The following may be of interest to researchers, in regards to registering births, deaths & marriages during the 19th century, particularly after 1856 when it was compulsory to register these events. Non-compliance resulted with a hefty fine, if you were 'found' out. The McQuade family are a well known Hawkesbury family. This little story concerns Henry Michael Hale McQUADE (1852-1893) who was the son of William McQuade and Amelia Ann nee Hale (1829-1875) Henry married in Sydney in 1878 to Cecily King/McDavitt who was had been born in London circa 1853. They had a daughter and then a son called William Frederick born 24 August 1882. The family were living at the historical home called “Fairfield” in Windsor at the time. The birth was registered by the Henry about 6 weeks after the birth on the 10 October. Two years later Henry & Cecily had another child, daughter Josephine Adelaide McQuade who was born on the 21 August 1884. The birth certificate only lists the baby’s name, date of birth plus the mother & father’s names. No other information is supplied. However the under the heading REGISTRATION the following is stated : “THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE BIRTH OF JOSEPHINE ADELAIDE, THE CHILD OF HENRY MICHAEL HALE MCQUADE BY CECILY, HIS WIFE, WAS OMITTED TO BE REGISTERED, THE SAID JOSEPHINE ADELAIDE HAVING BEEN BORN ON THE 21ST DAY OF AUGUST” Then the essence of this story is the NOTE on the certificate. In all my years of family history research, on my own family as well as others, I have never seen the likes of this explanation. The certificate was purchased from Transcriber Marilyn Rowan, who also said she hadn’t seen anything quite as lengthy. The full details are : This entry is just a note in the margin of the register with some documentation attached; text of documents: (letter) John McLaughlin, solicitor, Mercantile Mutual Chambers, 118 Pitt Street Sydney, 18 April 1889 - the Registrar General, Elizabeth Street Sydney; Dear Sir, referring to my conversation with you in reference to the registration of the birth of a child Of Mr Henry Michael Hale McQuade and Cecily McQuade, named Josephine Adelaide, I now beg to forward you certificate of conviction and shall be obliged if you will make the marginal note in your books for the year 1884 as suggested by yourself. Faithfully yours, Jno McLaughlin; letter has been stamped as correspondence received by the Registrar General's Dept Sydney, Births Marriages & Deaths, dated 17 Apr 89; a file number 89/137 has been written on letter; index number b1884/4139 has been written on letter. Certificate of conviction: i, the undersigned, Clerk of Petty Sessions at the Water Police Office, in the city of Sydney, in the colony of NSW, being the officer having ordinarily the custody of the documents and proceedings showing the convictions, sentences, or orders, had, passed, or made before the justices of the peace for the said colony, sitting in petty sessions, at the said Water Police Office, do hereby certify that on the sixteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty nine, Henry Michael Hale McQuade was convicted at the said Water Police Office by Arthur Money Fisher Esquire, a Stipendiary Magistrate for the Metropolitan Police District Of Sydney, and one of her Majesty's justices of the peace for the said colony for that at Sydney aforesaid, the said Henry Michael Hale McQuade did neglect to give to Edward Grant Ward, the Registrar General Of Births Deaths And Marriages of the said colony, particulars concerning the birth of a child of the said Henry Michael Hale McQuade, according to the forms of registration referred to in the act for registering births deaths and marriages within sixty days after the birth of the said child, such birth having taken place on the 21st day of August 1884, and it was hereby ordered and adjudged by the said stipendiary magistrate that said Henry Michael Hale McQuade for his said offence should forfeit and pay the penalty or sum of fifteen shillings to be paid and applied according to law, and should also pay the sum of five shillings and sixpence for costs in that behalf; and that if the several sums are not paid forthwith, then the same should be levied by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the said Henry Michael Hale McQuade, and in default of sufficient distress being found that the said Henry Michael Hale McQuade should be imprisoned in the gaol at Darlinghurst for the space of fourteen days unless the several sums and all costs and charges of the said distress should be sooner paid. given under my hand, at the Water Police Office, in the said city of Sydney, this eighteenth day of April in the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty nine - (signed) George W Smithers; document is date stamped 18 Apr 89 by Water Police Office Court Sydney NSW; document is stamped correspondence received by the Registrar General's Dept Sydney, Births Marriages & Deaths, dated 17 Apr 89; handwritten notations at top of document read "enclosure 4139" and "b1884/4139" Michelle Nichols

Hi Michelle & Listers, How lucky for you that the police caught up with your chap ! This shows up the big advantage in getting a transcription from an agent as opposed to a certificate from the registry office .....you would not have been given the extra information/notations on the latter. Cheers Lynne Visit our Website http://lynneandgrayeme.kinpendium.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michelle Nichols" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 5:41 PM Subject: Oops I forgot to register the baby! > The following may be of interest to researchers, in regards to registering > births, deaths & marriages during the 19th century, particularly after > 1856 when it was compulsory to register these events. Non-compliance > resulted with a hefty fine, if you were 'found' out. Snip -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.1.0/269 - Release Date: 24/02/2006