A to Z Challenge - I is for Immigration

Snippets from the life of Martha Sarah Ellis.

Like many other immigrants who came out to Australia Martha immigrated a second time leaving Western Australia to settle in the Victorian Colony.  Now that her sister was married there was nothing to hold her in Western Australia.  Her reputation must have been tarnished by the two court cases in which she was involved.  The first case had been for assault and the second had been aa a witness in a case brought against the matron of the hospital where she had worked.    It may have become difficult to find decent work and working in a tavern or public house was probably not something that she would’ve liked to do.

Many people in Western Australia bemoaned that “after we have paid the passage of emigrants here, we have no legal power to prevent their going on at once to the other colonies.”[1]

They felt that they felt Western Australia was merely becoming a stopover for immigrants on their way to Melbourne or Sydney, after being offered inducements by the larger eastern cities.[2]

Photographer J. Latimer, Studio portrait of Martha Sarah Ellis taken circa 1891 in Western Australia, digital image,  Jim Bennett's Private Photo  Collection currently held by Dorothy Bennett

Martha was living in Hawthorn near Melbourne in 1892 when she married her husband Walter Todman who also living in the same area.[3] 

Was it love at first sight or a marriage of convenience?  We will probably never know.

To Read more about Martha's life for articles previously posted for the A to Z Challenges click the Letters below:-

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Sources

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[1] Goldsmith, F., 'CORRESPONDENCE.', Western Mail, 15 February 1890, p. 10. , viewed 17 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32728296

[2] Anon, 'The Western Mail PERTH, SATURDAY, FEB. 8, 1890. IMMIGRATION.', Western Mail, 8 February 1890, p. 18. , viewed 17 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32726911; Anon, 'The Inquirer. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 1891 Thr Immigration Scandal.', The Inquirer and Commercial News (Perth, WA : 1855 - 1901), 22 April 1891, p. 5. , viewed 17 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66232691

[3] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, marriage certificate 345 (1926), Walter Todman-Martha Sarah Ellis.

A to Z Challenge - G is for Getting employment as a new arrival

Snippets from the life of Martha Sarah Ellis.

There appears to be no problem for girls wanting work, “demand for female servants is very active in the colony, and when parties have been sent out on previous occasions every girl has found employment on the day of landing”, according to Mrs. Joyce, of Winchester, the head of the United British Emigration Society.[1]

1894 'NEWS OF THE WEEK.', Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), 3 March, p. 34. , viewed 08 Apr 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33100314 

We know that in May 1890 Martha was working as a domestic and was described as one of two “young domestic servants of respectable appearance” when she appeared in court accused of assault with some of her friends.[2] (click here for more details).  It is quite possible that after being found guilty that she lost her position, but for whatever reason, by the end of 1890 she was working at the Colonial Hospital in Perth, a position from which she was discharged from sometime after the 21^st December possibly early in 1891.[3]

Not long after this Martha moved to Victoria.

Staff of the Colonial Hospital, Perth, 1895, 231311PD: Staff of the Colonial Hospital, Perth, 1895. Back row (left to right): unknown, A. Rewell, E. McKenzie, Dr Elgee, unknown; Front row: K. Chisholm, Dr Waylen, E.M. Andrew (Matron), J. Hurnall. State Library of Western Australia < slwa_b3031141_1 > http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3031141_1  

The above photograph was taken a few years after Martha had left the hospital, but looking at it I wonder if Martha had worn white and a small white cap to hide her very unruly and curly hair.

To Read more about Martha's life for articles previously posted for the A to Z Challenges click the Letters below:-

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Sources

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[i]  Anon,  'NEWS OF THE WEEK.', Western Mail, 3 March 1894, p. 34. , viewed 16 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33100314

[ii] 1890 'NEWS AND NOTES.', The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), 20 May, p. 3. , viewed 16 Mar 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3134319

[iii] Anon, CHARGES AGAINST THE LATE MATRON OF THE COLONIAL HOSPITAL. 3 March 1891, The West Australian, p. 4. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3140947