Orphan Number: 4648
| Orphan: | Julia RILEY |
|---|---|
| Mother: | DIXON, Ellen |
| Father: | RILEY, Robert |
| Mother's ship: | |
| Father's ship: | |
| Age when admitted: | 9yrs |
| Date admitted: | 10 Aug 1868 |
| Date discharged: | |
| Institutions(s): | Queens Orphan School |
| Discharged to: | |
| Remarks: | both parents dead |
| References: | SWD26/10, 27 |
You can claim this Orphan here
Peter Oakley wrote:
Julia Riley was born at New Norfolk on the 1st Aug. 1859. (Recorded as unamed female RISBEY in TPI) She was a daughter of Robert Riley ( convict per Elphinstone 2) and Ellen Connors/Dixon (per Duke of Cornwall). They were married at St Josephs Church, Hobart on 2 June 1851.
Ellen Riley died at New Norfolk in 1862 and Robert Riley died at the Colonial Hospital, Hobart later in the same year. Rev W W F Murray, Catholic Chaplain at New Norfolk applied for 2 of their children to enter the orphanage in Aug of 1862.
Julia did not enter at the same time. She was fostered by Sarah Ann Bland of the Falls, New Norfolk. On the 4 Aug 1868, Sarah Bland applied for her to enter the orphanage stating she "declines to keep it any longer".
Julia returned to New Norfolk as a young woman and may have been working for her foster mothers family. She married Edward Arthur Oakley (my great, great uncle) at the Methodist Chapel, Back River, New Norfolk on the 17 may 1877. Marriage witnesses were Sarah and John Bland. Edward and Julia's only son, Arthur George James was born 26 Sept 1878.
The relationship between Edward and Julia must have been very rocky. Edward placed advertisments warning people not to harbour or give credit to his wife in 1877. In 1881 and 1882 Julia is resident in Liverpool Street and charged by police for using obscene language aand common prostituting.
Julia Oakley died at the age of 22 in the General Hospital, Hobart on 25 Oct 1882. she was buried in a paupers grave at Cornelian Bay.
A sad end to a perhaps very troubled young woman...
Marilyn Wells wrote:
Julia Riley was my Great Grandmother, and without the research of my distant relative Peter Oakley who has also claimed Julia and told her story I may never have found her.
Her son Arthur Oakley left home at a very young age as his father had married again and he did not like his stepmother. His daughter Grace, my mother, never knew the story of her paternal Grandparents.
Use this facility to register your interest so other researchers can contact you. Add up to a 2000 character short story about your orphan and what became of them after they left the Orphan School.
You can add links to other web sites and upload a photo. Note that you
can claim more than one orphan and that any orphan can be claimed more than
once.
If you need to contact our researchers then
email us and quote the orphan name and index number above.
Site last updated March 2025