Ernest James LANDER [12884]

  General Notes:

Ernest and Emily emigrated to Australia after 1896 and lived in North Queensland doing a variety of work.

When Emily died Ernest married again but his second wife left the family after about 2 years.

McDonnell & Hamlyn-Harris
Solicitors & Notaries Public
Cairns
20 Apr 1922
Sir/
We have been instructed by Mr E. J. Lander of Gordonvale to write to you with reference to his two children Charles Cyril Lander aged 11 years and Kathleen Maud Pearl Lander aged nine years.
Mr Lander is desirous of having these children admitted as State children. The circumstances briefly are that they are his two youngest children of a previous marriage and up to the end of February last they were being looked after by our client's wife, their stepmother, at Mount Carbine where Mr Lander had been keeping an hotel.
Owing to the slump in the metal market Mount Carbine died out and there was no business and Mr Lander has had to go out looking for work whilst his wife remained at the hotel with the children. At the end of February she sent the two children to Gordonvale where Mr Lander was working with a message that she was going to Herberton for awhile since that date he has not seen or heard from her and she has apparently deserted him. The hotel at that time was taken over by another person. No consideration was received for the property and Mr Lander derived no benefit from the transfer.
Mr Lander has no fixed home where he can keep the children. He does casual work on sugar farms and other places. He has grown up children three of his daughters being married. None of these have any home and lodge in rooms and are unable to take charge of the two children in question.
Mr Lander is prepared to pay 10 shillings per week per child to you for the support of the children.
We should be glad to hear as soon as possible if you will admit the children as State children.
Yours obediently
. . . . .
The Director of State Children
Townsville.

Ernest married Emily Maude TOTTEY [12885] [MRIN: 4332], daughter of Samuel TOTTEY [12896] and Celia COTTON [12897], in 1896 in England. (Emily Maude TOTTEY [12885] was born in Oct 1879 in Shropshire ENG and died in 1915 in Queensland Aust..). The cause of her death was heart failure.

Ernest next married Honora Nellie CUMMINGS [13482] [MRIN: 4508], daughter of Michael MARTIN [13634] and Catherine RYAN [13635], on 18 Apr 1917 in Queensland Aust. (Honora Nellie CUMMINGS [13482] died on 25 Sep 1946 in Brisbane Queensland Aust..)