Kelly Baker ancestors

Margaret
the eldest daughter, married Nathaniel Giles, from Mintaro. They had two sons, Bill and Jim who both later became teachers. Margaret also provided a home for James’ son Richard, during the years they lived at Ardrossan. Peter Giles, a nephew of Nathaniel Giles, was at the family gathering when this paper was first presented.

  James
became Surveyor General of South Australia, after a distinguished career in the state’s surveying history. This included a number of years going to remote areas by camels, with the assistance of Afghani camel drivers. James married Alice Giles, and had two children, Aileen and Richard (Dick).Six members of Dick’s family were at the family gathering: Elizabeth Vasta nee McNamara ,her husband, John Vasta, and their children , Sebastian, Joyce and Gerard; also Katherine McNamara who gave this presentation.

  Little is known of John and Percy. One story is that Percy stowed away.

Frances
the seventh child , married Ted Bermingham and lived in Queen Street, Norwood and had two daughters, Peg and Honor. Honor is now almost 85 and lives in Young NSW, had planned to be at the gathering until pneumonia laid her low. Honor has happy memories of growing up around the corner from ‘Cousin Frank and Cousin Sheila’ (Kelly) and their children.

  Helen
and May never married but were actively involved in the family life. Clara died when she was two when the family were visiting relatives in Mintaro.

  Augustine
the youngest, died in 1909 in his 20s.

  Honor and David began their lives together when Adelaide was less that twenty years old. They clearly worked hard to establish themselves in the new colony, and they raised and educated a large family. The Catholic Faith was important to them. The description of David’s funeral in 1894 gave some indication of their standing in the Catholic community. It is likely that it was difficult for them with the death of so many of their infant children. Also, four of the ten children who survived both their parents’ early deaths were orphaned before they were of age. Augustine would have been only 11.
  The children of David (the eldest), and James..the third son, were the only branches of this McNamara family to have grandchildren, and so continue to the current generation. Recent generations of these two families have not had the chance to meet until today.

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