CHAMBERS Mary Elizabeth		Born: 1848	Died: 1885-01-09
Father: CHAMBERS James		Mother: BROWN Elizabeth
Children: GRANT James, GRANT Maud, GRANT Mary Louise "May", GRANT William Henry Jr 1, GRANT Laura Fanny, GRANT Emma Elizabeth, GRANT Charles Henry Anthony, GRANT William Henry (Jr)
Siblings: none

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Mary Elizabeth CHAMBERS was the first wife of William Henry GRANT. She was born in 1848 and died on 11 January 1885 at the age of 37. Mary died from complications related to childbirth.

Mary Elizabeth and her husband married when Mary was 21. The couple had 7 children. They migrated from England to Australia (along with their children) aboard the “Dunbar Castle”, arriving in Sydney on 18 October 1877. Their 3 year old son, James died whilst the family were en route (Source:  Marine death record).

A person by the name of Euphemia Maudsley (a “monthly nurse”) was charged with her manslaughter. Mary’s death certificate states that Mary died from “haemorrhaging and the neglect of one Euphemia Maudsley”. It is noted that an E Maudsley was  a witness to her burial along with WH Grant. Source: Mary Elizabeth Chambers’ death certificate

Mrs Maudsley was charged of manslaughter after an autopsy revealed Mary had died from haemorrhaging after giving birth to a baby girl named Maud.  Resulting from the autopsy findings the acting coroner considered there was evidence of neglect by the nurse attending to Mary. However, the Attorney General refused to file a bill against the nurse, which was reported as being approved by “all acquainted with the case” .

Balmain Cemetery records state Maud died at 15 weeks.

 

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