Historical information
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.
Significance
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.
Physical description
Black and white rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper mounted on board in a textured metallic frame
Inscriptions & markings
Obverse:
Clara Jane Busse /
(nee Mathews) /
Mother of W. C. Busse /
Subjects
References
- The Age Sat 29 December 1894 Page 3 Family Notices Marriage notice of Clara Jane Matthews to William Frederick Busse
- Wodonga and Towong Sentinel Fri 19 Jan 1900 Page 3 WODONGA POLICE COURT Refers to William Frederick Busse as the Clerk of Petty Sessions at Wodonga
- Weekly Times Sat 11 April 1914 Page 39 OUR FARM Claire Busse (daughter of Clara and William), aged 11 years and 5 months, writes about her family farm, Clairedale Park
- The Argus Wed 14 Apr 1915 Page 5 MELBOURNE MARKETS C J Busse Purchasing Stock
- Stock and Land Fri 16 April 1915 Page 1 Melbourne Market Reports C J Busse Purchasing Stock
- Stock and Land Wed 11 Dec 1918 Page 2 Melbourne Market Reports Mrs C J Busse Purchasing stock
- Wodonga and Towong Sentinel Fri 22 Jun 1928 Page 2 PERSONAL W F Busse takes over as Clerk of Petty Sessions at Wodonga
- Weekly Times Sat 25 Oct 1930 Page 48 Progressive Methods Adopted by Barnawartha Wheatgrower W F Busse Discusses his innovative farming practices and how he resides in Chiltern, rather than on the farm, because of his occupation
