Historical information

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.

Frederick Busse was born Henry Louis Friedrich in 1827, in Salzgitter Germany. He is the grandfather of Wilfred Busse. Upon his death, he was survived by his sons Reinhold and William and his wife Wilhelmina.

Significance

This 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.

Physical description

A brown rectangular card with golden boarders and writing memorialising Frederick Busse. There is an angel in the top left corner and bible verses in the top right corner and at the bottom.

Inscriptions & markings

Obverse:
The Lord/
Gave/
And the/
Lord hath/
Taken away/
Blessed be/
the name of/
the Lord

In/
Loving Remembrance/
Of/
Our Dear Father/

Frederick Busse/
A colonist of 43 Years/
Died September 3 1897, Aged 70 Years/

Tis hard to break the tender cord;/
When love has bound the heart;/
Tis hard, so hard to speak the words:/
We for a time must part./
Dearest loved one, we have laid thee/
In the peaceful grave’s embrace,/
But thy memory will be cherished/
Till we see they heavenly face/

DEEPLY REGRETTED/
The Art Engraving Company (unknown) Street Melbourne