[ryerson_index] Re: What is correct with this notice

  • From: John Graham <johngrah@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: ryerson_index@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2017 14:38:42 +1000

Margaret,

This is a really poor notice, because generally something in quotes like this is a nickname. Why bother with quotes when you could just as easily say (nee Wehlow) and avoid all ambiguity? Bloody funeral directors on work experience!

Like you, I think it's much more likely to be a surname. There are numerous examples in the electoral rolls in the Central Qld area - but unfortunately not Ada from about 1946, when we would expect her to appear.

But Trove solves the issue to my satisfaction. In the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin of 3 Nov 1943: among those at a deb ball at Emerald was Miss Ada Wehlow, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs E. M. Wehlow, Emerald, partner, Mr N. Macfarlane. Furthermore, the RMB of 24 Jan 1944 reports the marriage on 14 Jan of Ada WEHLOW and Norman MACFARLANE. That explains also why Ada WEHLOW doesn't appear in electoral rolls after turning 21 - she was already married.

So even though our rules say we should index it as a nickname, there is enough supporting evidence to confirm it is really a maiden name. Note that we are only using the evidence to confirm our thoughts regarding the notice (which is allowable), and we are not extracting and indexing data from the supporting evidence (which isn't).

John


John, do I put Wehlow as a previous name or a nickname which it doesn't really sound like.

Margaret.


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