Thomas Scarfe, formerly of North London, immigrated to Adelaide, Australia with one of his brothers due to the shortage of work in London at the end of the eighteenth century. He became a very successful Merchant Trader and took over the Harris Scarfe business started by his brother. In its day it was a very prestigous Saddlery specialising in jewellery and fine objects.
Eden Park was built for the family of Thomas Scarfe amongst paddocks and fields in Marryatville in South Australia. Today it remains surrounded by the botanical gardens of the time, however the paddocks fields are long gone. The house was sold after WW2, as Irene Lynch (widower)could not afford to maintain the house and servants. Eden Park is currently on a Peppercorn lease to Marryatville High School, a special interest music school and is the home of the Year 12 students.
Irene Mary Gertrude Lynch, Eden Park
This photograph was taken in the garden at Eden Park in the early 1900's. The garden was botanical containing many specimens of plants brought from England. A large copy of this photograph can be located on a separate page, showing the detail of the pinafore and clothing.
Irene Mary Gertrude Lynch, serving Afternoon Tea, early 1900's.
A large copy of this photograph can be located on a separate page, showing the details of the clothing and other items.
Irene Mary Gertrude Lynch in her car in Adelaide.
Apparently there were only about eight women in Adelaide who drove cars at the time that this photograph was taken. Irene said that the men would stare at you as though you were an octopus when you drove by.
Irene Mary Gertude Scarfe.
The date of this photograph is uncertain, however it is likely that it was taken around the time of the marriage of Irene to Louis Frederick Lynch when aged in her early twenties.
Irene Mary Gertude Scarfe.
The date of this photograph is uncertain, however it is likely that it was taken around the time of the marriage of Irene to Louis Frederick Lynch when aged in her early twenties.
Irene's hairbrush.
The bristles on this hairbrush are made of horsehair and are still in perfect condition today 2010.
Below are photographs of the Piney Ridge wicker basket, which came from the farm at Piney Ridge. The name Piney Ridge is printed on the piece of cloth across the top. On the sides are handles made of thick rope. The basket is fully lined and was used on the farm for storing sheets and linen (tablecloths etc.) It remains in good condition today.
Below are photographs of the Piney Ridge wicker basket, which came from the farm at Piney Ridge. The name Piney Ridge is printed on the piece of cloth across the top. On the sides are handles made of thick rope. The basket is fully lined and was used on the farm for storing sheets and linen (tablecloths etc.) It remains in good condition today.
Louis Arthur Lynch.
Louis Frederick Lynch. Farmer. South Australia. Married Irene Scarfe This photograph was taken around 1920. Louis Lynch drank out of a cup that had had rabbitt poison in it and died on the farm at Piney Ridge (outside of Nairne in South Australia) aged twenty four, leaving Irene a widower, with a son and a daughter, and a recluse for the next sixty five years - albeit an extremely wealthy one.
The son was named Louis Frederick Lynch II, and his WW2 NAA record can be located by following the instructions on the Home page post of this blog.
Diana Una Mary Lynch
Diana, Aged 6, 1928. Daughter of Irene and Louis Lynch. (My mother). Photograph taken by a professional photographer. Bird on finger is a toy. Sent to Boarding School at PGC Adelaide,aged six, due to the death of her father and her mothers subsequent trip overseas.
Needlecraft Practical Journal. 1912. Inside page.
Pattern is for a Lady's Motor Bonnett. Cars at that time did not have rooves and it was common practise for the ladies to wear bonnetts to protect their hair from the wind. Needlecraft Practical Journal contained articles relating to all forms of needlecraft. This issue, as depicted on the front cover, has patterns for long cardigans, currently in fasion in 2010.
This issue of Needlecraft Practical Journal belonged to Irene Lynch who, following WW2, knitted twelve pairs of socks per year for the Burnside Hospital. Whether they were sold or donated to the patients as bedsocks is uncertain.
Physiology for Beginners. Foster and Shore. Macmillan and Co, London. 1907.
This is Irene's Physiology book and has an inscription inside the frontcover which says Irene Mary Scarfe Eden Park, Marryatville, South Australia, 1912. Beneath this are some notes she made which state that 'saliva is a thick,glairy,frothy,turgid,tasteless, odourless and slightly alkaline fluid'. Irene wanted to study Medicine but was forbidden to do so by her father as it was considered to be unladylike. After the death of her husband she travelled overseas every two years and did voluntary work at the Burnside Hospital for the remainder of her life, when in Adelaide.
Diagram of a Sheeps Heart.
Beautifully drawn sketches of a sheeps heart, from the Physiology book by Foster and Shore. It is interesting to note that animal organs, rather than human were used in the teaching methods of the day. A larger image of this picture can be viewed on a separate page of this blog.
Rabbitt viscera.
Sketch of the viscera of a rabbitt from Physiology for Beginners by Foster and Shore. A larger image of these pages can be viewed on a separate page of this archive.
Irene Lynch. Late 1970's. Waterfall Gully, Adelaide.
NOW TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FAMILY.
Mrs Ada McGill.
Mrs Ada McGill as a young woman. Married with three daughters and one son. Born Ada Sawell in Liverpool, England, she emigrated to Sydney, Australia , at the age of 4 with her family of origin. Eldest daughter named Essie Margaret McGill until she got married......
Essie Margaret McGill.
Essie on her wedding day. As the veil is off the face she had now become Essie Margaret Phoenix. (My paternal grandmother). Essie was a Florist until she married, after which she no longer worked - being the respectable custom of the day for a married woman. Married to a ships captain she lived in Scotland (Shipyards - Aberdeen), England, Denmark and Adelaide and Melbourne in her latter years. A larger image of this photograph is available on a separate page of this archive.
Born in Wrexham, Wales. Orphaned at the age of twelve, and sent to live with an aunt, Monty was apprenticed to the Dunraven Steamship Co. Ltd. (of Dock Chambers, Cardiff, Wales) on June 15, 1915, for the sum of 40 pounds for four years, eventually becoming a ships Captain. His apprenticeship papers read as "5 pounds at the end of the first year; 8 pounds at the end of the 2nd; 12 at end of 3rd and 15 at the end of the fourth year. The Master agreees to provide the said apprentice with sufficient Meat, Drink, Lodging, Washing, Medicine and Medical and Surgical assistance'.
He was torpedoed twice during the Second World War and spent ten days in a life boat with some other men, adrift in the North Sea, eventually rescued. After Darwin was bombed, also in WW2, the Merchant Navy was called in and the first ship to arrive was captained by Hartwell J M Phoenix. When he retired he took a souvenir with him from the ship, an image of which is below.
Ships Lantern.
Lantern, used at night by sailors at sea.
Belonged to Hartwell John Montague Phoenix (my paternal grandfather).
Essie and Monty Phoenix at the beach. Location unknown.
A larger image of this photograph can be viewed on this archive. Note the gloves worn by Essie - a social norm of the time, as well as the hats worn by both. Essie and Monty had one son and one daughter, the son being my father John Phoenix (dec.), pictured below.
John Phoenix. December 1925. Aged 8 months. Metadata for this image not completed as yet.
He married Diana Una Mary Lynch (my mother), pictured above as a small child with a toy bird perched on her finger, which, is how these two very different families came together.
That completes this stage of archiving, however it is likely that further images and information will be added in the future.
