Saturday, August 4, 2012

M is for Madeline Mottram

23 March 1909
Madeline & Bill Batty

Madeline Mottram did not have any children or therefore descendants to remember her.

I always admired the wedding photo that hung on my Aunt's hallway wall.  I think Madeline's dress was so beautiful & she looks like a porcelain doll.

I don't know much about Madeline, except that my Aunty said "she was lovely".

My Great Grand Aunt, Madeline Mottram was born on the 15th September 1884 in the mining community of Havelock, near Maryborough, Victoria, Australia.

At age 24, she was working as a 'domestic' when she married William Charles Batty on the 23rd March 1909 at Havelock.  Bill was a miner, who was also born at Havelock.




After the death of Bill's father in 1913, the Batty family moved to Collingwood and Bill and Madeline were living with Bill's mother and siblings.

They lived in various Melbourne suburbs until Bill died in 1952 and Madeline moved from North Fitzroy to Whittlesea, then Humevale.

She died of pneumonia and and chronic renal failure when she was age 88, on 1st January 1972.

Sisters Mary, Madeline & Eve
Mary is my Great Grandmother

Mottram Family
Back: Henry, David, Eve, Samuel, Madeline, Frederick
Front: Mary, Samuel, Elizabeth & Jack

Click on the picture for more "m" posts

12 comments:

  1. I love these old family photogrraphs and you are so lucky to have them. You are right about how beautifdul Madeliane's wedding dress was, particularly when you recall she was working as a "domestic" and money must have been tight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I wonder if she or a family member made it?
      Even the flower arrangement and little hat are adorable.

      Delete
  2. That is a lovely wedding photo. I must admit to my narrow-mindedness, I suppose, as this couple appears much more refined than "domestic" and "miner" would suggest. Guilty of stereotyping - that's me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had wondered the same thing Wendy. I wondered if maybe her father or husband had struck gold? But I am yet to prove it.
      According to newspaper accounts, Samuel gave his children very expensive wedding gifts so he can't have been a typical poor farmer/miner?

      Delete
  3. Gorgeous photos, a stunning wedding dress, and a beautiful memoir of your Great Grand Aunt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I should have asked more questions about Madeline before my Aunty passed away but I was always more interested in my direct line.

      Delete
  4. I always wish I'd asked more questions when it is too late. Your Great grandfather looks very proud of his fine looking family. If they struck gold it seems like your grandmother would have mentioned it! Good luck with the search though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know exactly what you mean.

      Yes my great great grandfather does look very proud. Unfortunately, this side of the family didn't talk about the past much. His father was an English Army sergeant who was on the boats that brought convicts to Australia. So maybe the family had some money?

      Delete
  5. And I like the way she is sort of smiling in the wedding picture and just touching him with her little finger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hadn't really noticed the little finger but it does add that little bit of emotion and appeal to the photo.

      Delete
  6. Wonderful that despite your beautiful Madeline Mottram having no children/ descendants to honour her that she's not been "lost", thanks to you Sharon. Confirms my belief that "nothing in the past ever truly goes away".

    ReplyDelete
  7. I read once "You live as long as you are remembered" and through our research we help our ancestors to "live" longer :)

    ReplyDelete