Ann Jane Summers

Date: 8 Aug 1858 to 13 Jun 1867
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

J.H. Watmuff's journal entries concerning Jane Summers and Albert Edelman

These journal entries were made in Melbourne and Bendigo, Victoria, Australia

[1858-08-08]
..I have made several pleasent acquaintances here, among the number a very beautiful girl a Miss Somers, an orphan, her father (tho I dont think it is) has a contract on the railway Mary & Jane & I went to the [97 Bourke St.] waxworks last night, we have been out to places very often & enjoyed ourselves well.

[1858-08-15] 15th August 1858.
The weather has been very unsettled during the week. Im still in Melbourne. Mr Somers (Janes father) has a contract on the Railway. I saw him on [ Monday, 9 August 1858.] Monday morning & he asked to work for him at 10/ aday, he has about 30 men at work & only 1 or 2 that know how to blast he only gave the others 9/. aday, well I thought Id try it, so I went to the place it was on the Keilor Plains 14 miles from home. I got up there by 12 & commenced work by 1 Pm, came on to rain, no place to shelter, not a tree or bush for miles was wet through by knock off time, we all boarded in a large calico tent kept by a a Jew. We had to pay 30/- aweek for our board & had the privilege of sleeping in the place. I & the rest were wet through, after supper we made our beds on the floor or ground, it was quite muddy & wet. I laid my coat under me for a mattress. I wrapped myself up in my blankets & was soon asleep, but in the morning I was so stiff, I could hardly rise, four of the others were unable to rise, if a man had an iron constitution it would break in no time. I would not have cared if I could have got some leaves or straw to lie upon however next [Tuesday, 10 August 1858.] morning I went to work most of the men left, couldnt stand it the weather was against us, nothing but showers, got wet through & dry again two or three times during the day, on knocking off & swallowing my tea I went to bed, it was too soft to please me, next [Wednesday, 11 August 1858.]day it rained hard couldnt go to work at all, so on [Thursday, 12 August 1858.] Thursday morning I cut it altogether, about 4 days in the week seem to be a good average for a weeks work. I would have remained longer if I could have been better lodged Somers took up a stretcher & a mattress along with him, but I didnt think it worth while for the job would only last about 3 weeks. I never saw men working under so much difficulty in my life before, in the depth of a wet winter & on plains cold & miserable at anytime, without fire wood & sleeping on damp marshy ground is too much for any man to stand. I arrived home about dinner time not a penny the better for 3½ days misery but a severe cold that I wont get rid of for some time & stiff bones from my soft couch.

[Friday, 13 August 1858.]
Friday I knocked about answered two advertisements for a steady responsible young man Etc. but no luck. In the evening Jane & I took a pleasent walk together, went to the Theatre, but came out after the first act, & walked until near 12 oclock. [Saturday 14 August 1858.] Saturday I spent similar to the day before in the evening I went to the Theatre Royal [Theatre Royal: 75 Bourke Street Melbourne.] took my sister & Jane to see the Unequal Match. I would have prefered a nice strool with Jane instead

[1858-09-05]
I received a letter from Mother yesterday all well, Jane is living with her, having given up the store on Sunbury,

[1858-10-10]
enclosed in the letter was a nice little note from my sister Mary, she is greatly improving in her writing & dictation she is on a visit with Jane Somers at Sunbury 24 miles from Melbourne,

[1859-03-06]
I recvd a letter from Mother, all well. Mary is on a visit at Sunbury with Jane Summers.

[117 Kerr St, Fitzroy, July 1859]
[1859-07-04 Monday]
My pretty friend Jane Summers came down from Sunbury on Saturday, looking so charming & beautiful, she is one of the prettiest girl I ever met & Im sure Im in love with her, she has any quantity of admirers. I admired her the last time I was in town & had the pleasure of seeing her, but now Im bewitched & have been doing the agreeable & making love ever since, there is some fellow, always following her named Sutherland, Saturday night, Mary & her & myself went into town & met him, we could not get rid of him so at length we proposed going into the Theatre, he paid for 4 Dress Circle tickets. “Azrael the Prodigal” was playd R Heir[ Robert Heir (his wife was actress Fanny Cathcart, and after his death in about 1868, Mrs Darrell)] playd the prodigal, while G.V.Brooke the father & well being one of the grandest things ever brought out in the colony — but I was highly amused at our friend Sutherland, who during one of the intervals went out & brought back with him 4 Bottles of Ginger Beer & a tumbler, also a pocket full of large green pudding apples — I told the girls for heavens sake not to appear to know him, he was quite annoyd, & thought us destitute of taste, the girls were disgusted, & every glass was upon us, for my part I didnt care, but was convulsed with laughter, he knew no better, after it was over, we adjourned to the Cafe de France & had a splendid supper, Roast fowl Etc I stuck to Jane & my sister would not walk with him, yet he is a goodnatured fool, for fool he is, in some respects. Sunday morning I went with her to hear Mr New preach & on getting home we found Sutherland here, he had called during our absence & my mother for fun invited him to dinner, we had seen him coming & had cleared out at the back door while he was at the front. After dinner he had to go away to catch the Sunbury train he had a cab & Jane & Mary & self accompanied him, but as soon as we saw him off we found our way to Princess Bridge, where we hired a sailing boat & went to the Botanical Gardens, a lovely place & being a nice day was crowded by pleasure seekers, we met many we knew, came home by Railway & after tea went to Church, heard some fine singing. In the evening had several visitors some friends of Janes knowing she was down from the country came to see her, my old nurse Mrs Crapper & McDougall were here also – This morning I accompanied Jane for a strool went into town & had our portraits taken which we exchanged with vows of unchanging love, (vows (Im sure that have nothing but a transitory impulse for a foundation) I could never centre my whole thoughts & feelings on one that I feel is a coquette, tho I dont think would ever be a heartless one) that she likes me & the feeling is reciprocal Im sure for the present, yet it will be many months ere I see her again & in that time surrounded by flatterers & admirers she will soon cease to think of me. If not Ill idol -ize her! for she will be a woman in a million I feel now Im sick of town, this time next week Ill be on Bendigo pondering on to day, she took my dear little Brother Charlie with her, he is not well & the country air I trust will do him good.

[1859-07-31 Sunday]
Mary has been to a Ball at Sunbury, in company with Jane Summers, & I believe enjoyed herself very well

[1859-08-07 Sunday]
(I called at the P.O & received a long letter from Mother & one from Fred all well, no news. Jane Summers is living with them for a while, having left Sunbury. I would like to be at home for a time.)

[1859-08-21 Sunday]
I received a letter from Fred on Wednesday, all well, made me quite envious with the account of the places of amusement he has visited, Theatre, Oratories Etc flirting about with Jane Summers

[1859-08-28-Sunday]
Jane Summers has got the Refreshment Rooms [The Merry Jig] at the Sunbury Station. Im afraid such an occupation as she is likely to fill will not tend to improve her, girls soon lose their greatest charm (their modesty) in public places such as Hotels, Restaurants Etc — She begs to be kindly remembered Etc to me

[1859-09-11]
Jane Summers I like a little, but I feel as if my vanity was the only thing she seemed to affect — I should never go into ecstasies about, her, beautiful as she is. I have her likeness, there is an expression about her features that seem to say, Im beautiful, I know it — I like to be flatered,[ flattered] courted & admired, & will be while I can, boast of a charm. (If thats not her Ill suffer hanging)

[1859-09-18]
went into Sandhurst called at Frazers [Fraser the baker] (where I get my letters a/d) found a letter from Fred awaiting me, all well in town. Jane S. has been in town again

[1859-09-25] I had a letter from Mother, no news by the late mail from England for us — she is getting very short of money & doesn't know how to make things meet. Jane S. is living with her she left her fathers place — because he married her servant & took possession of her bedroom Etc she is on the look-out for a situation, poor girl Im very sorry for her, she has workd & striven very hard to make money for her father — & now to be the next thing of being turned out of house & home, is really very hard.

[1859-10-30]
I received a very affectionate [letter] from Jane Summers & another portrait — I had mine taken here & sent it her in return — she informs me that Hamilton is in town & making havoc with ladies hearts, flirting about every where the little beggar has been telling her of my flirtations here, & she intends being jealous she is living at the [ Owned by Albert Edelman, a shady businessman who bought it cheap, over insured it and had it burnt by his friend Jane witnessed the settting. Edelman married Jane to silence her, other key witnesses disappeared, no one was convicted.]Club Hotel St Kilda & informs me she has any amount of beaus & admirers — what a tantalizer she is, she may have 10,000 for what I care. I dispise coquettes.

[1859-10-13]
I received a note from Fred, & one from [ Ann Jane Summers]Jane he writes in anything but respectful terms of Jane — he makes her out to be nothing but a flighty giddy vain, proud coquette — & Im not to think anything more of her — its very little I ever did — it affects me very little. Im sorry she is such a fool —

My friend James Hamilton came home up from town & confirmed the report concerning Jane Jim imagines Im in love with the girl, he doesn't know me — I had her portrait on me at the time. I stuck it upon a post & Jim & I made a target of it for stones, we couldnt hit it which so annoyed me that I dashed it on the ground & it broke in a thousand pieces & so ends that affair —

[1860-01-08]
[On the occasion of Jim Hamilton's wedding, Melbourne]
I was stiff, tired & sleepey on my arrival at Mother's house the following morning at 6 am & ill prepared to go to a wedding party — I found all very well, tho’ all in bed I was surprised, by seeing J.Summers come into the parlour, she looked so beautiful, I was quite taken aback. I soon recovered myself & was very cool which seemed to hurt her terribly, we had a long conversation together, she told me how her father getting married left her without home Etc, & she was only marrying Edelman for the sake of one. I couldnt but dispise her, a young beautiful girl & so clxx uniting herself to a man so much older [Abert Adelman was then 42 or just 43.] than herself & from what Ive heard of him is a renegade Polish Jew & anything but a man of principle.

I went to see Jim about 10 oclock, took Jane with me, found him all right – just married by a Scotch clergyman Mr Odell in the house [Home of the bride, Jeffcott St. West Melbourne.] — ive promised to return there in the afternoon, on our return home Jane told me she would never have been engaged, but she heard I was going to be married to some girl on Bendg now I have heard that she was engaged previous to my acquaintance with Isa I was strangely situated, loving Isa & hearing Jane swearing how dear I was to her Etc, on my arrival home I found my sister Mary just returned from Sunbury where she had been spending a few days on a visit at McDougalls after dinner Mary, Jane & I returned to Jims place. It is needless to relate how we spent the time, as usual upon such occasions very jolly, he had hired a fine large Ball Room at an hotel next door so we had plenty of dancing, singing fun & I believe everyone enjoyed themselves

[continued - Bendigo]
I have just heard that Jane is to be married next week to [ Albert Edelman (or “Edelman”, spelled differently when he remarried 1887)]Edelman & feel rather jealous & yet I ought not to be, for she is a girl I never would have married I liked her very much, & perhaps if Id never known Isa King would have loved her, for when I was in town, very little would have made her leave, [ ‘E’ – meaning ??] E, she wanted to come to Bendigo with me & perhaps if I had had the money I should have brought her up a good job I think I had not — for I would have disgraced her & myself too, how affectionate she laid in my arms & showered kisses on me its the thought of those moments that bring a pang of jealousy — well its all over now – our acquaintance was brief I was only in her company a few times & yet was as intimate as if I was living with her for years! (a sensual passion nothing more & the more easy to shake off-)

[1860-01-15 Sunday]
There was a PS to her letter for me stating that Jane Summers was married yesterday week to Edelman heaven grant she may be happy, tho I see clouds hovering over her future I know for a fact that he is at this moment an insolvent — & is only marrying her so that she cant give her her evidence in a case of arson — it appears Jane was living at a hotel in St Kilda belonging to him, that was insured very high, she saw him or his *man setting fire to the place, for the sake of the insurance, the trial takes place shortly, & from what I can learn Edelman will lose [Aba Manaska or Manaske was acquitted, as two key witnesses conveniently disappeared before the trial.] the case — & I also hear he has another wife living, & has a family somewhere, so putting one thing to another it doesn't look very bright for her in the future, however she has been warned sufficiently

[1860-01-15 Sunday continued] I received a letter from Mother last Monday, all well — enclosed in it was a printed effusion of some rymster the subject being the adventures of the Maid of the Merry Jig -the name of the place Jane Summers lived at for some time on Sunbury, it is a most scandalous thing, enough to shock any virtuous mind to read, bad as Jane is, she doesn't deserve caluminating in such a manner I wonder who composed it, I suppose one of her old rejected suitors —

[1860-04-25]
I forgot to state there was a P.S. attached to Freds note informing me that Mr.Edelman had bolted from his creditors & was supposed to have fled to Sydney, leaving Jane penniless, she has returned to Mothers — her usual refuge —

[1860-02-26] I met [bakers son] Lockey the Younger on Friday night he had just returned from town called several times at my mothers house saw [Nee Ann Jane Summers.] Mrs Edelman, they had a long chat about me — Lockey knows nothing about our amour — but he gathered from her enough to know how we were situated to each other so I got pretty well riled about her from him

[1860-05-17]
Jane is still at Mothers, shes had to pawn her jewellery to pay off debts Etc, since her husband left her a boy arrived from home who states he is his son & that his father, Edelman has been twice divorced, & his wives are still living, they have heard nothing of him since his departure —

[1860-05-19]
I wrote a letter to Mother & enclosed £2.0.0 in it, intend posting it on Monday — I told her to advise Jane to get a divorce from her husband, I hear she is very unhappy I did not think such an unholy union could be otherwise.

[1860-05-25]
Jane is still with her — but mother dont speak very highly of her, says she lounges about & actually puts out her washing [pays someone (Mrs Silk ?) to do her washing] Etc twelve months ago she wasnt above doing it herself but she wants to be the grand lady, since she has once tasted the sugared cup of idleness & luxury —

[1860-06-08]
Ned had recvd a long letter from Mother, all well at home, Edelman had returned very suddenly & had vanished again taking Jane with him.

[1860-08-24]
I had the honour of recvg one from my brother Fred, full of matter, but destitute of sense, with the exception of Jane Edelman & her doings — of which he gives me in detail, & his private opinion of Mr E. which is not a very exalted one.

[1862-02-23]
I received a long letter from Mother .... she has had a letter from Jane Summers (I still call Summers for I cant think she is entitled to that of Edelman) she is at present in London, after being in California residing in the States says she is very happy.

[1865-07-02]
Last Sunday night I went to hear Isaac New preach in the [ Miss Stone’s church, she is (or will be) their soprano singer.]Baptist Chapel Albert St. he is an eloquent preacher & a clever scholar. I was greatly interested in his lecture, for it was nothing else, being a refutation of Colenso’s Work on the Pentateuch. I could not help thinking of the last time that I was in the place years ago in company with Jane Summers, where is she now!

[1867-06-13]
Thursday night, staid at home - The Davies & Tom Grimwood being as thick as possible. Alf & Jim Ballantyne were here - & also an old friend of our family from Echuca [Fred Watmuff printed a book for Henry Edelman in 1871, entitled “School History of Peter the Great, Czar of Russia”] Henry Edelman (a Pole) & son of that Edelman who married my old flame, of old langsyne, Jane Summers - he is a fine clever intelligent young fellow & will be a leading man some time, being a very different character from his father - who is at present in Europe.