Bredelia MADDEN

Bredelia Madden

1880 - 1968

Bredelia was born at Milo, one of the nation's best known pastoral properties. Essentially South Australian in its history and development, Milo Station was originally the amalgamation of several open cattle runs, with a combined area of 4343.25 square miles. It is now a compact sheep and cattle station of 1100 square miles—one of the best-fenced and best-watered sheep runs in the country. Milo is situated near the Bulloo River in 12" rainfall country, 132 miles north-west of Charleville and 73 miles north, north-east of Quilpie. Adavale, on the road between Quilpie and Blackall is the nearest town to Milo which, at the turn of the 20th century, was noted for its world record of 713 000 sheep shorn in one season. In its heyday, Milo employed 200 workers plus shearers, and boasted seven "Chinaman's gardens" to feed them.

Milo's original owners were James Francis Cudmore who, with his brother-in-law, Kenneth Budge, in 1870, took up a lease of Gooyea and stocked it with cattle driven overland from South Australia. Sheep were later brought from Paringa and Ned's Corner, both in South Australia. In 1891, Milo produced a record 6232 bales of wool, a record clip for any one station. In its grandiose days before the big amalgamation was reduced by the government, Milo carried 45 000 cattle and more than half a million sheep. Today, Milo Pastoral Holding is owned by shareholders who comprise a collection of descendants and/or beneficiaries of three of the original partners of Milo.

The name Bredelia is Irish and is a variant of Bridget. Her father, William Patrick Madden, registered her birth in August 1880 at Thargomindah in Queensland's Warrego District. He was aged 29 years at the time of Bredelia's birth and she was fourth in line after John, Rebecca and James. It is interesting to note that Bredelia's birth was the first of her siblings to be born in the Colony of Queensland—those her senior having been born in New South Wales.

Cobar Connection

I have reason to believe that Bredelia's father was carting copper from Cobar to the river ports of Bourke and Louth using bullock teams around the time of Rebecca's birth in 1876. History records state that the first load of copper from Cobar was received in Bourke, 161 kilometres away, in February 1872. Later, it was found more convenient to ship the copper from Louth (128 kilometres from Cobar) which was situated further down the river. Also, at this time, and under the impetus given by the river steamers, squatters on the lower Murray and Darling Rivers began the move northward, firstly to settle on the middle Darling and then further north to Queensland.

The river ports of Bourke and Louth owed what vitality they had, solely or in part, to their function as business centres for the outback country that was being opened up on either side of the Darling from the mid-1860s. As early as 1859, bullock teams were travelling up the course of the Paroo River into Queensland, crossing the border after heading north from Wanaaring. A Vincent James Dowling is on record as having moved 1200 head of cattle to Bourke in the 1850s and then went further on to explore the Paroo and settled in Thargomindah. In 1875, Dowling moved still further north to other stations at Lue and Rylstone. Bourke supplied the Warrego country and the vast areas of new settlement beyond the Queensland border. It was therefore inevitable that William Patrick and his family should join the push northward, bringing provisions and rations to the new lands which were being stocked by cattle and sheep brought overland from New South Wales and South Australia.

Bredelia Weds Robert Underwood

Bredelia married Robert Underwood of Victoria at Maryborough, Queensland on 21 July 1901—the year of federation. Queensland Railways records disclose that Robert commenced work as a fettler in Maryborough on 2 January 1907. Later, he and his wife were transferred to Roma where Robert was a lengthsman and Bredelia, the gatekeeper at Bungeworgorai, a whistle-stop between Mitchell and Roma.

Tragically, Robert was accidentally injured by the Charleville to Roma mail train when it collided with his railway tricycle (trolley) about 2 miles west of Roma on the night of Thursday, 13 January 1916. He died in the Roma hospital 12 days later from injuries sustained as a result of that accident. The Railways Inquest revealed that Robert's injuries included concussion of the brain, compound comminuted fracture of the thigh, liver damage, secondary haemorrhage and exhaustion. After his untimely death, Bredelia was given a lifetime cleaner's job with the Railways and she moved to Brisbane around 1920.

Post Office directories disclose that she lived firstly at Fourth Avenue, Wilston, and later at 83 Union Street, Spring Hill from 1926 to 1929, 69 Union Street from 1929 to 1933 and then at 68/69 Union Street from 1934 to 1940. One school of thought tends to suggest that around this era Bredelia may have also had a vested interest in a boarding house in, or near, Leichhardt and Wharf Streets in the city. In later years, during failing health, Bredelia lived with her married daughter, Irene (Oberthur) in Yacht Street, Clontarf before going to the Eventide Home for the Aged in 1957.

Records describe Bredelia as being 5 feet tall, weighing 9 stone 2 pounds, with greying hair and blue eyes. When institutionalised she was in receipt of a pension, had no money, no property and had not made a Will. Further, she was recorded as a Catholic, in need of care and had adult children Robert (Bobby) of Grovely, Irene (Rene Oberthur) of Clontarf and Ada (Simpson) of Bulimba. Norah Veronica (O'Dea), also an inmate of Eventide Home at the time, and being a younger sister, was also mentioned among the list of relatives. Bredelia died on 6 July 1968 and was buried at Redcliffe cemetery by George Hartnett, undertakers.

Issue

• Irene, born in Toowoomba in 1904, was the first of four children born to Bredelia and her husband. In adulthood she shared an interest in hair dressing which resulted in her managing a salon known as Dawn's near the corner of Wickham and Brunswick Streets, Fortitude Valley. Rene, as she was known to most, outlived her brother and two sisters. She married Charles Oberthur and was cremated on 27 October 1983.

Francis (Frank) Clarence Wilson who was born in 1921 was Rene's only offspring. His father was John Wyndham Wilson. Frank attended Nudgee College, Brisbane as a boarder. He enlisted in the RAAF during World War II and later worked for Eagers Limited, distributors of the famous Holden range of motor cars. Frank and his wife, Alice (née Wright), lived initially in Beaconsfield Terrace, Brighton before going to Sydney where they raised a family of three children. In 1983 they returned to Queensland and lived at Yacht Street, Clontarf. During their time on the Redcliffe peninsula, both Frank and Alice were good supporters of the Brighton Bowls Club where Frank served a few terms as club President1. In 1989, Frank was instrumental in the drawing up of club plans for construction of retirement accommodation which has since become a reality, adjacent to the Bowls Club. Frank and Alice resettled to Ashmore on the Gold Coast in November 1991 to be nearer their family who are all married and living nearby. Both daughters each married again for the second time in 1991 after divorces from their first husbands. In 1992, there were three known grand-daughters.

• Sarah Dorothy Kathleen, otherwise known as "Dossie" or "Dorrie", born in 1907, was the second of Bredelia and Robert Underwood's children. Her first marriage to Robert Daniel Taylor ended suddenly with his death on 30 April 1924. Death was alleged to have been by accident at a hotel in Boundary Street, Spring Hill but I have been unable to verify this. Robert Taylor was aged 19 years and was, at the time of his death, living at 142 Leichhardt Street, Spring Hill. The funeral was conducted by the Rev. T.L.H. Jenkyn, an Anglican Minister. Foley Cremin Ltd was the undertaker. Robert was buried in Portion 20, Section 16, Grave 15 at the Toowong cemetery.

Only one child resulted from the marriage of "Dorrie" and Robert Taylor—a son, James Robert Taylor. He was born in 1923 and also died young, aged only 31 years, leaving a wife, Marjorie and three children, the youngest of whom was then only 9 months old.

"Dorrie" subsequently married James McNally around 1924 to whom a son, Kevin McNally was born. "Dorrie" died unexpectedly in 1946, just prior to Christmas. She had only just returned home from Christmas shopping when she collapsed and did not recover. The family lived in Exhibition Street, Fortitude Valley, only two streets away from Symes Street where Margaret (Berthelsen), (Dorrie's aunt and the author's grandmother) lived.