George Christian and Margaret née Madden BERTHELSEN

George Christian Berthelsen, named after his father Jørgen, and his uncle Christian, was one of two surviving sons born to Scandinavian immigrants, Jørgen Bert(h)elsen and Ellen Jonasen (anglicised from Jonasdatter) who arrived in Queensland in the 1870s.

George was the fifth child and following his mother's premature death in 1893 when he was barely seven years old, was raised by his sisters. George attended school in Bundaberg just ahead of the town's famous aviator, Bert Hinkler. After finishing primary school, young George moved away in search of work and was attracted to the Darling Downs where he obtained a position in Toowoomba hotels, firstly as a yardman and later as a kitchen hand.

Margaret May Madden, the seventh child of William Patrick Madden and (Ann) Nora Ford, was born at Winbar Station, a sheep property near Louth on the Darling River in New South Wales. Winbar was settled in 1860 and, like Dunlop, another river station, is the oldest on the Darling. It now covers some 150,000 acres and is about 19 miles square with the wriggling line of the river forming the western boundary. The original homestead was burned down and has been replaced with a new one on the site of the old one. No doubt this was where Margaret's father was working at the time she was born. Together with her parents, sisters and brothers, Margaret arrived in Cunnamulla as a youngster approaching teenage years and, later in the early 1900s, she moved to Toowoomba.

Married In Toowoomba

On 18 December 1907, George, aged 22, married Margaret, a week after her nineteenth birthday at St Patrick's Cathedral, Toowoomba according to the rites of the Roman Catholic church. The chief witnesses were older brother, Bill (William Patrick "Masher" Madden) and her mother. Their marriage certificate gives the groom's address as Margaret Street and that of the bride as Little John Street, Toowoomba.

In the following year, George and Margaret were blessed with the arrival of a daughter, Edna May. Other offspring born while living in Toowoomba included Olga Margaret in 1909, George Charles (1911) and Trafalgar “Val” Edith (1913). Known addresses at which the family lived during these years were Thorn Street from 1910 to 1911 and Wylie Street from 1913 to 1915.

After the loss of his hotel job, George Christian sought other employment and at the time of Val's birth in 1913, he was a cab proprietor. Later, the family moved to Bundaberg where they lived in Maryborough Street.

A Move To Bundaberg and Later To Brisbane

During the family's time in Bundaberg, Clarance, the second son was born in 1916. His father was at the time working for the Millaquin Sugar Mills but he was later retrenched due to the effects of World War I.

Some time afterwards, the Berthelsen family left for Brisbane. In 1917, Post Office directories indicate that the family was living at 226 Harcourt Street, New Farm where they remained until around 1919. Cecil William, the first child to be born in Brisbane, arrived on 22 February 1918. Baby Cecil was not a well infant and after constant care and nursing attention, he died in the Brisbane Children's hospital on 9 January 1919. His death certificate cites gastroenteritis, haemophylia and exhaustion as the causes of death.

Daily life for the Berthelsen family was a struggle to make ends meet. After buying essential food and clothing the family was left with barely enough to pay the rent which resulted in the family frequently moving from house to house. According to official records, they resided at more addresses than I can find space to record, including Water Street, Fortitude Valley, where my mother, Ruby, was born in 1920. Violet arrived on 9 September 1921 followed by Bernice (1924) and Roy (1926). Other addresses which appear in official records are 15 Bailey Street, New Farm (1922), Rosemount Street, Windsor, Isedale Street, Wooloowin and Butterfield Street, Herston between 1923 and 1927. Oxford Street, Bulimba, Arthur Street, Teneriffe and Stratton Street, Fortitude Valley up to 1928, followed by Helen Street[i] in 1929 and Symes Street, Fortitude Valley from 1932 are other known addresses.

George Christian shared an interest in farming and devoted some time working on a small market garden for Sister Ewing at Mitchelton. He tilled the soil and grew strawberries and vegetables for Sr Ewing, the matron and proprietress of the Newmarket Private Hospital on Enoggera Road. George sometimes lived on-the-job in a small hut on the property. Before ownership of the farm changed hands to Lorna Ewing, the market garden was owned by Ted Acreman who farmed at Narangba and managed a stockfeed and produce store in Ann Street, Fortitude Valley. Ted was a close friend of George who often travelled at weekends to the farm by horse and trap.

"Pop" died on 27 June 1944  after suffering a coronary occlusion and cardiac failure while asleep. His departure was sudden and without any chance of farewells by the family. I was too young to ever have the pleasure of knowing "Pop", but I know from all accounts, he was a wonderful person.

But life must go on for those who are left behind and the Berthelsen family was no exception. In the late 1950s, the Royal National Association (RNA) bought the family home and land in Symes Street Fortitude Valley (and several others nearby) for showground extensions. Most of the family was by this time married—only George, Bernice and Roy remained living at home with Margaret. George and his passion for horses then attracted the family to live at Manson Road, Hendra where they lived for a year but this arrangement proved unworkable so Margaret, Bernice and Roy later moved to 57 Lamington Avenue, Lutwyche.

After a short illness and hospitalisation at Royal Brisbane, Margaret passed away on 6 February 1967. She was buried two days later in Toowong cemetery, reunited with her husband and baby, Cecil William. Causes of death cited on her death certificate are brain stem thrombosis, diabetic coma, deep vein thrombosis and pyelonephritis. At the time of Margaret’s demise, Bernice was still single and living at Lutwyche.

Two of George and Margaret’s children who never married were George Charles, and Cecil William. George, being the first son was named after his father. He was known as Master George or "Choca" within the family circle and played football for Valleys in his youth. On completing his compulsory schooling, he began work as a compositor with a newspaper company and attended college to learn the trade. Later, he became a truck driver, working for Jacksons, then a well-known truck-carrying business in Brisbane.

In due course, George became engaged to Maureen Casey of Bulimba. Later, she was committed to hospital after an incident that left George devastated. He never again bothered with any romantic attachments. All other children married and lived in and around Brisbane. All have now gone to meet their Maker.

The Family in Summary

Parents

George Christian Berthelsen (husband), 1885 - 1944, father

Margaret May Madden (his wife), 1888 - 1967 - mother

Children

1. Edna May, 1908 - 2000

2. Olga Margaret, 1909 - 2003

3. George Charles, 1911 - 1988

4. Trafalgar Edith, 1913 - 1978

5. Clarance, 1916 - 1999

6. Cecil William,1918 - 1919

7. Ruby, 1920 - 1998

8. Violet, 1921 - 1946

9. Bernice Mary, 1924 - 1999

10. Roy, 1926 - 1991

Nicknames were the order of the day in the Berthelsen household. The names were not often complimentary but maybe they were not used in face-to-face conversation. In order, the children's nicknames were Hush or the Big Lady, Granny, Master George or Chocka, Sticky, Flipper, (Cecil did not survive), Skinny, Googly Eyes, the Duchess, Master Roy.

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