Historical information

Frederick William Mawson and his wife Mary (nee Mullard) and baby daughter, Beatrice Mary migrated to Victoria as steerage passengers, arriving in Melbourne on 1 July 1882 on the sailing ship the ‘Holmsdale’.
They settled in Bona Vista Avenue, Surrey Hills (house demolished) and he established a jam factory in Boundary (Warrigal) Road. Further children of the family were Harriett, Muriel, Ethel, Winifred, John and Frederick William (Jnr). The later died in WW1 and there is a transcript of his diary in this collection. Four of the daughters became nurses, three serving in WW1. The other son John became a local builder, who after the war built 'Holmsdale' in Union Road as a convalescent home to be run by his sisters.
After the death of his first wife Frederick (Snr) married Catherine Small, a widow with children of her own.

Significance

The family were early settlers in Surrey Hills and their story in relation to the service of local men and women during WW1 is well documented.

Physical description

Vertical file of information related to the Mawson family which includes:
1. Notes and documents that came from John Howden via G Randy Johnston, his tenant at 257 Union Road, Surrey Hills. (6 pages in total):
a. The Misses Mawson family history, written by John Howden (2 pages),
b Note from G Randy Johnston,
c. Passengers’ contract ticket for Fred, Mary & Beatrice Mawson on the ‘Holmsdale’, 1882,
d. Photocopies of 2 photos of the ‘Holmsdale’,
e. Invitation (blank photocopy) to the opening of ‘Holmsdale’ Convalescent Home, 257 Union Road, Surrey Hills, 14.3.1936.
2. Advertising brochure for ‘Holmsdale’ Convalescent Home (undated) (3 pages: original and photocopy x 2).
3. English family documents (8 pages):
a. John Spensley Barnsdall bapt Mar 1818,
b. John Spensley Barnsdall marriage registration,
c. Census 1861 for John Mawson, Betsy Bradbury Mawson, Frederick William Mawson and George Barnesdale Mawson,
d. Census 1871 for John Mawson, Betsy B. Mawson, Frederick W. Mawson and George B. Mawson and Arthur Mawson,
e. Census 1881 for John Mawson, Betsy B. Mawson, Arthur Mawson and George Mawson,
f. Census 1881 for Fredk W Mawson and Mary Mawson.
4. PROV Unassisted passenger list information for Mary Mawson 1882 (1 page).
5. Mawson family members notes compiled by Sue Barnett (2 pages).
6. Harriet Godden Mawson details including WW1 service details, Royal Military College of Australia certificate of service certificate, references from Duntroon and Gresswell Sanatorium (11 pages).
7. Beatrice Mawson details including WW1 service on the ‘Mongolia’ – Argus article 28 June 1917 and her account of the sinking of the ‘Mongolia’ published in Castlemaine newspaper, 18 August 1917 (4 pages).
8. Muriel Mawson details including WW1 service and evidence of her training at Castlemaine Hospital (5 pages).
9. F.W. Mawson Jr details including WW1 service including Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau file and Dasey (misnamed photo of him) (8 pages, incl photo).
10. F.W. Mawson Snr details incl birth registration, 1871, marriage to Catherine Small, death registration, cemetery index (5 pages).
11. Betsy Bradbury Mawson death & burial details (2 pages).
12. John Mawson family: John Mawson probate notice, 24 Sept 1941; marriage of son Ivan to Joan Manning, 29/9/1945 (2 pages).
13. Arthur David Mawson details - extract from Ancestry.com family tree notated by Sue Barnett; death notice from The Argus, 24 oct 1939 (2 pages).
14. Holmsdale and the Mawson family - Presentation to Surrey Hills Historical Society: 21 March 2012 by Sue Barnett, 25 pages including photos.
15. Letter from John Howden to Sue Barnett, 1 April 2012.
16. Information re Dr James Moore Andrew of Yallourn.