Minnie Schauer (1877 - 1959)

Ancestors

Biography

Minnie Schauer was born in 1877, in St George, New South Wales, Australia, the youngest known child of Wilhelm "William" Schauer and his wife Katharena "Catherine" Hahn.^[1]

According to her sister Amy's entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Minnie and Amy worked collaboratively on writing several cookery books, as well as teaching at the Brisbane Technical College.

With her sister Minnie, who had accompanied her north, Schauer wrote popular cookery books which were used in Queensland kitchens well into the 1960s. By 1909 three books were prescribed on the syllabuses of the departments of domestic science and art in Queensland technical colleges: Cookery for Invalids (1908), Fruit Preserving and Confectionery (1908), and Theory of Cookery (1909) soon republished as The Schauer Australian Cookery Book.^[2]

In August 1910, Minnie and Amy filed an application for copyright for their work The Schauer Cookery Book.^[3]
The book's first print-run sold out much sooner than had been expected, requiring a reprint, as evidenced by the 1910 newspaper article announcing the new printing.

THE SCHAUER COOKERY BOOK.^[4]

The second edition of this excellent practical cookery book, compiled by the Misses A. and M. Schauer, teachers of cookery and domestic arts at the Brisbane Technical College, has been published. As an earnest of the usefulness of the publication, it may be mentioned that the whole of the first edition was observed within 6 months, and it has been found necessary, to reprint at an earlier date than had been anticipated. Not only are there something like 400 pages devoted to practical cookery recipes, all arranged with a view to ready reference, but there are also chapters containing excellent practical advice on the kitchen and kitchen economy, the store room, scullery work, how to lay a table, to make a fire, and how to perform other domestic duties.

Minnie and the Reverend Charles James Leese were married on the 22nd November 1913, at Bowen Terrace, New Farm, Queensland.^[5]
The event, including the misspelling of Charles's last name, was reported in the Brisbane Courier.^[6]

Leece-Schauer.

The marriage of the Rev. Charles James Leece, of New Farm Congregational Church, to Miss Minnie Schauer daughter of the late Mr. William Schauer and Mrs. Schauer, Bowen-terrace, New Farm took place at Bowen-terrace on November 22. The Revs. W. H. Lewis and C. H. Bradbury officiated. The bride wore a gown of white crepe de Chine, draped with Maltese lace (both being a gilt from Dr. Flora Innes, Zenana Hospital, India, a friend of the bride) Miss Amy Schauer (sister of the bride) wore a gown of white silk poplin trimmed with guipure lace. Mr. Percy Brown (Bowen Hills) acted as best man. After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was served, the catering being carried out by the Cafe Eschenhagen. The wedding cake was made by Misses Watt and M. A. Bruce (pupils of the bride at the Central Technical College). The guests included Rev. and Mrs. W. H. Lewis, Rev. O. H. Bradbury, Rev. and Mrs. W. N. Gunson, Rev. and Mrs. D. McOmish, Reva. J. C. Gibson, T. Harvey, S. I. Alden, Mr. and Miss Brown, Miss Griffith, Mr. B. F. Cribb, Mr. and Mrs. Payne, Mr. and Mrs. Aspinall, Mr. and Miss Barton, Mrs. Innis, Mr. White, Mr. Garrard, Mr. and Mrs. Water, Mr. and Mrs. Cahill, Nurse Inglefield, Mrs. and Miss Bruce, Misses Mathewson, Maynard, Baird, Watt, Slaughter, and Lovelock. Later in the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Leece left for Hazlebrook, Blue Mountains. Mrs. Leece wore a tailor-made coat and skirt and a hat to harmonise. The presents were numerous and handsome, and included a beautiful silver tea and coffee service on engraved oak tray, from members of the church; a handsome case of fish knives and forks from the old teaching staff of the Brisbane Technical College , and a handsome pendant (which was worn by the bride) from the pupils of the cookery school.

However, the direct sisterly collaboration ended when, after she married in 1913, Minnie moved back to New South Wales, where she remained. It was only a couple of years after Minnie went south, that their mother died in 1915, aged 79 years.

In August 1944 Minnie and Amy filed an application for copyright for their book on preserving fruit, and the making of confectionary.^[7]

In July 1947, Minnie and Amy filed an application for copyright for their work The Schauer Australian Cookery Book..^[8]

Minnie Leese née Schauer passed away on the 16th April 1959, in Burwood, New South Wales, Australia, aged 82 years.^[9]

Minnie was buried alongside her husband in the Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration — New South Wales State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages Birth Registration details: Name: SCHAUER MINNIE; Registration Number: 6166/1877; Father's Given Name(s): WILLIAM; Mother's Given Name(s): CATHERINE; District: ST GEORGE
2. ↑ Donna Phillips Ryan, 'Schauer, Amy (1871–1956)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1988, accessed online 30 March 2021.
3. ↑ Application for Registration of Copyright in a Literary Work — National Archives of Australia: Item ID: 3404801; NAA: A1336, 1559 AUTHOR Amy Schauer and Minnie Schauer : ADDRESS Brisbane : TITLE OF WORK The Schauer Cookery Book : TYPE OF WORK Book : APPLICANT Amy Schauer and Minnie Schauer : DATE OF APPLICATION 22 Jul 1910 : DATE COPYRIGHT REGISTERED 1 Aug 1910 : WORK ENCLOSED? No
4. ↑ "THE SCHAUER COOKERY BOOK." The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939) 22 October 1910: 4. Web. 30 Mar 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22286649>.
5. ↑ Marriage Registration — Queensland State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages Marriage Registration details: Minnie Schauer; Event date: 22/11/1913; Event type: Marriage registration; Registration details: 1913/B/14090; Spouse: Charles James Leese
6. ↑ "Leece—Schauer." The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933) 26 November 1913: 17 (Courier Home Circle). Web. 2 Apr 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19915856>.
7. ↑ Application for Registration of Copyright in a Literary Work — National Archives of Australia: NAA: A1336, 40248 AUTHOR Amy Schauer and Minnie Leese : ADDRESS Brisbane : TITLE OF WORK The Schauer Australian Fruit Preserving Recipe Book and Confectionery : TYPE OF WORK Literary : APPLICANT Amy Schauer and Minnie Leese : DATE OF APPLICATION 30 Aug 1944 : DATE COPYRIGHT REGISTERED 18 Sep 1944 an 22 Dec 1944 : WORK ENCLOSED? Yes
8. ↑ Application for Registration of Copyright in a Literary Work — National Archives of Australia: Item ID: 4103604; NAA: A1336, 44895 AUTHOR Amy Schauer and Minnie Leese : ADDRESS Brisbane : TITLE OF WORK The Schauer Australian Cookery Book : TYPE OF WORK Literary : APPLICANT Amy Schauer and Minnie Leese : DATE OF APPLICATION 29 Jul 1947 : DATE COPYRIGHT REGISTERED 26 Aug 1947 : WORK ENCLOSED? Yes
9. ↑ Death Registration — New South Wales State Government Births, Deaths, Marriages Death Registration details: Name: LEESE MINNIE; Registration Number: 12906/1959; Father's Given Name(s): WILLIAM; Mother's Given Name(s): CATHERINE; District: BURWOOD
10. ↑ BillionGraves: Minnie Schauer Leese

• Newspaper Notice regards Probate — "RE will of MINNIE LEESE, late of South Strathfield, widow." Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001) 23 October 1959: 3260. Web. 6 Apr 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220308513>.