NATHAN PAGE, EARLY PIONEER OF THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.
itellya
According to Victorian BDM, Nathan Page did not die in Victoria but he certainly did. According to one report of his death, he left no family* so it would be reasonable to assume that he never married. That's what I thought when I first wrote about Nathan's death and knew nothing of the availability online of Victorian BDM.
*A case of determined suicide was discovered on the 17th inst., when an old man named Nathan Page was found
dead in his hut at Canterbury, about three miles from Sorrento, with a bullet wound through his head. He was dead when found, and was lying across the bunk, with a revolver grasped in his right hand. One chamber was discharged. Death must have been instantaneous,the bullet having passed through the brain, and out at the top of the skull. Deceased was about 70 years of age, and an old resident of the place. For years he had been employed by Mr Cain, as storekeeper, but about two months ago he left, and started lime quarrying. He leaves no family. A coroner's inquiry was held yesterday, when a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind was returned. (P.15, Weekly Times, 25-2-1899.)
I had found this death notice during my earlier research but there was no information that Bridget was the widow of the early limeburner. But it was enough to produce the sort of loose end which I detest!
PAGE. — On -May 26th, at her residence,63 Hawke-street, West Melbourne), Bridget, relict of the late Nathan Page, and dearly loved mother of Louisa(Mrs. Noonan), Elizabeth (Mrs. Childs), Edwin, Sarah, Fred, James, Dan, and the late Mary (Mrs. Brazil),and Will- May her soul rest, in peace.(P.18, Advocate, 9-6-1917.)
Having been unable to find Nathan's death record*, I wondered if there was a marriage record and without limiting the search to any time frame, I found just ONE marriage record. (*Eventually found. See end of journal.)
EventMarriage Event registration number1249 Registration year1853
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesNathan SexUnknown Spouse's family nameGILDAY Spouse's given namesBridget
Unfortunately marriage records do not detail locations, but birth records do! There is no doubt that Bridget and her husband were our Mornington Peninsula Pioneers. Elizabeth's death record proves that the subject of the death notice was indeed Bridget, nee Gilday.
EventBirth Event registration number4917 Registration year1855
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesWilliam Nathan SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gildey) Place of birthPT NEPEAN
EventBirth Event registration number4740 Registration year1857
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesMary SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthMELB
EventBirth Event registration number14129 Registration year1859
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesHarriett Elizabeth SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthPOINT NEPE
EventDeath Event registration number4350 Registration year1925
Personal information
Family nameCHILDS Given namesHarriett Elizabeth SexFemale Father's namePAGE Nathanial Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birth Place of deathBRUNSWICK EAST Age63
EventBirth Event registration number16762 Registration year1862
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesLouisa SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthPOIN
EventBirth Event registration number14792 Registration year1864
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesEdwin SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Bilday) Place of birthDROM
EventBirth Event registration number24488 Registration year1866
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesSarah Ann SexUnknown Father's nameNathen Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthTOOTGAROOK
EventBirth Event registration number12163 Registration year1869
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesClementina Gertrude SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthTOOTGAROOK
(EventDeath Event registration number8147 Registration year1870
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesClementina Gertrude SexUnknown Father's nameNathan Mother's nameBridget (Gilday) Place of birthTOOT Place of death Age1)
NATHAN PAGE'S DEATH RECORD.
This was eventually found by deleting his given name and specifying 1899 as the death year.
EventDeath Event registration number3896 Registration year1899
Personal information
Family namePAGE Given namesNathaniel SexUnknown Father's nameUnknown Mother's nameUnknown (Unknown) Place of birth Place of deathTootgarook Age77
WHY WAS EDWIN'S BIRTH IN 1864 REGISTERED AT DROMANA?
Nathan had selected crown allotment 21A, section B, Wannaeue of 130 acres 2 roods 32 perches, part of the subdivision of the Arthurs Seat Run. Its north west corner is opposite 284 Main Creek Rd with a road frontage extending 465 metres southward and a depth two thirds of the way to Mornington-Flinders Rd. Main Creek probably forming the eastern boundary. It is indicated by Melway 190 A-C 8(bottom), 9(top.)
Paste http://digital.slv.vic.gov.au/view/action/singleViewer.do into your search bar to see c/a 21A labelled Nathan Page.
The land was granted to John Cain on 5-3-1895. It is possible that clearing the selection had been too difficult for Nathan and that John Cain had taken it over, promising Nathan steady employment as long as he desired it, which he certainly did provide. It is also possible that Nathan and Bridget missed their old lime burning friends near Rye. It was probably because of this property that John Cain called his heritage-listed cottage in Boneo Rd just south of Bunnings "Midway".
THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT NATHAN AND BRIDGET HAD SEPARATED.
Perhaps Nathan liked his life in the bush and remained there where he was assured of regular income during the 1890's depression, and Bridget had moved to the city to care for an elderly relative, supported by Nathan's earnings.
WHY DID NATHAN COMMIT SUICIDE?
There were countless reports of Nathan's sad end and I am fairly certain that one, perhaps the report of the inquest at Sorrento, mentioned that he was in great pain. Suicides were very common in those days, the cause usually being pain, bereavement, financial problems or romantic obstacles.
by itellya
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Contact | Subscribe | Block this user on 2017-08-21 02:06:24
Itellya is researching local history on the Mornington Peninsula and is willing to help family historians with information about the area between Somerville and Blairgowrie. He has extensive information about Henry Gomm of Somerville, Joseph Porta (Victoria's first bellows manufacturer) and Captain Adams of Rosebud.
Comments
itellya on 2017-08-21 05:10:11BRIDGET WAS AN ORPHAN.
Before discovering Victorian BDM I managed to get snippets of genealogy by googling a married woman's maiden surname, given name and married surname, e.g. GILDAY BRIDGET PAGE. The 18th result for these words was:
DATABASE - Irish Famine Memorial
www.irishfaminememorial.org/orphans/database/?page=6...age...
Surname : Kildea (Gildae, Gilday)
First Name : Biddy
Age on arrival : 15
Native Place : Donegal, Glenally? [Gleneely]
Parents : Not recorded
Religion : Roman Catholic
Ship name : Lady Kennaway (Melbourne1848)
Other : shipping: nursemaid, cannot read or write; empl. Elizabeth Dene, Swanston St., Melbourne, £10, 6 months; married Englishman Nathan Page, St Pauls, Melbourne 1 Oct 1853; 9 children; best man at wedding was Richard Morgan who had married Margaret Kildea in 1851 (also per Lady Kennaway, perhaps Bridget's sister); Page was a limeburner on the Peninsula & had a kiln at Rye; the family lived various places from Point Nepean to Dromana when most houses were bark huts; Nathan died 1899; Bridget lived with her daughter in West Melbourne & died in 1917.
itellya on 2017-08-21 14:49:41MRS. BRIDGET PAGE.
A very old and highly esteemed resident, of West Melbourne (and formerly
of Flemington for over twenty years), in the person of Mrs. Bridget Page, passed peacefully away on May 26th,at her residence, 63 Hawke-street, West
Melbourne. The deceased lady was a native of the North of Ireland, and had
resided in Victoria for over sixty years,during which time she gained the love and esteem of those with whom she came in contact. She often told many
interesting tales of the hardships in the early days of Melbourne. She suffered very patiently for many months before her death. Rev. Fr.Egan administered the Last Rites of our Holy Church. The funeral proceeded to St. Mary's, Star of the Sea, West Melbourne, where the usual prayers were read, and thence to the cemetery. The pall-bearers were Messrs. G. Boswell, W. McBride, A. Barr, P. Ryan, J. Doyle, F. Eustace, J. Carroll, and T.Cummins. Mrs. Page leaves three daughters, four sons, thirteen grandchildren, and five great grandchildren to mourn her loss. May her soul rest in peace. (P.23, Advocate, 9-6-1917.)
PAGE.— On the 17th July, at 72 Lambeth-street, Kensington, William N.,dearly beloved and eldest son of Nathan and Bridget Page. Beloved by all who knew him. (P.5, The Age, 19-7-1890.)
PAGE. — On September 7, Sarah Ann youngest daughter of the late Nathan and Bridget Page, sister of William, Mary (Mrs. Brazil), Elizabeth (Mrs.Childs) Louise (Mrs. Noonan), Edwin Fred and James (all deceased) No flowers by request. Requiescat in pace. (P.2, The Age, 8-9-1950.)
PAGE.- On January 1, at 80 Princes-street,Flemington, Edwin Page, only surviving son of the late Nathan, Bridget Page, and dearly loved brother of Sarah, Requiescat in pace. (P.1, The Age, 2-1-1940.)
itellya on 2020-08-18 15:21:20FROM POETS CORNER.
Pauline Thiele is with --- ----.
Rising Star · 3h
--- ---, I believe this poem is all your fault and pray that you will take responsibly for your actions (just kidding). Today I was thinking about poor Nathan from Sorrento, who took his life in 1899, and here is the result of my ponderings:
Nathan Page - 1899
“He’s gone!” the young butcher shouted
As he saw the blood flow from his head.
Nathan held the gun in his left hand,
And laid awkwardly up on his bed.
It all happened on a Saturday,
And Nathan was only seventy*.
He lived inside a lime kilt hut,
Where he’d cooked up food for many.
Nathan fired the bullet into his mouth,
And it went straight right through his head.
Then it bounced down off the ceiling
And laid on his breast where the blood had bled.
When the eldest son of Ogleby
Had casually leant against the wall
I ponder what they’d talked about,
Or had there been no exchange at all.
The newspaper ne’er did say
If Nathan had felt so all alone.
Had he been being feeling too damned depressed
For a sin he couldn’t atone.
Perhaps is someone had said something,
Or sat down with Nathan and talked,
He might have felt a thread of hope
And that path to suicide he’d not have walked.
I would like to know his life’s weaving,
If the treads were dark or gold.
Was his married life a blissful one,
And were his children brave and bold?
I wonder if anyone had e’er checked
To see what state his heart was in.
Was it strong and was it rugged,
Or was it broke and in a spin?
Way back in 1899
Was depression e’en recognized?
And would it have made a difference
Before his death was realised?
‘An Old Man’s Suicide’,
Is all the newspaper heading said.
It showed no shred of compassion
For Nathan who was dead upon his bed.
*HIS AGE WAS LATER DISCOVERED TO BE 77.
itellya on 2020-08-20 02:46:19Pauline,like all good poets, was not satisfied with her first effort and asked me to post her redraft.
Nathan Page - 1899
“He’s gone!” the old butcher shouted
As he saw the blood flow from his head.
Nathan held the gun in his left hand,
And lay awkward on his bed.
It all happened on a Saturday,
And Nathan was only seventy.
He lived inside a lime kilt hut,
Where he’d cooked up food for many.
Nathan fired the bullet into his mouth,
And it went straight right through his head.
Then it bounced down off the ceiling
And lay on his breast where it had bled.
When the eldest son of Ogleby
Had casually leaned against the wall
I ponder what they’d talked about,
Or had there been no exchange at all.
The newspaper ne’er did say
If Nathan had felt so all alone.
Had he been being feeling too damned depressed
For a sin he couldn’t atone.
Perhaps, he had worked those old lime mines,
That had left him with great pain.
Or maybe he had laboured hard
For no benefit or gain.
Perhaps if someone had said something,
Or sat down with Nathan and talked,
He might have felt a thread of hope
And that path to suicide he’d not have walked.
I would like to know his life’s weaving,
If the threads were dark or gold.
Was his married life a blissful one,
And were his children brave and bold?
I wonder if anyone had e’er checked
To see what state his heart was in.
Was it strong and was it rugged,
Or was it broke and in a spin?
Way back in 1899
Was depression e’en recognized?
And would it have made a difference
Before his death was realised?
‘An Old Man’s Suicide’,
Is all the newspaper heading said.
It showed no shred of compassion
For dead Nathan on his bed.