Clara Jane Matthews was born in 1870 as the eldest daughter of Robert Matthews. She married William Frederick Busse on the 5th of December, 1894 at St Columb’s church, Hawthorn. Clara and her husband lived on Main Street in Chiltern, and her husband was a Clerk of Courts in Chiltern and Wodonga throughout his life. Clara and William also owned a 640 acre farm called Clairedale Park, four miles (6.5km) outside of Barnawartha. They had both crops and sheep on the property, and adopted innovative farming practices. It appears that Clara was heavily involved in the farm business, as she is listed as a purchaser of sheep in multiple stock reports between 1914 and 1918. This is very unusual for the era, as women were not generally involved in stock markets, especially if her husband was still alive. Clara’s husband’s work at the court likely meant that he wasn’t able to travel to the markets in order to purchase stock. Clara’s taking the reigns in this manner was highly unusual, and signals just how strong of a woman she must have been. Clara Busse died in Chiltern in 1968, when she was 98 years old. She is also the mother of Wilfred C Busse, who was an author and a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum. This photograph is of a woman who lived most of her life in Chiltern, and undoubtedly contributed to the community of the town within her 98 years. She will most likely be remembered as the wife of William Frederic Busse, Clerk of Petty Sessions, or as the mother or Wilfred Clarence Busse, author and barrister. Although the records of her time almost entirely connect her with the men of her life, her father, husband and then her son, some digging can reveal that she was an entire person of her own, who broke norms of her time and is worthy of being remembered for her own sake.Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board in a textured metallic frameObverse: Clara Jane Busse / (nee Mathews) / Mother of W. C. Busse / clara jane busse, clara busse, c j busse, busse, women in agriculture, remarkable women, 20th century women, women's history, working women, wilfred busse, wilfred clarence busse

Wilfred Clarence Busse was born in Chiltern, Victoria in 1898. Busse attended secondary school at Wesley College before graduating and studying law at the University of Melbourne. After graduating from University, Busse went on to become a barrister, often in the chambers of Sir Leo Finn Bernard Cussen a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Busse was also a fictional writer seen by his novels "The Blue Beyond; A Romance of the Early Days in South Eastern Australia" was written in 1928 and published in 1930 and "The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties" written in 1930. "The Golden Plague: A Romance of the Early Fifties" won the T.E.Role gold medal for the best historical novel published that year and went on to become a best seller. Busse wrote a series of articles for "The Federal Standard" newspaper in Chiltern, about the history of Chiltern. Wilfred Clarence Busse was a member of the Chiltern Athenaeum upon his death in 1960. Clara Jane Busse was born in 1870 and was married to William Friedrich Busse. She was the mother of Wilfred Clarence Busse. She survived her son Wilfred by 8 years and died on the 15th of September 1968This memorial card is important to Chiltern Athenaeum as it is of a resident who spent many years in the region before being buried in a cemetery in Indigo Shire. It is also important as it is a familial extension of Wilfred Clarence Busse who was born and raised in Chiltern and drew inspiration for his novels from his life in Chiltern.Off white rectangular card with black cursive writing printed Obverse: Clara Jane Busse/ Passed away at Chiltern/ September, 23rd 1968/ Aged 98 years/ At rest/ Miss Claire Busse and/ Mrs Doreen Martin/ Wish to thank you sincerely for/ Your kind expressions of sympathy/ In their recent sad bereavement/ Reverse: With sincere thanks/ “Roseville”/ Main Street/ Chiltern wilfred clarence busse, chiltern, chiltern athenaeum, busse, "the golden plague: a romance of the early fifties., "the blue beyond, a romance of the early days in south eastern australia", clara jane busse, claire busse, doreen martin