a bit of illness, etc has prevented me going out a lot. However, I'm off to Mt Thompson on Monday so will try to find "which" bit of land the ashes are on. I'll get some piccies anyway.

[Kelly]

Hi Libby,

Im really sorry for the late reply, I have only just seen your message.

If you did manage to find any information or take any pics, I would love to hear. :-)