Malay changes to Maley then to O'Malley

The family name of Malay was used by John Snr throughout his life.
The record of his death at Westbury on 6 September 1880 uses that name.

However, in 1874 John Malay Jnr recorded the birth of a son John "Maley", and Sarah Malay's death was notified by her farmer son "Edward Maley".
 
Sometime during the late 1880's or early 1890's the name changed again. Some members chose  to use the family name of  Malley, others O'Malley. The electoral rolls of the early 1900's show that all variations were in use.

The reason for the change in name is intriguing and family folklore indicates a serious rift along religious lines in the 1880's. The history of King O'Malley who was in Northern Tasmania at the time records that a family became so infatuated with him that they changed their name to O'Malley. Was it infatuation or was it family ties? My father said that King O'Malley was related, but where are the links?.

Selbourne

In 1853 John married Sarah Wainwright, They remained on the Emu Plains property until 1858 when John took out a lease on 365 acres of land owned by W F Ashburner at Selbourne, north of Westbury.

John and Sarah farmed the Ashburner property on lease until John became too old to work.

The Westbury District Directory of 1867 - 68 records John Malay Snr farming at Selbourne and John Malay Jnr farming at Emu Plains.

Sarah died at Westbury on 25 September 1875.

On 6 September, 1880 John died at Westbury from heart disease. The informant was Charles Reynolds undertaker at Westbury. In his last Will and Testament dated 17 February 1877, John bequeathed the land at Emu Plains to his younger son Edward Maley.

The Record of Death (C 0872/1880) states that John was born in 1806. However, this does not equate with his stated age of 19 years when convicted at Middlesex in 1830.

Do you have any other information about John Malay, his parents, his brother or sister to add to the family record? If so, please e-mail.