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Anne Maria was brought before the Court, on 17 December 1869, on warrant, at the request of her father, James GREENFIELD, who alleged that he had received information that she was habitually wandering about the streets in no ostensible lawful occupation. He stated that Anne was fifteen years and three months old but he was unable to recall her exact birthdate. James added that she wouldn’t obey either him or her mother and that he had already placed her in the House of the Good Shepherd where she had stayed for a couple of months. The previous evening she had come home briefly before going back out and he stated that he hadn’t seen her again until she was in custody.40 He further said that he didn’t know where or how Anne lived or what kind of company she kept so Anne was sent to Newcastle. She was admitted on 19 December 1869.41 Her admission record would have appeared in the missing section of the Entrance Book so no family details, religion, discharge or educational details can be found in this record.
Anne Maria didn’t transfer to Biloela with the school in May 1871 as she was discharged into the care of her father42 on 12 May 1871,43 about a fortnight before the transfer. An application must have been made for her release and this letter may be able to be located in the CSIL. It may have the reference number 71/313144 and two further letters referring to her are yet to be read.
As Annie GREENFIELD, she was the mother of the illegitimate child, William J. GREENFIELD, who was born in 1873 and lived for fifteen days. A second birth registration the following year recorded the birth of a second son who was given the same name. His death, at the age of twenty-two hours, is very likely registered under the name Annie GREENFIELD. As Ann GREENFIELD she may have been the woman praying for protection from Louisa DREW who had threatened to 'jump her inside out'45 On 4 February 1875, in Sydney, Annie married the carpenter, AH TOW aka John AH TOW or SOW, who had been born in Canton, China. The witnesses were Joseph BOSWORTH and Mary Jane (X) BURKE. No parents were identified on the marriage registration and the record had already been updated from the original church register so no further information will be available from that source.46 John and Annie's daughter, Clara Ethel TOW, was born on 6 January 1880, at 38 Little Essex Street, Sydney,47 and Annie was still at this address in 1891.48 No other children have been identified for the couple and only Clara was recorded on Annie's death registration.
Annie doesn’t feature in the funeral or In Memoriam notices for her mother or brother-in-law, James LIVINGSTON,49 in 1881, her father in 1882 or her brother in 1900. The Funeral Notice for her mother, Bridget, indicated that she had left five children still alive50 when she died in 1881 and it is believed that Annie was included as one of these children. The Deceased Estate papers for Anna's father, James, may assist with providing further information about her life.51
Annie Maria TOW gave permission for her daughter, Clara, to marry William Christopher O'SHANNESSEY in July 189552 but she isn’t mentioned in the Funeral Notice for the death of Clara’s daughter, Annie, in 1910. When she died in 1929 Clara's parents were recorded on the NSW BDM Index as John and Annie M.
Descendants have identified the death of John AH TOW in 1922 but they have not identified the death of Annie.53 Annie died as Annie M. TOWE at her son-in-law's residence, 69 Campbell Street, Glebe, on 30 January 1927. Her parents were recorded as James GREENFIELD, tugboat proprietor, and Delia CLANCY. The error in her mother's name was made by the informant, Gladys CLUBB, Annie's granddaughter. Annie was buried at the Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood, on 1 February 1927.54 No location for her burial has been identified on the Rookwood Cemetery Inscriptions CD.
Family
Annie was the daughter of James GREENFIELD and Bridget GLANCEY who had married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on 2 February 1852. When their daughter, Winifred, was baptized, the family was living in Gloucester Street, Sydney. Anna GREENFIELD had been born on 13 July 1854, and was baptized on 17 August 1854, when her family was living on Sydney’s North Shore. During the 1860s the family was living in Sussex Street55 when their house was robbed.56
Bridget GLANCEY had arrived with her sister, Winifred, aboard the Lady Peel in July 1849. This was the same ship of arrival as the mothers of Emma MAXTED and Mary Ann PARKER so it is very likely that Bridget was also from the Irish workhouses. Bridget was described as a housemaid from Roscommon, Ireland, in the indent. Her parents, John and Honor, were named but were both recorded as dead.57 When Bridget died on 7 April 1881, James was recorded as a ballast and lighterman whose residence was 23 Harwood Street, Pyrmont.58 No parents were shown on the NSW BDM Index. Only Bridget's age of 47 years was recorded.59
Descendants state that James worked as an able seaman and have attributed to him an arrival aboard the Walter Hood in 1865. The Walter Hood indent indicated that this man had been born in London. This occupation of seaman is consistent with James' employment as a lighterman in NSW.60 A first arrival in time for him to undertake his marriage to Bridget GLANCEY has not yet been identified and it must be considered that this 1865 arrival is not a reference to him - especially as details of a further employer, the business Buckle and Greenfield, locate his involvement there.61 Buckle and Greenfield appear to have operated in Sydney during the 1860s and were responsible for the construction of a stone dyke in Farm Cove in 1867.62 The firm was also a sponsor of races on the harbour and raced a successful ballast boat called the Colleen Bawn.63 A man born in 1820 who had arrived aboard the Artemisia in 1848 was in Darlinghurst Gaol in 1849 and it may be that this was also a reference to Anne's father. This prisoner was described as 5' 5" tall with dark hair and hazel eyes. He was stout with a fresh complexion and had been imprisoned with a John LONDON who was from the same ship.64 The Artemisia had arrived into Morton Bay.65 No matching arrival has been found on the Queensland Immigration Index and his name does not appear in the immigrants' index on SRNSW. This suggests that he may have been a crewman. James died at the age of 6466 on 23 February 1882.67
Updated May 2017