Sunday's Obituary - Jane Smith nee Rhall (c.1825 - 1902)

Today's obituary is for my 4th Great Grand Aunt Jane Smith (nee Rhall).  Born in Preston, Lancashire, England the daughter of Christopher Rhall and his wife Mary (nee Cassidy), she arrived in Australia in 1828 on board the ship Hooghly.  In 1847 she married John Thomas Smith at Newcastle, New South Wales. Jane died in June 1902 at Newcastle, New South Wales and was buried at Sandgate Cemetery.

Source: Mrs. Jane Smith, Newcastle. (1902, July 19). The Catholic Press (NSW : 1895 - 1942), p. 6. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104417917

Transcript:

Mrs. Jane Smith, Newcastle.

We regret to record the death of Mrs. Jane Smith, who died at her residence, King-street, Newcastle, recently.  Newcastle loses one of its oldest residents.  Mrs. Smith was a daughter of Colour-Sergeant Rhall, of the Fusiliers, who arrived in New South Wales about 1826, Mrs. Smith then being an infant.  After doing duty in various settlements, Colour-Sergeant Rhall settled at Bong Bong, know known as Moss Vale, where he resided for some years.  Mrs. Smith came to Newcastle as a girl, and for over 60 years has resided in the city, few being better able to describe the changes which have taken place in the city during the past six decades.  She was a woman of kindly, lovable disposition, revered by a large circle of friends, and was widely known to a great number, especially of the older generation of Newcastle folk.  The funeral was attended by a large gathering of representative people.  The coffin containing the remains was placed upon a catafalque in front of the high altar at St. Mary's Church, where a solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Right Rev. Dr. Murray (Bishop of Maitland), assisted by 13 priests, who stood within the sanctuary on either side of the coffin and chanted the responses and Maon parbn, the "Kyrie," "Sanctus" and the "Dios Irea" being most impressive.  At this conclusion of the ceremony Bishop Murray paid a high tribute to the character of the deceased lady as a Christian and a citizen.  His knowledge of her went back to his landing in Australia, and arriving by steamer in Newcastle, when, from the lips of the late Father Dowling, he recieved a glowing testimony of the labours put forward by Mrs. Smith in protecting and fostering Church interests.  Subsequently he (Bishop Murray) became personally aware of the zealous work done by that lady, and whom he asked how he could repay her for her labours she made the simple request that upon her death he would have a Requiem Mass said for her.  He had now been enabled by the willing cooperation of the priests to comply with that promise, and it was some satisfaction to him to see Mrs. Smith's children and grandchildren present.  He looked upon Mrs. Smith as a good Christian and Catholic woman, and wished there were many more in the congregation like her.  The funeral cortege left the church for Sandgate Cemetery.  The Rev. Father O'Flynn officiated at the grave, assisted by the Rev. Fathers O'Reilly and McAuliffe.  The pall-bearers were Messrs. Clarence H. Hannell, E.R. Hudson, A. Watt and J. Coleman.  Many floral tributes were placed upon the coffin, including wreaths and crosses from Mrs. C.H. Hannell, the Misses Mitchell, Dr. and Mrs. Beeston, Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson.  The deceased lady, who was a widow, leaves four sons, Mr. W.T.A. Smith, of the Chief Traffic Manager's office, Mr. J.C.A. Smith, post and telegraph master at Wollombi, Mr. H.R. Smith, shipping manager for the Caledonia Coal Company, and Mr. Edward Smith, storekeeper, of Hunter-street.- R.I.P.

Source: Death of a Newcastle Pioneer. (1902, July 5). Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1932), p. 22. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article111067489

Transcript:

Death of a Newcastle Pioneer.
THE LATE MRS. JANE SMITH.

Mrs. Jane Smith, one of Newcastle's pioneer Catholics, and one of the oldest, if not the oldest, member of St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church, passed to her long home on Monday last (writes our correspondent).  The deceased lady was born at Preston, England, in 1825, and came out to the colonies two years later with her father, the late Sergeant Rhall of the Scotch Fusiliers, who took up his residence in Sydney.  He was an army pensioner, and received a land grant from the English Government of 80 acres at Bong Bong, near Moss Vale.  Some years later the daughter came to Newcastle, where she married the late Mr. J.T. Smith, builder, who died about 30 years ago.  The issue of this marriage were four sons and two daughters.  The eldest daughter (who died in 1884) was married to Mr. E. O'Gallagher, an old and respected resident of this city.  The other daughter (who died in 1886) married Mr. Hildreth Smith  The four sons of the deceased lady are Mr. W.T.A. Smith, of the Railway Department, Sydney ; Mr. J.C.A. Smith, Telegraph Master, Wollombi ; Mr. E. C. Smith, draper, and Mr. H.R. Smith, shipping manager of the Caledonian Coal Co. both of this city.  The deceased lady was highly respected, and was of a genial, charitable disposition, which made her dearly loved by all with whom she came in contact.  In the early days she did great service for the Church, and attended the Rev. Father Dowling, one of the pioneer priests to Australia, and perhaps the first resident priest in Newcastle, during his fatal illness.  For her noble work his Lordship Dr. Murray about this time made a promise that if she died during his time he would have a Requiem Office and Mass for the repose of her soul.  The venerable Bishop kept his promise, and the solemn ceremony, over which his Lordship presided, took place at 10 o'clock on Friday morning, after which his Lordship ascended the pulpit to make a few remarks concerning the venerable lady for whom the solemn Office had just been celebrated.  Very few people could remember the day he came to this district in 1866.  He came by boat on his way to Morpeth, but stopped a few hours at the Newcastle wharf while the vessel was discharging a quantity of cargo.  He was met by Mr. F.S. McDermott, at that time manager of the A.J.S. Bank, and Captain O'Hagan.  He did not receive a public reception for the simple reason that Newcastle was not then under his charge.  Shortly after this Archbishop Polding appointed Father Dowling to Newcastle, and it was while on a visit to Father Dowling that he met Mrs. Smith, who was the leading Catholic spirit in Newcastle at that time.  She was never absent from anything Catholic, and took an active part in every Catholic movement.  On one occasion, many years ago, he said to her : "If I am alive when you pass away is there anything I could do for you?"  She said her earnest desire would be to have a Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul.  This his Lordship promised she should have.  He visited her a few days ago accompanied by Father O'Flynn, and seeing she was nearing her end, he renewed his promise, and therefore it gave him great satisfaction to be present on this solemn occasion.  Would to God, said his Lordship, there were in  Newcastle to-day many as fervent and good Catholics as Mrs. Smith was.  The coffin containing the remains was taken to the church at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, and placed on a catafalque erected in the centre of the church immediately in front of the High Altar.  Dr. Murray celebrated 7 o'clock Mass for the repose of her soul.  At 10 o'clock the solemn Requiem Mass was begun, in the presence of a large congregation.  The venerable Bishop presided, and the clergy present were the Very Rev. Father J. O'Donohue (Hamilton), Rev. Fathers F.D. McAuliffe (Branxton), M.F. McAuliffe, B.A., and Victor Peters (West Maitland), W. O'Sullivan (East Maitland), J. Flynn and M Keenan (Lambton), J. Costelloe and D. Ahearne (Burwood), H. Cullen (Hamilton), J. O'Flynn, J' O'Reilly and J. Tierney (Newcastle).  The Rev. Father O'Reilly was the celebrant, Father Cullen deacon, and Father Tierney sub-deacon, with Father O'Flynn master of ceremonies.  Fathers Peters and M.F. McAuliffe, B.A., were the cantors.  In the afternoon the funeral moved from St. Mary's to the Newcastle station en route for Sandgate.  The cortege was a long one, and represented all classes.  At the grave the last prayers were read by Fathers J. O'Flynn and O'Reilly (Newcastle), and Fr. F.D. McAuliffe (Branxton).  Prior to the cortege leaving the church Dr. Murray gave the absolutions and accompanied the remains to the hearse. R.I.P.

John Thomas Smith and his wife Jane (nee Rhall) had the following known children:

• William Thomas Ambrose Smith (1846 - 24th May 1930)
• John Christopher Joseph Smith (1848 - 15th August 1907)
• Amelia Mary O'Gallagher nee Smith  (1850 - 18th October 1884)
• Edward Charles Smith (1854 - ? )
• Henry Rhall Smith (1857 -1922)
• Mary Jane A Smith nee Smith (1859 - 15th April 1886)

NSW BDM Marriage Indexes

V18471530 162A/1847 SMITH THOMAS RHAAL JANE LL
2953/1871 O'GALLAGHER EDWARD SMITH AMELIA M NEWCASTLE
3779/1872 SMITH JOHN CHRISTOPHER PLUNKETT SARAH A WINDSOR
2968/1873 SMITH WILLIAM THOMAS AMBORSE GARVAN JANE CECILIA MAITLAND
4120/1878 SMITH EDWARD C QUINN ANNE NEWCASTLE
4111/1878 SMITH HILDRETT H SMITH MARY A A NEWCASTLE
5946/1882 SMITH HENRY BANFIELD MARGARET NEWCASTLE

NSW BDM Birth Indexes

V18462284 31A/1846 SMITH WILLIAM T THOMAS JANE
V18482463 33A/1848 SMITH JOHN THOMAS JANE
V18502950 35/1850 SMITH AMELIA THOMAS JANE
V18541673 40/1854 SMITH EDWARD C JOHN T JANE
9040/1857 SMITH HENRY R JOHN T JANE NEWCASTLE
10253/1859 SMITH (FEMALE) JOHN T JANE NEWCASTLE

NSW BDM Death Indexes

12239/1884 O'GALLAGHER AMELIA M JOHN T JANE NEWCASTLE
12432/1886 SMITH MARY J THOMAS JANE NEWCASTLE
11869/1888 SMITH THOMAS AGE 67 YEARS DIED NEWCASTLE NEWCASTLE
10251/1902 SMITH JANE CHRISTOPHER MARY NEWCASTLE
7554/1907 SMITH JOHN C J JOHN T JANE SYDNEY
8885/1922 SMITH HENRY R WILLIAM JANE WARATAH
7313/1930 SMITH WILLIAM T A WILLIAM JANE RANDWICK

Source: Family History Indexes. NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Retrieved from http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/

Source: Family Notices. (1905, June 29). The Catholic Press (NSW : 1895 - 1942), p. 13. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104901032

Transcript:

IN MEMORIAM.

SMITH.- In loving memory of JANE SMITH, the beloved mother of Messrs. W.T.A., J.C.J., E.C., and H.R. Smith, and sister of Mr. John Rhall, Young, who departed this life at Newcastle on 30th June, 1902.  Eternal rest give unto her, O'Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

Update:  

Now that Sandgate Cemetery has its virtual records online I can add Jane's burial details link here.  Thank you David for reminding me!

Other Trove articles on her death can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.