Hessie Lang
Sometimes, it's just worth spending the $30 to get a BDM certificate ... even if you're not sure.
Hessie Lang was a mystery to me, she was a mystery to the family as well.
We have a album of photos belonging to her, but no idea what happened to her.
I was told "she died of a broken heart". The story went she was in love with a man (perhaps Aboriginal) who left her.
I found reference to a Hessie Ross on the BDM register. Same first name, same parent given names ... but could it be our Hessie?
As Ross was her mother's maiden name I started guessing she'd assumed that name after she gave birth as an unwed mother (sadly baby William died). Perhaps she'd married a cousin, but why couldn't I find any records?
I struggled with actually purchasing the record ... but it arrived today and confirmed what I'd already guessed ... but revealed so much more.
Hessie Ross died during complications when having twins. Baby John & Baby Beryl both dying with Hessie.
The record reveals that Hessie & Frederick Ross (from Cullen St, Portland) had been together for 10 years. Of 4 recorded children, only Edna A had survived infancy (4 years old at the time of her mother's death). Another child Olga was born in Naranderra 23 May 1920 and sadly died 100 years ago today (7 Jun 1920) in the same place [Updated in 2020 when records opened].
The BDM records do not record a marriage for Hessie & Frederick. There are no census details for either of them.
If Frederick Ross was indeed Aboriginal, he would not have been eligible to be enrolled to vote.
It must have been heartbreaking to have attended the Roman Catholic funeral at the Portland Cemetery. Frederick Ross losing a wife, a son and a daughter, and little Edna losing a family she would probably never remember.
Could this little girl, at the very beginning of Hessie's album possibly be Edna?
We can only keep guessing ...
Hessie Lang was a mystery to me, she was a mystery to the family as well.
We have a album of photos belonging to her, but no idea what happened to her.
I was told "she died of a broken heart". The story went she was in love with a man (perhaps Aboriginal) who left her.
I found reference to a Hessie Ross on the BDM register. Same first name, same parent given names ... but could it be our Hessie?
As Ross was her mother's maiden name I started guessing she'd assumed that name after she gave birth as an unwed mother (sadly baby William died). Perhaps she'd married a cousin, but why couldn't I find any records?
I struggled with actually purchasing the record ... but it arrived today and confirmed what I'd already guessed ... but revealed so much more.
Hessie Ross died during complications when having twins. Baby John & Baby Beryl both dying with Hessie.
The record reveals that Hessie & Frederick Ross (from Cullen St, Portland) had been together for 10 years. Of 4 recorded children, only Edna A had survived infancy (4 years old at the time of her mother's death). Another child Olga was born in Naranderra 23 May 1920 and sadly died 100 years ago today (7 Jun 1920) in the same place [Updated in 2020 when records opened].
The BDM records do not record a marriage for Hessie & Frederick. There are no census details for either of them.
If Frederick Ross was indeed Aboriginal, he would not have been eligible to be enrolled to vote.
It must have been heartbreaking to have attended the Roman Catholic funeral at the Portland Cemetery. Frederick Ross losing a wife, a son and a daughter, and little Edna losing a family she would probably never remember.
Could this little girl, at the very beginning of Hessie's album possibly be Edna?
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