Week 14 - The Maiden Aunt
Margaret Emily Matheson

In the paper
On the 20th February 1945, Auntie Mags home in Victoria Park was robbed.The home of Margaret Emily Matheson of Duncan Street, Victoria Park, was broken into between 7.30pm and 11pm on Tuesday. A radio set valued at £11 was stolen. Entrance was gained by the removal of a wire screen over the kitchen window.9

A caring heart
Mum recalls a story about Auntie Mags teaching. One day an Aboriginal man came into her classroom, sat down, refusing to leave because he wanted to attend school. She gave him a pen and paper so he could learn. As each of her great-nieces and great-nephews had a child, she would make them a layette for the baby. This was no mean feat as she had over 20 nieces and nephews, many who had their own children! I never received one because Mum says as the family thought she would never marry Auntie Mags made her something else before she went nursing overseas.Auntie Mags Death


Do you have a maiden aunt in your tree? Find out more about her by clicking the image to look at the records on Ancestry.
Bibliography
- 1. Ancestry.com. Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010. Margaret Emily Matheson, 1883 Registration Number 12440, West MacQuarie, New South Wales.
- 2. Marjorey June Brand, The Friendship Birthday Book, Original in author’s possession.
- 3. Findmypast, Birth Index of Gladys Gwendoline Matheson, 1894/5859 Bathurst, New South Wales, http://search.findmypast.com.au/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2fnsw%2fb%2f0000901902.
- 4. Western Australia Electoral Roll, 1910, Division: Fremantle, Subdivision: Canning, p.28, Matheson - Charles Jardine, Edith, Robert, Georgina Emily, and Margaret Emily.
- 5. Western Australia Electoral Roll, 1916, Division: Fremantle, Subdivision: Canning, p.52, Matheson - Charles Jardine, Edith, Georgina Emily, Margaret Emily, Robert, and Robert Hilton.
- 6. National Archives of Australia, Service Record of MATHESON Robert Hilton : Service Number 3456, http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8039494, Accessed 25 June 2016.
- 7. Western Australia Electoral Roll, 1925, Division: Swan, Subdivision: Canning, p.93, Matheson - Edith, Margaret Emily, and Robert.
- 8. Western Australia Electoral Roll, 1931, Division: Swan, Subdivision: Canning, Matheson - Edith, Margaret Emily, Robert.
- 9. West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 23 February 1945, page 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44998688, Accessed 20 February 2016.
- 10. Cemetery Index, Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, Western Australia, App. No.KC00042187, Margaret Emily Matheson.
Image Credit
- a. C.1906 Matheson Family - Auntie Mags is back row, second from the right, Original in owner's possession.
- b. C.1950's Gladys Gwendoline Matheson and Margaret Emily Matheson, Original in author's possession.
- c. Margaret Emily Matheson Gravesite, Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia, Original in author's possession.
- d. Margaret Emily Matheson Headstone, Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia, Original in author's possession.
I enjoyed working on my family history years ago, but wouldn’t had thought about talking about the Maiden Aunt. You have quite a bit of information on her. I don’t think I could write this much about most of the ancestors that I have found. Looks like you’ve done a great job here. This looks great!
Hi Kevin
I am so glad I stumbled across the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge. It has forced me to dig to find the people that most fit the weeks challenge. I had always just glossed over the maiden aunts but I think from now on I am going to pay them a bit more attention so they are not forgotten. It is highly likely that Auntie Mags was a maiden aunt because the number of men killed in WWI meant many women didn’t find husbands.
Regards
Megan