Hanna Vine
late 1880's or early 1890's
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Richard and Hannah's Story
Richard was born in Towednack, Cornwall in 1855. Information for the Roach family in England is under Robert Roach. Richard (aged 22) and his brother James (aged 20) came to Melbourne in 1878 on the Cuzco. On Richard's marriage certificate (1890) his address is given as of 16 Howard Street St Yarra, and he describes hiself as a Contractor.Hannah was born in Spring Creek near Beechworth in 1866. The couple were married in Fleminton, Melbourne. Hannah gives her normal address is Beechworth, but at time of marriage was living at Kent St Flemington. Her father was a Publican. One of the witnesses to the wedding was Hannah's Sister Elizabeth.
When their daughter Leila was born in North Sydney in 1893, Richard was an Inspector of Works. Richard's death certificate states he spent three years in South Australia and four in NSW, and the rest in Victoria (48 Years). Liela was married from 87 Barker's Rd, Kew, Melbourne in 1914. Hannah died in Kew a year later.
Richard senior died in 1934 in the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum, Cheltenham. His death certificate shows 48 years Vic, 3 SA, 4 NSW
Bob Roach married Elsie Cumper. They lived in Richmond. They were married less than one year. She was expecting first child, got appendicitis. doctors advised not to operate, and she died. Bob took it really bad, then war Bob was gassed in the war and died a few yeas later.
Dick Roach was an engineer
Comment from Fred Mitchell
It is not known when the family was split by the departure of the father Richard Roach. I was always told when I was young that he was a sailor, and was away for months or years at a time. That is not correct, as he was called on Liela's birth certificate an `Inspector of Works'. The 1904 Melbourne directory had Hannah (only) at 27 College St Kew (friends Katy and Ivy Stapelton lived at 28). Fred believes Hannah and Richard had separated by then.My Grandmother (Leila?) never spoke of Richard Reid Roach, and he never visited her after the marriage, I'm told. He is rumoured to have left the family to look for gold in South Africa, though he died in Victoria.