Mary Melville (Adamson) Mallett (1864 - 1926)

Born 29 Feb 1864 in Kirkmichael, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Wife of Francis Mallett — married 11 Jun 1883 in Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 22 Jan 1926 at age 61 in Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Mary Melville Adamson was born in Scotland in 1864. She was the youngest daughter of Thomas Adamson and Margaret Adamson née Gibson.

She arrived in New Zealand with her parents and three siblings on the Victory in 1866. The family eventually settled in South Canterbury, where three more brothers were born.

In 1883, she married Francis Mallett, a local labourer.

MARRIAGE. Mallett— Adamson— On the 11th June, at the Church of England, Pleasant Point, by the Rev. Chaffers-Welsh, Francis Mallett, youngest son of William Mallett, Morval, Cornwall, England, to Mary Melville Adamson, youngest daughter of Thomas Adamson, both of Albury. ^[1]

Mary and Francis had six children over the next ten years: William (1884), Thomas (1885), Rebecca (1887), Margaret (1889), Francis (1890), and Jane (1891) before they separated in 1894.

After they separated, Francis remained in Albury and Mary and the children lived 16 kilometres north in the town of Fairlie, where Mary’s family had based themselves.

Another child, James, was born after a brief reconciliation in 1900. There was a messy court case as Francis refused to recognise James as his son and discontinued paying support for the other children.^[2]

Towards the end of 1916, Mary took up the management of Te Rata, a private, predominantly maternity hospital in Temuka. Here she became known as ‘Nurse Mallett’. ^[3]

In early 1919 she went to Marama hospital in Temuka until 1922.

She passed away in 1926.

DEATH.

MALLETT. —On January 22nd, at 14 Grasmere Street, Timaru, Mary Melville (Nurse) Mallett; in her 62nd year.^[4]

She is buried in Fairlie. ^[5]

MALLETT. —In loving memory of Mary Melville Mallett, who passed away 22nd January, 1926. “To Memory Ever Dear.” —lnserted by her loving sons and daughters.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2749, 16 July 1883, Page 2
2. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT19000507.2.31
3. ↑ In another column Nurse Mallett in notifying that she is resigning the charge of the Te Rata private hospital, Temuka, thanks her patients for their exceptional kindness during the past 2 1/2 years, and solicits the same support for her successor, Nurse Flood. When Nurse Mallett took over the management of the hospital it had been closed for a time, but by her skill and attention to patients she soon made it very popular. She is leaving the hospital in good hands— that of Nurse Flood, who has been associated with her for six months. Temuka Leader, Issue 9827, 8 February 1919, Page 2
4. ↑ Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 25 January 1926, Page 8
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209422220/mary-melville-mallett : accessed 27 June 2022), memorial page for Mary Melville Adamson Mallett (29 Feb 1864–22 Jan 1926), Find a Grave Memorial ID 209422220, citing Fairlie Cemetery, Fairlie, Mackenzie District, Canterbury, New Zealand ; Maintained by Baby Stegosaurus (contributor 49885654) .
6. ↑ Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17862, 23 January 1928, Page 8