A Victorian family, tragedies and farce
It's surprising the stories that can be discovered from a random image. This one comes from the Facebook and Instagram pages of Tansley & Co., vintage merchants in Maldon, Victoria, Australia . It is a prize presentation plate in a book entitled " Heroines of the Household " * given by the Ladies' School of Fitzroy (Melbourne) to a Miss J. Gillett for "General Improvement", and dated is Christmas 1869. Jane Gillett was born in Melbourne on 5 October 1853, and baptised at St Peter's Church, Eastern Hill , on 12 March 1854. That record shows that her father, Edward, had the occupation of "Land Owner" and her mother was Eliza. The family's address was Napier Street, Collingwood. Further research shows the family continued to live in Napier Street for many more years and that it was later incorporated into the suburb of Fitzroy. Edward Gillett is often simply described as "Gentleman" in various records. He was born...