Christine Malchow (aka Malcolm) was born in 1862 in Mudgee. Her death record lists her parents as Charles and Elizabeth (NSW BDM). There was also a brother of the same parents called John H, who died in Dubbo in 1872. Christina's birth certificate lists Gottlieb Augustus Edward Malchow (1831–1879) as her father. He was married to her mother Maria Elisabetha Kiesecker (1846–1896) but there is some DNA evidence that suggests he was not Christina's biological father.
Christina died aged 32 on 12 December 1893 at Tallawang a few days after giving birth to twin girls. Her occupation was listed as "private life". The cause of death was listed as "NEGLECT WANT NOURISHMENT AFT CONFINEMENT". On her death record, her father is listed as "Charles Malchow, carpenter". She was described as unmarried but with progeny: 1 male + 4 females living; 1 male deceased. There follows a note where names of children would normally be listed that says: "Omit all particulars in columns 12 and 13, W Clarke, District Registrar, 09.04.1894". A further note cryptically says "TRAGIC EPIS IN HIST". She was buried at Gulgong Cemetery.
The book "The Diehm - Kiesecker Clan" by Lina Moffitt says:
Poor Christina Malchow (daughter of Elizabeth and Gottlieb) died after giving birth to twin girls on the floor of an old wooden hut. She wrapped them in a red woolen blanket and was found with her three older children grieving by her side.Her de facto, George Bassett, (father of the twins), had to be dragged to the funeral by the local constable, otherwise, George was intent on loading his shotgun and going to bring home a few rabbits. Probably this was sensible given that Christina died of "neglect and want of nourishment after confinement" so we assume that the other children must have been starving. It is strange that, in a large town like Gulgong, and surrounded by various cousins etc, this happened to Christina (in 1893). Winesses to burial were William Wade and John Keyssecker. The details of the inquest were suppressed. Maybe she was shunned by society, having six children out of wedlock (one male, deceased) at the time of her death. Her mother, Elizabeth, was by 1881, married to Alfred Jackson in Coonabarabran... Three younger siblings of Christina died in infancy. Her aunt, Christina Bodley-Hodgkinson, was living in Moree by 1890.
Christina's first 3 children, who were born out of wedlock, were to a John of undiscernible surname:
- Ada Christina Malchow was born 18 December 1880 at Gulgong. She died 25 February 1919 at Canterbury, NSW.
- Elizabeth Malchow was born 18 July 1885.
- Charles Augustus Malchow (later "Malco") born about 1887. [Source: Shane Allen].
- Ida May Malchow, daughter of George John Bassett and Christina Malchow, was born 11 December 1893 and baptised (Church of England) on 11 April 1894. Her mother, Christina Malchow, was described as a "labourer's daughter" from Reedy Creek. No father's name was listed. [Source: Gulgong records]
- Margaret Malchow, daughter of George John Bassett and Christina Malchow, was born 11 December 1893. Later named Margaret Ward, she died in Maitland in 1975. [Source Wikitree]
NEWS ITEMS
1879 - Moree.On the 6th November ultimo, a German carpenter named Gottleib August Eduard Malchow died suddenly on Mr. Henry Skuthorpe’s station, at Gorah, near Moree, where he had been employed as a carpenter. Deceased was about 40 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches high, medium build, fair complexion, and fair beard. He is said to have arrived in Sydney by the ship “Golden Era,” in the year 1854, and it is believed that his wife and two children are in the Colony.Source: New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime (Sydney : 1860 - 1930) Wed 3 Dec 1879 [Issue No.49] Page 449
