Mystery Monday - Who was John Williams, blacksmith?

I’ve had contact from yet another new cousin.

Jane Brookes nee Condell

Barry is descended from the first child of my 3x great grandmother, Jane CONDELL / CUNDELL (1821-1904).

Jane had a child before she married my 3x great grandfather, convict Thomas BROOK / BROOKE / BROOKS (1810-1894) in New Norfolk, Tasmania in 1844.

This child was born on 16 June 1841 and baptised on 25 June 1841 as John WILLIAMS, son of John WILLIAMS, blacksmith.

After the marriage of Jane and Thomas, young John was raised as John BROOKS / BROOKES.

I have not been able to find any further mention of ‘the’ John Williams.

It’s a difficult name to search – being so common, and with the surname closely approximating a first name too.

After Thomas’ conditional pardon in 1845, he moved to Mt Shadwell, near Mortlake in Victoria’s Western District.

Jane and the children followed after the birth of my great great grandmother Frances Eliza BROOKS in 1846.

John Brookes married Angelina SANDERS (1855-1952) in Mortlake on 25 April 1877 and they had three daughters and two sons:

Angelina Elizabeth, born 1878 in Ballarat, married Jeremiah Thomas SINCLAIR and died in 1943.

Emma Jane, born 1880 in Ballarat, married Henry LONG (son of Frances Eliza BROOKS, see above) and died in 1953.

Ernest John Thomas, born 1884 in Mortlake, married Ruth SHARROCK and died in 1971.

Albert Arthur, born 1888 and was Killed In Action at Pozieres in WWI in 1916.

Vida May, born 1898 in Terang, and married first Stanley BAXTER, then Percy BENNETT.

John Brooks died in Noorat on 16 January 1915 age 73 years and was buried in Terang cemetery.

Angelina, his wife, lived to the remarkable age of 96 years, dying in 1952.

I've previously written about Jane and her family here, and here.