• 1861 - Alice was born, her birth was registered at Emerald Hill.  On 24 Sept 1868 - Alice's father died.  On 31 Jul 1876 - Alice's mother died, Alice would be about fifteen years old. 
• 1881 - Alice gave birth to son George Albert Simkins, the birth registered at Carlton. 
• 1884 - Alice gave birth to daughter Alice Victoria Simkins, the birth registered at Melbourne. 
• 1887 - young George died, aged 5 years, the registration at Richmond, in the index, has his age in months instead of years. The Melbourne General Cemetery records show a George Arthur Simpkins was buried on the 3rd of March of that year, aged 5 ½, and there are no other death registrations that could account for him. He was later joined by Alice's first husband. (The George Arthur born to John Henry has been accounted for)  
• 1890 - Alice gave birth to a second illegitimate daughter Daisy May Considine Simkins. Nothing further is known about Daisy.
• 6th June 1895 - Alice married William Napier Considine, stating that she was born at Williamstown. They were married by License, at their home in Avenue Road, Camberwell, the ceremony performed by a Christian Minister, Alfred Henry Bryant. The witnesses were Elizabeth Marie McDonnell and Harry Hanslow. All signed their names. Alice gave her father's name as William Thomas Simpkins, a ships mate and said her mother's name was Alice May but did not know her maiden name. There is nothing in the bdm indexes that supports these being her parents, nor do they show up as being parents to any other children. Alice was barely eight when her father died, and we do not know how long her mother had been unable to care for her before her death, so it is easy to believe that she really had no idea of her parent's names. William, an Inspector of Detectives for the Victorian Railways, was a 50 year old widower, with no children from his previous marriage. His wife, Ann Elizabeth Boddington had died in 1891. William was born in Clapham, Surrey, England. William's father, James Considine, was a British officer, a General in the Army. I did find census entries to back up that claim that he was an officer in the Army. His mother was Philadelphia Gibson.
• 2nd July 1895 - Less than a month later, William was buried with George, Alice's young son at Melbourne General.
• 1896 - Alice remarried, to Frances (Frank) Lush. Frank's wife, Mary Watson Cattach, had died during the previous year, leaving him with three daughters. They were Alice Maud Mary, Martha Melvin and Connie Lush. 
• 1897 - Alice has another daughter, Frances Considine Lush. 
• 1901 - daughter Alice Victoria Simkins Considine married Charles Frederick Lewis. The next year they had a son, Frederick Arnold Napier Lewis, who died aged 4 months and was buried with George Simkins and William Considine. 
• 1902 - Alice has another son, Frank Sidney Lush.
• 1943 - Alice died. 

Nothing further is certain about Thomas after the notation that he is ten years old on his mother's death certificate in 1876. He may have been fostered out, and may have even had a change of name.

I do have the death certificate of a Thomas Simpkins, who died aged 71 on 24th March 1945.  This gives him a birth date of around 1874.  He died at Mount Royal Hospital, Royal Park.  His parents were unknown, his occupation unknown, his usual place of residence unknown.   He had a heart failure which led to his death, but previous to that had many years of chronic bronchitis and senile debility.  It also stated that he had paraplegia for 57 years - meaning that this Thomas had been paralysed since about 14 years of age.   It is possible that his age is wrong, and that he is my Thomas.  He was born Melbourne, and was unmarried.  He was buried in Springvale Cemetery.  The certificate states that he was not buried until the 21st August 1945 - and this part is handwritten.  It may simply mean that the burial was not registered until that time.

9th December 2007