Mary-Ellen (Hayes) Bates (1837 - 1914)

Born 1837 in Cork, County Cork, Ireland

Ancestors

Wife of Charles Bates — married about 1858 in South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 28 Oct 1914 at about age 77 in Streaky Bay, South Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kerri Stevens [send private message]

Biography

Mary Ellen Hayes was born about 1837 in Cork, County Cork, Ireland.

She emigrated to Australia before 1858.

She was in a common-law marriage to Charles Betts (Bates) starting in 1858.

Children: Emily Lilly Mozette,^[1] Ellen Mozelle,^[2] Susan, Edith, Amy Placida, Rosalie.

She died on 28 Oct 1914 in Streaky Bay, South Australia, Australia.^[3]

Obituaries

Obituary: The death took place at the public hospital, Streaky Bay, early on Wednesday morning last, of Mrs Ellen Mary Bates, an old resident known throughout the length and breadth of the West Coast for consideration and acts of kindness in cases of sickness. To many she has been an angel of mercy, and especially was this the case in the early days, when it was often impossible to obtain a doctor's services, and it was then then that Mrs Bates was all the more ready to do what she could—a no mean service either.

She was born in England, and her residence on the Coast extends back 52 years. Her husband, the late Mr Charles Bates, predeceased her by some ten years. Four daughters are at present living, viz., Mrs John Feltus, Mrs E. J. Bruce and Mrs T. Bedding, of Streaky Bay, and Mrs Bevistock, of Port Augusta, while there are also 25 grand-children, and 17 great-grandchildren. Mrs Bates had not been well for about three weeks, but was able to get about up to Sunday, when she took a bad turn and had to be taken to the hospital, the cause of her death being bronchitis and internal troubles.

The funeral took place, to the Streaky Bay Cemetery, on Thursday afternoon, Canon Howard conducting the service at the grave. The pall-bearers were Messrs F. Gampbell, J. H. Cotton, T. O. Mudge, junr., and H. Mudge, junr., while Mr H. P. Holt carried out the mortuary arrangements. The deceased was 75 years of age, and as she had lived practically the whole of her life in Australia (coming out when only 18months' old) her experiences were unique, and further details of them will appear in these columns later. ^[4]

ONE OF THE PIONEERS.

Another of the old and respected identities of the West Coast was laid to rest on October 29th (as notified in our issue of 31st. ult.), in the person of Mrs Mary Ellen Bates, relict of the late Mr Charles Bates. The deceased lady, who was born in the old country, came to Australia when only eighteen months of age—in 1839, her parents landing in Western Australia, "where she spent the earlier years of her life.

In the year 1858 she and her husband came to South Australia, and for four years resided in North Adelaide. In those days this now popular suburb was of very small pretentions, there being only a few scattered buildings. In 1862 the West Coast attracted their attention, and they came across, under engagement for Calca station, then owned by Frampton Bros. Their eldest daughter, Mrs John Eeltus, now of Streaky Bay, was then an infant. They were put ashore at Venus Bay, and left there to await a chance to reach their destination. After camp ng on the beach for some days in solitude, there being no houses in that locality then, they joyfully welcomed the bullock team and dray that was to convey them to Calca station. It was a wearisome and anxious time they spent on that beach, being in constant fear of wild blacks, who were very numerous and unfriendly at that time.

After a slow, rough ride over limestone and through dense scrub they reached their goal, and settled down to bush life in earnest, living in lonely huts on various parts of the large sheep run, often 14 and 15 miles from the nearest neighbor. During the 13 years they lived at Calca station four more daughters were added to the family. Afterwards the station passed into Dr. Brown's hands, and for some time Mr and Mrs Bates still stayed in the new owner's employ, but eventually went with their family to Kondulka station, in the Gawler Ranges, then owned by Mr John Dunn. It used to take a week in those days to reach Kondulka.

Three years later the family moved to Hiltruby (now called Hiltaba) station, owned by Mr A. Schlink. These were lonely, trying times for the pioneers of the ranges, for provisions were only carted to the stations about once in six months, so Mrs Bates knew something of the roughing of the early days. After leaving Hiltruby they went to Petina, then an out-station owned by Mr W. A. Home. They spent over ten years in that spot, and it was while there that Mrs Bates began the real activities of her life, taking up midwifery as a profession.

From her earliest days in the bush her superior education and steady nerve had stood her neighbors in good stead, and she had been able to fill the place of doctor and nurse, and so save many a life. From the time she lived at Petina until just prior to her death she travelled the length and breadth of the Coast, from below Talia to beyond Fowler's Bay. At all hours of the night she was ready to respond to duty's call, and often travelled 30 and 40 miles without getting out of the trap, and over rough roads, to do her uttermost to save human life. She never failed, although often faced by cases very difficult and no doctor within 100 miles, and she claimed to have the right to call at least 350 residents of the district her babies; there were many more, but their names have been lost count of. It is a unique record, and scores of women bless her for help and kindness in trouble and sickness, in the very early days in particular. To her own children and grandchildren she was a devoted mother. She may be credited with having raised two families, as one daughter, Mrs T. Feltus, predeceased her, leaving an infant daughter and four other children to be cared for.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT6R-L5Z : 28 January 2020), Ellen Mary in entry for Emily Lilly Mozette Betts, 1859.
2. ↑ "Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT6W-J83 : 28 January 2020), Ellen Betts in entry for Ellen Mojelh Betts, 1861.
3. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163923969/mary-ellen-bates Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 March 2021), memorial page for Mary-Ellen Hayes Bates (1837–28 Oct 1914), Find A Grave: Memorial #163923969, citing Streaky Bay Cemetery, Streaky Bay, District Council of Streaky Bay, South Australia, Australia.
4. ↑ West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay, SA : 1912 - 1954), Saturday 31 October 1914, page 2
5. ↑ West Coast Sentinel (Streaky Bay, SA : 1912 - 1954), Saturday 14 November 1914, page 5

• Death Citation SA BDM (Secondary evidence) Page: Fli 388 479 Text: Given Name(s): Ellen Mary Last Name: BATES Death Date: 28 Oct 1914 Gender: F Age: 75y Approx. Birth Year: 1839 Marital Status: W Relative 1: Charles BATES (DH) Relative 2: Residence: Streaky Bay Death Place: Streaky Bay District: Flinders Symbol: H Book/Page: 388/479