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Orphan Number: 2445
Orphan: Amelia HAWKES
Mother:,
Father:,
Mother's ship:
Father's ship:
Age when admitted:
Date admitted:Nov 1864
Date discharged:
Institution(s):Queens Orphan School
Discharged to:
Remarks: application refused
References: SWD27


This orphan has been claimed by: Mozes

Amelia Hawke (b. 7th October 1858) - Amelia was born Florence Emma Gabriel according to her birth records, so it's quite odd that her application to the asylum was submitted as Amelia.

She was the illigitimate child of popular Jewish Hobart dentist Gustavus Gabriel. Her mother was Frances Hawke who was living with her Uncle Joseph and Auntie Philotis Hawke in Hobart (all from England).

Gustavus refused to accept the child as his and wanted the mother and the child out of his life. He was about to marry Louisa Rheuben, the daughter of prominent Jewish townsman Abraham Amos Rheuben. That marriage took place 8th of April 1859.

Frances Hawke brought a case against Gustavus for paternity and financial support but Gustavus appealed. Before the case ever got to a hearing, Gustavus gave his solicitor an undisclosed sum of money. The solicitor gave Frances that money and told her to leave Tasmania. She did and ashe was never heard from again how ever, she left the child behind with a woman for the purpose of adoption but the Court was not impressed, labelling this woman to be "of loose character".

By 24th October 1864, Florence Emma was in the care of her Uncle Joseph and Auntie Philotis Hawke but they didn’t wish to keep Florence either. They had their own 6 children to care for.

Documents show that Joseph Hawke makes an application to the Queen’s Asylum to have Florence admitted as an orphan for the reasons that he is not fit to care for her but his application is rejected.

Records for the child end there. Perhaps she was adopted into another family and had her name changed.

Her mother Frances relocated to Hamilton, Victoria and records show that she married John Dunbar and went on to have children with him.

There are no records showing that Frances ever returned to Hobart to find Florence Emma.

Any further information would be greatly appreciated.




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 Site last updated June 2021