John and Sarah Cocker

William Keep and Annie Simmons

1-William Keep was born in 1809 in Henley, Oxford, England and died on 23 Oct 1846 in Longford, Tasmania at age 37. William married Annie Simmons, daughter of John Simmons and Catherine Tobin, on 16 Mar 1836 in Launceston, Tasmania. Annie was born about 1820 and died on 24 Nov 1900 in Sheffield, Tasmania at age 80.

Convict John Simmons was born in 1770 in Reading, Berkshire, England and died on 15 Nov 1847 in Launceston, Tasmania at age 77. John married convict Catherine Tobin on 1 Jan 1821 in Launceston, Tasmania. Catherine was born in 1787 in Skibereen, Cork, Ireland. They had three children: Annie, Thomas and Elizabeth.

The Keep family was a major force in the growing district of Nook.  When a bullock cart track was formed over The Badgers in about 1870 and the Nook district opened up the two Keep families, with several other families from the Sassafras area moved across to pioneer this new district. Sons Charles and Henry married Carey sisters who also had grown up in Longford.  Charles Keep married Jane Carey and Henry Keep married Sarah Carey.

Inquest

On Friday 23 October William and two others were employed digging a well at Spring Bank near Longford.  It was early morning and one of the men descended into the well. He was called to by one of the others, who not receiving an answer also descended. A short time elapsed and then a third man went down. No noise could be heard from below and a man was sent to fetch the Doctor. Upon his arrival a messenger was dispatched to Longford for a well sinker named Richardson. He descended to the bottom of the well and found the three men lying dead at the bottom of the well.

Richardson fastened a rope to two of the men and was pulled up. He was overcome and spent a considerable time recovering. He descended the second time and retrieved the third man's body. It was decided at an inquest that the three men had died from suffocation due to foul air.

They had five children: Charles, Annie Eliza, John, Henry and William.

2-Charles Keep was born on 19 Oct 1836 in Longford, Tasmania and died on 1 Nov 1918 in Sheffield at age 82. Charles married Jane Carey, daughter of Charles Carey and Eliza Cattle, on 28 Apr 1858 in Deloraine, Tasmania. Jane was born in 1842 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania and died on 29 Oct 1884 in Port Dalrymple at age 42.

In 1844 Charles and family returned home to discover that their home and contents had burned to the ground and they decided to move to South Spreyton.  They had nine children: William Henry, John Joseph, Sarah Elizabeth, Alice Jane, George Charles, John Thomas, Alfred Ernest, Eliza Ann and Joseph Edward.

3-William Henry Keep was born on 1 Mar 1860 in Deloraine, Tasmania and died on 10 Jul 1943 in Latrobe, Tasmania at age 83. William married Clara Jane Butler, daughter of convict George Butler and Sarah Jarman, on 31 Jan 1884 in Sheffield. Clara was born on 28 May 1865 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania and died on 6 Dec 1932 in Spreyton at age 67. They had eleven children:

4-George Charles Keep 1884 - 1966

4-Jane Keep 1886 - 1928

4-Hilda Keep 1887 - 1971

4-Ernest Henry Keep 1889 - 1973

4-Grace Malvina Keep 1891 - 1956

4-Elsie May Keep 1893 - 1973

4-Emily Selina Keep 1895 - 1966

4-Ethel Magdalene Keep 1898 - 1940

4-Leonard Joseph Keep 1900 - 1991

4-Brida Evelyne Keep 1903 - 1981

4-Olive Pearl Keep 1904 - 1989

4-Grace Melvina Keep was born on 9 Apr 1891 in Sheffield and died on 11 Mar 1956 in Devonport at age 64. Grace married Edwin Leslie Bennett, son of Thomas Bennett and Sarah Cocker, on 4 Oct 1914 in South Spreyton. Edwin was born on 18 Jun 1883 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania, died on 15 Jan 1978 in Devonport at age 94, and was buried in 1978 in Devonport. They had two children: Joyce Lesley and Loris. Their story is told here:

3-John Joseph Keep was born on 6 Sep 1861 in Deloraine, Tasmania.

3-Sarah Elizabeth Keep was born on 16 Mar 1863 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania and died on 27 Jan 1908 in Latrobe, Tasmania at age 44.

3-Alice Jane Keep was born on 29 Dec 1864 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania.

3-George Charles Keep was born on 14 Sep 1866 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania.

3-John Thomas Keep was born on 10 May 1868.

3-Alfred Ernest Keep was born on 17 Apr 1870 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania and died on 29 Jun 1952 in Devonport at age 82. Alfred married Matilda Grace Kendle, daughter of Joseph Kendle and Sarah Ann Cox, on 12 Apr 1892 in Sheffield. Matilda was born on 26 May 1872 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania and died on 19 Feb 1957 in Devonport at age 84. They had eleven children:

4-Charles Joseph Keep 1892 - 1973

4-Amy May Olive Keep 1894 - 1934

4-Ernest Norman Keep 1896 - 1982

4-Sefton George Keep 1898 - 1991

4-Matilda Sylvia Keep 1902 - 1903

4-Eric Alfred Keep 1903 - 1975

4-Vanda Lily Keep 1905 - 2001

4-Percy Raymond Keep 1907 - 1995

4-Laurence Arthur Keep 1909 - 1993

4-Bertie Allen Keep 1912 - 1912

4-Rosie Eileen Keep 1913 - 1997

4-Vanda Lily Keep was born on 28 Sep 1905 in Fernie Rise, South Spreyton, Tasmania, died on 26 Aug 2001 in Smithton at age 95, and was buried on 28 Aug 2001 in Devonport. Vanda married Lenthorne William Ashdown, son of Albert Clarence Ashdown and Sarah May Appleby, on 14 May 1930 in Fernie Rise, South Spreyton, Tasmania. Lenthorne was born on 14 Apr 1907 in Chudleigh, Tasmania, died on 6 Sep 1952 in Devonport at age 45, and was buried in Devonport. They had four children: Athol Clarence, Percy, Ellen and Chloris. Their story is told here.

3-Eliza Ann Keep was born on 30 May 1872 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania.

3-Joseph Edward Keep was born on 28 May 1876 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania.

Charles next married Agnes Kendell on 29 Jan 1889 in Sheffield, Tasmania. Agnes died in 1912 in Latrobe, Tasmania. They had seven children: Myrah Adelaide, Albert, Charles Sidney, Wesley Simmons, Lawrence Mervyn, Arthur Leonard and Hazel Victoria.

3-Myrah Adelaide Keep was born on 1 Oct 1890 in Sheffield, Tasmania. Myrah married James Vincent in 1911.

3-Albert Keep was born on 26 Oct 1892 in Sheffield, Tasmania. Albert married Hilda Heath in 1916.

3-Charles Sidney Keep was born on 23 Oct 1894 in Sheffield, Tasmania.

3-Welsey Simmons Keep was born on 10 Nov 1896 in Mersey, Devonport.

3-Lawrence Mervyn Keep was born on 20 May 1898 in Mersey, Devonport.

3-Arthur Leonard Keep was born on 30 Jun 1899 in Mersey, Devonport.

3-Hazel Victoria Keep was born on 3 Dec 1902 in Nook, Tasmania.

2-Annie Eliza Keep was christened on 4 Aug 1839 in Longford, Tasmania.

2-John Keep was born on 3 Jun 1842 in Evandale, Tasmania and died on 27 Oct 1917 in Sheffield at age 75.

2-Henry Keep was born on 17 Jan 1845, died on 11 Jan 1921 in Devon Hospital, Latrobe at age 75, and was buried in Sheffield General Cemetery. Henry married Sarah Carey, daughter of Charles Carey and Eliza Cattle, on 22 Mar 1865 in Wesleyan Chapel, Shelbrook, Sassafras. Sarah was born on 7 Jan 1846 in Longford, Tasmania, died on 20 Apr 1926 in Nook, Tasmania at age 80, and was buried in Sheffield General Cemetery. Henry and Sarah lived at Nook all their lives.  He was a member of the Tarleton Road Trust and was successfully elected to the first Kentish Council in 1908. Henry Keep died in 1921, aged 75 after a life-time of activity in the local community.

They had four children: Ann Eliza, Henry, Ethel and Burt.

3-Ann Eliza Keep was born on 6 May 1865 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania. Another name for Ann was Hannah. Hannah/Ann married Albert Edward Butler, son of George Butler and Sarah Jarman, on 20 Apr 1887 in Nook, Tasmania. Albert was born on 28 Apr 1863 in Deloraine, Tasmania.

3-Henry Keep was born on 19 Apr 1867 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania.

3-Ethel Keep was born on 4 Jul 1882 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania. Ethel married Edwin Spurr on 25 Aug 1909 in Nook, Tasmania.

3-Burt Keep was born on 19 Apr 1884 in the Port Sorell District, Tasmania. Burt married Olive Maude Daw on 26 Mar 1913 in Nook, Tasmania.

2-William Keep was christened on 12 Jul 1847 (nearly nine months after the death of his father) in Longford, Tasmania and died on 13 Dec 1931 in Latrobe, Tasmania at age 84.