Alice Lottie MARTIN

Father: William Joseph MARTIN, born on 1 December 1865 at Coonatto, South Australia and died on 4 March 1913 on Murnpeowie Station on the Strzelecki Track in South Australia.  William was the son of Michael Martin and Caroline McCudden.

Mother: Ellen Josephine Elena CALLARY, born on 8 November 1871 in Gilbert, South Australia and died on 13 August 1949 in Jamestown, South Australia.  Ellen was the daughter of Philip Callary and Julia McAuliffe

Siblings

Philip Laurence Martin was born on 31 December 1892 in Arkaba, South Australia.  He died at the age of four on 1 April 1897 in Marianville near Quorn, South Australia.

Myrtle Nellie Martin was born on 29 January 1895 in Farina, South Australia.  She died on 18 October 1973 at Prospect in South Australia.  She married Albert (Bert) Charles Wilson on 11 September 1913, in Farina, South Australia.  He was the son of John Wilson and Emily Caroline Beer.  Albert was born on 27 February 1891 in Gordon, South Australia and died on 5 December 1966 in Kilburn, Adelaide, South Australia.  Both are buried in the Dudley Park Cemetery in Adelaide, South Australia.

William Leslie Martin was born on 7 February 1899 in Birdsville, Queensland.  He died on 3 June 1973 in Hawker, South Australia.  He married Emily Elizabeth Chapman on 19 November 1928 in Farina, South Australia.  Emily was the daughter of Charles Kemble Chapman and Elizabeth Ann Gill.  Emily was born on 9 December 1906 in Blinman, South Australia and died on 19 February 1987 in Hawker, South Australia.  They are both buried in the Hawker Cemetery.

Thomas Benjamin MARTIN was born on 19 April 1900 in Birdsville, Queensland. He died on 27 April 1973 in Jamestown, South Australia.  He married Evelyn Mabel Reid on 19 September 1929 in Farina, South Australia.  She was the daughter of Michael Reid and Sarah Russell.  Evelyn was born on 1 October 1911 in Hawker, South Australia and died on 13 November 1980 in Jamestown, South Australia.  Both are buried in the Jamestown Cemetery.

Eileen Elsie Martin was born on 3 August 1902 in Queensland.  She never married.  Eileen died on 1 January 1950 and was buried in the Dudley Park Cemetery, South Australia.

This Biography is a summary extracted from the full document which is available to view in the “Further Reading” tab.

Alice Lottie Martin was born on 13 July 1904 in Queensland. She was the youngest and sixth child of William Joseph Martin, born 1 December 1865, South Australia and Ellen Josephine Elena Callary born on 8 November 1871 in South Australia.

Alice never married and lived with her mother, Ellen, until her mother’s death. Family stories recall that Alice was engaged to a local Farina gentleman but no one recalls who he was or what happened to him.

Alice was an avid photographer in her early years and took many photos of Farina life, her travels in the region and holidays.

Farina newspaper articles and photographs shows her as a young woman full of life.

Alice moved to Farina in 1911 when she was 7 years old and attended the Farina school until 1918. Alice won the school skipping contest in 1912.

Alice was actively involved in the social life in Farina and the surrounding district.

In 1923 she helped in the fund raising to repair the church. Alice ran a Sweets stall and did an exhibition dance with a Mr N Davy. Her brother, Tommy (Thomas) was the MC for the occasion.

Alice’s work for the community continued for many years. In 1928 she was one of the conveners of the leap year Ball at Farina.

Alice moved to Jamestown with her mother in 1936 after a fierce storm hit Farina destroying much of the town including her mother’s house. Farina was slowly dying and the storm was the trigger to move. Alice was 32 at the time.

Her mother’s parents and some of her great Aunts and Uncles on the Callary side already lived in the Jamestown and Belalie areas, so the move would have been very logical. It is believed they initially moved in to a tin house on Gloucester Street, Jamestown before moving to a house on Vohr Street, Jamestown. Later Alice and her mother lived in a flat behind the Butcher shop in Ayre Street where they stayed for many years. Alice also lived in Globe hotel in Jamestown for a number of years before moving back with her mother behind butcher’s shop after the hotel was sold. Alice was the main support for her mother Ellen and Grandmother Julia Callary nee McAuliffe in the later years.

She worked in Jamestown at Eudunda Farmers as a sales woman. Over time she was promoted and became the Haberdashery buyer for the Jamestown store.

Her mother, Ellen inherited a house at 21 Cockburn Road in 1941 from her Aunty Catherine Callary. However, Alice and her mother remained at the butcher shop. Alice became the owner of the house after her mother’s death in 1949. It was transferred to Alice on 23 January 1950.

It was at this time Alice moved in to the house on Cockburn Road to live with her brother Thomas and Evelyn Martin and his family. She stayed with Thomas and Evelyn for many years.

She was living at Cockburn Road when she had a stroke while working at Eudunda Farmers on 16 July 1969. She had to retire as the stroke paralyzed her left side and she needed a walking stick. The walking stick became known as Jack the Peg after the Rolf Harris song as it had three leg prongs on the base.

Over time Alice needed more support and she decided to move to St Clare Nursing Home in Port Pirie on 23 January 1972. Alice then went through a period of declining health.

While in Port Pirie, Betty, who lived the closest in Crystal Brook, often supplied Alice with contraband of beer and cigarettes.

On 20 November 1978 Alice sold the house to pay for her care at St Clare’s. Alice had only a few possessions, one of them was a parrot.

Alice died on 17 July 1979 in Port Pirie, South Australia and is buried in the Port Pirie Cemetery. The parrot out lived her and remained with the Nuns at St Clare

There is no record of Alice owning land at Farina.

Alice Lottie Martin comprehensive biography with documents, articles and photographs.