The Trove Tuesday blog post from Backtracking here prompted me to post this old family photograph from our collection which has caused family arguments concerning the identity and gender of the subject. Most of the family are convinced that it is my Grandmother Cluna Donnelly nee O'Connor, however one of my cousins is certain that it is our Grandfather Mervyn Donnelly as he claims that Nan told him that is who it is and said that Mervyn's mother Bridget Donnelly nee Lambert dressed him for the photograph this way as a joke. His story has been discounted by most of the family due to Mervyn having extremely dark hair from birth. It is worth mentioning that Bridget Lambert also had an illegitimate daughter Josephine Lambert who died as an infant (a fact not widely known within the family until recently), so the photograph may well be of Josephine and the story Bridget's way of keeping a photograph of her on display without questions being asked and judgements made.
William Henry Bell the son of William Bell and his wife Eleanor (nee Sneed) was born in 1840. My connection to him is that he is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle. In 1862 he married Catherine Campbell at Berrima. William died on the 3rd April 1914 at Wingello, New South Wales and was buried at Marulan General Cemetery. Source: Obituary. (1914, April 11). The Scrutineer and Berrima District Press (NSW : 1892 - 1948), p. 2. Retrieved November 9, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133369164 Transcript: Obituary. The death occurred suddenly on Friday, 3rd instant, of an old and highly respected resident of the district, Mr. William Bell, of Wingello, at the age of 73. Deceased was born at Pomeroy, near Goulburn, and was a sawmill proprietor, living at Wattle Farm, Wingello. He had been complaining of feeling unwell, and previously had medical attention. Death was due to heart failure He leaves a wife and large family. The la...

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