Catherine Laura Nibbs was the daughter of William Nibbs and Mary
Ann Timony.
She was born 18 July 1863 (Port
Sorrell, Tas.) and died 30 March 1891
(Evandale, Tas.)
In 1878, age 15 years, Catherine
had an illegitimate child with Henry Weller.
Henry Weller (Jnr). was born 2
August 1878 at Port Sorrell, Tasmania.
Later, he was known as Harry
Nibbs.
In the Tasmanian Police Reports
of Crime vol. XXII dated Friday 2 February 1883, Catherine was charged as follows:
Latrobe: Catherine Laura Nibbs is
charged on warrant issued on the 13th ultimate, by Henry Douglas,
Esquire, J.P., with having since February 1882 left her illegitimate child
without means of support.
In May 1892, Harry Nibbs again
came to the notice of the authorities and at age 14 was admitted to the New
Norfolk Hospital for the Insane. It was
noted that he was an illegitimate orphan and his nearest relative was his
uncle, Thomas Henry Nibbs of Wesley Vale, near Devonport. It appears that
Thomas had taken Harry in, possibly after Catherine’s death the previous year,
but was unable to control him.
His statement at the committal -
“He is dirty in his habits, is at
times violent. When put to school where he has been sometimes - he could not be
made to understand and was always sent back as incorrigible. He has used an axe to strike people who teach
him. He absented himself at times all night, being found in the bush. “
On 23rd May 1892, his
medical certificate describes him as an “Idiot – not with proper care or
control” and a proper person to be taken charge of and detained upon the
following grounds; viz.-
1.Facts indicating Insanity
observed by Medical Practitioner:
From his
general appearance,
From the
manner in which he answered any questions put to him.
He was afraid
of me, and began to cry when I looked at him. He looked at me as though he was
very much afraid.
Harry Nibbs remained at New Norfolk until his death on
October 30 1904, age 26.
Marriage
Catherine Laura Nibbs married Thomas Joseph Dillon on 10
April, 1883 at the Wesley Parsonage, Latrobe. She was then aged 18 and employed
as a general servant. Thomas was a labourer aged 22. Witnesses were William
Nibbs and Sarah Foley. [Her brother and
sister]
They had 5 children.
Children:
Joseph
2 May 1883 (Port Sorrell, Tas. -1956
Catherine
Elizabeth 26 September 1884 (Oatlands, Tas.) –
Michael
William 13 November 1885 (Morven, Tas.) – 10 March 1887 (New Norfolk, Tas.)
Cause
of death at 15 months was diarrhoea and teething.
Alice
Mary 26 July 1887(Launceston, Tas.) –
Margaret
18 May 1889 (Pt. Frederick, Tas.) -
Residences:
1887 Launceston
1889 Torquay
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