22 June 1846 'Woodville' 19 Hillside Crescent West Launceston Tasmania Australia James Smith Anderson James Fraser, Robert Hardie Mitchell, Elizabeth Fraser, William Wood, Ann Sword Wood, Findlay Fraser, Jemima Smith, David M, Alexander Watson, Stewart Mitchell & Katie Bernisconi

Mrs Mary Ann Shepherd Anderson was born in Dundee, Scotland, on 22 Jun 1846. Her parents were Robert Hardy Mitchell and Ann Sword Wood. Mary Ann Mitchell married James Smith Anderson on 21 Aug 1866 in Dundee. They had eleven children: James Fraser, Robert Hardie Mitchell, Elizabeth Fraser, William Wood, Ann Sword Wood, Findlay Fraser, Jemima Smith, David M., Alexander Watson, Stewart Mitchell and Katie Bernisconi. Ten were born in Scotland between 1867 and 1883, although David died aged 9 weeks in Jan 1880 and was buried in Dundee's Eastern Necropolis in his paternal grandfather's grave. The youngest, Katie, was born in Launceston, Tasmania, on 16 Aug 1887.

Mary Ann's husband James had migrated to Launceston on 14 Feb 1884. Mary Ann followed with six sons and three daughters, arriving in Launceston on 17 Oct 1884. Her two elder daughters, Elizabeth and Ann, are also pictured in the Launceston Family Album. James was the manager of the Tasmanian Soap and Candle Company which had a stand at the Tasmanian Exhibition of 1891-92. He later joined Mary's brother Stewart Symers Mitchell in forming Anderson, Mitchell & Co., proprietors of the Austral Confectionery Works, which was finally dissolved in 1928-29. Mary Ann died aged 72 on 18 Feb 1920 and was buried at Carr Villa in Section F No. 46. James died aged 76 on 11 Jun 1921 and was buried with Mary Ann.

Malcolm Anderson Apr 2010