This is quite a well-known photograph, but until recently, I had not known who the people were. I have been contacted by Glenda Slan, who was able to tell me about the photograph and some of her family history.
The Fremery Family – Photo Glenda Slan
Glenda said, “The gentleman is my great great Grandfather Louis Fremery (he was French and a cook at many hotels on the Goldfields). The lady is my great great Grandmother Mary nee Gillanders (they didn’t marry until 1901 in Cue WA and this picture was taken 1897).
The toddler is my great Aunt Edith Mary born 1894 and the baby is my Great Grandmother Annie Lawlers (1st while child born in Lawlers in 1896).
This dwelling burnt down in 1897 shortly after this picture was taken and they all moved into the Rose Hotel where Louis was the chef.
The Rose Hotel – Lawlers
By 1901 they had moved on to Cue where the couple married. Louis worked at both the Cue Hotel and The Great Britain Hotel.
The Cue Hotel – Photo SLWA
Then by early 1905 Mary and the girls were back in Perth staying with her sister as Louis was no longer in the picture. Mary had taken Louis to court for maintenance for the two children with no success. Glenda has the missing persons report Mary filed in 1908, and there is no more info I can find on Louis after last being seen in Fremantle in 1907. There is no death certificate for him either and he was a bit of a wheeler-dealer so I fear he may have met an untimely demise as he was never heard from again.”
Daily News 28 March 1908, page 7
Moya Sharp
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Wonderful to hear the story from one photograph.I hope the family did ok after he abandoned them- too common that aspect of the story.