ISSUE 33 — FEBRUARY 2009 Cemetery Conversations

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FRIENDS OF ST. KILDA CEMETERY I N C .

EUPHEMIA ETHEL ELIZABETH SPENCER HENDERSON

drawings to him. These s a talented included Louisa Atkinson, watercolourist of Fanny Charsley, Helena Scott, A botanical subjects, and a Annie Walker, as well as jilted lover of a romantic and Euphemia. famous man, Euphemia INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Henderson’s life should be well On meeting, Euphemia and recorded as a Victorian romantic Mueller were attracted to each SYBIL CRAIG 2 tragedy, but her talents and ( 1 9 0 1 - 8 9 ) other and engaged in walks subsequent sorrow for her and interludes in the grounds situation are probably now well- of the Gardens where their REMEMBERING 3 forgotten. B A R O N S I R romantic relationship FERDINAND VON developed. Mueller referred in M U E L L E R Born on the island of Guernsey, a his writing to her as “My F R E D E R I C 3 daughter of James Henderson G O D F R E Y Beloved Euphemia” and in “On meeting, HUGHES (1858- and Catherine née Black, 1863 they became engaged, 1944)—CITIZEN Euphemia, with her brother John Euphemia and but this was a short-lived FORTHCOMING 4 Black Henderson and her sister Mueller were T O U R S romance, as the following year Georgiana, arrived in in Mueller broke off their attracted to each 1838, thus being one of the relationship on the dubious other and engaged in SOME NOTABLE 4 earliest arrivals in the colony. ANNIVERSARIES grounds of his ill-health and They settled on Phillip Island and walks and interludes I N 2 0 0 9 pressure of work, but it is also subsequently moved to Yanakie, in the grounds of the said that he thought she was JOHN OWENS – 4 South Gippsland. Gardens where their GOLDFIELDS past child-bearing age. He MEDICO AND romantic P O L I T I C A L Euphemia came from a gifted subsequently became L E A D E R and artistic family. Her brother engaged to Rebecca Nordt in relationship James was a noted artist. 1865 but that relationship developed”. failed and he never married.

) ) Euphemia’s hobby was an Euphemia died, unmarried, at engagement in painting flowers. The extent of her interest in Kew, Victoria, in November www.psrs.biz garnishing subjects for her 1907 and is buried at St. Kilda tion ( tion General Cemetery (CofE “D” paintings led her to the FRIENDS OF ST. KILDA 480) in an unadorned grave. CEMETERY INC. Botanical Gardens

(REG NO. A0038728J where she met Ferdinand von (Source: Morris, D., “Mueller, Sir ABN 69 718 923 799) Mueller, the director. Ferdinand Jakob Heinrich von [Baron von Mueller] (1825 - 1896)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, PO Box 261 Mueller was interested in art for Melbourne University Press, 1974, pp ST. KILDA VIC 3182 its botanical depictions and had a 306-308; Dictionary of Australian great number of women botanical Artists Online— www.daao.org.au/ painters and collectors send main/read/3186) Phone: 9527 2387 / 9531 6832

email: [email protected] website: www.foskc.org A Publishing Solutions and Research Services produc Services Research and Solutions APublishing Cemetery Conversations Page 2

SYBIL CRAIG (1901-89)

on all these aspects for her Craig painted members of he reportage of war portrayals of women in her the Comforts Fund sewing would be incomplete 1940s war paintings. group in a number of works. T without the contributions of war artists, On 1 March 1945, Craig The 176 works that Craig who have predominately became the third female completed as an official war been men, placed in the official war artist appointed artist are mostly small in size front line to paint what they by the Australian War but make use of vivid colour saw. Few women were Memorial. She was and pattern. She captures commissioned to this role in recommended by members the variety of tasks women Australia during WW11, “Craig’s works are of the Memorial's art performed in Melbourne in however the works of Stella advisory panel who had the war years, replete with Bowen, Nora Heysen and been urged to include more demonstrating the Sybil Craig stand out for the rhythm, colour, modernist artists. Craig's importance of women's quality of their work and parents urged her to accept. contributions to the war simplicity and their depiction of another effort. She found the factory side of warfare. Whilst their design, and are a As a shy and self-conscious noisy, but enjoyed the appointment was an person, Craig felt inadequate companionship of the other delight to the eye overdue recognition of their for her post, ill-equipped to workers. There is no trace of in their modernist abilities, they faced many adequately portray her propaganda in her work, but more restrictions than male form”. subjects in an industrial rather visions of honest artists and their role was setting and found it a depiction; Craig painted mainly to document the work “tremendous responsibility”. what she saw. Unfortunately of women in the services. She felt obligated to remain her modernist war works are in Melbourne to look after rarely exhibited outside the Craig was born in Enfield, her parents, where she confines of the Australian on 18 November would be able to travel on War Memorial. 1901 and arrived with her public transport to select parents in Victoria the destinations as part of her Craig died in a nursing home following year. She appointment. in Melbourne on 14 commenced drawing classes September 1989 and is in 1920 and enrolled at the Craig’s war paintings are buried in the St. Kilda Melbourne National Gallery notable for their contrasting Cemetery with her parents. School in 1924-31. settings. She worked for Encouraged by her friend four months at the Come on our Artists’ Tour and fellow artist Jessie Commonwealth Explosives on Sunday 22 March and Mackintosh, Craig held her Factory at Maribyrnong, first solo show at the hear more about Sybil recording the activities of the Athenaeum Gallery in 1932 Craig and many other female munitions workers. and exhibited with the famous painters buried in Craig grew to love this Headstone monument of the Craig family Women Painters and aspect of her assignment, the Cemetery. grave—Church of England “D” 220 Sculptors from 1933. saying: “My work is at (Source: Australian War Memorial, Craig’s further studies www.awm.gov.au/aboutus/ present wonderfully artist_profiles/craig.asp; Speck, C., developed her interest in interesting to me, and I feel “Painting Ghosts: Australian women colour, pattern and simplicity artists in wartime” (2004); Wilkins, as though I have crowded a L., “Sybil Craig (1901-1989)” in and she found influence in “Artists in Action” (2003); Wilkins, L., lifetime of experience into a the work of Matisse, and “Sybil Mary Frances Craig”, few months…”. In stark Dictionary of Australian Artists’ that of the English artist Online, www.daao.org.au/main/ contrast to the factory floor, read/1970) Matthew Smith. Craig drew early in her appointment Issue 33 — February 2009 Page 3

REMEMBERING BARON SIR FERDINAND VON MUELLER

aron Sir Ferdinand world, but more especially volume of the Flora Jakob Heinrich von the deceased’s numerous AustraIiensis, upon which B Mueller (1825 – personal friends, will be he had worked for years, 1896) was a man of pleased to hear that his and was preparing for the worldwide repute. He was executors (Rev. W. Potter, Press at the time of his the recipient of many Dr. Alex. Buttner and H. death, is to be published, international honours for his Buttner, Esq.) are - in together with two volumes scientific endeavours and compliance with the Baron’s on his administration as was largely responsible for dying wish - now collecting director of the Botanical the international recognition donations for the erecting Gardens, Melbourne, and given to Australian scientific upon his grave in the St. embracing a biography and endeavour. This is Kilda cemetery, Melbourne, complete bibliography of his exemplified in the following of a monument worthy of writings. The executors will Grave of Baron Sir Ferdinand von Mueller at the St. Kilda General article which appeared in the deceased savant’s feel favored by the loan of Cemetery the American journal “The fame. The monument is of any of his letters, or the Museum: A Monthly Science grey granite, 23ft. in height, communication of incidents Journal” (August 1898 – all highly polished, and will in the Baron’s life which page 149) following his stand in the centre of a friends may deem worthy of death on 10 October 1896; grave-plot 12ft. square, notice in the biography. planted out with choice Donations and letters specimens of the Australian should be addressed - "Rev. “The Late Baron Sir flora, with which the Baron’s W. Potter, ‘Vonmueller,’ Ferdinand Von Mueller, name has become Arnold street, South Yarra, K.C.M, F.R.S. Etc., imperishably linked. They Melbourne. Australia”. Government Botanist of also will be glad to know Victoria. that the illustrious Scientists throughout the phytologist’s supplemental

The headstone monument of von Mueller’s impressive grave

FREDERIC GODFREY HUGHES (1858-1944)—CITIZEN S O L D I E R

rederic Godfrey He was best known as a March 1916 suffering from Hughes, was born on citizen soldier rising through pneumonia and typhoid F 26 January 1858 at the ranks from a gunner in fever. Windsor, Melbourne. 1875 to become commander After the war he Educated at Melbourne of the 11th Australian Light concentrated on business, Grammar, he began as a Horse Regiment in 1903. On mining and pastoral interests clerk with a prominent the outbreak of World War I, and died at St. Kilda on 23 Melbourne land valuer Hughes commanded the 3rd August 1944. before setting up on his own Light Horse Brigade and firm about 1884. He was a served at Gallipoli. His men Hughes’ grave will be visited noted athlete, footballer and took part in the disastrous at the forthcoming Military rower and served on St. storming of the Turkish Tour on Sunday 19 April Kilda Council for twenty- trenches at The Nek on 7 2009. three years including two August 1915. Hughes was terms as Mayor. evacuated to Australia in Cemetery Conversations Page 4

FORTHCOMING TOURS SOME NOTABLE ANNIVERSARIES I N 2 0 0 9

Artists’ Tour 200 years ago (1809) Rocks near Millicent, South Sunday 22 March 2009 at 2.00pm Australia on 6 August 1859. Thomas Manifold was born in Over the next eight days, 89 Cheshire, England on 29 This easy circular walk visits the graves of Sybil Craig, people lost their lives, March 1809, he emigrated to Hugh Ramsay, Elizabeth Parsons and many other notable including the fourteen-year-old Hobart Town in 1827 and artists. Come and hear about their lives and artistic Edwin Chambers whose name obtained a land grant on the works. is commemorated on a Tamar River. He visited Port headstone in the St. Kilda Phillip in February 1836 and Military Tour General Cemetery. was soon to land the first Sunday 19 April 2009 at 2:00pm sheep at Point Henry, near 100 years ago (1909) Geelong. With two brothers he St. Kilda General Cemetery is the resting place of veterans Charles St. George Truelove took up Purrumbete near of battles from the Napoleonic wars to the Second World singer, choir-master and one Camperdown in 1839. He time secretary of St. Kilda War. Even veterans of Australia’s own civil conflict, the later lived in Melbourne dying General Cemetery died on 1 Eureka Stockade, lie within the Cemetery as well as at Caulfield on 7 November September 1909. Charlie Captain Albert Jacka, the first Australian recipient of the 1875 (CofE “A” 219). Truelove was manager of the Victoria Cross in World War One. 175 years ago (1834) Cemetery for twenty years until he suddenly fled in 1905 Sir Frederick Thomas Sargood The Trials of Ned Kelly under a cloud of suspicion. was born on 30 May 1834 at Sunday 17 May 2009 at 2.00pm Among the allegations were Walworth, . A that he had resold graves that This tour will focus on a number of people whose lives successful businessman and had been previously used. All politician, Sargood’s wealth crossed that of Ned Kelly and his gang members. Among this by a man who in his youth enabled him to build the those to feature include most of the lawyers connected sang as a boy soprano in the imposing Rippon Lea house with the Kelly trials; various police involved in the pursuit St. George’s Chapel choir at and garden. Sargood died of the Kelly gang and Prison officials from the Old Windsor Castle before Queen suddenly on 2 January 1903 Melbourne Gaol. This tour is held in conjunction with Victoria. Ironically, Truelove (Ind “C”24A). Victorian Law Week. came to be buried in the St. 150 years ago (1859) Kilda General Cemetery (OD Notable Women “C” 15A). Notable Women SS Admella, a steam ship of Sunday 21 June 2009 at 2.00pm 209 tons ran onto Carpenter

This tour focuses on notable women buried in the Cemetery and the contributions that they have made to JOHN OWENS – GOLDFIELDS the community and the nation. MEDICO AND POLITICAL LEADER

General tour details: his year is also the goldfields, Owens became anniversary of the birth involved in campaigning for All tours of St. Kilda Cemetery leave from the main entrance T of John Downes Owens the miners. This was to lead gates on Dandenong Road, St. Kilda East. who was born in Shropshire, to a seat in the Victorian Tour cost: $10.00 for adults (except where indicated). England in 1809. He arrived Parliament. Owens went on to Members of the Friends of St. Kilda Cemetery and children in the colonies in 1850 as a become acting assistant (under 18 years) are free. surgeon on an immigrant ship. emigration officer at Bookings: Reservations for all tours are essential. Numbers He went to various goldfields Queenscliff and acting are limited. Book now on (03) 9531 6832 to avoid and was in Bendigo 1852 resident surgeon at Pentridge. disappointment . where he was among the first He died at Windsor on 26 doctors. Moving around the November 1866 (CofE “C” 41). Tours usually run for about 90 minutes.