James Elphinstone Roe

England & Wales Birth registration index record for James Elphinstone Roe, Mother's Maiden Surname: Moore, July-September quarter 1848, Langport registration district, Somerset, Vol. 10, p. 419.

Parish baptism record for James Elphinstore Roe, father James, cleric, mother Susanne, living High Ham, Somerset, baptised 23 July 1848, by his father James Roe, curate.

Father James was convicted of forgery in 1861 and transported to Western Australia, arriving on 31 December 1862. James, his mother and his siblings arrived in WA on 17 December 1864 on the Hastings.

Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA), Wednesday 21 December 1864, page 2

Shipping Intelligence.

ARRIVED.

19 [ie 17 December]. ... — Hastings, 541 tons, Captain McQueen, from London, with general cargo. Passengers — ... Mrs Roe, Miss Roe and 8 children, ...

The family presumably lived in York (father James met his family at Fremantle when they arrived and immediately escorted them back to York, where he was privately employed as a schoolmaster) until early 1867 when father James commenced as a teacher at Greenough and mother Susannah at a teaching position at Geraldton and later at Greenough.

From the Bicentenial Dictionary of Western Australians, Vol IV p2664.

Worked with father at York and Greenough 1864-70's. Then on erection of telegraph lines. Linesman 1879-1880 on Esperance-Eucla section. To S.A. on telegraph work & then overseas.

England & Wales Marriage registrtion index record for James Elphinstone Roe marrying Annie Feesey, April-June quarter 1884, Wandsworth registration district, London, Vol. 1D, p. 867.

Parish Marriage record for James Elphinstone Roe, 36, bachelor, tobachonist, living 2 St John's road, father James Roe, clergyman, marrying Annie Feesey, 20, spinster, living 2 St Johns road, father Jonathan Feesey, railway porter, marrying on 9 Jun 1884, St Mary's, Battersea, Wandsworth, England.

1885 Electoral roll - James Elphinstone Roe, cottage, rear 20 Porchester Road, Paddington, London.

There is a court case held in the Old Bailey, London, on 10th December 1888, where James Elphinstone Roe, 36, who was described as an electrical engineer, residing in Leamington-terrace, Edinburgh, was charged with obtaining by means of false pretences sums of money and securities from a widow, Margaretta Elizabeth M'Conachy. The age does not match but he may have given a false age. No other James Elphinstone Roe has been identified in the birth records. If this was James, he was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years goal.

1891 England census - James E Rowe, 39, married, civil engineer, born Tauton, Somerset, Convict (Prisoner) at Her Majestys Convict Prison (Portsmouth).

Wife Annie is identified in the 1891 census, widowed, 1901 census, married, and in the 1911 census, widowed, married for 25 years.As the last child was born in 1897, it is assumed James died between 1901 and 1911, possibly around 1909 if the 25 year marriage is accurate.

Not identified in the 1901 or 1911 census or in an England & Wales death record.