John and Janet McHugh
John McHugh and Janet Mclean ... ... John McHugh and Elizabeth May Young ...

Lillie Isabel McHugh and Percy Alexander Harvey

3-Lillies Isabel McHugh was born on 22 Jun 1893 in Ulverstone, Tasmania, died on 26 Jun 1974 in Launceston at age 81, and was buried on 28 Jun 1974 in Carr Villa, D1/258.

Lillie married Percy Alexander Harvey, son of James Harvey and Martha Walker, on 27 Dec 1921 in Launceston. Percy was born on 29 Oct 1894 in Black Hills, Osmaston, Tasmania and died on 10 Aug 1938 in Launceston at age 43.

   Lillie and percy

They had three children:

Lillie's early days were spent at Gawler where her father worked as a potter and later at Dulverton, east of Devonport, where he also worked a pottery. In the 1970's at least, there were the remains of a kiln, which had 'gone back to the bush', which bore his name. The Pottery meant a lot to her and she always attended the Board Annual Meetings. There were always pottery items in her home, the ordinary salt glaze kitchen items and also the beautifully glazed decorative ware that has since become so avidly sought by collectors.

John McHugh was very keen for his nine children to receive 'schooling' and to this end he and his wife agreed to provide board and lodging for 'the schoolteacher' and to pay sixpence per week towards her salary.  At some stage Lillie went to live with the Reverend and Mrs Sharpe (Baptist minister). Mrs Sharpe had a great influence on her, furthering her education and teaching her to behave in a 'ladylike' manner. 

Later, probably during the years of the First World War Lillie lived for a time in Melbourne at Moonee Ponds where she belonged to the Moonee Ponds Baptist Church. During these years she also learnt dressmaking and needlework skills as was the custom for ‘Gentlewomen'. Her marriage certificate shows her occupation as 'costumiere'.

She and her sister Corrie started a business in Launceston: C & L McHugh at 129 Charles Street where they specialised in making and selling children's clothing and needlework (embroidered tablecloths, doilies and such like) along with the materials for customers wishing to embroider their own.  At this same time her cousin Fay Young was working as a milliner. It is thought her workroom was in a room under the National Theatre, also in Charles Street about a block away.

On 27th December 1921 at the Launceston Baptist Tabernacle she married Percy Alexander Harvey. He had served in the 3rd Lighthorse Brigade in Egypt during the war. He had grown up on the family properties; first at "Early Rises" at Black Hills, behind Osmaston on the Quamby Brook Road, then 'Beresford' at Exton, and finally at West Kentish on the north-west coast so when they were offered the opportunity of a soldier settlement farm called "Ferndale" near Sisters Creek, they were happy to accept it.

Percy was a deep thinker and keenly interested in social and moral issues and although he loved the land and was proud of some of his farming successes, the government, despite settling the returned soldiers on the land would provide no finance for necessary implements and development, and so the effort was not rewarded with success. In 1923 their first daughter Corrie Isabel was born on 13th May followed by Mavis Edith on 3rd July 1925. In 1925 they walked off the farm and returned to Launceston, with very little in the way of assets. They lived at first in a house in Rupert Street.

Lillie's father John McHugh had died in 1919 on the 29th September so the family went to live with Elizabeth McHugh at 59 Trevallyn Terrace.  Life was not financially easy for them. Lillie went back to the baby wear shop with her sister Corrie until she left to live in Sydney, when she married Norman Eccleston, after which Lillie managed it alone. These were the depression years and jobs were difficult to find. Percy found work as an insurance salesman with Colonial Mutual but it did not sit well with his social conscience.

59 Bain Terrace Trevallyn59 Bain Terrace    59 Bain Terrace

59 Bain Terrace, Trevallyn

When their third daughter was born on 20th February 1932 Percy sent a telegram to his sister Ella Mary saying 'Our son has arrived and we have called her Mary Jennette". Not withstanding this she was greatly loved and often called, particularly by the aunts, 'Little Percy', as she evidently reminded them of him. About this time Percy started a radio shop where he sold Astor radios including the famous 'Mickey Mouse'. Saturday afternoons they went to the Royal Park Tennis Club where they both played tennis.

In 1937 Percy stood as an Independent candidate for Bass in the State elections. This small extract from his election address published in the 'Examiner' newspaper on 18th February 1937 still has relevance for us today. "I am absolutely opposed to party politics as a democratic form of Government, as I believe they divide the electors into two or more camps when it is desirable that they should be united". He was not elected but was commended for his stance, and the number of votes he polled, particularly as a first time candidate, standing without party support, although the Labor Party offered him a guaranteed seat if he joined the party, which of course he refused.

Sadly on August 10th 1938 Percy died at his Trevallyn home following deep seated pneumonia and Lillie was left with three daughters to care for and educate without her precious and deeply loved Percy beside her. This challenge she faced with her usual spirit and determination.

Corrie was in B Class at Launceston High School and Mavis in D Class while Mary was in her first year at Trevallyn Primary School.

Despite the fact that his army discharge papers were endorsed "medically unfit through illness contracted on active service", Lillie was unable to receive any sort of widow's pension. Nevertheless, both Corrie and Mavis completed their five years at High School and then continued to Teachers College in Hobart, both becoming highly valued members of the Tasmanian Education Department.

The family continued to live with Elizabeth at 59 Trevallyn Terrace. They had a housemaid, Rene, who did most of the heavy work. She later married Milo who was a train driver and they went to live in a railway home in Everest Place at Newstead and when he came through the St Leonard's crossing he would toot the train whistle so Rene could put his dinner on because he would be home in half an hour!

Sometime during the mid 1930's Lillie became interested in a Mrs Alexander from America who was here lecturing on healthy eating and living. Much the same as today's message; lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Much of these were grown in her own garden, with a gardener, Mr Adams, employed to do the heavy work.  The garden provided much fruit and vegetables so she bought a Fowlers Vacola outfit with which she preserved vast quantities of fruit, all beautifully packed, fit for showing. She also made jams and the most beautiful quince jelly. How she found the time and energy is a lesson for us all. Perhaps it helped her cope with loneliness, without Percy.

Her three girls were always well dressed and well fed, many items of their clothing being made in the workroom attached to her shop, where there were at least five or six employees, some working in the workroom and some as sales assistants.

At this time smocking was very popular and she sold transfers for this as well as preparing customers' own materials for smocking. In addition they made to order baby's and children's clothing, smocked and, or embroidered. This was all of the very highest quality and was very highly regarded by customers throughout Launceston and surrounding areas. Hand embroidery was also very popular and 'SEMCQ' tablecloths, traycloths, doilies etc. were eagerly sought as were the necessary embroidery and crochet threads. Lillie's knowledge and expertise and advice were constantly sought.

She was for many years a judge of needlework etc at the Agricultural Shows in and around Launceston, becoming an officer (treasurer) of the Women Show Judges and indeed being honoured with life membership by that organisation.

In June 1941 Elizabeth McHugh died. Somewhere about this time Lillie became interested in Spiritualism, I guess in a desperate search for contact with her beloved Percy and the strength to keep going. A long time friend of Percy's had been Billy Drake who had a dairy farm, 'Wildor' at Ravenswood and their daughter Margaret, known as Peggy, (mother of ABC's Judy Tierney) was recognised as a medium. She had visited there often before Percy's death and continued to do so.

World War 2 had started in 1939 and increasingly supplies were becoming scarcer and more difficult to obtain. The wonderful staff which had worked at 129 Charles Street had changed as women were more and more required for 'essential services' and other personal needs had necessitated change.

Lillie was only slightly over five feet (150 cm) tall, still with that beautiful auburn hair although not perhaps with the vibrant colour it had had when she was younger, and with the beautiful fair skin that sometimes comes with that colouring. In later years as the rich colour faded it became a beautiful pinky blonde. She always dressed neatly and attractively, putting emphasis on quality rather than 'furbelows’.

Lillie was a good business woman but a strong moral sense and sympathy for the less fortunate would never allow her to benefit from any 'sharp' business practice, and I suspect that there were a quite a number of people experiencing difficulty in paying who were treated very generously. One of her maxims was A lie is the intent to deceive

Towards the end of 1942 she decided to sell the Charles Street shop and purchase from Mrs Kaiser the 'Woolwear Knitting Mills' at 113 George Street, a business that produced machine knitted garments made to order. The premises had a flat above where she was to live.  She worked so hard. Many a time she would work well into the night with her knitting machine going back and forth powered by her arms and her determination to meet all her orders on time.

After the war she bought and learnt to drive a Pontiac tourer and very often at the weekend she and daughter Mary would drive out into the country, perhaps Longford, and have afternoon tea.

She had rented 59 Trevallyn Terrace to a Mr. Groom when she went to live at George Street but when she sold that business and wanted to return to her own home the Tenant Act, or somesuch, allowed him to insist he was worse off than she, so she had to rent a flat in Elphin Road.  Finally she regained possession of her home and set about alterations and renovations to make it suitable. Deciding she needed a source of income she decided to take some bed and breakfast guests. Amongst those she had were Jack Davey, of 40's / 50's radio fame, and his two 'helpers', and an English film character actress, Margaret Rutherford.

After this Lillie got a job as cook with Mrs Taylor who ran a guest house at Trevallyn House in North Bank. At this time she would have been nearly sixty and still working as hard as she always had. There were many compliments about her beautiful cooking.

When Mary and Dexter first married, housing of any kind was very hard to find as the shortages caused by the war and the demand from returning servicemen created a huge backlog, so they lived with Lillie at Trevallyn Terrace.  They looked at a number of flats to rent but they were pretty awful and expensive. She also lent them 'Ponty' to go away on their honeymoon.

She put her sewing skills to use when she agreed to make a set of hockey shirts for Dexter's Churinga team. Little did she know that they were to be alternating coloured squares!! So much cutting and reassembling but they were all done and looked wonderful. Quite professional!

By 1970 it had become obvious that it was no longer possible for her to continue living alone, so she arranged the sale of 59 Trevallyn Terrace, (now renamed Bain Terrace) and the purchase of a unit at Ainslie House, Sandhill.  She became increasingly forgetful and confused about things. I and it became clear she needed to go into a nursing home where she could have constant care.

It was very difficult as she did not have a doctor of her own but she was admitted to 'SunnyBrae', a private nursing home in Mary Street, East Launceston.  Sadly this was not a success and she was then placed out at Evandale which was at that time a public nursing home. Every Sunday Mary collected her and brought her home for a roast Sunday dinner and a few hours of love and care amongst her family.  Today we know that she was suffering from Alzeihemers disease but then it was not generally known as such.

Sadly she suffered a fall which broke her hip, resulting in hospitalisation at the Launceston General Hospital. As so often happens, this led to pneumonia and she was allowed to die in peace. This she did on 26th June 1974 just four days after her eighty-first birthday.

A loving and very much loved mother and grandmother

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die

 May she therefore live on forever in our hearts

Thomas Campbell

4-Corrie Isabel Harvey was born on 13 May 1923 in Launceston and died on 8 Aug 1964 in Ulverstone, Tasmania at age 41. Corrie married Harry Douglas Maclaine, son of John Duart Maclaine and Madge Lucadou-Wells, on 1 Jan 1942 in Launceston. Harry was born on 12 Dec 1920 and died on 22 Aug 1986 in Midland Highway, Epping at age 65. They had five children: Denis John, James Duart, Jeanette Coral, Kevin and Margaret Annemarie.

5-Denis John Maclaine was born on 31 Mar 1945 in Launceston. Denis married Claire Townsley, daughter of Wilfred Asquith Townsley and Louisa Keay. Claire was born on 22 Aug 1946 in Hobart, Tasmania. They had three children: Genevieve Alice, Ivan Alexander and Katrina Louise.

6-Genevieve Alice Maclaine was born on 5 Aug 1973 in Hobart, Tasmania. Genevieve married Patrick Michael O'Sullivan, son of Niall O'Sullivan and Faye (O'sullivan), on 1 Sep 2001. Patrick was born in 1965 in Saigon, Vietnam. They had one daughter: Elise Claire.

7-Elise Claire O'Sullivan was born on 3 Sep 2002 in Brisbane, Queensland.

6-Ivan Alexander Maclaine was born on 17 Mar 1976 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Katrina Louise Maclaine was born on 4 Apr 1979 in Hobart, Tasmania.

5-James Duart Maclaine was born on 2 Jul 1946 in Launceston. James married Gael Kirkland. Gael was born on 4 Jul 1946. They had four children: Ben, Lachlan, Anna and Laura.

6-Ben Maclaine was born on 18 Jun 1971.

6-Lachlan Maclaine was born on 20 Jan 1978.

6-Anna Maclaine was born on 13 Nov 1979.

6-Laura Maclaine was born on 25 Jun 1983.

5-Jeanette Coral Maclaine was born on 29 Jan 1947 in Hobart, Tasmania. Jeanette married Brian Robert Collin. Brian was born on 29 Sep 1931. They had two children: Peter John and Sandra Jane.

6-Peter John Collin was born on 13 Jan 1969 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Sandra Jane Collin was born on 4 May 1971. Sandra married Stephen Mattingley.

5-Kevin Maclaine was born on 22 Sep 1952 in Hobart, Tasmania and died on 26 Jan 1976 in Sydney, New South Wales at age 23.

5-Margaret Annemarie Maclaine was born on 15 Sep 1958 in Hobart, Tasmania. Margaret married Alan Richard Park. Alan was born on 31 Aug 1940 in Hobart, Tasmania. They had two children: Daniel James and Michael Bennett.

6-Daniel James Park was born on 11 Feb 1983 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Michael Bennett Park was born on 11 Jun 1985 in Hobart, Tasmania.

4-Mavis Edith Harvey was born on 3 Jul 1925 in Launceston, died on 7 Nov 2006 in Philip Oakden Hospice, Launceston at age 81, and was buried on 13 Nov 2006 in Cremated after service at Pilgrim United Church, Launceston. Mavis married John Donald Maclaine, son of John Duart Maclaine and Madge Lucadou-Wells, on 27 Dec 1944 in Launceston. John was born on 18 May 1918 in Clarke Island, Bass Strait and died on 26 Dec 1978 in Hobart, Tasmania at age 60. They had five children: Helen Mary, Elizabeth Anne, Jillian Margaret, Catriona and John Leslie Duart.

5-Helen Mary Maclaine was born on 25 Oct 1946 in Launceston. Helen married David Rhys Stephen. David was born on 20 Nov 1940. They had two children: Sarah Elizabeth and Nicholas Rhys.

6-Sarah Elizabeth Stephen was born on 18 Oct 1972 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Nicholas Rhys Stephen was born on 28 Nov 1975 in Hobart, Tasmania. Nicholas married Olivia Margaret Sinnitt on 2 Jan 2005 in Caloundra, Queensland. Olivia was born on 17 Dec 1976 in Hobart, Tasmania. They had two children: Cooper Rhys and Parker William.

7-Cooper Rhys Stephen was born on 25 Feb 2006 in Hobart, Tasmania.

7-Parker William Stephen was born on 18 Aug 2008 in Hobart, Tasmania.

5-Elizabeth Anne Maclaine was born on 30 Jan 1949 in Launceston and died on 14 Mar 1950 in Launceston at age 1.

5-Jillian Margaret Maclaine was born on 18 Dec 1951 in Launceston. Jillian married Ray Kelly. Ray was born on 8 Jan 1926. They had three children: Donald Raymond, Heather Jillian and Andrew Frederick.

6-Donald Raymond Kelly was born on 14 Jan 1976 in Launceston.

6-Heather Jillian Kelly was born on 11 Feb 1981 in Launceston.

6-Andrew Frederick Kelly was born on 7 Jul 1983 in Launceston. Andrew had a relationship with Kim Beasey.  They had one daughter: Lillian Edith.

7-Lillian Edith Kelly was born on 20 Mar 2008 in Launceston.

5-Catriona Maclaine was born on 24 Oct 1955 in Launceston. Another name for Catriona is Cathleen Ruth (Cathie) Maclaine. Catriona married Gregory Buckley. Gregory was born on 6 Dec 1952. They had three children: Benjamin Moses, Hayley Pearl and James Zaccariah George.

6-Benjamin Moses Buckley.

6-Hayley Pearl Buckley.

6-James Zaccariah George Buckley was born on 16 Jan 1982.

Catriona next married Colin Berry in 2001.

5-John Leslie Duart Maclaine was born on 20 Sep 1960 in Launceston.

4-Mary Jennette Harvey was born on 20 Feb 1932 in Launceston. Mary married Dexter John Cocker, son of Arthur Tasman Cocker and Kathleen Mary Crothers, on 6 Jan 1953 in Launceston. Dexter was born on 28 Jan 1931 in Scottsdale Memorial Hospital. They had five children: Penelope Jane, Andrew John, Simon Alexander, Stephen Dexter and Philip Scott.

5-Penelope Jane Cocker was born on 24 Aug 1954 in Launceston.

5-Andrew John Cocker was born on 14 Jun 1956 in Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital, Launceston. Andrew married Rosalyn Margaret Harris, daughter of Reginald Walter Harris and Winifred Ila Douglas, on 28 Jan 1984 in Hobart, Tasmania. Rosalyn was born on 20 Dec 1958 in Launceston. They had two children: Annabel Mary and Melanie Jane.

6-Annabel Mary Cocker was born on 28 Dec 1989 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Melanie Jane Cocker was born on 31 Mar 1993 in Hobart, Tasmania.

5-Simon Alexander Cocker was born on 14 Mar 1958 in Launceston. Simon married Alison Simpson McPherson on 8 Mar 1982 in Launceston. Alison was born on 12 Jul 1952 in Stirling, Scotland. They had three children: Claire Elizabeth, Fiona Mary and James Alexander.

6-Claire Elizabeth Cocker was born on 1 Sep 1982 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-Fiona Mary Cocker was born on 29 Sep 1984 in Hobart, Tasmania.

6-James Alexander Cocker was born on 22 Aug 1994 in Hobart, Tasmania.

5-Stephen Dexter Cocker was born on 1 Dec 1961 in Hobart, Tasmania. Stephen married Patsy Lorraine Dick on 29 Jan 1983 in Launceston. Patsy was born on 21 Jan 1963 in Launceston. They had three children: Mathew Craig, David John and Caitlin Michelle.

6-Mathew Craig Cocker was born on 6 Nov 1986 in Launceston.

6-David John Cocker was born on 14 Mar 1990 in Launceston.

6-Caitlin Michelle Cocker was born on 19 Jul 1993 in Launceston.

5-Philip Scott Cocker was born on 9 Jul 1964 in Hobart, Tasmania. Philip had a relationship with Glenda Marie Hosking.  They had one daughter: Cleo Mary.

6-Cleo Mary Cocker was born on 27 Dec 2004.