Anderson Family, 'Mynda', 5 Molesworth Street, Kew

Summary

Museum Victoria holds a collection of almost 50 items of clothing worn by Betty Anderson and her mother Minnie Anderson in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Anderson family lived at 'Mynda', 5 Molesworth Street, Kew, Melbourne. The following narrative provides background information about the family as well as biographical information about Minnie and Betty specifically.

James Caldwell Anderson and Mary Lloyd Anderson

Betty was the daughter of James Caldwell Anderson and Mary Lloyd Anderson (nee Tayler). James had graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne in April 1879 (The Argus, 21 April 1879, p.6) and was admitted to practice as a barrister of the Supreme Court in September of that year (The Argus, 16 September 1879, p.6). He worked for at least some of his career at Selborne Chambers, Chancery Lane, Melbourne, and served as secretary of the St John's Ambulance Association of Victoria. Mary was one of five children of renowned architect Lloyd Tayler (1830-1900) and Sarah Toller, and was apparently known as Minnie. Lloyd Tayler's work included Kamesburgh, Brighton, later to become Anzac Hostel after World War I. Minnie died in 1951, having out-lived her husband and three of her four children. She was 91 years old.

The children of James Caldwell Anderson and Mary Lloyd Anderson

James and Mary had a son, Robert Stirling (born 1884), and three daughters: Mary (Maisie) Constance (born March 1886), Elizabeth (Betty) Tayler (born November 1889) and Eleanor (Elsa) Lloyd Cockburn (born November 1891) (The Argus and Digger Births, Deaths & Marriages indexes). The family lived at 'Mynda', in Kew, designed by Lloyd Tayler. Images of the family and Mynda are held at the State Library of Victoria, dated circa 1890-1910 but almost certainly taken in 1892. Two show Mary with her children (H83.94/171 and H83.94/?407). They are named as Robert, Mary, Elizabeth and 'Elanor' (in age order). Another 321 family images are held at the State Library, offering a rich visual resource.

Betty Anderson: Betty seems to have served as a nurse during World War I, although details of her service remain to be researched. A nurse's uniform was acquired with the collection, as well as a group photograph of Red Cross nurses. Betty never married, and died in 1982, aged 92.

Maise Anderson: Maisie married Lieutenant-Colonel Sylvester Ernest Howard Brodribb, also of Kew, on 22 April 1913 (The Argus, 9 July 1913, p.1). In 1914 they had a daughter who died in the same year. Brodribb has no digitized World War I record, and may not have served in that conflict, although did apply to enlist. A Lieutenant-Colonel Brodribb was President of the Australian Health Society (Leader, 11 May 1918, p.42) and later a school inspector. They apparently lived at Mynda. On 8 January 1918 a Situations Vacant advertisement was placed in The Argus for a 'Person, domesticated, all duties, small family, daily or otherwise', to work at Mynda (p.10). On 11 April 1918 a daughter, Mary Emily, was born at Mynda to 'the wife of S. Brodribb' (The Argus, 29 April 1918, p.1). Maisie died in 1950, at the age of 66 (Births, Deaths & Marriages information says 62). Sylvester lived to 79, dying in 1962.

Robert Stirling Anderson: On 18 January 1915 The Argus reported that Robert Stirling, the only son of James C. Anderson of 'Mynda', Kew, had died in Broken Hill at the age of 30. When Maisie and Sylvester had another baby that year, this time a son, they named him Robert.

The death of James Caldwell Anderson : On 25 March 1915, just five weeks after the death of his son, James Caldwell Anderson himself died at Mynda. He was described as the 'beloved husband of Mary Lloyd Anderson' (The Argus, 27.3.1915, p.11).

Eleanor (Elsa) Anderson: On 24 August 1916 The Argus reported that on 12 July Lieutenant R.U. (Rupert Uriah) Hoddinott of Kew had married Elsa, youngest daughter of James and Mary, in London. It is not known why she was in London, although some Australians did travel to England during the War to be close to loved ones or to serve in associated organisations such as the Red Cross. Rupert and Elsa appear to have had at least two children, William James and Elizabeth, born in Kew (source: Ancestry.com).

Lieutenant R.U. (Rupert Uriah) Hoddinott: Rupert Uriah Hoddinott was a 24-year-old surveyor when he enlisted on 19 August 1914. He served as a sapper with the 1 Signal Troop (1 Light Horse Brigade), embarking 20 October 1914 on the HMAT Karroo. Although his military record is brief in the National Archives, it indicates he was discharged in England on 22 May 1915 ('Comm. Imp. Army'). He then served from October 1915 to November 1918 in the RFA (Royal Field Artillery) and RAF. After the war his record indicates that he was living at 5 Molesworth Street, Kew. Hoddinott's papers are held at the Australian War Memorial (MSS0791) - including:

'family history, life before the war, pre-war enlistment in the Regular Army Topographical Section of Royal Australian Engineers, he describes the methods used, joins Signal Troops of 1st Light Horse Brigade AIF as a dispatch rider, voyage to Egypt and description of the Sydney - Emden battle, the Battle of the Wassir, transfer to the Royal Field Artillery, training as a gunner, commissioning in the Royal Flying Corps 1917 and training as an air gunner. Gives an opinion of British soldiers, the local Arabs and the variety of planes he flew. Describes his post war work in the Department of Civil Aviation and surveys for aerodromes, then his work as CO of the Works and Building Branch of the Royal Australian Air Force in Port Moreseby.'

Eleanor died in 1943, at the age of 51. Rupert lived to 78, passing away in 1969.

References
The Argus
Births, deaths and marriages indexes
National Archives World War I personal records
Ancestry.com
Australian War Memorial collection
State Library of Victoria collection