The Family of Frances Jane Avice KEITH

Frances KEITH was the second youngest of the eight children of Daniel KEITH and Jane McPHERSON (see Daniel's story here). She was born 16 May 1807, probably at Summer Hill House, St George, Bristol, England and was baptised 19 August 1807 at St Georges Church, Bristol. She accompanied her parents when they moved to Kent House, Hammersmith, London and survived the Typhoid that killed her father and two siblings in early 1811. She travelled to Canada with her mother but returned with them to England, proably back to Bristol. Her mother died at St George, Bristol in 1824 when Frances was only 17. On 25 April 1825 she and her younger sister Jessica Amelia accompanied their brother Edward Joseph and his new wife Anne on board the ship Mountaineer when it sailed from Plymouth for Sydney, Australia. The ship went by way of Cape Town, departing there on 5th September 1825. The Mountaineer then called into Hobart Town, where it arrived on 24 October, remained for nearly a month before departing for Sydney on 19th November. The shipping events were recorded in the local newspapers. Note the difference: a Mr Martin departed in Hobart. Was he Robert Montgomery Martin, Frances's future husband?

shipping
Shipping record from the Hobart Town Gazette of 29th October 1825.
shipping
Shipping record from the Sydney Herald of 28th November 1825.

            |         
               |
      Daniel KEITH=======v=======Jane McPHERSON
                     17 Oct 1794
                         | 
    |---------|----------|------------|---------|---------|-----------------|-------------|
Isabella    Mary    Edward Joseph   James     Robert  Thomas D.       Frances Jane  Jessica Amelia
1797-1811 1798-1874  1801-1837    1802-1811 1804-1804  1805-?           1807-1882     1809-1852 
    |         |          |            |         |         |                 |             |
                         |                                                  |
                         |------------------|                |==============|
                  m:25 Apr 1825          Mistress     m1:1826 D:1847     m2:?1848
              Ann Boleyn MacPHERSON     Louisa HANKS   Robert MARTIN  John SHERIDAN
                    1793-1857           1801-1837        1801-1868      1805-1848
    |---------|----------|---------|       |                |               |---------|----------|--------------|
 Frances   Ann Clara Magdalene   Dudley                                  John Beal  Reginald Alice Frances Violet Laura
1827-1887 1829-1863  1832-1833 1834-1868                                1834-1906 1837-1882  1840-1922      1847-1921
    |         |          |         |                                        |         |          |              |
                                                                          m:1854                              m:1888
                                                                         Emma BROWN                       Alfred SIMPSON
                                                                        1827-1912                           1843-1917
                                                            |---------------|                                   |
                                                      John Reginald  Catherine Keith
                                                        1855-1855       1858-1911
                                                            |               |
                                                                          m:1881
                                                                   Alexander Reid BAIRD
                                                                         1853-1932 (died in Paris)
                                                        |-------------------|
                                                Algernon Sheridan   Adeline Rita Mary
                                                    1885-1920           1888-1960
                                                        |                   |
                     m2:1924 Div:1929                m1:1912              m:1915
                    Gerald R. JOLLEY==============Elsie WHITING      William FAGAN
                        1896-1948                   1889-1964           1883-1944
                            |                           |                   |------------|-------------|-------------|
                                               Rita Katharine Sheridan   William K.   Maria R.   Margaret M.    Reginald A.
                                                      1920-?            1916-1976    1919-2005     1923-2000     1925-1993
                                                        |                   |            |             |             |
                                                m:1942 Div:1954           m:1948       m:1948        m:1945        m:1950
                                               Sylvester J. SMITH    Coralie KELLY John MacMAHON Peter LONERGAN  Jean COX
                                                        |               1925-2005    1899-1968     1914-1998 
                                                        |                   |            |             |             |

Marriage to Robert Montgomery MARTIN Esq

Almost 12 months after arriving in Sydney and now just 18 years old, Frances Jane Avice married Robert Montgomery MARTIN in St James Church, Sydney on 13th November 1826. It is likely that this was the same Mr Martin whom as a passenger accompanied the Keith family from Cape Town to Hobart on the ship Mountaineer a year earlier. Martin was born about 1801 in Dublin, Ireland to Protestant parents John Martin and Jane Hawkins. He trained as a doctor (supposedly at Edinburgh Univeristy but he is not listed in their graduates), went out to Ceylon then joined an expedition around the coast of Africa in a temporary capacity as assistant surgeon, serving also as botanist and naturalist on the south-east coast of Africa, Madagascar, and Indian Ocean islands. On 10 November 1824 Martin left the expedition at Mombassa, and by way of Mauritius made his way back to the Cape. That would have been around mid-1825 at about the same time that Frances and her siblings on the Mountaineer were recovering from their ordeal sailing from Plymouth to Cape Town. He appears to have sailed on to Australia with the Keith family, either providently taking the same ship or deliberately embarking in order to woo Frances.


Marriage on 13 November 1826 for Frances KEITH to Robert MARTIN at St James Church Sydney

No children of the marriage

Other researchers of the KEITH and MARTIN families have found the birth of a "Robert MARTIN" to Robert and Jane MARTIN, born 26 February 1834 at Parramatta, Sydney and attributed this birth to Montgomery Martin and Frances. Although Robert Montgomery Martin, a "respected medical practitioner" had lived at Parramatta during 1827 (Letter to the Editor, The Gleaner Thursday 26 April 1827) there is no evidence that this was a child of Montgomery and Frances Jane. In fact, according to later evidence given by Montgomery Martin in 1847, he and Frances did not have any children. In addition, Montgomery and Frances left Australia in 1828. Montgomery returned to India around the end of 1828, lived there for a year, before returning to England in 1830. As they were, according to Montgomery, in England by 1831, the child born in 1834 in Sydney could not have been theirs.

Divorce by way of Private Act

Jumping forward a few years, newspapers in Australia reported that Montgomery Martin was suing for a divorce from Frances.


South Australian Register, Wednesday December 22 1847

Unusually, as Mr Martin was not a wealthy man, the divorce case proceeded by way of a private Bill through the House of Lords. Clearly Martin had friends of influence who were able to pursuade the Lords to hear the case. The divorce was necessitated by Martin's desire to marry Miss Eliza BARRON, which he did soon after the divorce Bill was enacted [Private Act 1847 c46]. The case was reported in the newspapers. The Sydney Herald Fri 2 Jul 1847 p.4 published this report:

DIVORCE MONTGOMERY MARTIN.-The House
of Lords sat on Tuesday in its judicial capa-
city: and after disposing of some appeal cases,
proceeded to hear counsel in support of Mar-
tin's Divorce Bill; which passed the
second reading. The suitor was Mr.
Montgomery Martin, the well known writer on
the colonies. From the evidence it appeared,
that Mr. Martin was married in 1826 at Sydney,
to Miss Jane Frances Keith; and that up to
1831, although they had no children, the par-
ties were living together on affectionate terms.
In that year they resided in the Strand, and
received Dr. Sheridan as a friend; no improper
intimacy was suspected, until Mrs. Martin
eloped with the Doctor. Search was made by
the husband, but the fugitives were not found
until 1833: they were then ascertained to be
residing in Pimlico as man and wife.

A full report of the proceedings was published in The Globe, London, Wednesday, March 10, 1847:


Thus it would appear that Jane travelled with Montgomery, first to India and then on to England, where they lived in The Strand. They met John Sheridan, perhaps as both men purported to have medical qualifications. Sheridan resided with them for a while but on 31 October 1831 he and Frances Jane eloped, to be found in Pimlico, London in 1833. Note that in Jessica's testimony she arrived back in London in 1833. In the 1841 census she was living with her sister-in-law Ann Keith in Camden Road, which is close to Clerkenwell where her sister Frances was living.

Read the biography of Robert Montgomery Martin here

Children of Frances Jane and John SHERIDAN

Later evidence of the family in Australia makes it clear that John and Frances had four children but when and where were they born? The 1841 census and baptismal records cast some light on this problem. The family is recorded in the 1841 census at 21 Cobourg St, Clerkenwell. The family is indexed as Steradan. Cobourg St no longer exists, but was close to what is now the Islington Museum and a block north of St James Church, Clerkenwell. We must assume that the "Keith" was in fact Frances Jane KEITH even though her age is wrong. The youngest child is only 7 weeks old. The census was taken on 6 June 1841, so the child was born around 11-18 April but had not been named 7 weeks later. The date would indicate the child is Alice Frances Keith, but the age is shown in the column for males. This may be a mistake by the enumerator. Alternatively, was this an unnamed child that died soon after the census? The census record confirms that at least John and Reginald were born in London.


1841 census for John Sheridan and family at 19 Cobourg St, Clerkenwell.

Baptismal records: There are baptismal records for John and Reginald, at St James, Clerkenwell. Their parents were John and Frances and their address was Cobourg St, the same address as in the 1841 census. Although both were baptised on 21 June 1840, the dates of birth are included. From this and other evidence, John and Frances had 4 children. The older two were born before civil registration began in England, but Alice and perhaps Violet should have been recorded. They appear not to have been registered. We do know that John and Frances emigrated to Adelaide in 1849, accompanied by "two children". John and Frances had 3 or 4 children by this date. The newspaper report also includes "JB Shendon" who would be John Beal Sheridan. This suggests either the youngest child, Violet Laura was born in Australia; one of the children did not travel with John and Frances; or the shipping report is in error.

Name Birth Baptism Date of Death
John Beal 9 Jan 1835, Clerkenwell 21 June 1840, St James Clerkenwell 20 March 1906, Adelaide
Reginald 22 April 1837, Clerkenwell 21 June 1840, St James Clerkenwell 8 Nov 1882, Adelaide
Alice Frances Keith 11-18 April 1841, Clerkenwell - 25 Nov 1922, Adelaide
Violet Laura c. 1849 Adelaide? - 28 June 1921, Adelaide

Travel to Adelaide: About 2 years after the divorce, Jane Frances and John Sheridan emigrated to Adelaide. They travelled on the barque Constant, arriving 23 December 1849. The newspapers reported "John Sheridon, wife and two children". There was also a "JB Shendon", which would have been John Beal SHERIDAN, their third child. Note that they were accompanied by Dudley KEITH, Frances's nephew (son of Edward Joseph and Ann Boleyn). There is no record of Violet Laura SHERIDAN on board, suggesting she was born in South Australia after they arrived.


South Australian Gazette, Thursday 27 December 1849, page 2

Life in Adelaide

John SHERIDAN was a flawed character. There are several reports of his being drunk and a dangerous lunatic, such as these appearances in court in the months after they had arrived in Adelaide.


South Australian Register, Tuesday 1 January 1850, page 3
POLICE COURT— PORT ADELAIDE.
Saturday, 29th December.
[Before G. F. Dashwood, Esq.]
Joseph Flemming, indicted for a felonious assault on John
Sheridan, doctor of the Constant, lately arrived from Eng-
land. It appears that he was coming from the Hospital,
between 8 and 9 o'clock of the evening of the 29th October,
with a light in his hand, when he was ordered by defendant
to put it out. He refused, and used such insulting language
to him that he (Mr. Flemming) struck him with his fist.
On a previous occasion, they had had an altercation, and
the doctor received from Mr Flemming a kick.
C. H. Parrott, a passenger, was examined, and said he
considered the doctor's carrying a light there was very
dangerous; indeed, there had been a fire on board that day,
which was extinguished. Mr Flemming was the officer of
the watch (appointed by the passengers to see that no acci-
dent should again happen from fire), and very properly told
the doctor his light was dangerous and desired him to put
it out. He had seen the doctor drunk at Plymouth, and
very frequently so on board.
Defendant fined 1s. and £1 costs.

Adelaide Times Friday 22 March 1850, page 3
POLICE COURT. Tuesday, March 12. [Before Mr Bonney.]
John Sheridan, late Surgeon-superintendant of
the Constance, was charged with being a dangerous lunatic.
William Johnstone, Publican, North Adelaide,
described the prisoner's conduct, which certainly
evinced anything but sanity.
William M'Lean, of the Wellington Inn, gave
further detailed instances of a similar kind.
The prisoner made a statement about a brown
dog and a black one, that attacked him, which was
delivered in such a wild and disordered manner,
that the Court was fully convinced of insanity.
Remanded for a week.

Adelaide Observer, Saturday 23 March 1850, page 4
POLICE COURT.
Monday, 18th March.
(Befote C. Bonney, Esq ]
John Sheridan, late surgeon to the ship Constance, was
brought up, charged with attempting to commit suicide and
drown himself in the River Torrens, and also with being a
dangerous lunatic;
'His Worship told the accused that he would send him
where he would get some advice, and for which he ex
pressed bis gratitude He then turned a little aside, lifted
his hands and cast his eyes up to the celling, then dropped
his head. Suddenly he hid his face in his hands and groaned
aloud, in a sort of paroxysm, which lasted a few moments.
After it was over, he looked at the spectators calmly in the
face, and in a tremulous, humble tone of voice, begged them
to excuse him, and not think anything of what be had done
as it was only a fit of nervousness which he was subject to.

A few years later, John Sheridan seems to have sorted himself out and tried his hand as a teacher.


Adelaide Times 20 January 1853

John and Frances settled in north Adelaide, living in later years at "Keith House", 50 MacKinnon Parade. Frances opened a school at the address and later gifted the property to form the Keith Sheridan Institute. Today the property has reverted back to a private house.


50 Mackinnon Parade today

Blue plaque at 50 Mackinnon Parade

Death of John Sheridan

Perhaps not surprisingly, John Sheridan died at MacKinnon Parade on 17 April 1858. He was 53 years old. As far as the records tell, he never did marry Frances Jane.

The family continued to live at MacKinnon Parade, running the school there. In 1867 they had 68 pupils.

Death of Frances Jane Avice Keith SHERIDAN

Frances died on 14 January 1882. The death notice refers to her 2 sons but not the 2 daughters.

The Sheridan family are all buried in the West Terrace Cemetery, John and Frances in one grave and their son John Beal in the adjacent plot. John Sheridan's headstone is weatered and difficult to read. It reads in part: JOHN SHERIDAN M.D. Formerly Editor of the Morning Advertiser, London.


Headstone of John and Frances SHERIDAN and their son Reginald on right, and their son John Beal SHERIDAN on left

The two headstones, each surrounded by a cast iron fence


The Children of Frances Jane and John SHERIDAN

John Beal SHERIDAN

Born 9 January 1835 in London, baptised 21 June 1840 at St James, Clerkenwell, London. His name is intriguing; the John refers to his father John Sheridan, but what is the significance of the "Beal"? It is an unusual spelling - might it have a family connection?

Known as JB Sheridan, he emigrated to Adelaide in 1849 with his parents John and Frances. There he became a lawyer, married Emma BROWN and they had 2 children (John Reginald born 28 Oct 1885 and Catherine (later Katharine) Keith born 10 April 1888). JB died in Adelaide on 20 March 1906 and is buried at West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.


Headstone of John Beal SHERIDAN

"JOHN BEAL SHERIDAN. Barrister. Died 20 March 1906. Aged 72 years. Peace. Perfect Peace"

There is more about John Beal and his family here


Reginald SHERIDAN

Reginald was born 22 April 1837 in London and baptised at St James Clerkenwell on 21 June 1840 at the same time as his older brother.

He entered the printing trade in Adelaide. He did not marry and died 8 November 1882 in Adelaide aged 45 years. It appears he left his estate to his sister Alice. He is buried with his parents.


Alice Frances Keith SHERIDAN

Alice was born in April 1841 in London, but her birth does not appear to have been registered. She emigrated with her family to Adelaide in 1849. She often referred to herself as A.F. Keith Sheridan. Like her mother she became a school teacher at "Keith House" at 50 MacKinnon Parade, Adelaide, continuing to run the school after her mother died in 1882.

By 1901 she had become fascinated with the Keith family history, writing to the Registrar of St Andrews Univerity seeking information about her grand-father Daniel Keith. The letters dated 18 October, 14, 20 & 26 November, 1901 state she was visiting Britain at the time.

{Note added}1809
Daniel Keith, teacher of a seminary
at Quebec [by application
of the Duke of Kent]

12 Cambridge Terrace
Hyde Park W.
London
18th October 1901

Miss Keith Sheridan
presents her Compliments
to Dr Lang, and would be much obliged for any assistance
he could give her
in obtaining information
concerning her Grand
-father, the late
Rev. Daniel Keith
D.D. of St Andrews University.
She understands
that Dr Keith emigrated
to Canada, being
there at the same
time as the late
Duke of Kent, who
bestowed upon him
many marks of esteem
and friendship.
That, she thinks,
was in 1793. Any
record, therefore of
Dr Keith at St Andrews
must have been prior to that time.
Miss K.S. has but recently
arrived from Australia
- a voyage of some
thousands of miles,
with other members
of the family to learn
all that is possible
concerning her Grand.
-father, and has been
advised to seek the
friendly aid of
Principal Lang -
which must be her
apology for troubling
him - may
she ask the favor of an early reply.
14 Nov 1901
Dear Sir
many thanks
for your kind note
just received.
In coming from Adelaide
South Australia, to
the home-land, one of
my most cherished
wishes has been to obtain
information concerning
our Grandfather,
the Revd. Daniel Keith
D.D. of St Andrews.
(as I at first thought - of
Aberdeen.) At some
inconvenience to my
party, I pushed on
to Aberdeen, only to
learn there was no
university there of the
name; but was advised
at Kings College to seek
the aid of principal
Lang, Chanonry Lodge,
St Andrews - hence
ny letter of the 19 Octr.
so addressed and
still unanswered.
I wished to go on to
St Andres, but
circumstances being
against it, have had
to be content with
writing only.
There is but little data
to go upon. From
our mother we have
learned that our Grandfather
emigrated to Canada
and was there at the same
time as the late Duke of
Kent, who was pleased
to bestow upon him many
marks of esteem and
friendship. This was,
I think, in 1793.
Dr Keith afterwards returned
to the old country and
died at Hammersmith
shortly prior to the Duke's
decease, his widow
Mrs Keith received letters
of condolence from
H.R.H through Sir
John Conroy.
These are the main
facts as imparted to me
To my great regret,
our return passages
are taken to Australia
and I am most anxious
to get as much information
as possible with regard to
Dr Keith
I may add that we have
discovered, at St George
Church, Bristol, the
tomb of "Jane Keith
relict of the late Revd.
Daniel Keith D.D."
With other members of
the family, I would be
grateful for any aid
you could render in
the matter. Trusting to
hear again
Your truly
A.F. Keith Sheridan
12 Cambridge Terrace
Hyde Park W London
20th Novr 1901
Dear Sir,
My thanks are
due to you and to
principal Donaldson
for the prompt reply
to my last letter.
As there appears to be only such meagre
records, it seems scarcely
worth while to have
an official transcript
of them - at least
for the present.
Will you, however
accept five shillings
as per Money Order
enclosed, in consideration
of the trouble you have
taken in the matter.
It would ne in-
teresting to me to
learn the names
of any Keiths who
have been connected
with St Andrews University - say
from 1746 to 1809
and also the name
and address of the
correspondent in
Canada mentioned
in your letter, together
with any other in-
formation bearing
upon my enquiries
that you can afford.
Will you favor
with early reply
and oblige.
Yours sincerely
A.F. Keith Sheridan
To J Maitland Anderson Esq.
Librarian
St Andrews University
N.B.
12 Cambridge Tce
Hyde Park W
London
26th Nov 1901
Dear Sir,
Your letter just
received deeply interests
me. I have heard my
mother speak of her sister
The Mary Keith you mention.
Had I understood that
an official extract
would contain anything
of interest, I wuold ahve
forwarded the full feee
at once. Will you
accept enclosed 5/6
as making up the full
amount and favor
me with the official
extracts alluded to?
I have been unable quite
to make out the name of
Canadian correspondent.
Is it Godden, M.A. Acton?
Pray excuse these hurried
lines, a personal
interview would have
been so much better,
but circumstances
compel me to leave
for Australia very
shortly - to my great
regret.
An early reply will
oblige.
Yours sincerely
A.F. Keith Sheridan
To J Maitland Anderson Esq.
Librarian
St Andrews University
N.B.

It would appear that the Misses Sheridan were well-known in Adelaide society. This newspaper report is from 1888.

One of Miss AF Keith Sheridan's literary endeavours was translating material into English. She was noted as the first person in South Australia to translate some of the works of Hans Christian Andersen from Danish into English. She had the work published privately by the printing firm of G. Scrymgour & Sons, the printing works that had until recently been owned by her brother Reginald.

Alice Frances Keith SHERIDAN died 25 November 1922 and is buried at West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide. An obituary was published in The Register, Adelaide.

Register (Adelaide), Friday 12 January 1923, page 8

Violet Laura SHERIDAN

From various sources, Violet was born about 1847. For instance the transcript of her death record in 1921 shows her age as 74, her place of birth as Middlesex, England and length of residence in Australia as 72 years. Despite this knowledge she does not appear in birth registers in England.

Violet was aged about 41 when she married Alfred Muller SIMPSON at St Johns Church, Adelaide on 23 August 1888. Alfred was a widower, his first wife (Catherine ALLEN) having died in 1887. Violet and John did not have any children.


Mr Alfred Muller SIMPSON

Alfred died in Adelaide on 28 September 1917.


Mr Alfred Muller SIMPSON

Violet died in North Adelaide on 28 June 1921. She did not have any children. She left her estate to her sister Alice Frances. Their combined estates, valued at £30,000 wer left to various charities (see below)

The Sheridan Estate

Between them, the four Sheridan siblings inherited and amassed a relatively large estate. Alice and Violet inherited the property at 50 MacKinnon Terrace from their mother as well as the printing business interests of their brother Reginald. This included a property at the corner of Grote St and Victoria Square, in the heart of Adelaide. Neither sister had children and they both outlived their brothers. According to reports, the sisters decided to leave their share of the estate to the other sister and for the combined estate to be left to various educational and charitable interests. These bequests were reported in the papers after Alice's death in 1922.


The property at 50 MacKinnon Parade was to become the "Keith Sheridan Institute". It was officially opened in 1926.


From Chronicle (Adelaide), 21 Feb 1925, page 38

50 Mackinnon Parade today

50 Mackinnon Parade

The estate also contributed £2,000 to establish a new kindergarten in Cairns St. This kindergarten was later expanded to become the Halifax St Childcare Centre. The Keith Shreidan Kindergarten at the rear, was demolished in 1983 to become the playground.

From Advertiser (Adelaide), Monday 15 June 1925, page 14

Photo from Chronicle (Adelaide), Thursday 10 April 1930, page 35

Some of the estate went towards the erection of a tea kiosk at the Adelaide Hospital. It was opened in 1925 by the city's leading dignitaries, including Mr Allen Simpson a city alderman, and the step-son of Violet Laura.


Mail (Adelaide), Saturday 15 August 1925, page 1

Painting of the kiosk by Leila MacNamara, 1926

The Register (Adelaide), 19 November 1925, page 10

The Sheridan Kiosk had a long history as a kiosk, but was in more recent times converted to offices for the hospital's Research Office. It sprouted air conditioning units on the outside and the windows were modifed, but the overall shape and the distinctive roof dome remained. Today the Kiosk is a registered historic building, but is surrounded by chaos as the now-closed hospital awaits a decision on its future.


Sheridan Kiosk at the old Adelaide Hospital,



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Last updated: 20 May 2020