I’ve ‘grown up’ knowing Louisa Garrett nee Lewis (1845-1917). She is my 2 x great grandmother and her photo has been on the wall of each house my parents have lived in. Mum has always felt an affinity with her as she believes she looks like her - she does. But there the similarities end!
Louisa is unlike many of our women ancestors. She has been relatively easy to research. Her arrival in Australia was widely publicised. She was a ten year old with her mother and siblings on the Schomberg that was shipwrecked off the west coast of Victoria. She married at barely eighteen years old. Her husband was quite the socialite and so they featured in the social pages. Louisa’s niece was Emily Charlwood who wrote under the pen-name of Celia, and was the social editor of Table Talk. They travelled ‘back’ to England for a visit. Then her husband had a well publicised insolvency trial and they up and moved to Sydney. Her husband died in Sydney and she returned to her family in Melbourne with her children, and pregnant with the sixth. Her whereabouts were recorded in Melbourne directories, rate books and electoral rolls.
Perhaps you have been this lucky researching your women ancestors? Please come along with a short story to share with the VicTas discussion circle on Fri 28 Mar at 10.30am on Zoom. We’d love it if you could share what resources helped you.
It would really help us if before the meeting you could indicate your intention to share something via email victas@gsv.org.au. Don’t forget to register under the Events tab.
Jackie van Bergen
Convenor
Victoria and Tasmania Discussion Circle