Feather Curlers & Cleaners

Sydney Gazette, 11 August 1825 Not an occupation I can find out much about. Feather curlers were used by milliners to produce suitable feathers for their hats. However, if you read down through these advertisements you’ll see they’re offering a different, if related, service. Bearing in mind here, hats were necessary fashion accessory, and if…

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100 Years of Disappointed, Disgruntled, Discredited Husbands

Sydney Gazette, 16 October 1803 Sydney Gazette, 19 June 1808 Sydney Gazette, 12 February 1810 Hobart Town Gazette, 19 October 1816 Hobart Town Gazette, 12 August 1820 Sydney Gazette, 16 October 1823 Sydney Gazette, 23 October 1823 Sydney Gazette, 9 January 1826 The Australian, 10 September 1828 Sydney Monitor, 20 September 1828 Sydney Gazette, 21…

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Charlotte

I found this one on the wall of the tea room at Franklin House, a spinster and governess!* Charlotte’s brother ran a boys school at Franklin Village, but she “was forced to gain employment. This she found at the Archer family house of Northbury near Longford” (pictured above). At first she worked as “a governess…

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Mrs Durham

Cornwall Chronicle, 19 May 1860 Launceston Examiner, 2 June 1959 Launceston Examiner, 9 March 1861

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Mrs Spearman

Most obituaries about business women focus on their activities after the death of the husband. This one talks about her involvement in the business alongside him. ANOTHER old colonist was yesterday removed by death in the person of Mrs Mary Ann Spearman, of Landale-street, Invermay. The deceased lady was the widow of the late Mr…

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Whereas My Husband… Or, What’s Good For Gander

Sydney Gazette, 28 July 1821 This is sequel to 100 Years of Disappointed, Disgruntled, Discredited Husbands. I have transcribed the longer advertisements/letters where the text might be too small to read and included the image, except where it’s an ongoing debate wherein I have just included the text. TO THE PUBLIC.— WHEREAS Mr. Thomas Arkell…

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Miss Milne

Jeannette Milne Photo from TAHO (Tasmanian Archive & Heritage Office), record, available Flickr Jeanette Milne was a nurse from Edinburgh who came out to Australia during the time when the “Nightingale system” of nursing was still being introduced, hospital standards were generally poor and nurses rarely received formal training. (That’d be 1880s and later for most…

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Mrs Lukin

Mary Ann Lukin was a brewery owner, and landlady (licensee) of two of Launceston’s leading hotels. From her death certificate, she was born in England, about 1813. So she was about 21 when she married George Lukin in Sorell, naer Hobart. A few years later, they were living in Hobart where they established a brewery….

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Mrs Ashton

FOR THE BENEFIT OF MRS. ASHTON ——- Mrs. Ashton begs most respectfully to apprise the Ladies and Gentlemen of Launceston and its environs, that she will take a Benefit at the above place of amusement on Monday evening next, April 11th, on which occasion she solicits your kind patronage and support ; and she pledges…

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Nurse Cash

This plaque is currently in the Beds, Books and Bandages exhibition at the Queen Victoria Museum, usually hanging in the Launceston General Hospital. DEATH OF A NURSE. An outbreak of scarlet fever at the Launceston General Hospital, resulted in the death of Nurse Cash. This lady, who only joined the nursing staff a few months…

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