Mary Ann Bell
Mary Ann Bell was born on the 25th of January 1857 in Nothumberland, England and died on the 15th of April 1890 in Lower Nicholson, aged 33. Her cause of death was puerperal fever and a septic infection following childbirth. She was the wife of William Armstrong, mother of Bill Armstrong and grandmother of Alice Armstrong.
It is presumed that Mary Ann was raised by extended family. The 1861 England census records her living with Isabella Bell, aged 70, who was apparently her grandmother. Mary Ann also shared the home with Isabella’s son, William and John, and her daughter who was also named Isabella Bell. The 1871 census lists that Mary Ann was still living in the same household, although this time it said that Isabella was Mary Ann’s aunty, not grandmother.
No one has found out who Mary Ann’s mother was, as there is no official record of her birth to be found. Isabella’s son, William, is listed as Mary Ann’s father on her marriage certificate.
Mary Ann married William Armstrong in 1879 and had seven children between 1880-1890, the youngest two being twins. The twins were only one month old when Mary Ann died in 1890. Mary Ann had only been in Australia for five years before she died, and her husband could not look after both of the babies so one of the twins, Polly, was unofficially adopted by the Bosse family in Nicholson. The other twin, Jane, was raised by her father but frequently spent time with different relatives as she grew up. The twins later in life bought a unit together in Wy Yung.
It is presumed that Mary Ann was raised by extended family. The 1861 England census records her living with Isabella Bell, aged 70, who was apparently her grandmother. Mary Ann also shared the home with Isabella’s son, William and John, and her daughter who was also named Isabella Bell. The 1871 census lists that Mary Ann was still living in the same household, although this time it said that Isabella was Mary Ann’s aunty, not grandmother.
No one has found out who Mary Ann’s mother was, as there is no official record of her birth to be found. Isabella’s son, William, is listed as Mary Ann’s father on her marriage certificate.
Mary Ann married William Armstrong in 1879 and had seven children between 1880-1890, the youngest two being twins. The twins were only one month old when Mary Ann died in 1890. Mary Ann had only been in Australia for five years before she died, and her husband could not look after both of the babies so one of the twins, Polly, was unofficially adopted by the Bosse family in Nicholson. The other twin, Jane, was raised by her father but frequently spent time with different relatives as she grew up. The twins later in life bought a unit together in Wy Yung.