The Cane’s labour of love for family history.

Robert and Denise Cane at the Hervey Bay Library

Denise and Robert Cane have produced a fascinating history of Robert’s family.
Denise Cane has spent many years discovering the story of her husband's relative Alf Cane. This arduous and detailed study culminated in the publication of a book called the Alf Cane story.

The Alf Cane Story 

This book traces the history of the Cane family, who were significantly involved in the early days of Biggenden.  Denise’s detective work about her husband Robert’s family has produced a fascinating story about pioneers of the local area.

Cane & Son Saddlers, Biggenden

Biggenden Butter Factory Opening

Biggenden State School Committee

Biggenden Methodist Church

Biggenden Hospital

If you are keen to find out about your family history, many volunteers on the Fraser Coast can help.

The Hervey Bay Family History Association Inc. is found in the Hervey Bay Library (07) 41974220.

The Maryborough Family Heritage Institute Inc, Maryborough  (07) 41231620 and the Maryborough District Family History Society (07) 231842 are on the corner of Wharf and Richmond Street, Maryborough.

Published with consent of Robert and Denise Cane.

Tags #familyhistory #Biggenden #Herveybay #Maryborough #frasercoastlibraries #cane

Madame Mallalieu - a self supporting mother, virtuoso pianist and advocate

Madame Mallalieu
        at the console of the Exhibition organ (probably c.1892-95) from http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/organs/QueenslandOrganHistory.html

Madame Mallalieu or Henrietta Percival was born in England in 1842. She migrated to Queensland in 1860s arriving in Maryborough on the ship called the “Prince Consort “ (Roennfeldt, 2015 p. 24).

She became a virtuoso pianist and established herself in Brisbane. She played often with the Jefferies Quartet and “teamed up again with the Jefferies String Quartet for a short but ‘highly successful’ concert tour to Bundaberg and Maryborough” (Roennfeldt, 2015 p. 51).

She returned to Maryborough and her Weber piano solo Polacco was very popular (Roennfeldt, 2015 p. 24). Roennfeldt (2015, pp. 139-140) claims that she visited Maryborough in December 1891 and presented two performances at the St Paul’s Anglican Church. She also played on a Manchester organ at St Stephen’s Presbyterian Church.

Some articles about her playing can be found here and here


She experienced many tragedies in her 96 years including the death of a child in terrible circumstances found here


She was a self-supporting mother for many years after her first marriage was not all it seemed. She was also an advocate for many charitable causes. The family’s Toowong home was bequested as a female music hostel.

She died on the 22nd August, 1938. Peter Roennfeldt’s book about her family, career, home and legacy can be viewed in the Local History Collection at Maryborough Library.
 
References:
Newspapers Home - Trove. (2016). Trove. Retrieved 14 November 2016, from http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/?q=

Roennfeldt, Peter John (2015). Madame Mallalieu : an inspiring musician and her legacy for Queensland. Brisbane Q CopyRight Publishing Company Pty Ltd

Tags #music #maryborough #stpauls #maryboroughlibrary