From Devon to South Australia
Mary Ann Maria Bales, daughter of William Thomas Brown Bales and Georgina Knapp, was born on 25 Oct 1838 in Gawler Place, Adelaide, South Australia and was christened on 5 May 1839 in Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia. She was one of the first white children born in the Colony of South Australia.
Mary Ann was only nine years old when her mother died. Her most vivid recollection of her mother was that she was an avid reader. Mary Ann did her best to cope with the household chores when her mother was ill, this left little time or opportunity for her own education. In later life, however, Mary Ann was remarkably quick at mental arithmetic and was able to add up amounts in her head quicker and more accurately than most others. Mary Ann ran the household and cared for her younger brother and sister, with some help from her mother’s sisters, until her father remarried in 1849. She met her future husband in about 1855 when her father was the publican at the Tea Tree Gully Inn in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia. |
Mary Ann married Charles Frederick Newman son of Carl Frederick Vincent Neumann and Margareth, on 5 Mar 1857 in Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, South Australia.
Charles Newman had purchased 68 acres of land in Anstey Hill Park in 1854 and, with the help of his new bride, he cleared the land and started a garden and a plant nursery. Situated at the base of Water Gully, their first house, a simple slab hut set into a hill bank, was built on the property by 1855. By the 1880's, the nursery had grown to a point where it was considered a 'show piece' of the colony and was the largest nursery in the southern hemisphere. At the height of its operation the property covered 469 acres, with extensive glass and hot houses. Renamed in 1875 to Newman’s Model Nursery, it was a frequent prize winner at agricultural fairs and exhibitions. |
The first child of Charles and Mary Ann Newman was born one year after their marriage. Charles William Louis Newman was born on 11 May 1858 at Anstey’s Hill, South Australia. At intervals of one or two years for the next 23 years, Mary Ann bore at least another sixteen children – all but possibly three children surviving to adulthood. (There are varying reports of Mary Ann having up to 20 children)
In an interview about her life, printed in the South Australian Register on 1 February 1918, Mary Ann Newman recalled that her days passed swiftly. She rose at sunrise and worked until dark planting, watering, tending and reaping as well as looking after her growing family. The Newman’s first house was a two-room dwelling built using a cliff-face for one wall, and with an attic for storage. A vegetable garden was planted on the banks of the nearby creek. On market days Mary Ann rose before dawn to prepare goods to take to Adelaide. She would drive a cart to the East End market to sell their produce and returned home the next morning, a round trip of about 20 miles. On one occasion she gave birth to one of the children just hours after she arrived home. |
At the height of the success of his nursery Charles Newman was tragically killed. He was returning from a council meeting at Tea Tree Gully on 20 June 1899 when he fell from his horse. He died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. Mary Ann had little time for grief at her loss, with the sole responsibility of fourteen children and a business to run, she kept the nursery operating until 1913 with help from her sixth son, Frederick Christoff Newman. A severe storm in February 1913 damaged the nursery and another storm in October of the same year destroyed buildings and plantings. The nursery never fully recovered due to the extent of the destruction. Frederick Newman left the family business in 1925 and set up a smaller operation in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia.
Mary Ann Maria Newman died on 17 June 1932 at the home of her youngest daughter Hettie Folland in Enfield, South Australia at the age of 93 years. After her death the original property was sold and subsequently used as a dairy and then a sheep farm. Most of the remaining plants and trees from the property’s nursery days were destroyed by bush fires in 1983. Newman’s Nursery and the Topiary Cafe at Tea Tree Gully, South Australia still operates to this day run by descendants of Frederick Christoff Newman.
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Eliza Wilhelmina Newman (known as Mina) married Heinrich Wilhelm Bothe on 26 February 1885 in Walkerville, South Australia. After their marriage, Mina and Heinrich lived in Hampstead, South Australia where Heinrich managed a hotel. After their eldest child, Heinrich, died on 6 October 1893 at seven years of age, the Bothe family relocated to Perth, Western Australia. Another son, Frederick, died on 22 June 1896 at about 2 years of age. Heinrich continued in the hotel business in Perth for a number of years before the family moved to Wagerup, about 100 km south of Perth where they established themselves as horticulturalists. In 1910 the Bothe family were living in Coorow, about 250 km north of Perth. Heinrich owned and ran the General Store and the family were quite prosperous. They were well known in the area for their exquisite garden and they won many trophies and prizes at local agricultural shows. Mina took ill in 1938 and passed away in hospital in Claremont, West Australia on 17 August 1942 at the age of 79 years. Heinrich Bothe died just two months later on 17 October 1942 in Three Springs, Western Australia aged 80 years.
Georgina Marguetha Eliza Newman married Albert Palm on 17 November 1886 in Walkerville, South Australia. After their marriage, Albert and Georgina Palm lived in Paskeville, South Australia where Albert worked as a blacksmith.
In 1907 Albert took up a farm at Edillilie on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. The family traveled on the steamship SS Rupara from Wallaroo to Port Lincoln, disembarking on 9 February 1907. It took three days to transport all of their supplies to Edillilie by horse-drawn vehicle. A large barn served as their temporary home until the completion of their house in July that year. Albert proved to be a very good farmer and in years to come their property was known as the ‘Model Farm’ He was the first farmer on Eyre Peninsula to make use of new inventions such as the stump-jump plough and using super-phosphate as a fertiliser. He was also amongst the first on Eyre Peninsula to run a motor car. The roads at that time would have given a car a severe test. |
In 1926 Albert sold off part of the family property and retired to Wayville, South Australia. His son’s, George and Milton, began farming cereal crops and running sheep. George and Milton Palm registered as PALM BROS. and were responsible for the invention of a sheep drenching gun to aid in the management of sheep. Georgina Palm died on 13 August 1939 at Wayville, South Australia at the age of 75 years and Albert Palm died four years later on 24 December 1943 at Wayville, South Australia aged 81 years.
Frederick Christoff Newman married Doris Harriet Clarke Possingham on 1 June 1915 in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia. Ten years later he left the family business and set up a flower and bulb nursery in Tea Tree Gully. After the sale of the original Newman’s Nursery location in about 1932, Frederick took up the old family business name of C.F. Newman and Son. When Frederick retired, his daughter Suzanne and her husband Roger Hall took over the business and developed it as a specialist Camellia Nursery. In 1985 one of Suzanne and Roger’s sons, Jon Hall and his wife Dianne became the proprietors of Newman’s Nursery and the Topiary Café.
Descendants of Mary Ann Maria Bales
Mary Ann Maria Bales was born on 25 October 1838 in Adelaide, South Australia and died on 17 June 1932 in Enfield, South Australia at age 93 years. Mary Ann married Charles Frederick Newman on 5 March 1857 in Adelaide, South Australia. Charles (Carl Freidrich Neumann) was born on 7 May 1834 in Prussia and died on 20 June 1899 in Houghton, South Australia at age 65 years. They had 17 children: Charles Lewis William, George Frederick Vincent, John William, Eliza Wilhelmina, Georgina Marguetha Eliza, Charlotte Eliza, Mary Ann Eliza, Alfred Henry Vincent, Henry William, Frederick Christopher, William Vincent, Albert William, Edward Walter, Mary Ann, Eliza Florence, Eliza Martha and Henriette Mary Ann.
- Charles Lewis William Newman was born on 11 May 1858 at Anstey’s Hill, South Australia and died on 22 January 1940 in Bassendean, Western Australia at age 82 years. Charles married Eliza Ann Boon on 24 December 1877 in Gawler, South Australia. Eliza was born on 6 January 1861 in Gawler, South Australia. They had two children: Emily Elizabeth and Charles. Charles next married Frances Alethea Payne in 1903 in Busselton, Western Australia. Frances was born in 1881 in Capel, Western Australia and died on 29 August 1961 in Bassendean, Western Australia at age 80 years. They had one son: Charles Arthur.
- George Frederick Vincent Newman was born on 11 September 1859 in Venila, South Australia and died on 31 August 1935 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 75 years. George married Jane Pearce on 22 June 1892 in Kooringa, South Australia. Jane was born on 13 June 1866 in Kooringa, South Australia and died on 27 May 1924 in Chain of Ponds, South Australia at age 57 years. They had nine children: Whitney Charles, Vincent Edward Lewis, Dorothy Rosetta, Vera Eileene, Gladys May, George Lyndsley, Cyril Leonard, Stanley Pearce and Mildred Linnie.
- John William Newman was born on 16 May 1861 in South Australia and died on 21 January 1932 in Houghton, South Australia at age 70 years. John married Wilhelmina Lage on 18 November 1891 in Norwood, South Australia. Wilhelmina was born on 29 September 1868 in Highbury, South Australia and died on 20 December 1946 in Norwood, South Australia at age 78 years. They had six children: John Frederick, Pearl Dorothy, Charles William, Frank Lage Lewis, Phyllis Muriel May and Muriel Rita Augusta.
I have been unable to locate a birth record for John William Newman at this time but his marriage record records his father as Charles Frederick Newman
- Eliza Wilhelmina Newman was born on 4 September 1862 in Water Gully, South Australia and died in 1942 in Claremont, Western Australia at age 79 years. Eliza married Heinrich Wilhelm Bothe on 26 February 1995 in Walkerville, South Australia. Heinrich was born on 13 April 1862 in Hope Valley, South Australia and died on 19 August 1942 in Perth, Western Australia at age 80 years. They had 5 children: Heinrich Wilhelm Carl, Charles Cleaver, May Minnie Annie, Baxter Diederich and Frederick William.
- Georgina Marguetha Eliza Newman was born on 20 February in Houghton, South Australia and died on 13 August 1939 in Wayville, South Australia at age 75 years. Georgina married Albert Palm on 17 November 1886 in Walkerville, South Australia. Albert was born on 30 May 1862 in Port Gawler, South Australia and died on 24 December 1943 in Wayville, South Australia at age 81 years. They had nine children: Alberta Georgina Blanche, Minnie Myrtle May, Albert Henry Newman, Cyril Charles Lewis, Leslie John Fredrick, George Alfred Vincent, Milton Albert, Diosma Mary Ann and Daphne Alexandra.
- Charlotte Eliza Newman was born on 25 December 1865 at Anstey’s Hill, South Australia and died on 8 July 1957 in Largs, South Australia at age 91 years. Charlotte married John Short on 11 June 1889 in Adelaide, South Australia. John was born in March quarter 1859 in Devon, England and died before 1957. They had six children: Lewis Charles Alfred, Grace Marianne Wilhelmina, Margaret Imogene, Victoria Georgiana, Walter John Newman and Devonia Bernice Alexandra.
- Mary Ann Eliza Newman was born on 28 February 1867 in Water Gully, South Australia and died in 1879 in South Australia at age 12 years.
- Alfred Henry Vincent Newman was born on 13 May 1868 in Houghton, South Australia and died on 28 July 1947 in Fremantle, Western Australia at age 79 years. Alfred married Annie Elizabeth Brooks. Annie was born in about 1875 and died on 15 August 1958 in Fremantle, Western Australia at age 83 years. They had ten children: Alfred Vincent, Lillian Ellen, Frank Grosvenor, Wilhelmina Gladys, John Frederick, Ethel Annie, Henry Albert, Charles Frederick, Lenard Brooks and Linda May.
- Henry William (Harry) Newman was born on 6 June 1869 in Adelaide, South Australia and died on 24 September 1930 in Houghton, South Australia at age 61 years. Henry married Ethel Amelia Caust on 13 August 1891 in Chain of Ponds, South Australia. Ethel was born on 25 September 1874 in Chain of Ponds, South Australia and died on 7 October 1948 in Claremont, Western Australia at age 74 years. They had six children: Charles William Frank, Florence Beatrice, Ethel Irene , William Henry, Arnold Harry and and Amy E.
I have been unable to locate a birth record for Henry William Newman at this time but his marriage record records his father as Charles Frederick Newman.
ALSO Henry (Harry) was buried in the family plot at Houghton Cemetery.
ALSO Henry William & Ethel Amelia NEWMAN may have had two other children.
ALSO Henry (Harry) was buried in the family plot at Houghton Cemetery.
ALSO Henry William & Ethel Amelia NEWMAN may have had two other children.
- Frederick Christoff Newman was born on 24 March 1871 in Water Gully, South Australia and died in 1955 in South Australia at age 84 years. Frederick married Doris Harriet Clarke Possingham on 1 June 1915 in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia. Doris was born on 19 September 1892 in Stepney, South Australia and died on 23 July 1988 in Felixtow, South Australia at age 95 years. They had three children: Esther Doris, Peter Frederick and Suzanne.
- William Vincent Newman was born on 11 May 1872 in Athelstone, South Australia. He may have died as a child.
- Albert William Newman was born on 1 August 1873 in Hope Valley, South Australia and died as a result of an accident on 29 January 1906 in Perth, Western Australia at age 33 years.
- Edward Walter Newman was born on 5 November 1874 in Water Gully, South Australia and died on 24 September 1932 in Millenden, Western Australia at age 57 years. Edward married Charlotte Ann Bryant in 1897 in Western Australia. Charlotte was born on 14 July 1872 in Clare, South Australia and died in 1952 in Perth, Western Australia at age 80 years.
- Mary Ann Newman was born on 5 November 1876 in Water Gully, South Australia and died on 15 May 1879 in Water Gully, South Australia at age two years & nine months.
- Eliza Florence Annie Newman was born on 16 November 1877 in Water Gully, South Australia and died in 1959 in Balwyn, Victoria at age 81 years. Eliza married William Thomas Chambers in 1900 in Perth, Western Australia. William was born on 25 January 1867 in Saint Kilda, Victoria and died on 27 May 1952 in Prahan, Victoria at age 85 years. They had two children: Imogen Elaine and William Clive.
- Eliza Martha Newman was born on 4 May 1879 in Torrens Gorge, South Australia and died on 1 May 1942 in Perth, Western Australia at age 62 years. Eliza married Murray Felix Austin Campbell Climie on 21 September 1904 in Tea Tree Gully, South Australia. Murray was born in about 1883 and died on 13 July 1910 in Leonara, Western Australia at age 27 years. They had one son: Austin Newman. Eliza next married William Thomas Jacks on 21 August 1913 in Perth, Western Australia. William was born in about 1883 and died on 8 April 1959 in Perth, Western Australia at age 76 years.
- Henriette Mary Ann Newman was born on 21 April 1881 in Water Gully, South Australia and died on 18 March 1964 in Payneham, South Australia at age 82 years. Henriette married Leonard Guy Folland on 15 January 1908 in Houghton, South Australia. Leonard was born on 5 November 1878 in Enfield, South Australia and died on 21 March 1958 in Adelaide, South Australia at age 79 years. They had one son: Frederick Laurance Newman.