Genealogy

Here are some pics from April 2004. Michael is about three months old, and that is my dad's mum Ibey holding him, her great-grandson. This was the last time I saw her - although she lived until November 2007. She was not recognising my Dad a lot of that time, and he thought if I went to visit it would only upset her.



I am just doing some genealogical research, spurred by a convict-heritage-y thing we are doing at work. Ibey's grandfather's grandfather Beni Griffiths was sentenced to death for murder, but that was commuted to transportation. Queen Victoria received a petition for clemency from all the jurors in his case, and hundreds of others, to the effect that nobody liked the victim much. He had informed on Benni and some of his mates for poaching, and they went to teach him a lesson. That was in deepest Wales, in about 1840.

1. Beni Griffiths - labourer, murderer, transported to Van Diemens Land 1841 aboard HMS Tortoise
2. David Griffiths - son of Benni, came to Van Diemens Land with wife, children and mother 1855 aboard Ocean Child
3. John Griffiths - b. 1855 aboard Ocean Child. Later was Postmaster Chief Linesman at Queenstown, Tasmania
4. ? John's daughter must have married a Stubbings around 1900-1908 [Ethel Emma Cordelia Griffiths married Daniel Herbert Stubbings on 17 Jun 1903. Their daughter Ivy Enid Stubbings married Elliot Elwick Rees on 17th Feb 1934 - thanks Ruth]
5. Ivy Enid Rees - b. 1909, d. 2007 - drapery shop assistant, mother of 2
6. John Rees - b. 1936 - teacher, footballer, father of 3
7. Chris Rees - b. 1968 - graphic designer, father of 2
8. Marcus Rees - b. 2002 and Michael Rees - born 2004