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Passenger no. 197 - Ellen Gilgan. Occupation, domestic servant. Was living in Dublin. Roman Catholic. Could read but not write. Listed age 21, real age 16. Engaged to be employed by Mrs. Swindles of Chilwell

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Grange and Gilgan Family

Richard Grange

Richard Grange or Grainge was christened 9th June 1833 at Bradwell-near-sea, Essex, England. According to Des Brennan in the book Coaches Called Here: a history of Buangor and surrounding districts:

[He] came to Australia about 1852 and to the district about 1864. Settling first in Buangor he soon afterwards selected land adjoining the main road about 5km east of Buangor. The rate books of the Shire of Ararat indicate that in 1880 he paid rates on 110 acres and a house in that area. His wife was formerly Ellen Gilligan whom he married in Ballarat.... Together they raised a family of six daughters and two sons. He was active in public affairs playing a major role in securing a railway siding for Middle Creek and as secretary of the Buangor cemetery trust from the origins of its records 1884 until his death in 1907. Richard Grange is buried in the Buangor cemetery, as is his youngest daughter Ada Emily (Farrell)

The Grange's in England

The following records are as per the International Genealogical Index (IGI). Richard Grange's parents were William Grange and Elizabeth Baker Firmin from Essex.

William Grange was a miller. UK census records indicate that we was born between 1785 and 1791. The place of birth was Marks Tey, Essex, a small village about five miles southwest of Colchester. According to the IGI a William Grange was christened at Marks Tey to Will and Ann Grange on 27 Sep 1783. A William Grange married Elizabeth Firmin 17 August 1829 at St Dunstan's Stepney in the East end of London. I think it is possible that he married again to an Elizabeth Baker, but I suspect he married Elizabeth (nee Baker) who was first married to a Mr Firman.

In 1841 the Grange family lived in Mill Lane, Bradwell-Near-Sea (also known as Bradwell-Juxta-Mare). William was a miller, By the 1851 census they had moved about ten few miles south of Bradwell to 54 Mile Road, Burnham. He was listed as then being 65 years. A William Grange died in the Maldon registrary district (Maldon being the substantial town of the area) in 1853.

His wife Elizabeth Grange was born at Borley, in northern Essex - just west of Sudbury - in about 1797. The IGI records the christening of an Elizabeth Baker at Borley on 29 March 1796. An Elizabeth Baker Grange died in the Maldon registrary district in 1862.

The following appear to be the children of William Grange

1. Hezekiah Grange Firman (male), born to Elizabeth Baker Firmin; christened 24 Aug 1828 at Bradwell-near-sea. A Hezekiah Grange died in the Maldon district in the 4th quarter of 1838.
2. Richard Lozae Grange, born to William Grange/Elizabeth Baker; chr. 7 Mar 1830. He died in infancy.
3. Richard Lozac? Grange, born William Grange/Elizabeth; chr. 18 Dec 1831. He also died in infancy.
4. Richard Grange, christened 9 Jun 1833. He was living with his parents at the 1841 and 1851 censuses.
5. Julianne Grange, christened 8 Feb 1835. Also called Julia. She was living at home in Burnham at the 1851 census, but is not listed at the 1841 census.
6. Horatio Grange, christened 4 Dec 1836. At the 1861 census he was living in East Hanningfield, Essex and small village about four miles south of Chelmsford and close to Bradwell, Burnham and Maldon. He was then aged 26, married to Louisa (who was born in nearby Danbury), was a grocer & draper, with two children born at E. Hanningfield; Harriet, 2 years & Elizabeth, 11 months. A 15 year old female general servant lived with them and his sister Sophia was visiting.
7. Joseph Grange, christened 2 Jun 1839. He died in infancy.
8. William Grange, christened 2 Jun 1839. It looks like both these twins died in infancy
9. Sophia Amelia Grange, christened 22 Nov 1840. She died in the Maldon district, aged 35 in 1876.

At Bradwell according to the 1841 census a female servant and a mill apprentice lived with the Granges. In 1851 at Burnham they also had a house servant. It may be that although doomed to lose most of their children the Granges where economically reasonably comfortable.

Ellen Gilgan and Ireland

Ellen Gilgin or Gilgan was born in Kingscourt, County Cavan, Ireland in about 1838. She sailed from Plymouth 10th March 1855 on the "Ravencraig" (sometimes recorded as "Ravenscraig"). The ship arrived in Geelong 24th June 1855. It contained 229 adults, most of them young single women from Ireland. She is described in the passenger lists as Passenger no. 197 ; Ellen Gilgan. Occupation, domestic servant. Was living in Dublin. Roman Catholic. Could read but not write. Age 21 (seemingly wrong, her age being more likely 16 or 17. She was engaged to be employed by Mrs. Swindles of Chilwell (a suburb of Geelong).

Her parents were Patrick Gilgan, or Gilgin, a farmer, and Bridget Carr. The name Gilgan is not common outside of the Sligo area somewhat to the west of where Ellen was born. I speculate that during the upheavals of 19th century Patrick Gilgan may have moved from the north-west to the midlands area (Kingscourt) and, perhaps, eventually to Dublin. The Griffith's Index of 1856 lists a John Carr as leasing a house and yard at 47 Market St Kingscourt - perhaps a relative or grandparent of Ellen. In the Dublin census of household heads from 1851 there are no Patrick Gilgans but 10 Patrick Gilligans (or similar spelling) and two Bridget Gilligans.

Ellen married Richard Grange in 1857 and they had 8 children. She died 10th April 1920 at 135 Napier Street, South Melbourne, aged 82 years; and is buried in the Catholic section of Burwood cemetery.

The Children of Richard Grange and Ellen Gilgin

1. Elizabeth, born 1858 at Ballarat

She married Alexander Joseph Green in 1891 Vic. Reg No. 209
Their children included:
1. Ruth Ellen Green, born 1891 Vic Reg No 35733
2. Elizabeth Mary A. Green, born 1893 Vic Reg No 31655
3. Alexander Joseph Ward Green, born 1897 Vic Reg No 12904. "Wardie" Green went to the first world war. In the enlistment papers of Alexander Joseph Green of 1915 it is stated that he lived at 135 Napier St, South Melbourne. That is his parents address - and the address where his grandmother Ellen Grange (nee Gilgin) died at in 1920. His service record states that he embarked on the Beltana on 11 Sep 1915. There is 24 pages of information there.
4. Mary Veronica Green, born 1901 Vic Reg No 5114


2. Sophia Amelia, born 1860 Ballarat

She married Henry R. Hallett at Broken Hill 1892 NSW Reg 2763. Their children included twins Victoria M. Hallett and Henry R. Hallett (Jr) born at Broken Hill in 1893 NSW Reg 8207 & 8208. A Henry R. Hallett died in the Moree District 1919 NSW Reg 8324. A Maud Amelia Hallett is recorded as dying in Sydney in 1940 NSW Reg 21090 - she has the daughter of Henry Reginald Hallett and Sophia Amelia.
3. Ellen Catherine Frances, born 1862 Ballarat

Ellenor Catherine Frances Grange married Fred Dean. There children included:
1. William Fred Dean, born 1890 Vic Reg 11443
2. Hannah Mary Deane, born 1892 Vic Reg 21757
3. Isabella Acroyd Dean, born 1895 Vic Reg 2253
4. Hetta Hart Dean, born 1896 Vic Reg 20038
5. Lewis Acroyd Dean, born 14 Sept 1898 Vic Reg 26406. He worked in the civil construction corp in world war 2 - see his service record. In 1944 he was a labourer living at 8 Hindon St., Blackburn. His wife was Dorothy Ethel... A son Albert Lewis Dean was born 8 March 1920.


4. William Richard Alfred, born 1864 Ballarat. He was a police constable and married Rose Bond. They lived 31 Bishop Street, Brunswick for at least the period 1903-1936. Their children included:
   1. Richard Gordon Grange, born 1897. Richard Gordon Grange was a motor mechanic. He enlisted in the 7th Battalion in 1914 and was wounded at Gallipoli. Discharged with a bad shoulder injury he re-enlisted in 1917, thus time in the flying corp where he worked on planes at Laverton. His service record is extensive. He married Lilian McGuiness in 1925 Vic reg 104 and lived at Diggers Road Werribee. In 1967 he applied to the repat and was living at 181 Cashmere Street Ascot Vale.
   2. Violet Grange. She Violet married Bruce Iggulden Nelson in 1920 Vic Reg 4291
   3. William Garnet Grange - died at Brunswick in 1927
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5. Alice Maud Mary, born 1866 Ballarat. She married Lou Meier at Ararat on 21 January 1890 [See the Meier file for a full list of her children]. Alice died 29 September 1954 aged 88. Picture of Alice in early 1950s.
6. Albert Horatio Alfred, born 1868 Ararat
7. Mary, born 1872 Ararat

Mary Grange married Edward Gibb
Their children include: Children:
1. Mary Grange Gibb, born 1905 Vic Reg 10527
2. Ellen Gibb, born 1908 Vic Reg 26684


8. Ada Emily, born 1875 Ararat. Ada was living at her parents at Middle Creek at least as late as 1903. She became Mrs. Farrell. Died 1951 in Melbourne "aged 74" and in buried at Buangor cemetery .