Pierre Wilson La France

Pierre Wilson La France

The photograph is my guess, my father dressed up, but I could be wrong, if I am, the resemblance in later life is astonishing.

• Birth: estimated between 1848 and 1906 
• Death: after 1954 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• Wife: Florence Maude La France
• Children: May Adele La France; Edna La France; Mervyn La France; Raymond La France; Lawrence Marcus Lionel Wheeler (born Lionel Marcus La France); Ivy La France and Peter La France + 3 daughters that died within months of being born.
• Appearance: Dark, large nose and a French accent, even in later years.
• Naturalisation: 26 Apr 1939 - 31 Dec 1950 see records

Naturalization:

• Item details for: A435, 1944/4/1193
• LA FRANCE Pierre Wilson - born 24 May 1871 - French
• Contents date range: 1944 - 1944
• Series number: A435
• Control symbol : 1944/4/1193
• Item barcode : 5471103
• Location: Canberra
• Access status: Not yet examined
• Physical format: PAPER FILES AND DOCUMENTS (allocated at series level)
• Extent: 10 folios
• Date registered: 15 Nov 2002
• SURNAME - LA FRANCE;
• GIVEN NAMES- Pierre Wilson;
• DATE OF NATURALISATION - 17 JUL 1944;
• PREVIOUS NATIONALITY - FRENCH;
• PLACE OF BIRTH - Paris, FRANCE;
• YEAR OF BIRTH - 1871;
• PLACE OF RESIDENCE - Port Augusta West, SA

We have been told many stories about Pierre:

1.He was a circus performer with his uncle and his brother in Paris, they were called "The Wilson Brothers". This is my Uncle Douglas's preferred story.

2. In Australia they had a period where Afghans, Iranians, Persians and others who were camel handlers were brought to the country to run the "Camel Train" from Adelaide to Darwin, hence the name GHAN for the train that does that route now. We have been told, due to his French accent and dark appearance, that he was one of those. The DNA Family Finder map from one great grand daughter may prove this right. This chart only goes back 5-6 generations. Any possible family please go to Family Tree DNA to get tested so we may compare online automatically.

He fell in love with Florence Greaves (mother Langlois from the Chanel Islands) a governess from a "good" pastoral family and stayed hidden. Florences mother was from the Channel Islands, she spoke and probably taught French when they met, so, possibly to hide him, and to maybe placate her parents, they may have made this story.

Their first daughter, my grandmother, of very stark slender appearance was born 7 years before their marriage. They lived on an Aboriginal reserve for a while, I think, where she was teaching, or at least "outback". The delay in marriage may have been for reasons of "absconding", this is the popular thought. My Auntie Edna, the youngest and most lovely of people, was round and soft, and looked very aboriginal in my opinion, there is no record of her birth to be found, but, she was voting in 1935, so she was born before 1914.

Pierre was "away" a lot, why I do not know, but, I am finding "la Frances born with no father in Victoria:

• Born: 1901
• First Name: Olive Roberts
• Last Name: La France
• Gender: Unknown
• Died: 1901
• Father's Name: -
• Mother's Name: Lillian Gregory
• Death: Place South Melbourne
• State: Victoria
• Registration Number: 10846

Lillian had other children La France as well.

3. He was actually an Afghani Aboriginal and "put on" the French accent, to be allowed to marry a white woman. His name was Williams and he was the "lookout" for after hours drinking in Port Augusta, South Australia.

4. He was a deserter from a ship, was an old one, that has not been mentioned much of late. One family name is Vernon and, I noticed a deserter from that ship and wondered if that name came from a "ships name". That deserter was English but from memory was a "Duthy".

I found this today 20/6/2014:

Courts & Legal - Queensland Police Gazette document • State: Queensland • Country: Australia • Page Number: 214

SHIP DESERTION 7th August, 1885.

GEULLON, Tascon, Mallegoer (Frenchmen) are charged, on warrants issued by the Maryborough Bench, with deserting their ship "La France," at that place on the 18th ultimo.

Description :-

• 1st, 19 years of age, 5 feet high, stout build, black hair and eyes, can speak a little English ;
• 2nd, 18 years of age, 5 feet high, stout build, fair hair, cannot speak English ;
• 3rd, 38 years of age, 5 feet six inches high, slight build, black whiskers and moustache, can speak English.

Supposed to have gone to Yengarie.

• Geullon b abt 1866 this could be him from description and age group
• Tascon b abt 1867
• Malegoer b abt 1847

This is my preferred opinion at this stage.

Electoral rolls for La France in Australia:

1941 Boothby SA Electoral Roll SA Page 876

• LA FRANCE, Edna Marie, 105a Anzac Highway, Golflands, h d F ( G Auntie)
• La France, Florence Maud, 105 Anzac Highway, Golflands, h d F (G Grandmother)
• La-France, Lionel Marcus, 105 Anzac Highway, Golflands, stnhnd M (G Uncle)

--------------------------------------

1939 Boothby SA Electoral Roll SA Page 824

• LA FRANCE, Edna Marie, 105a Anzac Highway, Golfiands, h d F ( G Auntie)
• La France, Florence Maud, 105 Anzac Highway, Golflands, h d F (G Grandmother)

----------------------------------- 1935 NSW Darling

• Robertson, Jean Marion, La France, Wrigley street, Gilgandra, home d., F
• Robertson, 'Stuart Wallace, La France, Wrigley st., Gilgandra, bnk. elk., M
• Mating, Arthur Henry, La France, Railway crescent, M
• Watson, Rosa Edith, La France, Railway crescent, Guildford, home d., F
• Prebble, Arthur William, Swan Creek, farmer, M
• Prebble, Robinson la France, Swan Creek, home duties, F

----------------------------------

1939 Qld

• France, Annie Bertrude, La France, Lutwyche rd., Windsor, storekeeper, F
• France, Charlotte Ethel, La France, Lutwyche rd., Windsor, tailoress, F
• France, Frances Inez Beatrice, La France, Lutwyche rd., Windsor, dressmaker, F.
• Stockall, Phyllis La France, 218 Kent st., shop assistant, F

La France Shoe Store Ltd.. 125 King St. Sydney, I also found Langlois on St Helier, Jersey who was a Shoe Maker.

Title: LA FRANCE Pierre Wilson - born 24 May 1871 - French

• Series no: A435
• Control symbol: 1944/4/1193
• Barcode no: 5471103
• Date submitted: 4/03/2016
• Date due: 2/06/2016

Your Receipt number for the application is: RX01/00101983