Jane was born in 1825 to Philip Keating and Jane Amelia Sawyer. She was Christened on 2 Oct 1831, in Shoreditch, London, England.
Jane emigrated from London, England on 11 Nov 1838 with her parents, sisters Louisa and Emma, and brothers John and Frederick, taking residence in Ashfield, NSW.
In 1842, at the age of 14 she gave birth to a daughter Emily Jane Griffiths Keating, fathered by Richard Griffiths. Emily was raised by Jane’s older sister Emma.
In 1843 she was married by banns and with the consent of her father to Joseph Barker. This event is recorded in both the parishes of St Andrew’s and St. James Church of England, in Sydney NSW and were living in Elizabeth St, Sydney in 1846.
It is believed that they travelled to the Bathurst goldfields around 1850-1851 to try their luck as found in the book ‘The second rush : a study of the goldrush to Sofala in 1851″ by Robert G.V. Baker, which it lists Jane Barker, Fred Keating and Samuel Barker as depositing gold at Sofala in 1851. It is suggested that Samuel Barker may be a brother to Joseph Barker, or Joseph Barker himself.
Given that Jane’s father Philip died in Oct 1853 it appears that Jane returned to Sydney sometime before his death, most likely in late 1851 as William Joseph Barker would have been an infant and the the township of Sofala at the time was very much in its infancy with food and accommodation very sparse. No church only tents. Joseph remained in the Sofala and died in 1857 at Nugetty Gully, just to the north of Sofala..
Sometime after her return to Sydney she met Thomas Allsopp and they had formed a relationship by mid 1853 which saw the birth of their first child Ann Elizabeth Allsopp on 28 Feb 1854.
There has been much speculation as to their marriage as no marriage record has been found to date. Sources indicating a marriage are the birth certificates of their children and these shown no consistency; the marriage dates being:
- Cussiah Jane – December 1841 [coincidently is when Thomas married Mary Ridgeley]
- Elijah John (Thomas) – 1846
- Jane Amelia – 1853
- Thomas (John Thomas) – January 1845
Jane’s death certificate indicates that when she married Joseph Barker she was 16 or 17 years old however she was actually 15-1/2 years at the time, and 21 years when she ‘married’ Thomas Allsopp which would be about 1849.
Also the actual number of children that Jane gave birth to is unclear as follows sources tend to indicate:
At the birth of Samuel Allsopp (son), her husband, Thomas, gave the previous issue as: Emily 16, William 12, Philip 10, Robert 7, Elizabeth Ann 3 – all living – 2 boys 2 girls deceased.
On the 1860 birth certificate of Jane Amelia (daughter) it lists previous issue as being: William (15), Phillip (14), Elizabeth (7), Samuel (3) Henry G (3) twins, none deceased.
On the 1862 birth certificate of Cussiah Jane(daughter) it lists previous issue as being: Phillip, William ,Annie (5), Samuel (3) Jane Amelia (1) , none deceased.
On the 1864 birth certificate of Thomas (son) it lists previous issue as being: Phillip (10), William (8), Samuel (4), Jane Amelia (3), Cussiah Jane (1).
On the 1865 birth certificate of John Thomas (son) it lists previous issue as being: Phillip (18), Annie Elizabeth (12, Samuel Henry (8), Jane Amelia (6), Rosanna Mary (4), Elijah (2).
Her death certificate lists her children as being: First marriage; Phillip George (51), William (49) – all living. Second marriage; Ann Elizabeth (40), Samuel Henry (38), Jane Amelia (35), Rosina (33), Elijah John (31), Frederick Thomas (29), all living – 1 male deceased.
Jane died from influenza on 16 Sep 1895 in Lucknow NSW, Australia after an illness lasting some 9 days.
She was buried on 17 Sep 1895 at Orange, NSW.
Image of Jane Keating courtesy of Leah Clark
