Jack the Conjuror
The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser – December 9, 1871:-
“An old woman who is believed to have attained the extraordinary age of one hundred years (says the Melbourne Argus), and who has been in the colonies for a time equal to an ordinary life, though she did not leave England till she was a middle-aged woman, was brought under the notice of the City Bench yesterday. She was called Lizzie Wiggotts, and has for some years past been supported by regular donations from Mr. Sturt, P.M. and the Ladies’ Benevolent Society. She lives in an obscure part of Collingwood with some people who knew her years ago, and she travels at regular intervals by omnibus to the city watchhouse, where she receives her pension. Yesterday, on tottering into the place, she said this was her birthday, and that she was that day 100 years old. Whether her reckoning be correct or not, she is evidently very old, and is gradually becoming blind and more infirm every month, though with the aid of a stick she can walk about very slowly. For a long time she received half-a-crown a month from Sergeant Pewtress, who, a few years ago, brought her under the notice of Mr. Sturt, and that gentleman then allowed her 4s. a month. Subsequently she told him that she was in her 98th year, and he increased the pension to 8s.a month, at which it remained till yesterday, when he intimated that in future she would be paid 16s. a month. A subscription was started by Inspector Kabat, and in a few minutes a sum of £1 12s. 6d. was collected by the sergeant, who stated that he would see that the woman had warm clothes bought for her.
The old dame is the widow of an eccentric fellow who from 10 to 18 years ago was a character in Melbourne, and was known as “Jack, the conjuror” in consequence of his expertness at sleight of hand. He made a good deal of money by exhibiting his skill as a prestigiator [sic.] in hotel bars, but he spent the coin as fast as he made it in purchasing rum. Some six or seven years ago he died from the effects of sunstroke. The old woman was sent out to Tasmania in the early days for the offence of “machine-breaking” which caused the transportation of numbers of working-people, who thought the introduction of machinery would deprive them of a means of gaining a living. In the course of her subsequent wanderings she met the itinerant conjuror, who had come out, as he said, for carrying away a rope with a horse at the end of it, and they were married. About sixteen years ago the woman, though then very old, was strong and hearty, and was often seen wheeling home her husband in a barrow when the rum had affected his pedestrian powers.”
If we look back as far as april 20, 1848, admittedly in Hobart, a "John Wiggins" was charged with disturbing the peace. His defence was that he only shouted out "I am Jack the Conjuror, and a man of the world." His defence was in vain, as he received 14 days hard labour. Whether he was he same person is not know.
The Argus of June 25, 1875, and other papers reported the death, on the day previous, of the old widow, named as Elizabeth Wickets, at the supposed age of 103, having been born in Paisley, Scotland on December 1, 1771. Her obituary named her residence as being at Emerald Street, East Collingwood, a few blocks from the Collingwood Town Hall. Modern genealogy records state that she was born in 1772 to Strickland Wickets, with no other known siblings.