Jane Keating : Short Biography

It is not known when William Threlfall joined the Royal Artillery, but he served with the regiment at the Crimean War from September 1855 to May 1856.  The regiment was at sea in June and July of that year and at home in Woolwich in August 1856.  From September to August 1857 the 6th Co. 8th Brigade was stationed at Dublin and Portobello then Athlone for the next two months.  The company moved to Co Longford, Ireland in November 1857.

While in Longford in 1858, William married local colleen, Jane Keating, whose father Robert was a decorator by trade and whose mother was formerly Ellen Young.  Jane born in 1840, was only 18 years old, 10 years younger than William.  The Royal Artillery moved to Aldershot in May 1859 until December 1860.  During these years a son, George, was born and died. We suspect that the young couple was apart for a period as there were no more births.  In 1861 the unit became F Battery, 8th Brigade and sailed for Australia on 9th Sept 1861.

F Battery, 8th Brigade landed in Melbourne in 1862 and son William was born 18 August that same year at the Artillery Barracks, Melbourne, which was their home.  Jane was presumably pregnant for most of the harzardous voyage.  Robert was born in 1864, also at the Artillery Barracks, Melbourne. Gunner, William Threlfall, and Mrs Threlfall and two sons were transferred to Sydney and lived on Fort Denison, where Samuel was born March 1867.  He died three weeks later of atrophy being attended by Royal Artillery doctor Alster as indeed were many of the children at their birth and death.

Ellen Victoria was born on Fort Denison in 1868.  It has always been part of the family's oral history that great-grandfather was "keeper of the light on Fort Denison" during his time on the site.  Each Thursday he rowed across to Lady Macquarie's Chair for the weekly supplies and to meet with other members of the regiment.  On these night's great grandmother lit the light in his stead and used to say she could hear his singing across the water before she could see his boat through the darkness.  Pay day was a day of good cheer! The whale oil light is now housed in the basement of the tower which is part of the Fort Denison museum.

Royal Artillery records of pay show William earned 1 shilling 8 pence and 1 farthing per diem.  He was attached from 15th Brigade while on Fort Denison.  From October 1868 to March 1869 he returned to his own Brigade, then back to Fort Denison for the six months before being discharged to pension on 12 August 1869.

Margaret Jane was  born at 20 Windmill St, in Army Quarters on 31 August 1870.  On her birth certificate William is said to be "late R A Gunner". 

From this time official Australian army records are very sketchy.  William Threlfall continued in the army, on his death certificate he is shown to be an army pensioner and professional soldier.

Mary Ann was born Nov 1872 at 60 Palmer St, Woolloomooloo while her father was at Macquarie Battery.  Her life span was a mere five weeks as she contracted diarrhoea.  History records that in 1871 there was an establishment of the New South Wales Permanent Military Force at Victoria Barracks and Dawes Point.  The Infantry was based at Victoria Barracks and the Artillery at Dawes Point.  William and Jane were residents at Victoria Barracks, his occupation now being Volunteer Artillery Storeman when Jessey Threlfall was born in Nov 1875.

By 1877 the necessity for increased accommodation at Victoria Barracks for Permanent Forces resulted in Sergeants of Volunteer Staff being housed elsewhere.  William's next son, Walter Henry, was born on 19th Dec 1877 at Dawes Battery, Dawes Point.

When both Ethel was born 7th Nov 1881 and Arthur Leslie on 24th March 1884, William aged 55 and Jane aged 44 were living at Brigade Office, O'Connell St.  He was still a Military Storeman.  During his latter years William was caretaker at the Government Printing Office, also in O'Connell St.

Their grand-children, sisters Millicent, Mary and Margaret all lived into their nineties and remembered their grandparents well. Jane as being a tiny person with her black, bustled frocks and black poke bonnet tied with a large bow to the side of her chin.  She was quick to chastise and was held in considerable awe as she checked knickers and petticoats each sunday, to ensure there were no pins where there should be a button or bow.  What an image - three little girls in their best on the way to Sunday School at St Johns, Darlinghurst, holding up skirts while grandmother checked that her daughter was not remiss in maintaining proper standards of repair.

Their grandfather was remembered more fondly, as being quietly spoken and the owner of a white cockatoo which sounded like William as it asked, "would you like a cup of tea?"

When Gunner William Threlfall died in 1920 in his 90th year, he was living in 6 Regent St, Paddington, within sight of Victoria Barracks.  Jane who had pre-deceased him by five years died 16 August 1916. Jane Threlfall Passed away from cerebral heammorage.  She suffered from Chronic Bright's Disease.

Both William and Jane are Buried Waverley Cemetery, Gen Section 21 Grave No. 5110.