Life History

Other facts

Notes

• Notes from RV Coggins: John Joseph Tilley and his sister Sarah Tilley (Aunt Addie) were orphaned at a very early age. Both were adopted out to farm workers, and Aunt Addie ran away and was taken in by a local publican's wife. Later she learned the bar trade and worked in hotels. John Joseph Tilley worked on farms and later for the council in Jeparit, Victoria. After 16 years of marriage and 8 living children, he was killed in a fight at the local hotel - he was just 40 year of age. His wife Kate Elizabeth was left destitute with a large family, some of whom were adopted out or sent to their godparents. The Menzies family (parents of Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia) were very good to them; they were neighbours and the local food store was owned by Mr and Mrs Menzies. Mrs Menzies made black dresses for Molly, Peggy and Madge (the three oldest girls) to wear to their father's funeral.
  
  From notes by David Coggins:
  
  When he was old enough, John Joseph worked his way across South Australia, and made his way into Victoria, reportedly ending up with his own horse and saddle, and 50 pounds in the bank. There he met Catherine (Kate) Elizabeth Martin, who was born on 18 January 1872 in Lexton (near Ballarat), Victoria. They married at Ballarat on 12 September 1891, and moved back towards South Australia. Their first child (Mary) was born in Minyip, Vic, then they settled in Jeparit, Vic where John worked for the local council and finally built a house for his family about 1904.
  
  Prior to the house at Jeparit being completed they lived in tents and huts, on a property near Lake Hindmarsh reportedly owned by a family relation, where John was working. Apparently each child was born in a different place, so there must have been quite a few of them. As it was one and a half miles to the nearest school, it was difficult for Molly and Peggy to walk that distance to and from school each day, so the family finally moved closer to town and built the house.
  
  Notes from Gertrude Irene (Topsy) Tilley: John Tilley died on the evening of Feb 22 (1908)- apparently at the local (Jeparit) Hopetown Family Hotel. He was keeping the record of a man playing Snooker or whatever, at a billiard table. On reporting M. Smith had cheated, but had denied it, who when my Dad went to the toilet, followed with a bottle which, on leaving the toilet, he struck Dad on the temple .. who then bled to death .. same night on the spot ...  Mum and 8 children were waiting at home ... but he was dead.
  
  
  Details of Manslaughter Inquest, held 22 and 24 February 1908, by Edward Harrison, Coroner.
• John Joseph Tilley

Sources

• 1. Australia Death Index, 1787-1985
  • Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.
• 2. Australian Electoral Rolls, 1903-1954
  • Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.Original data - Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll].Original data: Australian Electoral Commission. [Electoral roll]
• 3. Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1949
  • Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.
• 4. Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922
  • Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Compiled from publicly available sources.Original data: Compiled from publicly available sources.