Marion Hughan, second child of Allan and Phoebe.

Poor little Marion's life was so short that there are very few words needed to tell her story. Her birth and death certificates are all that I have to show that she even existed, and they give the following information about her little life.
Marion Hughan was born in her family's cottage in High Street, St. Kilda, on October 30, 1865. Her father, Allan Ramsay Cunningham Hughan, was 28 years old, and his occupation "Gentleman". Her mother Phoebe Berry Hall Hughan was 36 years old, despite her husband taking two years off her age and stating that she was 34 when he registered Marion's birth the following month. It was recorded that Marion had one sibling, a five year old sister named Ruth.
The Hughan family doctor, Dr. Arnold, attended Phoebe in her delivery and labour, and a Mrs McCann also assisted.It is not known whether Marion's father Allan Hughan was in attendance at her birth. He helped to manage the property of his sister, Jessie Hughan McCallum, at Swan Hill, at at the time of his wife's labour Jessie was exceedingly ill. She died, in fact, the very next day after Marion's birth, so there is a very good chance that Allan Hughan was over 230 miles away at the time that his second daughter made her entrance into the world. He didn't register the child's birth until November 27, 1865, almost 4 weeks after her arrival.
At some time during Marion's short life her family moved to another home in St. Kilda, this time in Inkerman Street.It was here that Marion fell ill and died. In January of 1867, aged 14 or 15 months,Marion started to become unwell. Before a month had passed, she had died, of "Dentition and congestion of the brain". "Dentition" is simply teething, and was often attributed as cause of death in infants in the 1800s."Teething" or "Dentition" was a recognised cause of death in the 18th and 19th centuries for infants.Children were seen as being more prone to disease at the time of teething and resulting symptoms were restlessness, fretfulness, convulsions, diarrhoea and painful, swollen gums. Convulsions, diarrhoea and the treatment of swollen gums (lancing) could very easily lead to death.
Phoebe Hughan had to nurse her sick baby while being heavily pregnant herself, and on the very day that would prove to be Marion's last, her mother gave birth to her third daughter.Dr. Arnold, the physician who delivered Marion, also doctored her in her last hours, as well as helping to deliver Phoebe of her new baby.I can't understand the signature of the informant who registered Marion's death on the very same day that it took place, but underneath the signature it says "Friend, St. Kilda".
Little Marion Hughan was buried in the St. Kilda Cemetery the next day. She was buried in the Church of England Section, Compartment C, Grave number 498.Back at Inkerman Street,she was honoured by the new child being named in her memory...Marion Ellen Hughan, known to one and all as 'Minnie'.