Daisy Ethel MADDEN 

Daisy Ethel Madden

1897 - 1963

Daisy Ethel, the last child of a family of eleven children born to William Patrick Madden and (Ann) Nora Ford, was affectionately known to family members as Ethel. Her Queensland birth certificate records her mother’s name as Ann Norah Josephine formerly Foard which serves to illustrate two interesting points—firstly, the mother's use of the added Josephine and secondly, the mis-spelling of the surname Ford which is indicative of the poor literacy standard of the day. Ethel was born at Cunnamulla in early 1897. This was at a time when a significant portion of the nation was experiencing its most severe drought ever recorded. History records that extreme dry conditions prevailed from 1895 and continued until 1903 during which time sheep numbers were reduced by half and cattle by more than 40 per cent.

A Move from Cunnamulla to Toowoomba

After leaving Cunnamulla in the early 1900s, Ethel, while still very much an infant, moved with her mother, brother Bill, and sister Mary “Molly” Elizabeth to Toowoomba where they lived until about 1915 when Bill, known as "Masher" Madden, married Bertha May Morley. A move to Brisbane then beckoned and Milne Street, Spring Hill became home to Nora and her daughters "Molly" and the young Ethel until around 1920.

In the fullness of time, Ethel entered the work force and gained employment as a bar attendant. Edward Doherty, an Irishman from Donegal, who migrated here around the time of World War I, also worked in the hotel trade and it is through this association that Ethel and Edward, otherwise known as "Teddy", met and married. The couple then took up residence at 31 Balaclava Street, Buranda, near the site of the present day Broadway Hotel. By this time, Teddy was bar manager at Delaney's Hotel, later renamed the Hotel Manhattan, in Stanley Street, South Brisbane. Nearby was the Palace Hotel on the corner of Melbourne and Stanley Streets and the two hotels were separated by a few shops and a walkway, known in later years as Manhattan Walk. The old Bohemia Stadium, home of wrestling in Brisbane before the construction of the first Festival Hall in Albert Street, also stood nearby in the days when South Brisbane was the hub of social activity.

Family

Ethel and Teddy’s first child Gloria was born just ahead of the depression years while Fay, their second child entered the world just ahead of World War II. Gloria and Fay both attended St Joseph's Convent school at Kangaroo Point. Fay also attended St James' Convent school, Coorparoo and later boarded at St Monica's Convent school in Oakey. With the outbreak of war, Gloria put her age up so she could be received into the Women's Services.

Husband "Teddy" died aged only 55 years from complications arising from a burst ulcer. His funeral notice which appeared in The Courier-Mail of Monday, 11 September 1944 suggests that Gloria was by this time posted to Sydney and resident at Bondi. After a service at St Luke's Catholic church, Buranda, "Teddy" was buried the next day at the South Brisbane cemetery, renamed Dutton Park in later years.

Within a short time, Ethel and Fay moved to Sydney to be nearer Gloria. Fay became a telephonist with the Postmaster-General's Department (PMG) and worked on the Sydney telephone exchange at Martin Place. The family lived at various addresses including the eastern suburbs of Coogee, Waverley, Maroubra and Pagewood. Ethel once again took up work to support herself and turned to duties such as a salad hand and then a cleaner. Gloria married in 1950 at the Holy Cross church, Woollahra and lived at Erina, near Gosford. She and husband George had three children, Susan, Paul and Michelle. Michelle met an untimely death in 1979 when she was involved in a car accident only two days prior to her 18th birthday. Susan has been married twice while younger brother, Paul has been married three times.

Ethel, while not very tall, was attractive and her good looks were inherited by both daughters. Ethel is remembered as being a heavy smoker and died in 1963 while a patient of the Prince Henry hospital. She was buried at the Botany cemetery.

Before her retirement, Fay combined a busy social life around her clerk's job with the Attorney-General's Department.

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