Ann Jane GALBREATH (SCAMMELL) 1821-1887

Ann Jane GALBREATH was born on 2 Mar 1821¹, the daughter of John Stites GALBREATH & Ann BAKER. She was christened on 1 Apr 1821 in St. Luke Old St, Finsbury, London¹.

Ann migrated to Australia as a single woman. The most likely record of her arrival is one for a Miss Galbraith, a seamstress, on the 'Duke of Cornwall' from London arriving Melbourne 4 Jul 1852⁴. In 1856 she married Francis Scammell in Victoria. Letters from her family in Oakleigh to her brother David in London in 1876 & 1877 still survive in the Clarke family (descendant of David).

Ann died on 3 October 1887 at Musgrave, Melbourne, Victoria², and was buried at Oakleigh Cemetery on the 5th Oct⁵. Ann committed suicide and her death was the subject of an Inquest³. She was greatly troubled by a leg ulcer, which became too much for her, taking her life by drowning in a nearby pond.

Tragically her son Charles also committed suicide in 1905, after taking the life of his wife, infant son and two of his daughters. Two boys aged 7 & 10 were not touched and slept through the ordeal⁵.

Sources :-
1. Parish Register - locations as stated in text above.
2. Death Certificate - Victoria, 1887, #14945.
3. Inquest - Victoria, 1887, #1259.
4. Passenger List.
5. 'The Argus' (Melbourne), 12 Sep 1905.

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