Historical information
These are the 4 surviving daughters of Thomas Henry Deakin (1845-1915), born in Monmouthshire, Wales and his wife Janet (Jessie) Longmore (1851-1939), born in Morayshire, Scotland. The couple also had 2 sons: John Henry (1879-1962) and William Andrew (1883-1939). A fifth daughter Daisy Jessie was born in 1880 and died the same year at the age of 7 months.
Elsie Longmore Deakin (1881-1969) was a nurse ans remained single; Minnie Winifred (1886-1966) married Charles Williamson in 1923; Lily Vipond (1890-1943) married David Mair in 1910 and Jessie Alice, known as Alice, married Hector Williamson in 1921. Hector and Charles were brothers.
Elsie Longmore Deakin enlisted AANS aged 35 years in 10 May 1915; embarked on the Mooltan on 22 August 1916.
Address : 114 Station Street, Fairfield, Next of kin : mother, Mrs Janet Deakin (nee Longmore), 114 Station Street, Fairfield, father, Thomas Henry Deakin
Elsie Deakin enlisted at 35 years of age on 10 May, 1915 and served locally before volunteering for overseas duty on 9 August, 1916. Her three years of training were completed at the Melbourne General Hospital. She embarked with the rank of Sister for India and was appointed to the Victoria Hospital, Bombay. In January, 1917, when she was transferred to England and a Military Hospital at Bagthorpe later to the 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, and in January of the following years to 25 (British) GH in France but returned a few weeks later to England and the 1 AAH after suffering a seriously strained left ankle. She returned to France post-war and served another four months before being returned to Australia in May, 1919. Her appointment was terminated as medically unfit on 9 June, 1919. Born South Melbourne, she died in Elsternwick on 14 October, 1969, aged 87. (REF: http://www.ozsportshistory.com/wardeaths/women_a_e.html) There is a photo of her in uniform on this site and also on http://ww1nurses.gravesecrets.net/de.html
LtoR: Alice, Minnie, Lily, Elsie.
This is part of a large donation relating to the Deakin, Mair and Young families.
Physical description
A black & white photo with a cream edge of 4 well-dressed young women in a head and shoulders formal pose. It is likely a studio photo. All wear white frilly or lacy blouses and 3 are carrying bunches of flowers.
Inscriptions & markings
1. On rear: Top in blue biro - "Elsie Minnie Lily Alice DEAKIN / Mum's (crossing out) sisters
On the basis of inscriptions in family autograph books, this writing belongs to Lily's daughter, Beryl Mair.
2. The rear has 4 remnant glued labels roughly torn from larger labels - the type once common for labelling jars and bottles. Partially beneath these is writing in another hand in black ink: " ..th love and be.. / ..shes ---------your /(crossing out) then name removed (superficial paper loss.
3, "YOUNG" in blue biro in lower LH corner. This may be the donor's handwriting. It may have been added in the course of sorting photos into Young antecedent photos; there are no members of the Young family in the photo itself.
