And the Sydney Repertory Theatre

ќѢџћюљ of

THE HUNGERFORD & ASSOCIATED FAMILIES SOCIETY INC.

Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon Henry George Herbert, Henry John Herbert, Henry Herbert, 4th 2nd Earl of Carnarvon 3rd Earl of Carnarvon Earl of Carnarvon

Homes and Heroes

ISSN 1036-2223 Volume 15, Number 2 – November 2019 ќѢџћюљ of

THE HUNGERFORD & ASSOCIATED FAMILIES SOCIETY INC. Volume 15 Number 2 November 2019 Homes and Heroes &ඈඇඍൾඇඍඌ Editorial Charles Sherlock 1 %DOO\ULVRGH+RXVH&RXQW\&RUN,UHODQG /HVOH\$EUDKDPV a Hungerford home from 1895 to 1989 )HUQKLOO+RXVH&ORQDNLOW\&RXQW\&RUN,UHODQG /HVOH\$EUDKD P V a Hungerford home Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert (1831–1905) Pauline Tyrrell 10 Gregan Thomas McMahon (E.6.12a) and the Brett Harvey 15 Sydney Repertory Theatre ‘Island Boy’ – Sir Thomas Davis (L.VIII.iv.3.5a.2b) Gabrielle Buckley 22 9LOOD$GD5RPHDEULHIKLVWRU\ FRPSLOHG

Cover photo: Four generations of Lord Carnarvon © Hungerford & Associated Families Society Inc. 2019 ĴǱȦȦ ǯǯǯ Editorial

ouses become homes when they are lived in for long enough for their Hinhabitants to shape their ambience. This happens not only through fabric alterations, furniture arrangements and garden developments, but in the way those who live there relate to one another, mark special occasions and face the tragedies which marr human life. So ‘home’ is one aspect of this Journal: the pair about Hungerford houses from Ireland were reseached and penned by Lesley Abrahams (H.4a.1b.1c.1d / E.6.5a.1b.1c.1d). The third, of Villa Ada park in Rome, a home without walls to locals and many guests, was compiled from online sources.. eople become heroes when the example of their living inspires others to Pfollow in their footsteps. Three articles take up the lives of three twentieth century people from very different walks of life. Pauline Tyrrell (E.2a.4a.10b.1c.2d=) has written up the wide-ranging life of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, first Premier of Queensland, and an outstanding example of what it means to be a ‘public servant’ dedicated to the well-being of society. Brett Harvey (E.1.1a.15b.1c.1d.1e=) writes – and shows through graphics – the wide-ranging career of Gregan Thomas McMahon (E.6.12.a), instigator of the Sydney Repertory Theatre, and an actor who fulfilled an amazing range of roles. Gabrielle Buckley (Pauline Tyrrell’s sister) puts pen to paper to outline the incredible career of Sir Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis (L.VIII. iv.3.5a.2b): sailor, scholar, doctor, politician and more besides: a hero of the Cook Islands. Enjoy reading this varied collection. You would not be doing so without a lot of research leading to words by our writers, who keep on keeping on! Their words may lead you to reflect on where and how find home, and who are the heroes who have formed and continue to shape your own hopes and ideals. And these articles may inspire you to tell a story of your own, or want to follow up on something that provoked your curiousity. If so, don’t hesitate to contact the Society: the easiest way is via the website.

Charles Sherlock AM Editor

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 1 Ballyrisode House, County Cork, Ireland: a Hungerford home from 1895 to 1989 By Lesley Abrahams (H.4a.1b.1c.1d / E.6.5a.1b.1c.1d) allyrisode House is in the townland of BBallyrisode, Civil Parish of Kilmoe (Kilmore), Poor Law Union of Skull, DED Toormore, Barony of West Carbery, Ire- land. The property originally comprised 638 acres, and was valued at £154.9s Richard Hedges Becher Hungerford Ballyrisode House, co. Cork acquired the property on 22 January 1895, following the death in 1894 of his father, Richard Becher Hungerford.1 It was registered to his wife Elizabeth Anne Hungerford (née Adams). His father, Richard Becher Hungerford JP (SH41, c.1800-1894) was a magistrate, and had also lived at The Island, County Cork. He was married at Ballyrizard in 1837 to Francis Eyre Becher. Ballyrizard, Goleen, was registered to him in 1847 and 1870.2 Between 1861 and 1867 he issued a series of Game Notices in British newspapers. This correlates with information that the woods behind the property are still called ‘Hungerford Woods’, so Ballyrizard may have been a hunting lodge during this period. The first Hungerford owner ichard Hedges Becher Hungerford was born on 4 March 1846 in County RCork, Ireland. His parents were Richard Becher Hungerford and Francis Eyre Becher. He married Elizabeth Ann Adams in September 1879 in Skull, County Cork. He died on 16 December 1917 in Skull; Elizabeth died on 11 August 1933. The 1911 Census of Ireland shows the occupants of Ballyrisode as Elizabeth Hungerford (head of family, b. 1856) Farmer; Richard Hungerford (her husband, b. 1846) Gentleman Farmer;

1 “The Hungerfords of The Island (1)”, HAFS Journal 4/1 (May 1997) 30, pedigree chart; also “County families of the United Kingdom”, Ancestry.com.au website. 2 Property owners County Cork 1870, online, accessed 15 December 2018.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 2 Olive Hungerford, daughter; Eva Muriel Hungerford, daughter; Mary Morris, widow (b. 1846, sister of Elizabeth), retired teacher. The sisters’ home Ballyrisode House was inherited by their two daughters: Olive Mary Francis Hungerford was born on 25 December 1883 in Skull; she died on 4 April 1965 at Skibbereen, County Cork. Eva Muriel Hungerford was born on 24 February 1885 in Skull, and died on 3 November 1972 aged 87 years. Neither sister married: they lived all their lives in Ballyrisode House. They are both buried at The Altar, Church of Ireland, Skull, with their mother and father, and their second cousin Helena Frances Maud Hungerford. The Canada connection fter Eva Muriel Hungerford died, the house was bequeathed to her sec- Aond cousin Helena Frances Maud Hungerford, who was born on 5 May 1918 in London, Ontario, Canada.3 Many of the Hungerford family had moved from Ireland to Canada in the 1840s, due to the severe famine conditions in Ire- land. Other families migrated to the USA, New Zealand and Australia. Helena’s parents were Walter Francis Hugh Watson Hungerford (born 1869, died 1959), first cousin to Richard Hedg- es Becher Hungerford, and Maude Mar- garet McLaren (died 1951). Walter and Maude were married on 30 June 1900 in London, Ontario. Walter was the son of Becher Hungerford and Anne Jane Crossley. Walter died on 9 August 1959 in Dublin, Ireland, but is buried in Wood- land Cemetery, London, Ontario. At some date before Eva Muriel died, Helena Hungerford lived on and off at Ballyrisode House, travelling regularly to Canada and other parts of the world.4 She never married. She was at Ballyrisode House in 1974 when visited by friends Eva Muriel Hungerford, the last occupant. 3 Find my past, Canada Census 1911, online 4 The Hungerford Family Foundation, Inc. website

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 2 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 3 from Canada.5 She died on 9 August 1989, and is buried with her cousins Olive and Eva Muriel at The Altar, Church of Ireland, Skull.6 Looking a bit further into the pedigree charts for Richard Hedges Becher Hungerford, I found that his grandmother, mother of Frances Eyre Becher, was a Susannah Hungerford, who died in 1846 at Ballygrizzard Cottage, County Cork.7 However I can find no primary sources for this information. More research is needed in the Becher family to see if the Ballyrizard property belonged to the Becher family in earlier times.8 Also buried at The Altar, Church of Ireland in Skull is Frances Eyre Becher Sweetnam (née Hungerford) who died on 10 November 1920, one of Rich- ard Hedges Becher Hungerford’s sisters. She was married to Mathew James Sweetnam, who died on 13 May 1916. This Frances Eyre Becher Hungerford was born between 1841 and 1846, at Ballyrizard to Richard Becher Hungerford, and Frances Eyre Becher.9 q

5 Postcard from Liz and Ted, to Bruce Hungerford, with a photo of Ballyrisode House, and note about Helena, who was a “delightful person”: The Hungerford Family Foundation, Inc. website. 6 Find a Grave website, accessed 20 February 2019 7 Family tree for L.E. Thomson, by L.J. Abrahams, on Ancestry.com.au 8 References found to Baile Riosoid, Ballyrisode, Ballyrizard 9 Find a Grave website, accessed 20 February 2019

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 4 Fernhill House, Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland: a Hungerford home By Lesley Abrahams (H.4a.1b.1c.1d / E.6.5a.1b.1c.1d) ernhill House Hotel, Fon the site of Fernhill House, Tawnies Lower, Clonakilty in County Cork, Ireland, previously in the townland of Kilgariff, was built in the early 18th century. It has been listed to join the Historic Hotels of Europe. The popular venue will now take its place alongside castles, manors, monasteries, lighthouses and palaces across 19 coun- tries throughout Europe. Fernhill is now in the hands of the fifth generation of O’Neills to run the Clon- akilty house. But Fernhill House dates all the way back to the Georgian era. “We’re passionate about Fernhill’s history,’ says Michael O’Neill Jr. “This house witnessed both sides of the fight for Ireland’s independence. Back in 1900, when Ireland was still under British rule, it was the home of the British- appointed solicitor general George Wright, but as a Clonakilty native, Michael Collins would have visited Fernhill. “You can see Michael Collins’ homestead from just outside Fernhill’s front door, along with the birthplace of the great Fenian Jeremiah O’Donovan Ros- sa. So when George Wright was surveying the West Cork countryside, little did he know the seeds of the end of British rule in Ireland were right outside his front door.” Hungerford links n article on the Historic Hotel classification in The Southern Star, West ACork of 17 May 2019 cites a marriage early in Fernhill’s history, on 18 March 1826. It was between the Revd William Francis Atkin and Alice (Ali- cia) Hungerford Stewart: the article asks questions about the connections of Fernhill to the Hungerford family. On researching both the family trees and the Landed Estates records, a few mysteries have been solved, and some more questions raised about the history of this property. It is reported that the 18th century house was demolished in the early 20th century, and a new house built on the site. The photograph held in the Edward

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 4 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 5 Hungerford (H.5a) Photographic Collection at the Australian National Mari- time Museum, dated 1870, is of the earlier building, which has an association with several Hungerford family members. The current Fernhill House Hotel complex incorporates the old Fernhill House building in their hotel and wed- ding function centre. Alice (or Alicia) Hungerford Stewart, who married the Revd William Atkin, was the daughter of Jane Travers and her second husband, the Revd William Stew- art of Wellfield, County Cork. Jane Travers was previously married toThomas Hungerford (1752-1789), of Cahirmore, County Cork. Jane and Thomas had one son, Thomas Henry Hungerford (born in 1781, d. 1861). Jane remarried in 1791/2, after Thomas Hungerford had died in 1789; she and William Stewart had three sons and four daughters. She named one of her daughters Alice (Alicia) Hungerford Stewart (c.1800–1868), possibly in memory of her first husband. Records show that Alice and William Atkin were living at Fernhill as tenants in 1829 and in 1837, presumably in the intervening years, and maybe after this. Two Aunts Alicia his Alice, who died on 19 November 1868, cannot be “the aunt” mentioned Tin article cited above, or the previous article from The Southern Star, West Cork of 27 September 2016, reprinted in HAFS Newsletter 53 (February 2017) 36. Her relationship to the Hungerford family is possibly being a step- cousin? Edward Hungerford (H.5a), great grandson of Thomas Hungerford (SH20, 1752-1789), did have two aunts, sisters of his father Henry Jones Hun- gerford (H), both carrying the name Alicia, but they were not recorded as living at Fernhill. They were: 1) Harriet Alicia Hungerford, born 1819, died 1908; she was living or visiting at Cahirmore in 1901. At her death her beneficiary wasEthel Wright (H.3a), her niece, so maybe she did reside at Fernhill at some stage 2) Alice (Alicia) Hungerford, born 1835 at Cahirmore, died in 1904 at St Helier, Jersey, the Channel Islands. Her beneficiary at her death was Henry Thomas Wright (H.3a.1b), her niece’s husband. We can only speculate that Edward visited his sister and his aunts at Fernhill at some stage, not neces- sarily in 1870 when the photo of the house was taken.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 6 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 6 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 7 I did find a very poor image ofMary Boone Hunger- ford (née Cowper, H=), wife of Henry Jones Hunger- ford, visiting Fernhill in 1909. This was before Cahir- more was burnt down between 1911 and 1921, and presumably when her daughter Ethel was living there. The Wright family oth newspaper articles mention that the present Bowners, the O’Neill family, purchased the property from a Colonel Wright 70 years ago. Further research reveals that Fernhill was the property of the Wright family. They were: George Wright (born 1847-1913), lawyer and Judge in the Irish High Court, and Solicitor-General of Ireland; Henry Thomas Wright (born 1850: H.3a=, photo at right), solicitor, Clerk of the Crown, Justice of the Peace for the City of Cork; and Thomas William Wright (born 1859, at Fernhill), solicitor and Registrar for his brother George. Their father was Thomas Richard Wright, solicitor of Fernhill, County Cork. The three sons commenced their legal careers articled in their father’s law firm. Ethel Hungerford (H.3a, photo at right) married Henry Thomas Wright on 6 December 1882; they had two sons and four daughters. They lived at Fern- hill House for many years: there was a cricket pitch, and lawn tennis court, and gardens, etc. The land they owned in County Cork totalled nearly 1300 acres around West Cork. Their sons were Henry Thomas Richard Somerset Wright (H.3a.1b, 1884-1916), Lieuten- ant in the Manchester Regiment, killed in Egypt in 1916; and Geoffrey Machell Hungerford Wright (H.3a.2b, 1886-1973), promoted to Lieu- tenant Colonel in the Royal Irish Fusil- iers. He sold Fernhill House and estate to the O’Neill family about 1946.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 8 Acknowledgments: Michael O’Neill, current owner and fourth generation of the O’Neill family at Fernhill House Hotel, was very helpful, and would welcome visitors to Fernhill. I have also had helpful information from Pat Crowley of the Durrus History website, and from the Skibbereen Heritage Centre. Photos: Fernhill House, Co. Cork, Ireland, about 1870. From the Edward Hungerford Photographic Collection, Australian National Maritime Museum. Henry Thomas Wright (H.3a=, 1850-1937), from Cork Past and Present, and Cork and County Cork in the Twentieth Century. Ethel Hungerford (H.3a, 1860-1944) from Hungerford albums. Mary Boone Hungerford (nèe Cowper, H=) at Fernhill, 1909. Edward Hungerford (‘Uncle Ned’, H.5a) in 1908, in Sydney, NSW. From Hun- gerford albums. q

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 8 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 9 Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert (1831–1905) By Pauline Tyrrell (E.2.4a.10b.1c.2d=) ith extra information from Richard W. Hunger- Wford (US26), a member of HAFS in the USA. an interesting connnection has been found between Queensland and English Hungerford cousins, including that the first Premier of Queensland, Robert George Wyndham Herbert, is a Hungerford descendant. Family line Robert’s parents were Algernon Herbert and Marianne née Lempriere. Algernon was the sixth and youngest son of Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon and his wife Elizabeth Alicia Maria, elder daughter of Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont. Henry and Elizabeth Herbert’s family is especially interesting because their five sons and one daughter introduce some noteworthy individuals to the Hungerford family. Charles Wyndham, Two descendant females, cousins 2nd Earl of Egremont Elizabeth Alicia Maria of each other, were the wives of Wyndham the famous author Evelyn Waugh. His first wife, Evelyn Gardner, married Waugh in 1928 and divorced him in 1929; her mother was Lady Winifred Herbert, grand-daughter of Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnar- von. Her cousin, Laura Herbert, married Evelyn in 1937. George Edward Stanhope Moly- neux Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnar- Evelyn Waugh von, was present at the opening of the famous Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb, having financed the exploration. He died shortly there- after, which fostered the “curse of the mummy” lore. Laura Herbert His family seat, Highclere Castle in Hampshire, also

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 10 Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon Henry George Herbert, Henry John Herbert, Henry Herbert, 4th 2nd Earl of Carnarvon 3rd Earl of Carnarvon Earl of Carnarvon has a claim to fame as the setting for the TV show ‘Downton Abbey’. Elizabeth Wyndham’s parents were Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont and Alicia Maria Carpenter. Charles was the son of Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet, and Lady Catherine Seymour, the younger of the two daughters of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset. Alicia Maria Carpenter George Edward Stanhope Sir William was the son of Molyneux Herbert, nd 5th Earl of Carnavon Sir Edward Wyndham, 2 Baronet, and Katherine Leveson-Gower, the daughter of Sir William Leve- son-Gower, 4th Baronet. Sir Edward (c. 1667 – 29 June 1695), of Orchard Wyn- dham, Somerset, was three times Member of Parliament for Ilchester, Somerset: 1685 to 1687, 1689 to 1690 and 1690 to 1695. Sir Edward was the fourth and only surviving son of Sir Wil- liam Wyndham, 1st Baronet (c. 1632 – 1683) of Orchard Wynd- ham, MP and Sheriff of Somerset in 1679–80, by his wife Frances Hungerford (SH230, 1635-1697), the daughter of Sir Anthony Hun- gerford (SH169, 1607-1657) of Sir William Wyndham, Frances Hungerford 1st Baronet Farleigh Castle, Somerset.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 10 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 11 Robert George Wyndham Herbert: a brief life history obert Herbert was born on 12 June 1831 in Brighton, England, the only Rson of the Honourable Algernon Herbert, a younger son of the first Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. He won a Balliol scholarship in 1849 and subsequently the Hertford and Ireland scholar- ships. He took a First Class in classical moderations, won the Latin verse prize in 1852, and obtained second-class honours in the classical school. He was elected Fellow of All Souls in 1854 and was Eldon law scholar. In 1855 Robert was private secretary to another old Etonian, William Ewart Gladstone, who went on to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The following year Robert was called to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1858. Meanwhile, on 6 June 1859 Queen Victoria signed Letters Patent to form the colony of Queensland, and Sir George Bowen was appointed the first governor. He arrived at Brisbane on 10 December 1859 and brought Herbert with him as his private secretary. On the day of the Governor’s arrival, Herbert was gazetted as Colonial Secretary, with Ratcliffe Pring as Attorney-general. This pair, with the Governor, formed an Executive Council to which additions were later made. At the election held early in 1860 Herbert was returned unopposed for one of the Leichhardt seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and became the first Premier of Queensland. At 28 years and 181 days of age, he was the youngest person to ever be elected Premier of an Australian state. He showed himself to be a good leader and held office from December 1859 to February 1866. During his time as Premier four Land Acts were passed, and the education ques- tion was also the subject of early measures. The Governor, in writing to the Secretary of State, stated that the Queensland Parliament “had passed a greater number of really useful measures than any other parliament in any of the Aus- tralian colonies”. The first Queensland government was in marked contrast to those of the other colonies, each of which averaged half a dozen ministries in the same period. Herbert, however, fell into some disfavour when financial dif- ficulties arose. He resigned in February 1866, and then returned to England . few months after Herbert’s arrival in England he was appointed Assistant- ASecretary to the Board of Trade. In 1870 he was made Assistant Under- Secretary for the Colonies, and in 1871 became Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. He held this position for 21 years with great distinction. His attitude was generally conciliatory, and he was tactful in dealing with men who came in contact with him. In 1882 he was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), and in 1892 elevated to be Knight Commander Grand Cross of the same Order

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 12 This descendant chart shows the relationships described in the text. This descendant chart shows the relationships

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 12 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 13 (GCB): Sir Robert. In the same year he was appointed Chancellor of the Order of St Michael and St George. Sir Robert left the Colonial Office in 1892, but took up his duties again for a few months at the special request of Joseph Chamberlain. In 1893-6 he was Agent- General for Tasmania, and did active work in connection with the formation of the British Empire League. In December 1903 he chaired the Tariff Commission. In later years Sir Robert suffered from heart trouble. Believing his health would benefit from a sea voyage, he went for a cruise in the Mediterranean, meeting his sister in Marseilles, France. There his health worsened, and he returned immedi- ately to England, was taken in an ambulance car on the Great Eastern Railway to his residence at Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, where he died on 6 May 1905. obert Herbert met his companion, John Bramston, in the early 1850s at RBalliol College, Oxford University, England. The pair shared rooms at Oxford, and also in London. When Herbert was Premier of Queensland, and Bramston his Attorney-General, the two created a farm on what is now the site of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. They named the farmhouse in which they both lived ‘Herston’, a combination of their names. It also became the name of the modern-day Brisbane suburb of Herston, in the same location. Robert Herbert never married, and modern historians like Robert Aldrich and Garry Wotherspoon conclude that he was likely gay. In 1864, Herbert offered an explanation as to why he had not married: “It does not seem to me reasonable to tell a man who is happy and content, to marry a woman who may turn out a great disappointment.” q Photo Credits: Evelyn Waugh: www.independent.ie 5th Earl of Carnarvon: www.mirror.co.uk Laura Waugh: Terry Ellen (Todd) Ferl, ‘Find a Grave’ website Elizabeth Alicia Maria Wyndham: from the album Andrea Cassigoli’s photos by Andrea Cassigoli,

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 14 Gregan Thomas McMahon (E.6.12a) and the Sydney Repertory Theatre By Brett Harvey (E.1.1a.15b.1c.1d.1e=) Whilst I was researching at the State Library of NSW and looking through records held there of Gregan McMahon (E.6.12a), I came across the booklet The Sydney Repertory Theatre: its History and Significance by S. Elliott Napier, published in 1927. I thought it was appropriate that HAFS publish the following extracts. he Sydney Repertory Theatre Society, which Tis directed by a professional ‘producer’ of wide experience and acknowledged artistry, is financially guaranteed by a reputable theatrical firm, enjoys the assistance of an expert body of players, and is, in a word, fully equipped for the task it has taken in hand. In 1920 Mr Gregan McMahon approached Messrs J. and N. Tait with a scheme for the organisa- tion of a permanent Repertory Theatre in Syd- ney, and after considerable negotiation, a scheme which ultimately developed into the formation of the present society was agreed upon and duly Gregan Thomas McMahon launched. It is, therefore, appropriate now to state the conditions under which the society is carried on, and the general methods which govern Mr. McMahon’s directorship of it. Shortly, then, the terms of the agreement between the Messrs. Tait on the one hand, and the Trustees for the members of the Society on the other, are that the former guarantee to provide a Theatre for a regular series of suitable productions together with all the necessary accessories of scenery, furnishings, etc; to lend Mr McMahon’s services as producer and director, and to pay all expenses whatsoev- er; while the trustees agree in return to find yearly a minimum of 700 subscribers. The Sydney Repertory Theatre, then, stands for the promotion of good dramatic entertainment coupled with capable and artistic production. It is not – most defi- nitely, it is not – an “amateur” dramatic society. Its members are neither expected nor invited to act unless they show unquestionable talent in that line, the director being sole judge of the value of the evidence. Mr McMahon is, like all other sup- porters of the repertory movement, strongly adverse to the “star” system.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 14 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 15 A page from The Lone Hand, 1 August 1916

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 16 Characters played by Gregan McMahon

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 16 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 17 Mr McMahon is enabled to assume absolutely full control of every production from the choice of the play itself to the last detail of the stage furnishing. Fortu- nately for the Society, its Director is an expert. His flair for production amounts almost to genius, and no stronger proof of it need be adduced than that provided by the productions of the Repertory Theatre. A producer who can combine under the one hat all the qualities demanded of him is a rare bird indeed; but I believe that in Mr McMahon one may find a very near approach to him. A graduate of the Sydney University; a cultured and critical reader, and a man of experience in, and enthusiasm for, his chosen profession, he is in his element as director of a Repertory Theatre. As is well known, he organised and directed for seven years the Repertory Theatre in Melbourne with a success, both artistic and financial, that was only ended by the tragedy of the war. It is not necessary, of course that a Repertory producer should himself be an efficient actor. But if he be one, it is an immense advantage to his theatre. His versatility may be judged by recalling the parts he has played with such success during his first four years association with the Sydney Repertory Theatre. “ Additional Notes Gregan McMahon was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Not only did he produce and act in plays in Sydney but he also produced plays in Melbourne theatres. An article in The Lone Hand of 1 August 1916 shows a photo of some of his characters, as well as The Playhouse The- atre. I thought that this would be of interest to readers, so have included a copy of this publication. Over the years many publications produced both information on the Reper- tory Theatre movement as well as Gregan McMahon’s involvement. I have also included a small number of these articles which show the characters he played and the plays themselves. q Bibliography S Elliott Napier, The Sydney Repertory Theatre. Its History and Significance (Sydney: Sydney Repertory Theatre Society, 1927) The Lone Hand, 1 August 1916 The Home magazine 1 December 1925; 1 July 1926; 2 August 1926 Cartoon, courtesy of Mr Gregan McMahon Photo of the Comedy Theatre Melbourne, courtesy Arts Centre Melbourne

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 18 From The Home magazine

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 18 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 19 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 20 The Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, where Gregan McMahon played

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 20 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 21 ‘Island Boy’ – Sir Thomas Davis (L.VIII.iv.3.5a.2b) By Gabrielle Buckley ikipedia’s entry on Sir Thomas Davis (L.VIII. Wiv.3.5a.2b) says that he was “a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher”. What an understatement! Before he became Prime Minister he had been a doctor, sailor and researcher. He had sailed across the Pacific Ocean (twice), raced cars and travelled internationally. His knowl- edge and interests were wide ranging: art, public health, Polynesian culture and navigation, thermogenesis (how our bodies produce heat), economics, space travel – and so much more. Facing the cold homas Robert Alexander Harries Davis was born on 11 June 1917 in TRarotonga, Cook Islands. His father was Sydney Tomes Davis (1890-1938 – L.VIII.iv.3.5a); his mother, Mary Anne Harries, was half-Polynesian. Tom grew up “in the Polynesian way” with close kinship ties and a profusion of relatives. His idyllic childhood of exploration and adventure, fun and freedom, came to an end when he was sent to boarding school in Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of 12, when his father remarried. There Tom encountered cultural change as well as rigidity and discipline. Tom’s first New Zealand winter piqued his curiosity about “getting used to” the cold, and planted the seed of his future research into thermogenesis. Coming from the tropical Cook Islands, Tom experienced shivering that he struggled to control. He decided to test the “you’ll get used to it” theory to the limit, and for a few weeks braced the winter elements without rugging up. After that time, he slept soundly without shivering and could handle lengthy cold showers. This adaptive process was a significant turning point for him. Tom attended medical school in Dunedin, New Zealand, during the Great Depression. To make ends meet he took on many jobs, including labouring, taxi-driving and farming. By 1940 he was married to Lydia Henderson, and the first of his three sons was born in 1942. About this time he performed pre- liminary experiments, using friends who surfed during winter, to measure the effects of exposure to cold water.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 22 After qualifying as a doctor, Tom worked at various hospitals in New Zealand before applying for the post as Medical Officer to the Cook Islands. He was turned down thrice, because of New Zealand’s colonial policy not to employ educated Cook Islanders in the Cook Islands. It was thought that they would be troublemakers – and apparently Tom was thought to have trouble-making traits. His fourth application was successful, and the young Davis family sailed to Rarotonga in December 1945. Back in the Cook Islands n his introductory tour of the hospital Tom was very disappointed. He Odescribed how jungle surrounded the building, creating unhygienic conditions because of mosquitoes. Hospital staff had a low opinion of their patients and visitors. Surgery was rarely done, and the X-ray unit was faulty. He knew he had a huge job ahead of him. On his first day Tom discovered that one of his duties – effectively his main duty – in the out-patient clinic was to issue liquor permits. The Cook Islands were ‘dry’, and you could only get a drink if you had a medical prescription from the Medical Officer. So Tom was the controller of liquor consumption for the Territory! Over time, he arranged to have this function eased, as well as to have hospital conditions updated. And he resurrected the services of the assistant medical practitioners, who had been under-used. The Cook Islands comprise fifteen islands. Tom and his assistants would sail to see patients, and establish clinics to be run by the assistant practitioners. He often had to demonstrate to the Islanders the benefits of (at the time) modern medicine. For instance, one patient needed a blood transfusion, but due to the lack of apparatus, Tom and the matron had to be inventive. They had 200 vol- unteers and managed to find a match. The transfusion was done directly from donor to patient, venous system to venous system. The crowd was reassured by the patient’s recovery, and prejudices were overcome. During his time as Medical Officer and then Chief Medical Officer, Tom revo- lutionised public health in the Cook Islands. Within five years, he and his staff had cleaned up the hospital. Patients would come not only for surgery, but also for good medical care including paediatric, midwifery and maternity services. A nursing school was established. Programmes were introduced to handle mos- quito control, vaccinations, hygiene and sanitation. To the USA for study n March 1952 Tom ended his term as Chief Medical Officer to attend the IHarvard School of Public Health in Boston USA. One of his dreams was to

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 22 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 23 sail the oceans, and that’s what he did. The family of four and a small crew set sail from Wellington, New Zealand, for Boston on a 44-foot ocean-going yacht, the Miru. The five month journey was hazardous, with disastrous weather that impeded progress. Their welcome in Boston in November was unforgettable, and coincided with the arrival of Richard Nixon and General Eisenhower for the looming presidential elections. Indeed, Tom was mistaken for Nixon at his hotel, with both applause and heckling! While studying for his Master of Public Health degree, Tom was class president. The Harvard School of Public Health also put Tom and Lydia to work! During this time, they gave talks that helped with obtaining donations to the school; wrote Doctor to the Islands, illustrated by Tom; and had a third son. After graduation, Tom joined the Department of Nutrition within the Harvard School. Here he was able to indulge in further research into metabolism in the cold. Even though he was unable to use human subjects, he and his colleagues made progress in demonstrating that the animals lost their need to shiver after three weeks of acclimatising to cold weather conditions, and could withstand the cold with half the heat production needed for an unacclimatised state. From the Arctic to space n 1955, the family moved to Alaska, to join the Arctic Aeromedical Labora- Itory. Tom had hoped to further his research using human subjects; however he mainly spent his year providing medical services for the Alaskan Health Depart- ment to Native American Indian and Inuit peoples, often in remote locations. The next adventure for the Davis family was in Kentucky, at the US Army Medi- cal Research Laboratory (USAMRL). Tom worked on many projects as Chief Research Physician and later as Chief of Bioastronautics (in pre-NASA days). He viewed the Saturn rocket, which eventually took astronauts to the moon, as early as 1959. At that time there was competition among the armed forces to develop rockets and missiles, creating duplicated effort. Tom, along with others, was sent to Washington, where he was to focus on the space capsule environment for 2–3 men for the duration of a flight. His report, combined with others, formed the basis for the Apollo program. After NASA was formed, Tom was involved in the Mercury Project series of space flights with the first seven US astronauts, working out of Mexico and Zanzibar. His research into acclimatisation continued in climatic chambers, and in the field in Greenland and Alaska.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 24 ... and the Himalayas n 1963, Tom went to the Himalayas to help the Indian Army inure its soldiers to Iconditions in altitude and cold on the borders with Tibet. They needed to overcome the combination of altitude and exercise and the risk of pulmonary oedema. Tom was based in a cosy yurt, set apart on its own on the side of a mountain, at 13,500 feet, with magnificent views. Every morning, he was woken by his Sikh batman gently singing a Punjabi song. Over six weeks, his team worked with officers testing cold and physical conditions. They formulated a plan to acclima- tise troops to improve their military performance at altitude. After this adventure, Tom joined a commercial research and consulting company, where he worked with the pharmaceutical and food industries. Some of his research projects included breakfast cereal, vitamin supplements, weight-loss products, and personal life jackets (for buoyancy and stability). Back to the Cook Islands n the late 1960s, Tom became aware of political and economic problems in Ithe Cook Islands, with pleas from people he loved and respected to return and do something about it. He had been away for twenty years. And after careful consideration he realised that in the Polynesian custom, the decision to return had already been made: to do what was being requested of him. By this time, Tom was divorced, and he knew he had to return to Raratonga to meet the resi- dential requirements if he was to participate in elections. The return trip from Boston to Raratonga was made on the Torea with his son Ter- emoana. Tom won a seat in Parliament in 1972, when he became the Leader of the Queen’s Opposition. The then Prime Minister had a strong hold and was a master orator: Tom, on the other hand, could converse in Rarotongan but struggled with campaign speeches. However, he and his party persevered, and Tom became Prime Minister in 1978 after a controversial election campaign. Before that election he had gone into private medical practice in the Cook Islands. This was an interesting time, because the infamous Milan Brych had been granted sanc- tuary to offer his dubious cancer therapy to local and inter- national patients in 1976. Tom never met Brych, who left the Cook Islands after he became Prime Minister. Sir Thomas was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 1978 to 1983, and late 1983 to 1987. In 1979, Davis married Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki, paramount chief of the Takitumu tribe. Together they wrote the music and lyrics Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 24 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 25 of the Cook Islands’ National Anthem, “Te Atua mou e”. Tom was knighted in 1981. Tom’s third wife was Carla Cassata. Sir Thomas Davis died on 23 July 2007 q in Rarotonga Hospital, aged 90. Sir Thomas and Carla Cassata

Sources: Tom Davis (Pa Tuteranga Ariki), Island Boy: an autobiography (Institute of Pacific Island Studies, 1992). Wikipedia Photos: Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki, 1934, second wife of Tom Davis: DigitalNZ , Alexan- der Turnbull Library Tom Davis photo 1: www. mz.co.nz Tom Davis photo 2: www.otago.ac.nz Tom Davis and his third wife, Carla: www.hinterlandgrapevine.com

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 26 Villa Ada, Rome: a brief history Compiled from online sources illa Ada is the second Vlargest park in the city of Rome, following closely behind the Villa Doria Pam- philj. Often referred to as a green lung of Rome due to its large scale and shape, the vast and hilly grass- lands were once home to Italian royalty. Preceding their occupation, the estate turned park was property of the Pallavicini princes towards the end of the 18th century. Fast forward to 1839 and the property shifted to the Potenziani family, before being purchased by King Vittorio Emanuele II in 1872. He made renovations and improvements throughout the property, including the purchase and union of surrounding plots of land. Following the death of Emanuele II in 1878, his son, King Umberto I, sold the property to the administrator of the assets of the Real Casa, Count Giuseppe Telfener. It was then that the Villa Savoia became known as its modern day moniker, the Villa Ada - a loving dedication to Telfener’s wife, Ada Hunger- ford (SH202b) n 1904, King Vittorio Emanuele III reclaimed the royal residence by purchas- Iing the manor and subsequently making it the official residence of the Savoys until the elimination of the monarchy in 1946. The property was then litigated, with 34 hectares initially allotted to the city of Rome. Over time the city was able to acquire the vast majority of the Villa with only a small portion remain- ing private property, now owned by the Arab Republic of Egypt for its Embassy and Consulate. Villa Ada is a favourite among locals living in northern Rome, as its diverse terrain features an array of flora and fauna specific to its history. Trees such as cypresses, dwarf palms, pines and the metasequoia can be seen throughout. Park admission is free to all, with visitors having the option to rent canoes, bicycles, and riding horses. In the summer, Villa Ada is the location of the Roma Incontra Il Mondo (Rome Meets the World) music festival.

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 26 HAFS Journal 15-2 page 27 Following a gruelling restoration, the historic passageway of Bunker Villa Ada Savoia was recently opened to the public. The tours are one of the many ways in which Villa Ada’s rich and complex history can be observed in modern Rome. Genealogy of Ada Hungerford (from Stanley Hungerford’s book) SH1 Thomas Hungerford (born 1602 in England, died 1663 at New London, Connecticut), married Rebecca Wallis (born 1627 in Wiltshire, England, died 1656 at New London) SH2 Thomas Hungerford (born 1648 in Hartford, Connecticut, died 1714 at East Haddam Connecticut), married Mary Green in 1671 SH5 Green Hungerford (born 1684 in New London, died 1735 at East Had- dam), married Jemima Richardson in 1709 SH21 Nathaniel Hungerford (born 1733), in 1756 married Rachel Cone (born 1735) SH69 Amos Hungerford (born 1777 in Lyme, New London, died 1844 in Frank- fort, Herkimer County, New York), married China Harrison in 1802 SH202 Colonel Daniel Elihu Hungerford (born 1821 in Frankfort, New York, died 1896 in Rome, Italy), in 1842 married Evaline de la Visera (born 1823 in New York) SH202b Ada Elmire Hungerford (born around 1847), in 1879 married Gi- useppe (Joseph) Telfener (1836-1898) Joseph Telfener oseph Telfener, Italian financier and Texas railroad builder, was born in JNaples, Italy, in 1836. His given name was Giuseppe; he appears to have adopted the name Joseph after his arrival in the United States. On 15 March 1879, Telfener married American Ada Hungerford (SH202b) in Rome and was probably subsequently interested by his father-in-law, Daniel Elihu Hungerford, in constructing a railroad in Texas. Drawing upon Telfen- er’s prior experience as a railroad financier and contractor in South America,

HAFS Journal 15-2 page 28 Telfener and Hungerford planned a railroad that would link New York City and Mexico City. The New York, Texas and Mexican Railway Company charter was signed on October 18, LQ3DULV)UDQFHDQG¿OHGLQ$XVWLQ7H[DV on 17 November. The company contracted with Telfener to build 350 miles of track from Rich- mond, Texas, to Brownsville. Work began west of Rosenberg Junction and east of Victoria in September 1881. Towns along the route were QDPHGIRUWKH¿QDQFLHUV7HOIHQHU+XQJHUIRUG and John W. Mackay; for Telfener’s daughters ,QH] 0DULH DQG(GQD $GD DQGIRU0DFND\¶V Count Guiseppe (Joseph) wife, Louise, later known for her entertainments Telfener and as the grandmother of Mrs Irving Berlin. Telfener brought 1,200 Italian workers over to $PHULFDKRSLQJWKH\ZRXOGUHPDLQLQ7H[DVDQGVHWWOHRQODQGDGMDFHQWWRWKH railroad line, known locally as the ‘Macaroni Line’ after its completion. Con- VWUXFWLRQZDVVORZKRZHYHUDQGODERXUHUVEHJDQWROHDYHIRURWKHUMREV2Q $SULOWKHVWDWHRI7H[DVUHSHDOHGDOOODZVJUDQWLQJODQGWRFRPSDQLHVIRU railroad construction, and Telfener abandoned his plans. On 4 July 1882, the track from Rosenberg Junction to Victoria was completed. Expenditures for the line totalled more than $2 million, and only ninety-one miles of the planned 350 had been completed. Telfener operated the short line until 23 July 1884, when the construction contract was annulled. Mackay, Telfener’s brother-in-law, acquired the line on 9 January 1885, and sold it to the Southern 3DFL¿FOLQHVRQ6HSWHPEHURIWKDW\HDU In 1877 Victor Emmanuel II bestowed the title of Count on Telfener to honour him for his achievements in engineering. Telfener, whose motto was Hominem labor honorat (“Work honours humanity”), was a frequent visitor to Texas. He leased a mansion in Victoria, where he and the Countess hosted convivial parties. The couple had four children. Several religious works of art, which the Telfeners arranged to have blessed in Rome and shipped to churches they frequented in Texas, remain on display in Roman Catholic institutions in Victoria. In 1946 Telfener’s estate in the centre of Rome, the Villa Ada, became the residence of the deposed Italian royal family. Telfener pursued his interests as a ¿QDQFLHUDQGVSRUWVPDQXQWLOKLVGHDWKLQ5RPHRQ-DQXDU\ ISSN 1036-2223 The Hungerford & Associated Families Society, Inc.

Patron: The Hon Barrie Hungerford QC Founder: Mr Ronald Prentice 3UHVLGHQW /HVOH\$EUDKDPV Vice-President: Pauline Tyrrell Secretary: Brett Harvey 1 Orinoco Close, Seven Hills NSW 2147 [email protected] Treasurer: Richard Hyland Committee: Davina Best, Michael Cooper, Catriona Rogers, (2018-2019) the Editor Correspondence and cheque payments to be sent to: 7KH+$)67UHDVXUHUF3DXOLQH7\UUHOO Tyrrells Vineyards Pty Ltd, 1838 Broke Road, Pokolbin NSW 2320 (GLWRU &KDUOHV6KHUORFN$0 PO Box 266, Trentham Vic 3458 [email protected] The HAFS Journal, issued twice-yearly, aims to publish detailed historical information about the Hungerford and associated families, and the times and places connected with them. Priority is given to the dissemination of origi- nal, unpublished documents, memories and other such material. $OOUHDGHUVDUHHQFRXUDJHGWRVXEPLWDUWLFOHVIRUFRQVLGHUDWLRQWRWKH6HFUHWDU\ whether or not they are members of the Society. Submissions must be word- SURFHVVHGLQFOXGHDOLVWRIVRXUFHVDQGEHVHQWYLDHPDLORURQDÀDVKGULYH Photographs and illustrations are welcome: these should be clearly named, and VHQWLQUDZIRUPDVVHSDUDWH¿OHVUDWKHUWKDQLQFOXGHGRQO\LQDGRFXPHQW¿OH Back issues of the Journal are available from the Secretary. The Society does not accept responsibility for views or opinions expressed by authors, nor for any factual errors made by them. Reproduction of material in any form from this publication without the express written permission of the copyright holder may constitute a breach of copyright.