Marie Christine Louise Bottcher

Marie Christine Louise Bottcher

Female 1881 - 1964  (82 years)

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  • Name Marie Christine Louise Bottcher 
    • Sometime before the first World War, Wilhelm and Wilhelmina changed the spelling of their and their children's surname from Bottcher to Burcher. The Phonetic pronunciation of the German Surname Bottcher is "Bur-cher" I assume they dropped the German spelling and adopted the phonetic spelling as Germans would not have been really popular around the time of the first world War. Maria's Christian name was changed to Mary.
    Nickname Mary 
    Birth 20 Aug 1881  Berlin, Prussia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Immigration 22 Aug 1887  Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 




    The Brisbane Courier Newspaper - Monday, August 22, 1887
    The Brisbane Courier Newspaper - Monday, August 22, 1887
    This is a PDF copy of the newspaper printed on the day that Wilhelm, Wilhemina and their young family arrived in Brisbane aboard the ship "RMS Bulimba". A mention of the ships arrival is listed on page 4 column 1. Details of the voyage can be found in the following days edition of the news paper which is also attached to this page.
    Read about…
    The Brisbane Courier Newspaper, Tuesday, August 23, 1887
    The Brisbane Courier Newspaper, Tuesday, August 23, 1887
    This Pdf copy of the newspaper has the voyage of the RMS Bulimba printed on page 4 Column 1 (arrival) and page 4 column 3 (the voyage). It describes the journey from England to Brisbane. Read the newspaper and get a feel what Brisbane was like in 1887.
    Queensland Assisted Immigration 1848-1912 - Ship Bulimba - Passengers Wilhelm Bottcher and Family.
    Queensland Assisted Immigration 1848-1912 - Ship Bulimba - Passengers Wilhelm Bottcher and Family.
    Wilhelm, accompanied by his wife Wilhelmine, children Marie, Hans, Wilhelm and Rudolph, sailed from London, England, aboard the ship Bulimba, departing 28th June 1887 and arrived at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 22nd August 1887.
    Assisted Immigration 1848- 1912 - Ship Bulimba
    Assisted Immigration 1848- 1912 - Ship Bulimba
    This is the full passenger list of the Ship Bulimba including all its 1887 voyages from London England to Brisbane Queensland, Australia. The voyage that included Wilhelm Bottcher and his family, 28th June 1887 to 22 August 1887 starts on page 198 of the register and the family are located on page 212.
    Death 8 Mar 1964  7 Belgium St Riverwood, NSW, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Grave No. 790 Section 16B, Church of England Cemetery, Rookwood, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mary Neal (n. Bottcher) - Funeral Details
    Mary Neal (n. Bottcher) - Funeral Details
    Mary Neal (n. Bottcher) - Funeral and Burial Details

    Person ID I2435  Tucker Family Tree | Bottcher family tree
    Last Modified 2 Aug 2022 

    Father Wilhelm August Christian Bottcher,   b. Abt Dec 1860, Kleinow, Brandenburg, Prussia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Feb 1928, Liverpool Hospital, N.S.W, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 67 years) 
    Mother Wilhelmina Louise Christine Dahn,   b. Abt 1860, new berlin, Germany Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Mar 1904, Brown Street, St Peters, Sydney, NSW, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 44 years) 
    Marriage 18 Nov 1881  Blankenburg, New Berlin, Prussia, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F0700  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Stewart Neal,   b. 08 Sep 1878, Parramatta Junction, Granville, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Oct 1956, 7 Belgium Street, herne Bay,Riverwood, Campsie, New South Wales Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years) 
    Marriage 10 Nov 1900  St Pauls Church of England Redfern, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage Certificate - Stewart Neal and Marie(Mary) Christina Louisa Bottcher
    Marriage Certificate - Stewart Neal and Marie(Mary) Christina Louisa Bottcher
    The marriage certificate of Stewart and Mary Neal (n. Bottcher

    Children 
    +1. Annie Victoria Neal,   b. 09 Dec 1901, Crown Street, St Peters, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Oct 1978, In Hospital. Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     2. Stewart Henry William Neal,   b. 31 Jan 1902, 8 Brown St, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Victoria, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Henry Frederick Neal,   b. 30 Jul 1903, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 05 Jun 1904, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
    +4. Robert Neal,   b. 22 Nov 1905, Waterloo, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Oct 1931, Coast Hospital, Little Bay, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 25 years)
    +5. James Neal,   b. 4 Nov 1906, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Apr 1973, 60 Memorial Ave, Ettalong, New South Wales, Australia (near Gosford) Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years)
    +6. Eileen May Neal,   b. Abt 1908, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Dec 1978, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 70 years)
    +7. George Neal,   b. 05 Sep 1909, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Mar 1979, Nowra District Hospital, Nowra, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 69 years)
    +8. Alma Rose Neal,   b. 10 Dec 1911, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Aug 1999 (Age 87 years)
     9. Ernest Neal,   b. 14 Jan 1913, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Jun 1973, 7 Belgium St Riverwood, NSW, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years)
    +10. Olive Mary Neal,   b. Abt 1915, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Aug 1980, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 65 years)
     11. Arthur Neal,   b. Abt 1916, Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 03 Dec 1917, St Peters, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 1 years)
    +12. Jack Neal,   b. 29 Jul 1918, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Feb 2005, Bankstown Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 86 years)
     13. Gladys Mary Neal,   b. 01 Apr 1920, St Peters, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Sep 1934, 70 Belmore Road Punchbowl, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 14 years)
    +14. Alfred Neal,   b. 06 Nov 1921, St Peters, New South Wales Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Aug 1971, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 49 years)
    Photos At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    Family ID F0702  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 14 Jul 2008 

  • Photos
    Mary Christine Louise Bottcher
    Mary Christine Louise Bottcher
    Mary Christine Louise Bottcher, first child of Wilhelm August Christian Bottcher and Wilhelmina Louise Christine Dahn.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
    Mary & Stewart Neal and Family
    Mary & Stewart Neal and Family
    L to R: Unknown, Joyce Neal (n. Cochrane), George Neal in car above Joyce, Mary Neal (n.Bottcher), Stewart Neal over Marys Shoulder, Olive Sheppard (n. Neal)

  • Notes 
    • Marie Christine Louise Bottcher, known as "Mary", was the first born child of Wilhelm and Wilhemina Bottcher (n. Dahn) Born in Berlin, Prussia (Germany)on 20th Aug 1881. She immigrated to Brisbane, Qld, Australia, with her parents and three brothers Hans (John), Wilhelm (William) and Rudolph. Arriving aboard the "Bulimba" in Brisbane on 22 August 1887.

      Mary celebrated her 6th birthday aboard the Bulimba two days before arriving in Brisbane.

      She remembered her grandfather, Frederick Dahn,whom was serving in the Prussian Army, dressed in a long coat and spear topped helmet, lifting her up onto his white horse and placing his helmet upon her head.

      Her Grandmother,Christina Dahn,gave her a set of diamond earrings for her pierced ears. But when she came to Australia, the older girls at the school she attended in Ipswich, Queensland, tricked her into swapping them for cheap red glass earrings.

      Because Wilhelm, Mary's father, was away at sea a lot, she worked from the age of ten. One of her jobs was looking after the children of the Governor of Darlinghurst Gaol and his wife. Neither of whom were very kind to Mary. Mary walked from her home at St Peters to the Governor's Home Daily. It is said "she polished their shoes with her tears, she was so unhappy. On one occasion the Governors wife asked her to give the left over food scraps to the dog. Instead, Mary took them home for her hungry brothers and sisters. When the lady of the house found out, she was dismissed.

      On finding out she had been dismissed, her father Wilhelm, instructed her to go back and ask for her job back. Before she left, she was sitting in the gutter crying, outside the house next door, (10 Campbell St)when their neighbor, Mrs Neal, Stewart's Mother, came out and comforted her. It is not known whether she was given her job back or not.

      In November 1900, Mary aged 19 and Stewart aged 22 married at St Pauls Church of England, Redfern, New South Wales, Australia.

      Mary and Stewart Neal lived at 8 Brown Street, St Peters, opposite Mary's parents home. Stewart worked long hours, driving a wagon pulled by a team of horses, delivering bricks from the local brick works.

      A Mixture of English and German was spoken at home until the death of Wilhemina in 1904. At this time Mary aged 22 had three children of her own.

      With the death of her mother, sister Cleopatra and her eleven month old baby Henry the year 1904 must have been heart breaking.

      In approximately 1914, it is said that Mary received her Australian Citizenship, although a search of online records does not reveal any records held in Canberra or New South Wales.

      In 1915 the Neal family moved to Join Stewarts sister Elizabeth in Goulburn It was here', that Olive and Arthur were born.

      By the end of 1917, Mary, Stewart and the children returned to St Peters and it was here that baby Arthur died.

      When her son Robert died in 1931 his children Marie 2yrs and Bobby 6 weeks would have been put into the States care. But Mary and Stewart adopted them and raised them as their own children.

      Mary's grand children remember her as having a beautiful face, with her hair tied up in a bun, with little curls around her face. She was a biggish woman, had a nice smile, seldom lost her temper, but just the same would stand up for herself and in the end would laugh it off.

      It is said, Mary gave good cuddles and was a good cook. At Christmas he would make short bread house, Fruit cakes and sponges on her wood fire oven. For the kids she made a stick toffee, wrapping it around a wooden spoon. Rudi and Freddie would often pop in to visit Mary and her family.

      At home she always wore an apron, in its pocket she kept crochet or knitting and worked on it while waiting for the meal to cook.

      She was always busy, with 13 kids what else would you expect, but she would always manage to provide and extra plate of food for an unexpected visitor.

      In the later years they would eat well at the big kitchen table. Stewart would bring home prawns at 6 pence a bucket. He was never mean with food. Stewart often took the kids for a ride on the back of his wage. Many a Sunday would be spent on picnics on the banks of the Cooks or Georges Rivers.

      Mary died on the 8th March 1964 of Carcinoma, aged 82 years and was buried at Rookwood Cometary next to her husband Stewart.

      At the time of her death, Mary lived at 7 Belgium St Riverwood NSW with her son Ernest and daughter Olive.
      Mary and Stewart had 14 Children, 41 Grand Children, 79 Great Grandchildren, 71 Great Great Grandchildren and 11 Great Great Great Grandchildren.

      The grand children of Mary and Stewart remember the house at 70 Belmore Rd Punchbowl with affection. It stood on a five acre block (it is now the entrance to Austral Brick Works at no. 62).
      Memories of Mary:
      An Outstanding Layd, her wise counsel and good cooking and Stewart with his horses still lives on.



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