Lucy Jane (Francisco) Randell (1839 - 1897)

Born 23 Jul 1839 in England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Edward Senior James — married 1 Aug 1860 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Wife of George Randell — married 26 Jan 1881 (to 1897) in Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 24 Jan 1897 at age 57 in North Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia

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Biography

Lucy married Edward Senior James on 1 August 1860 in Perth, Western Australia.^[1]

Her husband died in 1878 and Lucy went on to marry George Randell on 26 January 1881 in Fremantle.^[2]

We regret to announce the death of MRS G RANDELL the wife of Mr. George Randell M.L.A., for Perth. The deceased lady was a daughter of the late Mr. D. Francisco, of Fremantle, a very old colonist, and was born in this colony. She was first married to the late Mr. Edward Senior James, for very many years the licensee of what was in the earlier days of the colony one of the principal hostelries in Perth, the Freemasons' Hotel. For years prior to his death, Mr. James, owing to ill health, was unable to give much attention to his business, which was carried on by his wife with an unvarying energy and ability which obtained for her the name of being one of the most capable business women in the colony.

Some years after Mr. James' death Mrs. James was united in matrimony to Mr. G. Randell, sen., who, with her children, survives her. For the greater part of her life Mrs. Randell appeared to be possessed of excel-lent health, and until the last few years there were probably not many of her friends who suspected that she would fall a victim to heart disease. Of late years, however, she exhibited signs of failing health, which obliged her to withdraw her-self to a large extent from many religious and philanthropic works in which she always delighted to associate her name. For nearly the whole of the past two years her health was very precarious and caused her friends and the members of her family the gravest concern.

Lately, however, she appeared to rally, and a more hopeful view was taken of her condition, although it be-came plainly evident that she would need the utmost care and attention. Recently, by the advice of her physician, she visited Fremantle for a change of air and scene, and for some weeks and at the time of her death was residing in the house of Mr. W. A. Saw, at North Fremantle. There an improvement in her health was notice-able, and continued till a few days ago, when she was again taken seriously ill. Telegrams were sent to her sons, apprising them of her condition, but, unfortunately, with the exception of her eldest son, Mr F. B. James, of the Canning, they were all out the colony; Mr. Walter James, MLA., and Mr. Fred. James, being in the Eastern colonies, the former on a visit and the latter, at his studies, and her daughter Corona being in India with her husband.

Mrs. Randell gradually sank, and some two or three days before her death became un-conscious, and in that state died yesterday morning, her husband, son, and members of Mr. Randell's family being present.

There was probably no one in the colony more widely known and held in higher estimation than the deceased lady. It was not merely her undoubted aptitude for business which commanded respect. To this she added personal qualities which gained her the friendship of a large circle of colonists. Until her health inter-fered, she was one of the foremost in works of active benevolence, which she performed with a quiet unobtrusiveness and a dislike for publicity. In church life she showed the same sense of her responsi-bilities, and indeed it may be said that every good work with which she was associated benefited by the unstinted ex-ercise of the impulses of a warm, generous nature.

In the older musical circles of the colony, especially of Perth and Fremantle, She held an acknowledged prominent place. At an early age she displayed exceptional talent for the piano, and devoted herself so thoroughly to the stndy of her favourite instrument that for very many years she Was regarded as one of the leading pianists in the colony, and there were few concerts worthy the name in which she was not the principal aocompanist. She was one of the leading members of the Minstrels of the West, the predecessor of the late Musical Union, and both for orchestra and chorus was almost invariably the principal, and often the only pianiste. By all her friends she will be greatly missed, and in her the poor of Perth have lost one who ever regarded their sorrows and trials in a light that was as practical as it was sympathetic.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Australia Marriages, 1810-1980", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTZ6-KJW : 18 July 2023), Lucy Francisco in entry for Edward Senior James, 1860.
2. ↑ WA Marriage Index 1881/5039
3. ↑ DEATH OF MRS. G. RANDELL, SEN. (1897, January 25). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3106161

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