Hello listers, Researching the terms of the original old-age pensions in Victoria, 1900-1908, I had need to refer to the "Victorian Year Book 1903" on the "Social Condition". In a reference to the drop in marriages in Victoria, the following observation: Between 1891-1901 [remember this was a massive depression time] an efflux of single men to Western Australia and South Africa. To WA 17,443 adult males born in Victoria, 10,732 were single males, 6,701 were married males and a further 6,909 were male minors (under 21 years of age). So it's no wonder that males disappear from our family trees in this period. Plus I have read the account of the experiences of a Queensland nurse who went to the Kalgoorlie area during the gold rush, and the dreadful conditions and high death rate in the desert conditions: no water even to wash patients in the wards! Add to this, the necessity the Victorian Government felt by 1895 to set up the "Intestate Widows Relief Act" listed in the registers (7 volumes) of VPRS 1703, one of the first entries being a Bendigo woman whose husband died in Kalgoorlie. This is perhaps a reference worth pursuing if a husband's death seems not to have been recorded in Victoria post 1894 ? Hope that's of interest Regards Ada Ackerly