When the Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital at Koo Wee Rup opened on Wednesday, May 23, 1923 there was an extensive report in the Koo Wee Rup Sun (read it here). This line caught my interest - Mrs M. Hamilton then declared open a ward to the memory of the late Mrs Townson. This post looks at the lives of these two women.
Kitty Townson
Kate Dyson Townson, known as Kitty, was born on July 11, 1881, the eldest of the six children of William Harris (1846-1914) and his wife Mary Augusta Derrick (1860-1940). (1). Kitty's great-grandfather, Thomas Derrick, was one of the original settlers at Kew, and her grandfather, Samuel Derrick, owned a farm on Bulleen Road (now High Street) in Kew, before he moved to Lancefield around 1880. Samuel's sister, Ellen Quick, who died at the age of 36 in March 1859, was the first person to be buried in the Boroondara Cemetery; she left behind four young children. Samuel's wife, Mary, also died young, at only 37. In March 1871, Mary was found in a waterhole on the farm at Kew and could not be revived. The Inquest returned a verdict of accidental death. Mary had been on the point of giving birth to a child and the baby also did not survive. Mary left behind eight children aged between 18 years and 2 years old (2).
Kitty was born at Lancefield and her birth was followed by her siblings, William Howarth (1883-1926), Ruby Mary (1885-?), Samuel Derrick (1887-1888), John Samuel (1893-1961) and Tom Derrick (1897-1973). Her father, William, was a Music Teacher. Around September 1900, William and Mary left Lancefield for Kerang, where he had accepted the offer of an extensive practice at Kerang and Pyramid Hill. Kitty stayed in Lancefield to continue her duties of music teaching. (3).
Around 1910, Kitty moved to Cranbourne where she was listed in the Electoral Roll as a Music Teacher. She had this same address until 1916, however it appears she may have moved to Koo Wee Rup earlier than this, according to some of the reports, below, of her activities in the local area.
Why did Kitty move from Lancefield to Cranbourne? It may have been because her brother, John, was living in Yannathan around this time, although his address in the Electoral Rolls was actually Kerang, and his occupation was a Law clerk; however this report from the Koo Wee Rup Sun, of November 1918, claims him as a Yannathan soldier.
Whatever the reason for her move, Kitty was a popular personality in the area and on December 29, 1917 she married Henry John Townson at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newport. One of the witnesses was Mary O'Riordan, more of whom below (4). Local historian David Mickle, describes Harry (as he was known) as a popular young storekeeper who worked at O'Riordan's store at Koo Wee Rup (5). The marriage certificate lists her age as 31 and his as 27; his age was correct but she was actually 36. Harry had been born in 1890 in Kilmore as Henry John Banks, to Sarah Banks and father 'unknown'. (6).
Truly the removal of this sweet woman from our midst amply demonstrates the axiom that -
Kind hearts are more than coronets
And simple faith than Norman blood.
The late Mrs Townson attended her last public function at the Five Mile on Friday night, June 6, and presented her last programme. This function is destined to be a memorable one, as it was the precursor of much pain and sorrow, and the removal from our midst of several residents whose deaths are deeply deplored. On Saturday Mrs Townson took ill, and she lingered up to Thursday afternoon, when she passed peacefully away at the age of 37years. The deepest sympathy is felt for her sorrowing husband, who was ill in bed, but is now fortunately recovering. To Mrs Harris also the utmost sympathy is extended in the loss of a loving daughter.
The funeral took place on Friday, the remains being interred in the Pakenham Cemetery. A large concourse followed the remains to their last resting place. It is certain that the cortege would have been much larger had the event been more widely known. The Rev. E.J. Evans read the Anglican burial service at the graveside. There were a large number of floral offerings. Amongst the mourners were Messrs Tom Harris and W.H. Harris, brothers of the deceased. The scene at the graveside was very affecting. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr O. Smith, of Pakenham.
It was interesting that Kitty had an Anglican Burial Service but was married in a Catholic Church; I presume Harry was a Catholic. The details of Harry's life after the death of his wife have proved somewhat elusive. At some time he left Koo Wee Rup and in 1923 he married Elizabeth Auld Kipling. In the 1927 Electoral Roll he is listed at 26 The Esplanade, St Kilda. In 1931, the couple were at 116 Harold Street in Middle Park and he also operated a grocery store in Victoria Street, Malvern. There were no children from either marriage and I believe he died in 1931 (10).
Margaret Hamilton
Margaret Mary O'Riordan was born December 3, 1884, in Bordertown, South Australia to John and Elizabeth (nee O'Callaghan) O'Riordan. The family then moved to Victoria where Mary, known as Mollie, was born in 1887 and then Joseph Leonard (1890-1892). The last three children were born at Koo Wee Rup, where their father had opened the first store, in Station Street. John Leslie O'Riordan was born on August 26, 1892, the first white child born in Koo Wee Rup, and he was followed by Eileen (1895 -1899), and Joseph in 1899 (11).
Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society photo.
Their daughter, Mary, was born in 1917, and she was to be their only child as Henry sadly, Died of Wounds, on October 8, 1917, sustained whilst fighting in France. As Henry had embarked in July 1916 for service overseas, he would never have met his little girl.
Mrs Hamilton died on July 20, 1938 at the age of 53. Her Obituary from the Koo Wee Rup Sun (14) is transcribed here.
It is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Mrs Margaret Hamilton, which sad event occurred at 5.30 a.m Wednesday at the home of her sister, Mrs A. Grantley, Kooweerup. Deceased was the daughter of the late Mr and Mrs O’Riordan, pioneers of this district, and was born at Bordertown, S.A. Her husband, Mr Henry Campbell Hamilton, was killed in action in 1917. For the past 30 years the deceased had capably performed the duties of post-mistress at Kooweerup, and through this office as well as the great interest she had at all times taken in movements in the interest of the district and in charitable causes she had gained the friendship and love of all with whom she had come in contact, and the news of her demise has naturally created quite a gloom over a very wide area. Deceased, who had been ailing for the past two years, had so bravely borne her suffering that to many her demise was anything but expected. She leaves a daughter (Mary), two brothers (John and Joseph), and one sister (Mrs A. Grantley) to mourn her great loss. The internment will take place in the Dandenong Cemetery to-day (Thursday), the cortege leaving St. John’s Church, Kooweerup, after Requiem Mass has concluded at 10 a.m.
Mrs Hamilton also had an obituary in The Advocate (15) -Mrs. Margaret Hamilton, of Kooweerup, passed to her eternal reward on Wednesday, July 20. She was the widow of the late Mr. H. C. Hamilton (killed in France) and loving mother of Mary, dearly beloved sister of Mollie (Mrs. Grantley), John Leslie and Joseph O'Riordan. Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. John's, Kooweerup, by Rev. J. McNamara, and was attended by a large congregation. The funeral was the largest ever seen in the district. The service at the graveside was read by Rev. Fr. McNamara, assisted by Rev. Fr. Cremin, P.P.; Rev. Fr. Joyce, P.P.; Rev. Frs. H. Ellis, W. Rovira, O'Sullivan. R.I.P
Footnotes
(1) Birth certificate
(2) Kew Rate Books on Ancestry.com; Samuel Derrick's obituary Weekly Times April 2, 1910, see here; I have written about Ellen Quick and the Boroondara Cemetery, here; Mary Derrick - her maiden name is listed variously as Lehmann, Leman and Layman. Report of her death South Bourke Standard, March 10, 1871, see here and report of her Inquest The Herald, March 10, 1871, see here.
(6) Marriage certificate, Index to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Mary, known as Mollie, and Kitty's bridesmaid, married Alan Grantley in 1924. She died in 1980, aged 93. John Leslie (known as Les) O'Riordan married Margaret Colvin in 1918, and they lived at Mallow, in Rossiter Road, now the headquarters and Museum of the Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society. The house was built by her father, John Colvin. Les died in October 1978 and Margaret in October 1955. I have written about Les, here. Joseph O'Riordan, born in 1899, died in 1957, I don't know if he ever married.
