Joseph Antoine Deneys (1858-1924) of Dimboola

I came across this photograph of J. A. Deneys' store, in Dimboola, on the Museums Victoria website when I was looking for photos for the Lost Country Victoria Facebook page, and as it is a bit of an unusual surname, I thought I would do some research.

 Joseph Deneys with his wife Agnes, son Charles and daughter Elizabeth, c. 1905 outside their store in Dimboola. 

Museums Victoria https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/769750

The store was owned by Joseph Antoine Deneys, who died on December 8, 1924 at the age of 66, so we will start this post with his informative obituary in The Labor Call, to gain some background of his life –

Another Laborite Gone - The sudden passing away of Joseph Antonia De'neys came as a great shock to a large number of his old Victorian acquaintances and comrades. Joe Deneys, as he was familiarly termed, was born in Roubaix, France, and came to Australia in the early eighties. He worked at his trade, as a carpenter at Townsville and Charters Towers for several years. The comrade came to Melbourne in 1890, and then went to Warrnambool, where he followed the calling of his trade. In 1901 he started business as a news agent and tobacconist in Jeparit, and shortly afterwards he opened another similar business in Dimboola. It was through his pushfulness that the "Tocsin" (now the "Labor Call") became fairly well known throughout that part of Victoria. Our old friend had a very fine tenor voice, and he was never known to refuse to sing at any charitable or Labor gathering when asked. We extend our deepest sympathy to his widow and grown-up son and daughter. (1) The obituary has one mistake, Joseph went to Warracknabeal and not Warrnambool.  

As noted in his obituary, Joseph first lived in Queensland and it was there that he married his first wife Elizabeth Ann Ladd Goodliff on January 26, 1889 in Charters Towers. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Mary (nee Scrivens) Goodliff and had been born in Hackney in London (2). Their daughter, Alice Maud was born on April 15, 1890, but she sadly only lived eleven weeks and died on July 8, 1890 at King Street, Charters Towers. (3) The couple then moved to Victoria where their son Charles was born in 1891 in Warracknabeal. Elizabeth died on July 26, 1898, aged 39, from heart disease and was buried at the Warracknabeal Cemetery. Her death certificate notes that she had been five years in Queensland and seven years in Victoria. (4)

After the death of Elizabeth, Joseph married Agnes Stewart Heatly on November 6, 1901, when she was 34 and he was 43. Their marriage certificate shows that he was 43 year-old storekeeper of Jeparit and Agnes a 34 year-old housekeeper from South Yarra. She had been born at Castlemaine to Charles and Elizabeth (nee McAuslan) Heatly; Charles worked for the Victorian Railways.  On May 23, 1896, Charles who was the Station Master at Hawksburn, was struck by a train whilst he was standing on the tracks between two platforms and died later in hospital; he was buried at St Kilda Cemetery. (5)

Joseph's birth place was listed on the marriage certificate as St Nicholas, Belgium, which differs from the obituary which was Roubaix, France. Roubaix was the name he gave to his house in Melbourne, so this  seems the more likely birth place. His father was Augustin Deneys, a Cabinet maker, and his mother Carlotta Von Mullum. Joseph became a naturalised British Subject in Queensland on October 31, 1887. (6)

I am going off on a tangent here, but the Minister who conducted the Presbyterian service was William Stothert Rolland, the father of the Very Reverend Sir Francis William Rolland - famous in Presbyterian circles for his mission work at the Smith of Dunesk Mission based at Beltana in South Australia and for helping the Reverend John Flynn launch the Australian Inland Mission (and Flynn later established the Royal Flying Doctor Service).  Francis Rolland was also a practical Chaplain with the AIF in World War One serving in Egypt, England and France, where he ministered to the men in the trenches. He was Principal at Geelong College and later the Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. He also reorganized the training of Deaconesses, and the Deaconness Training College in Carlton was named Rolland House in his honour (where my aunty did her training to become a Deaconess). (7)

Back to Joseph and Agnes - they had two daughters - Elizabeth Ernestine (Bessie) born in 1902 at Jeparit and Angele, born in 1908 at Warracknabeal, who lived only six days. (8) From 1903, the family are listed in the Electoral rolls in Dimboola, where Joseph operated the store, as shown in the image at the start of this post, as well as taking up the profession of a photographer, which his son Charles also practiced (9)

One of Joseph Deneys' photographs - Clearing sale, Dimboola, c. 1910s. 

State Library of Victoria image H2008.27/1

Detail of his signature, on bottom right of the photo above.

State Library of Victoria image H2008.27/1

Joseph was very involved in the community life of Dimboola and surrounding area - a Provincial Grand Master of the Wimmera District Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows; Chairman of the Dimboola Progress Comittee; a member of the Western Wimmera Waterworks Trust; he organised a petition to have part of the Dimboola Shire annexed to the Wimmera Shire and put his name forward for pre-selection for the Labor Party in various elections. (10)

Joseph retired in 1922 and he and Agnes moved to Roubaix, 26 Norwood Road, Caulfield and this is where he died suddenly on December 8, 1924. Agnes continued living at the family home in Caulfield, until her death at a private hospital in Windsor on July 21, 1933. Agnes was well regarded as her five siblings, George, Bertha, Leah, Gilbert and Elsie inserted a lovely notice to their dearly beloved eldest sister after her death. Joseph and Agnes are buried together in the Presbyterian Section at the Brighton General Cemetery. (11)

Before we leave the Deneys well have a look at the lives of their two surviving children, Charles and Elizabeth. Charles married Emma May Forlington in 1912 and they had five children - Kenneth Charles (born 1913), Joseph Harold (1914), Elizabeth (1916), William Harry (1922) and Jack Fortington (?-2014). Charles was a photographer, based in Dimboola until the early 1940s when the Electoral Rolls list them at 139 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Charles died in 1959, aged 68 and Emma in 1971, aged 79. They were both cremated at Springvale Crematorium and their ashes were interred there. (12).

As we said before, Charles was also a photographer and the State Library of Victoria has some of his photographs, one of which is shown below.

Lochiel Street, Dimboola. Photographer: Charles Deneys

State Library of Victoria image H2019.50/31. See others of Charles photographs here    http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4181545

Joseph and Agnes' daughter Elizabeth, or Bessie as she was known, married James Frederick Rigby in 1926 and they had two daughters, Leonie and Claire. James was a clerk and the couple lived with Agnes at Roubaix, 26 Norwood Road, Caulfield;  Bessie inherited the property in 1933 after her mother's death. James died on September 13, 1979 aged 79 and Elizabeth on February 1, 1982 aged 79. They were both cremated at Springvale Crematorium and their ashes were interred there. (13)

We will finish this post off with this interesting observation about Joseph Deneys. In 1929, the Horsham Times published an article entitled After Many Years: A Visit to the Old Town, where Nathan F. Spielvogel (14) looked back at his time in Dimboola, which he left in 1905 and where he had been a school teacher, and he noted this about Joseph - Joe Deneys, ever ready to abuse the Capitalist. (15)

Footnotes 

(1) Labour Call, December 18, 1924, see here.
(2) Index to Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages; information on Elizabeth's death certificate. 

(3) Index to Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages; death notice of baby Alice - Northern Miner, July 10, 1890, see here.

(4) Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Elizabeth's death certificate.

(5) Deneys/Heatly marriage certificate; I found out about Charles Heatly's accident from - Rigg of the railways: stationmasters of the Victorian railways by Tom Rigg (published by the Author, 2001).  Charles Heatly - report of accident The Age, May 30, 1896, see here and death and funeral notice - The Argus, May 30, 1896, see here. 

(6) Deneys/Heatly marriage certificate. Natauralization - from his Grant of Probate Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/46AD1A5B-F1F2-11E9-AE98-2DD3255274EB?image=7

(7) Geelong Grammar website - https://gnet.tgc.vic.edu.au/wiki/ROLLAND-The-Very-Rev-Sir-Francis-William-Kt-CMG-OBE-MC-MA-DD  Australian Dictionary of Biography https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rolland-sir-francis-william-frank-8261 

(8)  Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages

(9) Electoral Rolls from Ancestry.com 

(10)  Ballarat Star, April 20, 1904, see here; Horsham Times, July 19, 1907, see here; Horsham Times, December 20, 1907, see here; Horsham Times, January 26, 1915, see here; Dimboola Banner, July 14, 1914, see here; Horsham Times, July 21, 1914, see here; Labour Call, July 14, 1921, see here. 

(11) Joseph - short obituary Horsham Times, December 12, 1924, see here; death notice - The Argus, December 9, 1924, see here. Agnes - death notice The Argus, July 22, 1933, see here, short obituary - Horsham Times, July 28, 1933, see here. Brighton Cemetorians database  https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/

(12) Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Electoral Rolls; Jack Deney's death notice   https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/deneys-jack-fortington/4844126/ ; Springvale Botanical Cemetery https://smct.org.au/our-locations/about-springvale-botanical-cemetery

(13) Index to Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages; Springvale Botanical Cemetery https://smct.org.au/our-locations/about-springvale-botanical-cemetery 

Agnes Deneys Probate papers Public Records Office of Victoria  https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E57EF78F-F576-11E9-AE98-EF468208D602?image=1

(14) Nathan Frederick Spielvogel - Nathan was listed in the Electoral Roll as a school teacher. He died in September 1956 - 

Nathan F. Spielvogel, historian of Ballarat, and former State School teacher, died this morning at his home. He was 84. Mr Spielvogel was prominent in local community life and founded the Ballarat Historical Society. He was the author of several books on travel and early Ballarat history, including the Eureka rebellion. Tomorrow evening, he was to have been elected president of the Historical Society for the 23rd year.  (The Argus, September 11, 1956, see here)

Mr. Nathan Spielvogel, who died this week, at an advanced age, was the very symbol of the old Ballarat Jewish Community. The late Mr. Spielvogel’s family was associated with that community from the very first, almost a century. (Australian Jewish News, September 14, 1956, see here). 

Australian Jewish Herald of September 14, 1956 had a longer obituary, see here.

In the December 14, 1956 issue of the Australian Jewish Herald (see here) there was this note about his work - The Australian Jewish Historical Society’s meeting on Thursday, December 20, will be devoted to an appreciation of the writings of Nathan F. Spielvogel, whose death in September last seemed to close an epoch in the history of the Australian Jewish community. As a teller of tales of Australian Jewish life - the only one of his period - his writings speak and breathe the atmosphere of an era that is fast slipping into the past.

(15) Horsham Times, June 11, 1929, see here

The Murphys of the Wharf Brewery and Kotupna and St Kilda

In 1891 and 1892 there were  newspapers reports on the largest hog farm in Australia - at Monomeith, near Koo Wee Rup. The enterprise was started by James Murphy, and in February 1890 he sold to the Waters - Thomas Beaumont Waters and his son of the same name; with young Thomas managing the business at Monomeith.  The Waters sold out in October 1892 and James Murphy repurchased the property. The Monomeith property was 606 acres on the Yallock Creek, part of Old Monomeith, the property once owned by John Mickle. Murphy had originally purchased the land when the 4,425 acre Monomeith Estate was subdivided and put up for auction on December 17, 1886. I wrote about this on  my Koo Wee Rup Swamp History blog, see here.  

James was the son of John Robert Murphy (1807-1891) and his wife Elizabeth Terry (1812-1882) and this is the family story.

Elizabeth Terry had arrived in Tasmania in October 1819 with her parents John and Martha Terry, who were free settlers, with her ten brothers and sisters and a servant.  She married John Robert Murphy on June 18, 1835 in the parish of New Norfolk in Tasmania. (1)

Marriage of John Murphy and Elizabeth Terry in 1835

Tasmanian Archives https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD36-1-2/RGD36-1-2P213 

Three years after their marriage John and Elizabeth moved to Victoria, where they amassed a large amount of property;  John also established the Wharf Brewery in 1839 with his brother James, at the west end of Flinders Street. The Brewery was sold in 1861 to Albert Terry, Robert Murcutt and Robert Cunningham who owned the Victoria Brewery in Chapel Street, Prahran. (2)  Elizabeth died on April 21, 1882 and John died on August 4, 1891. John left an estate of £250,000, of which £240,000 was in real estate. (3)  John and Elizabeth are buried in a family grave at the Brighton General Cemetery (more of which later).

John Murphy's Wharf Brewery

Murphy's Brewery Offices, Melbourne, 1858. Photographer: Barnett Johnstone.

State Library of Victoria image H27175

This is John’s informative obituary from The Argus of November 28, 1891 -
The granting of probate to the will and codicil of the late John Robert Murphy, of Victoria House, St Kilda Road, on Thursday last, recalls the fact of the death of another of the early pioneers of Victoria. The deceased gentleman had attained the ripe age of 84. He was born in Dublin in the year 1807, and brought up to the business of a brewer. He emigrated to Tasmania in the year 1828, taking with him a not inconsiderable amount of capital, which enabled him under the then existing laws of that colony, to select an acre of land for every pound sterling he possessed. He availed himself of this right, and settled on the banks of the Tamar. In 1838 he crossed Bass's Straits, and on his arrival in what is now Victoria, but was then part of the colony of New South Wales he took up a run in the neighbourhood of Warrnambool, and stocked it with sheep. A pastoral life, however, did not long content him, and in 1839 he came up to Melbourne, where he built a brewery, and established a business which ultimately became the leading brewing business of the colony. He was a most liberal employer of labour, and his relations with those who were engaged with him were always of a cordial character, and his business turned out most successful. With great foresight and a strong reliance on the growing prosperity of Victoria he invested most of his savings in the purchase of city and suburban lands, which all proved to be investments of the first class. In 1850 he practically retired from business and went to Europe with the object of educating his family. He returned to the colony in 1870, and has since resided principally at Victoria House where he died on the 4th August last. He left three sons and four daughters surviving him as well as many grandchildren. Mr Murphy was a member of the Church of England, to the funds of which, as well as to those of several of the charities of the colony, he was a very liberal contributor, and almost in every case anonymously. (4)

As noted before, James, the son of John and Elizabeth, was at one time the owner of the largest Hog Farm in Australia at Monomeith. 

In June 1891 the Warragul Guardian published a two-part article under the headline - The Largest Hog Farm in Australia. Parts of the reports are reproduced here.
The largest pig breeding establishment in Australia is situated about a couple of miles from the Monomeith railway station in Gippsland, and is only 48 miles from Melbourne. Pig breeding and fattening on an extensive scale was started here some four years ago by Mr. Murphy, who continued long enough in the business to discover that the handsome profits which he had worked out on paper were not so easily realised in practice. Mr. Murphy was possessed of independent means, however, and although the neighbors alleged that he was more theoretical than practical in his knowledge of pigs, he must be credited with having formulated a system for breeding and fattening them on a large scale that may be taken as a model and guide in many respects by even the most experienced farmers.

He certainly spared no expense in adapting the farm to the purpose required, and if he found the system less profitable than he anticipated, the fault must have been in the management and not in the scheme itself. In any case Mr. Murphy, who from the first went into pig keeping as a hobby more than mere profit, and never gave the business the close personal attention it required, sold out after two years' experience to Messrs. Waters and Son, from the Wodonga district. (5)

In April 1892, The Australasian published another article on the farm and included these references to James Murphy - Mr. Murphy, besides erecting miles of pig-proof fencing, built many substantial pig-sties, with the necessary offices for storing and cooking the food for the pigs. An abundance of water is obtained from a well, and raised by a wind-mill pump to tanks, whence it is distributed to where it is required….All the fences I saw on Old Monomeith were made pig-proof by the addition of a strong wire netting with a 4in. mesh. Of this netting there are 10 miles put up on the property. It was imported by Mr. Murphy for the purpose of making pig-proof fences, and cost, landed in Melbourne, £33 per ton. (6)

James Murphy in 1872

Photographer: Thomas Foster Chuck. 

From the collection - The explorers and early colonists of Victoria. 

State Library of Victoria image H5056/626

James was born in 1843 in Victoria. On May 22, 1867, when he was 24, he married 18 year-old Margaret Fraser at her parent’s house at Tallygaroopna.  James' occupation was a Squatter, and his father's occupation was a Brewer; James’ address at the time of his marriage was Kotupna Station, which is east of Echuca. Margaret was the daughter of William and Mary (nee McIntosh) Fraser and William’s occupation on the couple’s wedding certificate was in common with his new son-in-law also a Squatter. (7)  

James and Margaret had five children. The first child, James Kotupna Murphy, was born in St Kilda on November 15, 1868, obviously named in honour of the family property. He trained as a solicitor and barrister and died on June 10,  1910 in England. (8)  

There were two other sons -  John Robert, who sadly committed suicide at his home in Balaclava Road, Caulfield on April 29, 1925 aged 55. The Herald had this short obituary -

News of the death of Mr. John Robert Murphy at Caulfield has been received with deep regret by those who knew him. Mr. Murphy used to race under the name of "J. M. Roberts," and owned such noted performers as Harpist, Orient, Blitz; Keyless, Nantuckett and Cornquist. He had been an invalid for several years. His Inquest found he had been suffering great pain, owing to advance stage of consumption. He left a  wife Josephine and at least one one child (9).  

The other son was William, who was born August 15, 1871; he tragically also committed suicide on October 7, 1928 at his house in Toward Street, Murrumbeena, where he lived with his wife Janet. He was 57 years of age and his Inquest noted he had been suffering from depression due to ill health and had threatened to take his life on other occasions. (10)  

James and Margaret's daughter, Margaret May, was born on March 26, 1873 at Kotupna. She married George Wilson Paxton on  March 29, 1899 at Christ Church St Kilda. Table Talk had this interesting report of the wedding - 

Yesterday (Wednesday) the nuptials of Miss Margaret Murphy, daughter of Mrs. Murphy, "Marina," Beaconsfield Parade, St. Kilda, with a George Selby Paxton, a well-known Melbourne bachelor and a member of a prominent family of South Yarra, were celebrated without any particular flourish of trumpets at St. Kilda. The bride is a tall, smart unaffected girl, who dresses simply; in fact, I have seldom seen her in any me but the tailor-made coat and skirt, and gem sailor. Mr. Paxton, too, shows a contempt for dandyism in his own person. In his case the fine feathers are not indispensable to the creation of a fine bird. The marriage of such a popular couple would have created some interest had they not taken the precaution to have it made known that they were opposed to ostentation, to the jingling of the wedding bells and the inevitable orange blossom parade.  The couple had one child, James, born in 1900. (11)

The following two notices published in The Argus on the same day, shows the sad reality of life for women in the past - the birth of a baby followed quickly by the death of the mother, in this case the birth of James and Margaret's fifth child on March 5, 1874 and Margaret's death on March 11, six days later. (12)

Sad family notices.

The Argus, March 20, 1874  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5866272

As the articles noted, for James Murphy the Monomeith property was a hobby, as he lived with his family at Marina, Beaconsfield Parade, in St Kilda. Marina was listed in the St Kilda Council Rate Books as being of 17 rooms; it was next to the Beaconsfield Hotel, which is on the corner of Cowderoy Street (13). James died in London on May 1, 1896, aged 53.  His probate papers list an estate of £83,000 which included real estate valued at £37,500, including the Monomeith land valued at £4,215 and the Marina property at £5,000. (14)

James is buried in the Murphy Family grave at the Brighton General Cemetery, along with his parents John and Elizabeth Murphy. Also in the grave are James' two sisters, Mary Martha, who died in 1925 aged 87 and Elizabeth, who died in 1932, aged 83.  As well, James' son William is also buried in the grave. James' other son John, who died in 1925 is buried in a separate grave at the same Cemetery with his wife Josephine. James' daughter, Margaret Paxton, who died on August 6, 1960 aged 87, was cremated at Springvale Crematorium. (15)

Marriage announcement of James Murphy and Jane Balcombe

The Argus, August 27, 1878 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5945802

After the death of his wife Margaret, James married for the second time on August 22, 1878 to 30 year-old Jane Emma Balcombe. At the time he was living in Terridgerie in the Coonamble / Coonabarabran region in New South Wales.  Jane was a Balcombe from The Briars, in Mornington, the daughter of Alexander and Emma (nee Reid) Balcombe. Her father, Alexander, was born on the island of St Helena, and his father William was a purveyor to Napoleon’s household, when he was in exile on the Island. Alexander was one of the earliest European land-owners on the Mornington Peninsula. Jane and James had the one son - Alexander Balcombe Murphy who was born in St Kilda on July 12, 1880. Jane Emma Murphy died September 23, 1924, aged 79, at her childhood home, The Briars. She is buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery. Her son Alexander was left a life interest in The Briars, which was then situated on 1,100 acres. (16)

Alexander married Gena Thompson in 1918; he died on October 29, 1935, aged 55 and The Argus had this short obituary - 

The death of Mr. Alexander Balcombe Murphy occurred yesterday at his home, The Briars, Mornington. Mr. Murphy, whose family had occupied The Briars for 90 years, was a well-known pastoralist of the district. He was aged 55 years, and was a grandson of John Robert Murphy, formerly of Victoria House, St. Kilda road, and also of Alexander Beatson Balcombe, both of whom were well-known early pioneers of Victoria. Mr. Murphy served with the Lincoln regiment in the Great War, and he was wounded severely at Suvla Bay. A widow and three daughters survive him. The funeral will leave the residence of his sister, Mrs. George Paxton, Orrong road, Toorak, at 2.30 p.m. to-day, for the Melbourne Crematorium, Fawkner.  (17)   Alexander's ashes are interred in the Murphy family grave at Brighton General Cemetery

Footnotes

(1) Terry family arrival in Tasmania  https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/CON13-1-1/CON13-1-1P250 and Murphy/Terry marriage https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Digital/RGD36-1-2/RGD36-1-2P213 

(2) Deutsher, Keith M. The Breweries of Australia: a history (Lothian, 1999), p. 157.

(3) Elizabeth death notice - The Argus, April 24, 1882, see here; John death notice - The Age, August 5, 1891, see here;  Contents of will - The Australasian, November 28, 1891, see here.

(4) The Argus, November 28, 1891, see here.

(5) Warragul Guardian, June 12, 1891, see here and the Warragul Guardian, June 19, 1891, see here.

(6) The Australasian, April 2, 1892, see here.

(7) Murphy/Fraser Marriage certificate.

(8) James Kotupna Murphy birth notice - The Argus, November 19, 1868, see here; Nathalia Herald, April 10, 1896, see here; Probate Papers, Public Records Office of Victoria   https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/5E68B5AF-F1F6-11E9-AE98-9377D93F101B?image=1  His executors were his brothers William and Alexander - The Argus, August 19, 1910, see here.

(9) John Murphy - I cannot find any trace of his birth date or place. Obituary - The Herald, April 30, 1925, see here;  His Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/8F59A43F-F1B2-11E9-AE98-51825D6727C5?image=1 and Probate papers 

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E1C822C1-F1F2-11E9-AE98-95E8718B3C77?image=1  Report - The Herald, May 6, 1925, see here.

(10) William Murphy - Birth date - Brighton Cemetorians database - https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/ 

His Inquest at the Public Records Office of Victoria - https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/1CF3A469-F1B3-11E9-AE98-630D9F22D93C?image=1  and Will and Probate papers https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/DCC4C707-F56B-11E9-AE98-DB7D572610E7?image=1 Report - The Age, October 8, 1928, see here.

(11) Margaret May birth - The Argus, April 2, 1873, see here; marriage report - Table Talk, March 31, 1899, see here; other wedding reports - The Australasian, April 15, 1899, see here and Prahran Telegraph, April 8, 1899, see here; death notice The Age, August 9, 1960, p.16.

(12) Notices - The Argus, March 20, 1874, see here;  Another death notice for  Margaret, which lists her father - North Eastern Ensign, March 24 1874,  see here

(13) Rate book on Ancestry.com; Sands McDougall Directories.

(14) James Murphy - Probate papers at the Public Records Office of Victoria  https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/49AB6496-F1E3-11E9-AE98-49BFDCE7E54B?image=1; James Murphy - family and estate information - The Australian Star, December 26, 1896, see here

(15) Brighton Cemetorians database https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/. Margaret Paxton death notice -The Age, August 9, 1960, p.16.

(16) Murphy/Balcombe marriage certificate; Murphy/Balcombe wedding notice - The Argus, August 26, 1878, see here; Alexander Murphy's Birth certificate;  Jane Emma Murphy death notice - The Argus, September 24, 1924, see here and  her Obituary Frankston & Somerville Standard, September 26, 1924, see here;  Jane Murphy's Will at the Public Records Office of Victoria https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/0D1AA1AD-F562-11E9-AE98-FD384DDD5A9F?image=1

 Alexander Balcombe entry – Australian Dictionary of Biography - https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/balcombe-alexander-beatson-2922; 

(17) Alexander Balcombe Murphy - engagement notice  - Punch, August 22, 1918, see here [I can't find the exact date of the wedding];  death notice - The Age, October 30, 1935, see here and obituary The Argus, October 30, 1935, see here.

Miss Fanny Dango, Mr Sam Mackay and Melville Park, Berwick

This is the story of Miss Fanny Dango and her husband Samuel MacKay and the property Melville Park, now called Edrington, in Berwick.

Miss Fanny Dango

State Library of Victoria Image H85.73/6

On November 29, 1910 the actress and comedienne, Miss Fanny Dango, married the Australian 'squatter', Sam MacKay, in London. Samuel Peter MacKay was the owner of Melville Park. (1)

Sam, 45 years old, had recently been divorced from his 43 year old wife, Florence Gertrude (nee Taylor) MacKay. The Age reported on the report case in August 1910 -
Samuel Peter Mackay, 45, of Melville Park, Berwick, grazier, petitioned for a divorce from Florence Gertrude Mackay, 43, on the ground of  misconduct with H. Mulvey, chauffer, said to reside at Carlingford, Sydney, and Donald S. Bain, of Berwick, estate agent, who were joined as co-respondents.

The parties were married at Guildford, W.A., on 5th July, 1892, and there are two children of the marriage. Mr. Duffy, K.C., and Mr. L. S. Woolf (instructed by Messrs. Blake and Riggall) appeared for petitioner. The other parties were not represented, although Bain had filed an answer denying misconduct. Mr. Duffy said that they did not intend to devote attention to the case of Bain, but had ample, evidence of the alleged misconduct with Mulvey.

Petitioner gave evidence that from Western Australia his wife and he came to Victoria, where he 
bought an estate at Berwick. It was customary for him to visit the West on business connected with property there, and on returning to Melbourne in August, 1909, he came into possession of a letter. He took it to his wife, and when he came into the room she said to him, "What are you looking at me like that for?" He answered that he had seen a letter from which he understood that she was intimate with Mulvey, their chauffeur. She made certain admissions. He then told her that he had heard she was corresponding with Bain. She made another admission.

His Honor granted a decree nisi, with coats against co-respondents. (2)

Donald Bain, an estate agent, was the son of Robert and Susan Bain, who owned the Border Inn at Berwick. (3)  As Sam married Fanny a few months later in the November, they were clearly acquainted whilst the divorce proceedings were being heard.

Report of the marriage between Sam MacKay and Fanny Dango

The Argus, December 1, 1910 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10481561

As noted in the newspaper report of the divorce, Sam had married Florence Gertrude Taylor in Western Australia in 1892.  Florence was from Yangdine, near York in Western Australia. They had three children - Elsie Gertrude (born 1893 in Roebourne, W.A., died in Melbourne in 1963); Marjorie (born and died 1895) and Samuel Keith (1900 - 1924). You can read about the family here, in an article entitled The Tragedies of the MacKays in the Sunday Times, July 27, 1924. Keith had recently died, on July 16, in an aeroplane accident at near Port Headland when the article was written. (4)

Obituary of Keith MacKay

Geraldton Guardian, July 17, 1924 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67284581

Sam had died a year before his son Keith on  May 11, 1923. As noted in his obituary, published in Pastoral Review, June 16 1923 (5) Sam MacKay, was born in 1864 in Mount Gambier. He left school at 13 and did some cattle droving, until he decided to move to northern Western Australia where he worked in the pearling industry. Later on his father and two uncles purchased the one million acre Mundabullangana Station, east of Roebourne. By 1903, when his father died, he bought the Station outright. In 1905, Sam purchased Melville Park at Berwick from James Gibb, who was a Shire of Berwick Councillor for 30 years and the Federal Member for Flinders from 1903 to 1906. His wife, Mary Gibb (nee Paterson) owned the Tulliallan property in Cranbourne from 1904 until 1912 (6)  MacKay's obituary concludes with  Although the late Mr. Mackay was a well-known pastoralist, he was better known as a breeder and lover of thoroughbred horses, and his colours were a familiar sight on the chief racecourses in Australia. (7)

Samuel MacKay

Image: https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/mackay-samuel-peter-638

Melville Park, when purchased by MacKay in March 1905 for the cost of £20,000, was described as being of 830 acres of rich agricultural land on the main Gippsland line, and is considered to be the finest estate within 100 miles of Melbourne. (8)  It had a number of outbuildings and a brick cottage said to date from the 1860s, when the property was owned by Captain Robert Gardiner, the original owner.  (9).

The 1860s brick cottage at Melville Park/Edrington.

Photographer: John T. Collins, taken in 1985. State Library of Victoria image H2010.1/461.

However, Samuel and and his family did not immediately move to the property. In March 1907 it was reported that -

Messrs. W. S. Keast and Co. report having sold, on account of Mr. Parker, his well-known property, Clover Hills Estate, at Berwick, adjoining the famous Melville Park, and containing 450 acres, with a frontage of 1 mile to the Cardinia Greek, to Mr. Samuel P. Mackay, of Western Australia (the owner of Melville Park), for £5376. It is the intention of Mr. Mackay to unite there two properties and make his home in Victoria. (10)  Having increased his land holdings,  the next step was to build a house befitting his status and thus around September 1907 he commissioned Architect Rodney Alsop to design a new two-storey brick house for Melville Park. (11)

Tenders called for the construction of Sam MacKay's mansion

The Age, September 24, 1907 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205000119

The mansion, shown below, is now listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, where it is described as a two-storey red brick example of the English vernacular style with some reference to the Queen Anne style. It has also been described as being in the Arts and Crafts Style. (12)  After their marriage,  Sam and Fanny lived at Melville Park for a short period, and it was during this time their son Peter Angus MacKay was born on September 12, 1911. (13)  

Melville Park (now Edrington) built for Sam MacKay.

Photographer: John T. Collins, taken in May 1985. State Library of Victoria image H2010.1/453.

Melville Park (now Edrington) built for Sam MacKay.

Photographer: John T. Collins, taken in May 1985. State Library of Victoria image H2010.1/455

In December 1911, Sam MacKay purchased Camelot at 85 Alma Road, St Kilda for £7500. This house was built in stages from the 1850s and was a mansion of 18 rooms when Sam purchased the property, who renamed the property, Strathnaver.  Sam and Fanny sold the property in 1922. Camelot or Strathnaver was demolished, possibly in the 1960s. (14) 

Camelot/Strathnaver - Sam MacKay's mansion in Alma Road, St Kilda.

Photographer: John T. Collins, taken in February 1964.

 State Library of Victoria image H98.251/8

MacKay sold Melville Park, consisting then of 1,267 acres for £45,000 in November 1912 to Andrew Chirnside. (15)  Andrew and Winifred (nee Sumner) renamed Melville Park to Edrington, after a family property in Scotland. Andrew and Winifred Chirnside died within three months of each other in 1934, Andrew on April 17 and Winifred on July 13 (16) and 

Mrs Chirnside left real estate valued at £17,045 and personal property valued at £38,382 to her nephews, Rupert Ryan and Noel Sumner Nash, and her nieces, Ethel Marion Sumner Casey and Doris Osborne, subject to gifts of £1,000 to her maid, Ethel Jarrett, and of jewellery to her adopted daughter, Mrs. Alec Waugh, formerly Miss Joan Chirnside. (17)

The Edrington Estate, c. 1938 when it was under the owner ship of Colonel Rupert Ryan and his sister, Maie Casey. In the centre of the photo is the 1860s cottage. Many of the trees are extant.

Photographer: Charles Daniel Pratt/Airspy. State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/20235

It appears that Colonel Ryan and his sister, Ethel Marion Sumner Casey, better known as Maie Casey purchased the property from their cousins. Maie married Richard Gavin Gardiner Casey on June 24, 1926; he was a politician and diplomat and received a Life Peerage in January 1960, becoming Lord Casey. Edrington was the Casey's country home. Lord Casey died on June 16, 1976 and Lady Casey on January 20, 1983. Edrington was the sold and is now part of  a retirement village. The City of Casey is named after Lord Casey. (18)

Miss Fanny Dango from the programme The Catch of the Season 

State Library of Victoria http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4220828

Who was exotically named Fanny Dango? Fanny was born on October 20, 1878 as Fanny Rudge, to Henry and Elizabeth Rudge of Birmingham. She had four sisters who also became actresses - Letitia (stage name Letty Lind), Sarah (stage name Millie Hylton), Elizabeth (stage name Adelaide Astor) and Lydia (stage name Lydia Flopp) and two brothers who followed their father's career as a brass founder.

The Association of British Theatre Technicians website had (19) the following information about Fanny and her sisters -
The Rudge sisters, professionally known as Letty Lind (1861-1923), Millie Hylton (1868-1920), Adelaide Astor (1874-1951), Lydia Flopp (1877-1962) and Fanny Dango (1878-1972), all hailing from Birmingham, were primarily dancers but later developed their singing talents, working in pantomime, variety and music hall, musical comedy and burlesque, often at the Gaiety Theatre in the 1880s and 90s. Letty Lind was in the last George Edwardes burlesques (at the Gaiety) and the first George Edwardes musical comedies (at Daly’s); she also had a professional and personal relationship with the dramatic author and entertainer Howard Paul (1830-1905) and was the mother of his illegitimate son, she later had an enduring relationship with the 3rd Earl of Durham (1855-1928) and another son. Millie Hylton had a successful career in variety as a male impersonator and as a principal boy in pantomime, but later appeared in legitimate theatre and was the mother of actress Millie Sim (b.1895). Adelaide Astor was married to George Grossmith, Jnr. and had a son, George Grossmith (manager) and a daughter, Ena Grossmith (b.1896, actress). Lydia Flopp had a briefer career than her sisters and an unhappy marriage. Fanny Dango followed her sisters onto the London stage and ended up a wealthy woman in Australia. The Rudge sisters were cousins of music hall artist, Millie Lindon (1877-1940) who was married at one time to T.E. Dunville (1868-1924), however they divorced long before his sad and dramatic death and she later re-married three times.

There is more information about Fanny in a two-part article by Bob Ferris, Fanny Dango -The Soubrette’s Stage Career in Australia on the Theatre Heritage Australia website (20)

Fanny Dango was a nascent actress and an exceptional dancer with appearances in several pantomimes on the London and Provincial theatre stage. Her catalogue of pantomime performances is impressive from her debut at the Prince of Wales Theatre in her home city of Birmingham in December 1894 (shortly after her 16th birthday) with a small part as ‘Chinese Dolly’ in Dick Whittington. From 1901 to 1905, she appeared in five successive Christmas pantomimes: Gulliver’s Travels at the Avenue Theatre, London, 1901–1902 (as Glumdalclitch); Dick Whittington at the London Hippodrome, 1902–1903 (as Alice, opposite the Dick of Ruth Lytton), Santa Claus Junior at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, 1903–1904 (as See Mee); in Dick Whittington, Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, 1904–1905 (as Alice, opposite the Dick of Hetty King); and Aladdin, Theatre Royal, Birmingham, 1905–1906 (as Princess So Shi, opposite the Aladdin of Ada Reeve).

Fanny Dango was vivacious and a charismatic young actress and danced exquisitely. J.C. Williamson saw the early promise of her becoming a favourite of Australian theatre patrons and he engaged her in England to play the part of Peggy Sabine in the Royal Comic Opera’s production of The Dairymaids.5 This was some achievement for Fanny to play the part which had previously been performed by Australian-born Carrie Moore with outstanding success in the 1906 Apollo Theatre production.

Fanny sailed to Australia on the P & O RMS Mongolia which left Marseilles on 19 July 1907 and arrived in Melbourne on 26 August, leaving the same day for Sydney to commence rehearsals. She made her Australian debut in The Dairymaids as Peggy Sabine and the chief Sandow girl at Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne, on 7 September 1907 and later in Sydney, opening at Her Majesty’s some four months later, on 1 February 1908.

On her debut performances in both Melbourne and Sydney, Fanny was variously described by the fawning press as a ‘bright little creature’; ‘piquant’, ‘graceful and clever’; ‘vivacious’; ‘dainty, petite and sprightly’, and [one who] ‘acts and sings so coquettishly’. Together with her blazing red gold tresses, Fanny’s favouritism with local audiences was assured. (21)

Other shows in Australia in which Fanny performed included The Girls of Gottenberg, The Lady Dandies, The Prince of Pilsen, The Catch of the Season, The Red Mill, The Belle of New York, Jack and Jill and The Duchess of Dantzic. (22) Her farewell performance was on September 15, 1910 and in October she sailed for London (23) where as we saw, on November 29, she married Samuel McKay.

Fanny died July 15, 1972 at the age of 91. She is buried at the Brighton General Cemetery, with her husband Sam; her son Peter who died December 12, 1951 at the age of 40 and Sam’s daughter, Elsie, who died February 6, 1963, aged 67. (24)  

Peter Mackay was married on February 20, 1933 in St Moritz, Switzerland to Mary O'Neill of Paris. At the time of his engagement the Dandenong Journal published an article about Peter, which included some interesting information - 

Mr. Peter Mackay, only son of Mrs. Mackay, London, and the late Mr. Samuel Mackay, of Rock House, Kyneton, has announced his engagement at St. Moritz, Switzerland, to Miss Mary O’Niell, whose father is well-known in racing circles. Mr Peter Mackay is the heir to a large fortune built up with pastoral possessions in Australia by his father, the late Mr. Sam. Mackay, who died about ten years ago (writes the “Herald.”)

Mrs. Mackay and her son have lived abroad for a long time. They returned to Australia toward the end of last year, and Mr. Peter celebrated his 21st birthday in Melbourne with much social gaiety. On  attaining his majority he received part of his father’s wealth, but the entire fortune will not come into his possession until he is 25. A friend of the family hazards the opinion that Mr. Peter Mackay will be worth at least a quarter of a million.

In addition to the fortune bequeathed Mr. Peter by his father, he has come into more money through the estate of his step-brother, the late Mr. Keith Mackay, of Bucklaud Station, Northam, Western Australia, who was killed in an aeroplane accident in Western Australia. The late Mr. Sam Mackay’s biggest property was Mundabullanganah Station, in the north-west of Western Australia. He also owned “Rock House,” Kyneton, the early home of Sir Stanley Argyle, where many bright parties were given by him and his wife in the hunting season. He was the owner of that famous racehorse, Radnor, winner of many classic races. also entertained lavishly at their town house, “Strathnaver,” Alma road, St. Kilda. (25)

Not sure how long the marriage lasted but when Peter enlisted in the Australian Army in June 1940, his mother was listed as his next of kin, not  his wife. Peter was discharged less than a year later in April 1941 as medically unfit for service. His occupation on enlistment was Company Director. He was twice charged with drunkenness during his war service and in May 1947 he lost his licence for drunken driving, at the time he was living in View Street, Hawthorn, the same address where he was living where he died. It does appear he had an 'issue' with alcohol. (26)

Marriage of Peter MacKay to Mary O'Neill

The Argus, February 23, 1933 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4526441

Elsie MacKay was an actress, who had married British and Hollywood film star, Lionel Atwill in February 1920.  She was his second wife and after their divorce, he married Louise, the divorced wife of General Douglas MacArthur. Elsie and Lionel divorced in 1925 due to her 'relationship' with fellow actor, Max Montesole. Elsie and Max married in 1933 in England and they were still together in 1942 when he passed away at the age of 52 in Perth. Elsie married for the third time to James Stanley Smith in 1957 in Fremantle, Western Australia. He  was born in England in 1906, had served in the Australian Army in World War Two and died in Perth in 1969.   Sam Mackay's first wife, Florence, died in Perth on May 28, 1945 at the age of 80 and she left her estate of  £10,640 to Elsie. (27)

Elsie Montesole inherits her mother's estate.

Perth Daily News August 27, 1945 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78775939

Acknowledgement: I am indebted to Bob Flavell of the Edrington Park History Group for telling me about Fanny Dango. This is an expanded version with new material, of a post on Fanny Dango which I wrote and researched in 2018, which appears on my work blog, Casey Cardinia Links to our Past.  

Footnotes

(1) The Herald, November 30, 1910, see here; The Argus, December 1, 1910, see here.  The birth certificate of their son, Peter, lists their marriage date as November 28, 1910.

(2) The Age, August 9, 1910, see here.

(3) Donald Bain was the son of Robert Hudson Bain, who had established the Berwick Inn/Border Hotel at Berwick in 1857. He married Susan Stewart in 1859  and they had the following children -Catherine (born 1860 - died October 1900 - known as Kate, married John Murray Leggatt in 1878)

Jane Hudson (born 1861 - known as Jean, she is the Mrs W.S Withers listed in the death notice. Jean married Walter Seward Withers in 1886, they are listed in the 1911 English Census, living in the town of Goodworth Clatford, near Andover, in Hampshire and she died in June 1926 at Andover)
Margaret Anne Stewart (born 1863, known as Maggie, married Charles Allen Champion in November 1889 and died in March 1891)
James (born 1865 - died January 1908)
Robert (born 1867 - died January 1902)
Harry Wilson (born 1869 - died April 1902)
George Alexander (born 1871 - ?)
Edwin Clarence (born 1873 - died 1875)
Susan Stewart (born 1875 - died 1876)
McCulloch Stewart (born 1877 - died January 1908)
Donald Stewart (born 1880 - died January 1937).

Donald Bain died February 24, 1887 at the age of 56; and Susan on June 26, 1908 at the age of 69. The Hotel was owned by the Bain family until 1909.

(4) Western Australia and Victoria Indexes to the Births, Deaths and Marriages; Perth Sunday Times, July 27, 1924, see here;  The Geraldton Guardian, July 17, 1924, see here,  had a report of Keith's accident

(5) Obituary republished here https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/mackay-samuel-peter-638 

(6) James and Mary Gibb and Tulliallan, I have written about them here   https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-property-known-as-ravenhurst-then.html  Mary Gibb had previously been married to George Brown, of Inveresk, Berwick - I have written about them here https://victoriaspast.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-arthur-streeton-painting-of-brown.html She was the sister of the artist, John Ford Paterson. As a matter of interest, George Brown's first wide was Margaret Stewart, the sister of Susan Bain (footnote 3)

(7) https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/mackay-samuel-peter-638 

(8) The Age, March 25, 1905, see here.

(9) Victorian Heritage Database - https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/148 and https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/62899

(10) The Leader, March 2, 1907, see here.

(11) The Victorian Heritage Database date the construction as 1906 or 1906-1907, however it must have been 1907-1908 as the tender for the construction was advertised in September 1907, The Age, September 24, 1907, see here.  Rodney Alsop - Australian Dictionary of Biography  - https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/alsop-rodney-howard-5007

(12) See footnote 9.

(13) Peter's birth certificate. I did wonder if Fanny actually lived at Berwick, however Table Talk of December 21, 1911 - who reported on the social activities of Melbourne 'Society' noted that - Mr. Samuel Mackay, of "Melville Park," Berwick, has purchased "Camelot," Alma-road, East St. Kilda, the beautiful residence of Mr. Ernerst Brookes, who shortly joins Mrs. Brookes and family in England. The purchase money is said to be £7500. Mrs. Mackay will be remembered as Miss Fanny Dango, and, with her husband, has been living at Berwick since her marriage. (Table Talk, December 21, 1911, see here)

(14) Table Talk, December 21, 1911, see here Photos of the interior of Camelot - The Australasian, December 9, 1911, see here. I was unaware that  Samuel MacKay purchased Camelot, until I read about in the St Kilda Historical Society newsletter of December 2024, which provided information on the history of the building.  Samuel MacKay placed Strathnaver up for auction in June 1922, see advertisement here The Argus, June 14, 1922, see here and his probate papers list Fanny's address as Brentwood, St Kilda Road, St Kilda, see also The Herald, April 24, 1923, here. Don't have an exact date for demolition, but it was still there in 1958

Strathnaver for sale in 1958

The Age May 31, 1958, p. 44, from newspapers.com

(15) The Age, November 16, 1912, see here; Clearing sale of Melville Park stud Ayrshire cattle - South Bourke & Mornington Journal, November 14, 1912, see here.

(16) Obituary of Andrew Chirnside - The Argus, April 18, 1934, see here; Winifred Chirnside's will - Shepparton Advertiser, October 5, 1934, see here.

(17) Theodatus Sumner, the brother of Winifred Chirnside, was married to Sarah  Peers. They had - Mary Maud, married to Albert Nash, of Ballarto, Cranbourne; Annie who was married to James Grice, who was the brother of Richard Grice, land owner in Berwick and Cranbourne, after whom Grice's Road is named and Alice, married Charles Ryan - the parents of Lady Casey and Colonel Ryan. Doris Osborne, listed in the will, is the daughter of Winifred's sister Kate (Mrs James Osborne).

(18) Australian Dictionary of Biography - https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/casey-richard-gavin-gardiner-9706 and https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/casey-lady-ethel-marian-maie-12296 

(19) Association of British Theatre Technicians - When I wrote the original post in May 2018 this link to the information about the Rudge sisters was working but when I checked it in May 2021, it was no longer working and still isn't - http://www.abtt.org.uk/event/the-british-music-hall-society-study-group/

(20) Theatre Heritage Australia website https://theatreheritage.org.au/ - Bob Ferris has a two part article on Fanny Dango, Fanny Dango -The Soubrette’s Stage Career in Australia - see footnote 21 for the links

(21) https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/profiles/item/936-fanny-dango-the-soubrettes-stage-career-in-australia-part-1 

(22) https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/profiles/item/936-fanny-dango-the-soubrettes-stage-career-in-australia-part-1 and https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/profiles/item/960-fanny-dango-the-soubrettes-stage-career-in-australia-part-2 

(23) https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/profiles/item/960-fanny-dango-the-soubrettes-stage-career-in-australia-part-2

(24) Brighton Cemetorians database https://www.brightoncemetorians.org.au/

(25) The Argus, February 23, 1933, see here;  Dandenong Journal, November 2, 1933, see here

(26) WW2 Attestation papers at the National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4611744; The Herald, May 9, 1947, see here.

(27) Short reports of Elsie MacKay's career - Perth Daily News, February 25, 1920, see here and Sydney Sun, June 5, 1921, see here; Marriage of Elsie MacKay to Lionel Atwill, Perth Daily News,  February 25, 1920, see here; Lionel Atwill's marriages - Daily Telegraph, April 24, 1946, see here; Atwill/MacKay divorce Sydney Sun, December 18, 1925, see here; Marriage of Elsie and Max - England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005 on Ancestry.com; Death of Max Montesole The Age, September 19, 1942, see here; James Stanley Smith - information from familysearch.org and WW2 Nominal Rolls.  Death of Mrs Florence MacKay, Perth Daily News August 27, 1945, see here.  

Death notice of Peter MacKay. Who is Zena? The St Kilda Historical Society newsletter of December 2024, notes her name as Zena Hayes, with whom he had an enduring partnership.

The Herald, December 14, 1951 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article247846844

Elsie's death notice - no mention of husbands.

The Age, February 8, 1963. p.17 from newspapers.com

Elsie's Probate notice, where her surname is also listed as Smith. .

The Age, March 8, 1963, p. 23 from newspapers.com