Historical information
The Wodonga Historical Society Haeusler Collection provides invaluable insight into life in late nineteenth and early twentieth century north east Victoria. The collection comprises manuscripts, personal artefacts used by the Haeusler family on their farm in Wodonga, and a set of glass negatives which offer a unique visual snapshot of the domestic and social lives of the Haeusler family and local Wodonga community.
This digital image was produced from one of the glass negatives that form part of the collection, probably taken by Louis Haeusler (b.1887) with the photographic equipment in the Wodonga Historical Society Haeusler Collection.
Thomas Hugh Maher, born 1881, was the youngest of 11 children of Owen Maher and Sarah nee Finn. After migrating from Ireland and marrying in Sydney in 1853, Owen and Sarah eventually made their home at “Fairview”, Bonegilla, Victoria in 1870. Owen later became a member of the first shire council formed in Wodonga.
Thomas attended school at Bonegilla, then as a boarder at St. Joseph’s College in Sydney for his final two years. He returned to work on the farm until his father settled him on a small farm at Ebden. He married Jane Rowley from Bethanga. For some years Thomas and Jane conducted the general store and post office at Ebden which was next to their home ‘Marara”. When Jane died in 1916, Thomas leased “Marara” and moved to Melbourne.
After marrying a second time, Thomas returned to Wodonga where he set up a real estate business. In about 1924, Thomas received compensation for his Ebden property when it was resumed for the development of the Hume Weir. He returned to Melbourne where he saw out the rest of his days until his death in 1952 aged 71 years old.
Significance
This item is unique and has well documented provenance and a known owner. It forms part of a significant and representative historical collection which reflects the local history of Wodonga. It contributes to our understanding of domestic and family life in early twentieth century Wodonga, as well as providing interpretative capacity for themes including local history and social history.
Physical description
Digital image created from the Haeusler Glass negative collection. Thomas Maher and his wife Jane operated a general store at Ebden in Victoria.
Subjects
References
- Dry Plate Photography Dry plate, in photography, glass plate coated with a gelatin emulsion of silver bromide. It can be stored until exposure, and after exposure it can be brought back to a darkroom for development at leisure. These qualities were great advantages over the wet collodion process, in which the plate had to be prepared just before exposure and developed immediately after. The dry plate, which could be factory produced, was introduced in 1871 by R.L. Maddox. It was superseded by celluloid film early in the 20th century.
