Mary Richardson

BIRTH & BAPTISM Name: Mary Richardson Birth Date: Abt 1861 Birth Place: Geelong, Victoria Registration Year: 1861 Registration Place: Victoria, Australia Father: James Robert Richardson Mother: Eliza Maria Mcvay Registration Number: 2790

1861: Mary Richardson, daughter of James Robert and Eliza Maria McVay, born Geelong Victoria.Reg No. 2790.

DEATH & BURIAL First name(s) Mary Last name Richardson Age 1 Sex Female Birth year 1861 Death year 1862 Father's name James Robert Mother's name Eliza Death place - State Victoria Registration number 1859

Name: Mary Richardson Birth Year: abt 1861 Age: 1 Death Place: Victoria Father's Name: James Robert Mother's Name: Eliza Registration Year: 1862 Registration Place: Victoria Registration Number: 1859 1862: Mary Richardson dies age 1 yr. Father James Robert, mother Eliza. Reg No. 1859.

Mary's birth certificate brackets her name with Samuel's and seems to say she is the younger of twins. Samuel died 13 weeks after birth.

A possible explanation for the twins being born at the jail is in The Argus of Saturday, September 24, 1881. Quote - "The Inspector General of penal establishments, Mr J.B.Castieau, in a report addressed to the government, calls attention to the fact that in all Victorian gaols there are a number of inmates who have really been sentenced to imprisonment on no other grounds than their weakness and destitution. ......Geelong Gaol, which generally has on an average about 120 male and 50 female prisoners, is used almost entirely as a place of shelter for old and infirm poor people, who have been sent to gaol for having no visible means of support......" The loss of  at least 3 babies in early infancy might infer that the family was in poor circumstances affecting Eliza's health in pregnancy. Eliza was committed to asylum in October 1860 as 'unsafe' due to her mental health. Husband James lived another 20 years, was admitted to Geelong Infirmary and Benevolent Asylum a couple of times, and eventually died by suicide. He is buried at Leopold. An all round sad tale.