Margaret Johnson in London 1871

Margaret Johnson and George Goodfellow,
birth year from event age

When Margaret Robinson died in 1914, her second husband Joseph Robinson was the informant on her death certificate.  His information was that Margaret was aged 56 when she died, aged 38 when they were married in 1897 and aged 15 at her first marriage to George Goodfellow in England.  Margaret Johnston and George Goodfellow were both passengers on the Ship Winefred, which left London in October 1873.  Margaret's age indicates she was born in 1858-59.  

Margaret Johnson, age 13, Refuge Home, Christ Church Spitalfields Parish, London
1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census, Tower Hamlets Borough, Whitechapel District.
Public Record Office RG10 523, page 12. FindMyPast, 10 April 2024.

In April 1871, in the Census, there was a Margaret Johnson age 13, born in Liverpool, a boarder and scholar at the Christ Church refuge at 25 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London.  This is not far from Holy Trinity Minories, where George Goodfellow was a railway porter.  Both addresses were in the District of Whitechapel, Borough of Tower Hamlets.  Could Margaret and George have known each other before emigrating to Australia?  Their daughter Florence was born in Brisbane in May 1874, but died in December that year.  Her cause of death was marasmus: malnutrition.  How were Margaret, perhaps aged only sixteen and George coping in a new country, in Brisbane with a baby who was not thriving?

On the passenger list in 1873, Margaret's age was 24 (born about 1859); on their marriage in Brisbane on 26 January 1874, her age was 22 (born about 1852), which was over the age of 21 to be married without parental permission.  At the birth of their daughter Grace on 21 September 1879, Margaret's age was 27 (born about 1852).  At their son Henry's birth on 31 January 1883, Margaret's age was 30 years (born about 1853).  

Margaret consistently recorded her birthplace as Paris, France; specifically Dunstin Lees.  She was apparently very proud of her French connection and French songs.  

There is no confirmation whether she was born in Paris or Liverpool, that her family was in poverty so she was in a children's refuge in London, or that she was born about 1852 or 1858.