Biography

The deceased's mother was born in Scotland in about 1835. In 1862, she married John Henry Gherardin in Heathcote, Victoria and together they produced eight or more children between 1856 and 1877. John Henry had a colourful history which probably began when his father died in the Workhouse in 1834. In 1847, John Henry was in Middlesex Prison, in England, serving a 1 year sentence for conspiracy to commit fraud. On 15 May 1850, he married Mary Ann Holdway, in England. On 31 January 1853, he was transported to Australia for a period of 10 years on a charge of fraud. In 1864 he was listed as being a miner. In Victoria in 1866, John Henry was declared insolvent with debts of £174 17s 6d; assets of £49 8s 6d; leaving a deficiency of £125 9s. The cause was listed as being a falling off in business and bad debts. By 1867, he gained a licence to brew beer and in 1869 he again came to the notice of authorities when his horse was stolen. Here in Western Australia, their son, the deceased, appears to have kept a rather low profile until he finally succumbed to double lobar pneumonia and heart failure. He had spent 22 years in Victoria before arriving in Western Australia.