Family Tree – Megan's Family

m. 1908

Family Information | Notes | All | PDF

Father | Male
Alfred Billett

Born
Died
Buried
Married	1908	Queensland, Australia
Father
Mother

Mother | Female
Annie Helen McGregor

Born	10 Sep 1887	Queensland, Australia
Died
Buried
Other Spouse	Charles Sydney Lake \| F550
Married	1914	Queensland, Australia
Father	Daniel McGregor \| F545 Group Sheet
Mother	Anne Henderson \| F545 Group Sheet

Notes

From The Telegraph Brisbane, Tuesday 7 April 1914 Page 3

Heard at Townsville.
At the Northern Supreme Court on Wednesday (says tha Townsville "Daily Bulletin" of. 29th March), before Mr. Acting Justice Jameson, Alfred Billett petitioned for a dissolution of his marriage with Annie Helen Billett, on the grounds of alleged adultery, Charles Sydney Lake being named as co-defendant, Mr. G. Slithers (Messrs. Connolly and Slithers) appeared for the plaintiff. There was no appearance on behalf of defendant and co-defendant.
Alfred Billett, the plaintiff, hotel porter, living at Townsville, said that he was married on 6th May, 1908, at Townsville. After the marriage he and his wife lived at Clontarf boarding-house on the Strand. Plaintiff was then hotel porter at the Queen's, and was still in that position. Later on they took a house on the Strand. His wife then went away for two or three months. On her return they lived at Tattersall's Hotel. Witness had known the co-defendant Lake, since his boyhood. Lake came to Townsville about September, 1912. He stayed at the same hotel as plaintiff and hus wife. Witness and his wife were friendly with co-defendant. Lake met with an accident and spent Christmas, 1912, in the hospital, and witness took his dinner up there on Christmas Day. Lake left Townsville and went out west, and shortly afterwards, witness's wife went to Sydney for medical treatment. The arrangement was that she was to stop in Sydney and Brisbane until witness went down and joined her. Up till that lime witness had lived happily with his wife, he used to give her all his earnings. She went away with £110 to her credit in the Savings Bank, which was money he had given her. He sent her about £100 after she had gone. His wife wrote frequently to him from Sydney and mentioned the co-defendant being in Sydney. Witness went south, on 3rd Decembor, and met his wife in Sydney. He did not see Lake. He returned to Townsville on 14th January with his wife, and again took up residence at Tattersall's Hotel. Up till then witness had not the slightest suspicion of his wife's relation with Lake. On the Friday after they returned his wife seemed down-hearted, and continued so for several days. He asked her what she had on her mind, and she replied . "If you only knew ?" He said, "If I only knew what?" She said that she loved another, and he asked who it was. She then said it was Charlie Lake. Witness said he did not mind that, and said "You have not been doing anything else ?" She was then crying, and admitted that she had at Watson's Bay. He got
angry and called her a name. They were then in the bedroom. He told her he was finished with her, and left the hotel there and then, and slept that night at another hotel. He had never cohabited with her since. Lake arrived in Townsville the next day, and witness went to see him. He asked Lake for an explanation of his conduct. On Wednesday, 4th February, witness's wife rang him up and asked what he intended to do. He met her in the street, and took her to Mr. Connolly's office. His wife then said in the presence of Mr. Connolly that she was determiner she would not live with witness any longer. Subsequently, he received a letter (produced). In the letter his wife stated that she would not live with him again, and she loved Charlie Lake, and was going to Sydney. Witness had not seen his wife since he received the letter. He was with the bailiff (Brown) when the latter served a writ on Lake in Townsville, Lake admitted the allegations on the writ. Witness's wife went away on 5th February, and he did not know where she was. He believed Lake had gone away, as he had not seen him.
Charles T. Brown, bailiff, stated that on 5th February, he went with the plaintiff to the Great Northern Hotel. He saw Lake, the co-defendant, in his room. Witness had a copy of the writ with him, and served the co-defendant. He read portion of the petition to co-defendant, relating to his having committed adultery with the defendant. Lake replied it was true. On the same day witness met the defendant, and read
certain clauses of the petition to her. She also admitted the allegations in the petition, he served her with a copv of the writ.
His Honour granted the decree nisi returnable in three months, with costs against the co-defendant.

Maintained by Megan.

Family: Alfred Billett / Annie Helen McGregor (F549)