Conflict

#52 ancestors 52 weeks

John REED was arrested for attempted murder and committed for trial on 25 September, 1886. The prison record tells us that he “unlawfully attempted to discharge a loaded revolver with intent to feloniously and of his malice aforethought to kill and murder her at Exeter on 24 September 1886” [2]. John REED was found not guilty and acquitted of the charge by the Supreme Court on finding of sureties [3].

The papers of the day provide a broader picture of the conflict between John REED and his wife Charlotte BONNELL, the article in the South Australian Register is typical of the other articles of the day [5]. The Register implies that there had been long term conflict between John and his wife Charlotte and then while living in Melbourne John had written threatening letters to his wife [6]. The conflict in essence was over the fact that Charlotte BONNELL had been married prior to marrying John REED and her husband was still alive. the papers imply that this was unknown to John REED at the time of his marriage to her. Or was this just one of many conflicts between John and Charlotte.

John REED a widower married Charlotte Elizabeth BONNELL on 29 April, 1879 at the Wesleyan Parsonage, Port Adelaide [7]. Charlotte use her maiden name when marrying REED, although she was married to Edward Jones SPENDER on 27 November 1865 [8].

So was Charlotte a bigamist? Certainly she married John REED while still being married to Edward SPENDER. She claims in the newspaper articles that she had not seen or heard from him for ten years [9]. None of the newspaper articles tell us whether Edward SPENDER had returned and that this was the cause of the conflict.

While Charlotte and John married in 1879, they had 8 children between 1869 and 1885. Newton REED – There has been speculation as to who the father was of Newton REED. His death certificate indicates that he believed his father was John REED [10]. Alice Lovine REED [11], George REED [12], Henry [13] Charles Wilton REED [14], Frederick Ernest REED [15], Nellie May (Mary) REED [16] and Percival REED [17]. The dates of the birth of the children suggest that John and Charlotte started a relationship not long after the death of John’s wife Mary Ann REED nee CHAPMAN [18] in 1867.

Charlotte was the second wife of my second great grandfather, one of his daughters from his first marriage Margaret Ann REED married Edward Waller LOADES[20]. As a step great great grandmother she makes an interesting figure to understand as the BONNELL family history is a story of twist and tales for another time. Her life with John REED appears to have been fraught with conflict, certainly over the state of her first marriage. The official records suggest that John REED moved to Melbourne sometime after his release and stayed there until he died [21]. This will be the basis for next weeks tale.

 

Sources

[1] State Library of South Australia. Adelaide Gaol B10005. Lithograph of the Adelaide Gaol, looking at the tower entrance across the railway lines. Geoffrey Brown artist 1933. accessed at https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10005

[2] State Records of South Australia. Register of prisoners committed and tried – Adelaide Gaol from 1839 GRG54/24. Register of prisoners – Adelaide Gaol, GRS_2414_1_7_I, 11 Sep 1885-3 Jan 1889, REED, John, image 98 of 271. Accessed hhttps://www.archives.sa.gov.au/content/online-records#Courts 14th October, 2018

[3] ibid

[4] State Library of South Australia. Exeter B50993. Butchers wearing their striped aprons with a delivery cart outside J.Mead’s meat shop on Semaphore Road, two horsemen, one a postman, are nearby.. accessed at https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+50993

[5] CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. (1886, September 27). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900), p. 7. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44577875 

[6] inbid

[7] Genealogy SA Marriage Index Database. REED, John Port Adelaide 119/398 accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[8] Family Notices (1865, December 2). Adelaide Observer (SA : 1843 – 1904), p. 2 (Supplement to the Adelaide Observer.). Retrieved October 14, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159499467

[9] CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. (1886, September 27). South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 – 1900), p. 7. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44577875  

[10] Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria. Deaths in the District of Melbourne Victoria Number 12656 REED Newton, 28 August 1946.

[11] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, Alice Lovine, Port Gawler  94/62. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[12] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, George, Port Adelaide 162/464. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[13] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, Henry, Port Adelaide 206/334. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[14] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, Charles Wilton, Port Adelaide 244/148. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[15] Genealogy SA Death Index Database. REED, Frederick Ernest, Adelaide H 769/3180. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[16] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, Nellie May (Mary) , Port Adelaide V 320/431. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[17] Genealogy SA Birth Index Database. REED, Percival, Port Adelaide 360/76. accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[18] SHIP MAILS. (1867, January 5). The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 – 1889), p. 2. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28794181

[19] State Library of South Australia. Shops in Gawler/PRG 1717/16/2. View of shops in Gawler, South Australia. accessed at https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG 1717/16/2

[20] Genealogy SA Marriage Index Database. REED, Margaret Ann Port Adelaide 105/818 accessed at http://genealogysa.org.au

[21] Victorian Crown Law Office. Proceedings of Inquest on the Body of John REED, March 23 1891.