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Orphan Number: 1820
Orphan: Jane FIGG
Mother:SMITH, Margaret
Father:FIGG, William
Mother's ship:
Father's ship:
Age when admitted:5yrs
Date admitted:30 Nov 1835
Date discharged:13 Jan 1838
Institution(s):Queens Orphan School
Discharged to: mother
Remarks: father a tailor in Launceston
References: SWD28, CSO5/86/1885

This orphan has been claimed by: Deidre Ikin

I am claiming Jane Figg admitted to Queens Orphan School in 1835 at the age of 5 years, along with her sister Esther age 7. The record states their mother is Margaret Smith and father William Figg, a tailor in Launceston.

They were discharged into the care of Margaret Smith in 1838. It is interesting that my ancestor, Henry Robert Figg was born in 1835 in Clarence, Tasmania, the same year the girls were put into the orphanage.

My question arises from William Figg, who was born about 1797 in UK, and from the records I think he may have had a child to a woman called Mary Ann or just Ann. I cannot find any death records for William Figg. We have been told there is Aboriginal ancestry down the Figg family line but we do not know where.  Please see orphan record number 1819 also. Any info would be great.
icondei@iinet.net.au Deidre Ikin.

I work at Link Up in NSW and now dont take anything for granted doing searches, ie names, spelling, dates, marriages etc.



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This orphan has been claimed by: Steven Figg

Jane Douglas Figg was my great-great-great aunt; she was born on 6 Jan 1830 at Hobart Town in VDL, the second child of ex-convict and tailor William Figg and free woman Margaret Smith. Jane was only 15 years old when she married Thomas Henry Taylor on 6 Mar 1845 at Hobart Town in VDL; they had three children between the years 1847 and 1851. Jane Taylor died on 9 Mar 1854 at her mother’s residence at 13 Arthur Circus, Battery Point at the young age of 34.

The reasons why Jane and her older sister Esther Mary Figg were placed into the care of the Queens Orphanage School in November 1835 are unclear, although it may have had something to do with unemployment, alcohol and domestic violence; what is intriguing, however, is that Esther and Jane had at least two aunts, two uncles and a set of grandparents living in Hobart at the time they were institutionalised.


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 Site last updated June 2021