Overlooked

Miss W. #52ancestors, Chandler, Davey, Dawson, Smith , ,
RitaE / Pixabay

This past weekend I took part in the WikiTree Connect-a-thon. Adding new profiles to the tree, I noticed there were many cases of infant or child mortality. In some families, 5 out of 10 children died before age three. Then when I searched newspapers for the death of parents, I found many of these infants were not mentioned as deceased children in the family.

These children had been overlooked by their siblings who wrote the death notice in the newspaper. Maybe they didn’t know they had more siblings who had died young. Some of these infants didn’t even get a formal name.

Looking in my direct family tree:

  • Mum had an older sister Iris who died aged 9, just a month after mum was born. She is remembered on the family gravestone and in photos I have inherited.
  • Dad was an only child but ended up having 7 half siblings who all survived to adulthood. But one was in a mental hospital from a young age and I can’t find his death.
  • My paternal grandfather William Elvis Allen had 2 siblings and three half siblings. His older sister Ethel Maud Allen only survived two years and I have not yet found any headstone for her.
  • My paternal grandmother Irene Smith had 14 siblings (DNA they are half maternal siblings) and another 3 siblings (DNA they are half paternal siblings). Only one of those half siblings died less than one year old.
  • My maternal grandfather Henry Lewis England had 3 sisters. The youngest Lucy died aged 20.
  • My maternal grandmother Hannah Davey had 11 siblings. Her younger sisters Elsie died aged 11 and Lila died aged 8. Both are remembered on the same headstone as their parents in Evandale, Tasmania. They were always mentioned in newspaper reports as well.

Hannah had 44 nieces and nephews and only one of them died young aged 14.

If I were to go further back in my tree and look at nieces and nephews of my direct ancestors, I know there are a lot more families with infants or children who have died young.

So to make sure these youngsters are not overlooked, I am making sure I write a profile for them in WikiTree. Here are some of them:

 

My nickname

Miss W. #52ancestors ,
perianjs / Pixabay

I have always been known as Sue, Suzanne or Suzie by family and friends but at the last school I taught at, I was given the nickname “Super Sue”.

When I retired from teaching after 21 years at the same school, the other middle school staff presented me with a cape with the name Super Sue on it.

Some of the staff who I am still in contact with, call me Super Sue when commenting on my photos on Facebook.

When the middle school began back in 1994, I moved from the primary school to start as a grade 6 teacher in the middle school. As a fairly efficient computer person, I organized things like timetables, modules (students chose activities from a list and I sorted into groups), outdoor activities like excursions. By the time I left the school in 2011, I was still timetabling but also report checking for all students grade 6-10.

Readers: Have you ever been given a nickname?

New favourite photo

Miss W. #52ancestors , ,

Since I last took part in #52ancestors, both my parents have passed – mum September 2021, dad September 2024.  I have been going through all the photos they had at their house, keeping those of family interest, giving away those for their friends.

I have been thinking more about their life together and think this photo really shows their togetherness, their interests for the 67 years they were married.

Bob and Phyl Wyatt

Both were keen bushwalkers and were walking or cycling often up till 2020 when mum got ill. Then it was day trips to favourite places.

Mum would always organize the food, hot thermos, juices, sandwiches, fresh fruit.  Dad would pack the chairs and make sure they had warm clothes and rain gear in case the weather changed. Since I retired in 2011, I would often be invited as driver while dad did the navigating.

As members of the Hobart Walking Club, they would often visit The Steppes, home of Madge Wilson until her death in 1975 aged 92.

This photo was taken at a special event celebrating Jack Thwaites who helped get the homestead declared as a state reserve. On this day the homestead was open for visitors to see inside all the buildings. Mum and dad were keen to show me the rooms where Madge had done a lot of artwork. If you look at my other photos, you will notice snow on the ground in many patches as well as the Steppes sculptures which are nearby the homestead.

To see more photos taken on the day, check out my Flickr album.