Hi Julie & Listers, When two men drowned in Corio Bay during a storm in 1871 the local Geelong community were very supportive of their families. Within days of the men going missing an advertisement was placed in the Geelong Advertiser which read: " A meeting of gentlemen willing to assist in getting up an entertainment or presenting a subscription in aid of the berieved widow and children of Henry Shugg and the aged mother of Mr. Thorogood, who were drowned during the recent gale in Corio Bay, will take place at the Manchester Unity Hall this evening at half-past seven o'clock". The meeting was also written up in the editorial section of the newpaper, " A meeting has been convened for this evening to take steps to raise subscriptions for the relatives of the unfortunate men Shugg and Thorogood. The meeting will be held in the Manchester Unity Hall and although the convener has declined to make himself known, it is to be hoped the meeting will be well attended and that subscriptions will flow in liberally." Julie, you might want to check issues of the Geelong Advertiser around the time that James died, you never know, you might find something similar occurred for his family. cheers, Brenda ----- Original Message ----- From: <JulieMWhyte@aol.com> > Hello > > Just wondering if anyone could help explain how a widow would have supported > her family after her husbands death in Geelong late 1800's.? > > My g g g grandfather James EAGEN died 1874. His widow Margaret EGAN nee > LISTON (sometimes given as Lyster /Linton) didn't pass away until about 1921. > > When James died Margaret had a young family - how would she have supported > them? > The family lived in the ASHBY area. > > Could anyone shed light on how this family would have survived please. > > Thank you > Julie

Thanks for that Brenda- It is this Co-operation and mutual support that perhaps typifies the Australian " mateship" which has clearly been necessary for all our survival in a young society. bfn John Brenda wrote: >Hi Julie & Listers, > >When two men drowned in Corio Bay during a storm in 1871 the local Geelong >community were very supportive of their families. > >Within days of the men going missing an advertisement was placed in the >Geelong Advertiser which read: " A meeting of gentlemen willing to assist >in getting up an entertainment or presenting a subscription in aid of the >berieved widow and children of Henry Shugg and the aged mother of Mr. >Thorogood, who were drowned during the recent gale in Corio Bay, will take >place at the Manchester Unity Hall this evening at half-past seven o'clock". > >The meeting was also written up in the editorial section of the newpaper, " >A meeting has been convened for this evening to take steps to raise >subscriptions for the relatives of the unfortunate men Shugg and Thorogood. >The meeting will be held in the Manchester Unity Hall and although the >convener has declined to make himself known, it is to be hoped the meeting >will be well attended and that subscriptions will flow in liberally." > >Julie, you might want to check issues of the Geelong Advertiser around the >time that James died, you never know, you might find something similar >occurred for his family. > >cheers, >Brenda > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: <JulieMWhyte@aol.com> > > > > >>Hello >> >>Just wondering if anyone could help explain how a widow would have >> >> >supported > > >>her family after her husbands death in Geelong late 1800's.? >> >>My g g g grandfather James EAGEN died 1874. His widow Margaret EGAN nee >>LISTON (sometimes given as Lyster /Linton) didn't pass away until about >> >> >1921. > > >>When James died Margaret had a young family - how would she have supported >>them? >>The family lived in the ASHBY area. >> >>Could anyone shed light on how this family would have survived please. >> >>Thank you >>Julie >> >> > > >==== AUS-VIC-GEELONG-DISTRICT Mailing List ==== >Geelong & District and Bellarine Indexes : >http://www.zades.com.au/geelong/gdbksrc1.asp >http://www.zades.com.au/bellhs/bpnmsrc1.asp > >. > > > -- John Whitehand Melbourne 61 3 93145306 "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." Antoine de St. Exupery http://www.westegg.com/exupery/

Hello friends, I have been reading the replies to this with interest as I have came across this on a number of occasions ...... even within my own family. It depends a lot of what family, friends and other resources a widow had. My own great grandmother, widowed in 1879 ...... with a young family (my three year old grandmother being the youngest) ...... managed to farm the land that they had selected with the help of her young daughters ...... and she acted as midwife to the local families as a way of earning money. But she was lucky as they were paying off their land and they had a house to live in. Others ...... if they had a small amount of capital ...... could start some sort of small business. While those who had a house could take in boarders. Many widows became dressmakers. But it was much more common for widows without financial resources to support themselves and their families by going out to do other peoples housework ...... or by taking in washing and ironing. One of my friends has found that her widowed gg grandmother arrived in Melbourne with her two young daughters from Ireland in the 1860s, rented a house, and took in boarders. Kindest Regards ...... Corinne in Melbourne, Australia.