Maria Morton (Clark) Panter (1840 - 1925)

Born 9 May 1840 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of George Henry Panter — married 1866 in Victoria, Australia

Died 23 Oct 1925 at age 85 in Williamstown, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Maria (Clark) Panter came free to the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

Maria Morton Clark, the third child, was christened 31 May 1840 at St Matthew, Liverpool, Lancashire.^[1]

1851 Census: Bute Street, Everton, Lancashire. Francis Urwin 42 (Worksop, Nottinghamshire) farmers wife, Henry Urwin 1, Geogs C Clarke 14 (Liverpool) boarder shop boy, John Jas Clarke 13 (Liverpool) boarder scholar, Maria M Clarke 10 (Liverpool) boarder scholar, William A Clarke 9 (Liverpool) boarder scholar, Elizabeth C Clarke 6 (Liverpool) boarder scholar, Eliza Brothich 26 (Ireland) servant scholar.^[2] Parents at Great Howard Street, Liverpool.

She was eleven years when her family, parents George and Mary and their six children, emigrated to Melbourne from Liverpool, in 1852, on the 'Martin Luther'.^[3]

In infancy she was almost lost to 'diarea which bought on dropsy ... given Parrs Pills ... and in six weeks ... was completely cured'. As a child she lost three younger siblings to various diseases. Like her other siblings early tutoring in Liverpool was with a Miss Powell, but nothing is known of her education in Melbourne.
Maria or 'Aunt Panter' was a useful and capable person, remembered with great love and respect. A wonderful sense of humor and very fond of animals. She trained a large dog to carry things with a basket on its back, and other animals, a black cat and a terrifying talking magpie. She kept a jar of sweets on her chiffonier, but one waited to be offered.Took her nieces and nephews to parades and processions using her large furled umbrella to prod and poke and the demand to 'make way, stand aside and let the children though'. She took a great interest in these children, giving them love and financial support ensuring their education and raised with the required social graces. She wanted to adopt her brother Williams motherless son, Edward, but this was promoted when she was widowed, and he at the age of ten objected, preferring the freedom with his father.

On 19 June 1866 married George Panter at St. James Cathedral, Melbourne.^[4][5]

George speculated in mining stocks and worked with the Victorian railways until his death aged fifty four, in 1984.

They lived in Douglas Pde, Williamstown, Victoria.
Loved beautiful furniture, collecting china, an expert needlewoman, enjoyed reading, especial to the children and although wearing steel rimmed spectacles also used a magnifying glass.
An astute business woman investing her money wisely and owned several rented houses. Also loaned money - gold sovereigns. An account book dated 1896-1923 revealed landlord activities and money lending to be quite extensive, with kindness and understanding of genuine hardship and no outstanding bad debts!
Her solicitor in Queen St, who apart from belonging to some 'odd religion', she regarded very highly until he embezzled some of her money. Though she did not suffer fools gladly, she refused to take action as she felt sorry for him. Conversely a proposed sole beneficiary of her estate remarried a man Maria did not like, which resulted in other relatives profiting from her decision.
As a widow she wore black with large lace collars and carried a black fur muff with her purse and a black umbrella used as a walking stick. Wore her rich silver hair twisted into several strands, threaded with black velvet ribbon, and arranged in an intricate knot on top. Always beautifully dressed she was an attractive and handsome woman.
Maria was considered a grand old lady and quite a character around Williamstown and was 85yrs when she died in 1925.^[6][7][8][9]

Interred at Williamstown Cemetery:
area - C of E, section L, row 24.5, grave no 6.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLMB-M2G : 4 February 2023), Maria Morton Clark, 1840.
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SG53-ZT5 : 12 September 2019), Elizabeth C Clarke in household of Francis Urwin, Everton, Lancashire, England; citing Everton, Lancashire, England, p. 31, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
3. ↑ Public Record Office Victoria
   Unassisted passenger lists (1852-1923)
4. ↑ Vic BDM. Marriages. 1224/1866.
5. ↑ The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Tue 26 Jun 1866 Page 4 Family Notices
   https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5766160
6. ↑ Vic BDM. Deaths. aged 85 at Williamstown, Father; George, Mother; Unwin, 15720/1925.
7. ↑ 24 Oct 1925 - Family Notices - Trove (nla.gov.au)
8. ↑ 31 Oct 1925 - OBITUARY. - Trove (nla.gov.au)
9. ↑ 09 Jan 1926 - WILLS AND ESTATES - Trove (nla.gov.au)

Margaret L Clark (1993), 'The (Unwin) Clark Colonials', Wanneroo, WA.
Chapter Chapter 7 - Maria Morton Panter.
https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1327894