unknown 24 Lawrence Street Launceston Tasmania Australia Thomas Coates John Henderson, Robert Edward, Violet Pricilla, Daisy Laurestina Dorothy & Lionel Ebenezer Victor

Mrs Mary Henderson Coates was born about 1853, a daughter of Ebenezer Potts and his wife Mary Cummings from Stockton on Lees, Durham, England. She married Thomas Coates in Victoria in 1884. Their five children were all born in Launceston and were christened at the Holy Trinity Church. They were John, 1885-1943; Robert, 1887-1887; Violet, 1889-1929; Daisy, 1891-1957 and Victor, 1895-1960. Mary's eldest son John and sister Dorothy Potts are also pictured in the Family Album.

Mary's husband Thomas was a foreman fitter at the railway workshops where he worked for 20 years until he died suddenly on 6 Sep 1897, leaving Mary with four young children. Thomas was buried at the Cypress Street Cemetery as was Mary when she died on 6 Jun 1928 aged 75. Their daughter Violet was buried there too when she died aged 39 on 7 Jul 1929. Violet was the last to be buried at that Cemetery.

Barbara Valentine & Marion Sargent Oct 2008