Myrtle Olive Harriett Tucker

Myrtle Olive Harriett Tucker

Female 1889 - 1973  (84 years)

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  • Name Myrtle Olive Harriett Tucker 
    Birth 3 Oct 1889  Woodlands, Hoyleton District, Upper Wakefield, South Australia, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Death 19 Nov 1973 
    Burial Kybunga Cemetery, South Australia, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2464  Tucker Family Tree | The descendants of James Tucker
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2007 

    Father William Tucker,   b. 29 Jan 1845, Stratton, St. Margaret's, Highworth, Wiltshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Apr 1908, On the farm at Hoyleton,South Australia, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years) 
    Mother Martha Lemon,   b. 8 Jun 1846, West Orchard, Dorset, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 Oct 1925, Hoyleton, South Australia, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Marriage 6 Mar 1869  Residence of Minister Willunga,South Australia, Australia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2

    Marriage Certificate of William Tucker and Martha Lemon
    Marriage Certificate of William Tucker and Martha Lemon
    The certificate of marriage of William Tucker and Martha Lemon - 06 March 1869

    Marriage Transcription - William Tucker and Martha Lemon
    Marriage Transcription - William Tucker and Martha Lemon
    William Tucker married Martha Lemon 06 March 1869 at the residence of the Minister, Willunga, South Australia, Australia.
    Family ID F0711  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Albert Shrubsole,   b. Abt 1892   d. 9 Oct 1926 (Age ~ 34 years) 
    Marriage 21 Apr 1926  Methodist Church, Woodlands, South Australia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1237  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 Jul 2022 

  • Photos
    Myrtle Olive Harriet Tucker
    Myrtle Olive Harriet Tucker
    Myrtle Olive Harriet Tucker - Eighth child of William Tucker and Martha Lemon
    The Family of William and Martha Tucker (n. Lemon)
    The Family of William and Martha Tucker (n. Lemon)
    The Family of William and Martha Tucker (n. Lemon)
    Back l to r: Sarah Penfold (n. Tucker), Eliza Clarke (n. Tucker), Lucy Kent Coulls (n. Tucker).
    Sitting l to r: John Charles Tucker, William Tucker, Inman Tucker, Martha Tucker (n. Lemon), William Edmond Tucker, Myrtle Olive Harriet Tucker
    The Wedding Party of Arthur and Margary Adcock (n.Tucker)
    The Wedding Party of Arthur and Margary Adcock (n.Tucker)
    The Wedding of Margary Tucker and Arthur Adcock
    Left: Myrtle Shrubsole, Cyril Adcock, Arthur Adcock, Margary Adcock, Ralph Adcock, Bill, Violet and Annie Adcock, Flowergirls: Doris Evans and Hazel Redpath
    Myrtle Olive Shrubsole (n.Tucker)
    Myrtle Olive Shrubsole (n.Tucker)
    This photo of Myrtle was cropped from the wedding photo of Margery & Arthur Adcock

  • Notes 
    • Her grandmother (Harriett Lemon) promised that if Martha named the baby after her she would give the child a brand new dress. Thus Myrtle was endowed with her grandmother's name. She grew up on the farm at Hoyleton with the family, and attended the Hoyleton School. From a very early age, it seemed that Myrtle was put on this earth to help other people. Whenever a need arose.. there was Myrtle Tucker. she stayed at home to care for her aging parents, even though she was attracted to a young man in the district, one Albert Shrubsole, who was working for the local farmers John Charles Tucker and his son-in-law Ted Redpath. Bert Shrubsole's grandparents had arrived in the new colony of South Australia on the same ship as Myrtle's grandparents, having both sailed on the Eliza which arrived in 1849.
      It is assumed that Myrtle (together with her mother, Martha Tucker, nee Lemon) shifted into Balaklava to live in 1911, as she had offered to care for her nephew, Wilfred Clarke, while his parents (Joseph and Eliza Clarke) and younger sister had sailed to England to visit relatives and to partake in the coronation of George V and Queen Mary celebrations. It was a typically unselfish offer for Myrtle to make, to shift closer to a school so that the young boy of 6 years would be saved a lot of travel to start his education.
      Living at Woodlands on a farm which was called "Belair Farm" was Myrtle's brother, six years older than her, William Edmond Tucker and his wife lived in the farmhouse and had two boys, Arthur and Frank Tucker. Eva became very sick, after accidentally swallowing a bone which lodged in her lung. She had also just given birth to their eldest daughter, Doris, but after about 3 months of trying to manage the house and three children, she was unable to cope, and so her parents (Rev. Thomas and Elizabeth Adcock) came and took the baby Doris to care for her until Eva regained her health. Unfortunately this did not happen and her condition slowly got worse. About 1912/13, Myrtle decided to move into the Woodlands home of her Brother, taking Martha with her of course, and proceeded to care for the whole family; Will, Eva, Arthur, Frank and Martha. She kept house and tended to the ailing Eva, and then in 1914 when Will and Eva's youngest child, Mavis, arrived, she cared for the baby as well. Myrtle and Martha continued to live at Woodlands for several more years, but tragically in April 1917 Eva died. The family stayed at "Belair Farm" for several more years, with Myrtle at the helm, caring for them all.
      About 1923, Will decided to sell"Belair Farm" and try his luck on another property near Lameroo, a place called "Beau Vale". Will's children attended the primary school there and were able to be near their father because Myrtle had taken her mother and followed Will to care, once again, for the family.
      While living near Lameroo, it is understood that Will met and Married Ethel Tucker (no relation, from Blyth South Australia). The newly married couple moved to a property at Halidon, then after a disastrous land deal with another man they moved to Coorong, near Meningie. Clarence Tucker was born in 1924, and when Will and Ethel moved to Coorong, Myrtle shifted again to Meningie, so the older children could be near their father. The fleas at Meningie were in plague proportions, and children were sometimes made to sleep in the dray, in an effort to protect them from the blood-sucking insects.
      By 1924/25 Martha's health was starting to fail, and as Arthur and Frank Tucker (Will's sons) had left school and were making their own way in life, Myrtle decided to take her mother back to the little house at Kybunga. This was the first home of the Tuckers at Kybunga, superceded by a larger, more convenient dwelling when Inman and Mary settled on the farm and had their family.
      Myrtle had kept her promise to care for her aged parents, and thus was at last able to marry her sweetheart, Albert Shrubsole. Accounts of the event are included below.
      Hoyleton April 19th A Kitchen Evening
      The relatives and friends of Miss Myrtle Tucker, of Hoyleton, tendered her a kitchen evening on Friday night, April 16th, in view of her approaching marriage with Mr Bert Shrubsole. Items were rendered by Misses McSkimming, McCabe and H. Redpath. Mr J Clarke handed over to Miss Tucker the many useful kitchen articles presented by her many friends and wished her all future happiness. Miss Tucker suitably responded. Dancing and Games were followed by a supper......

      A Rainbow Wedding: Shrubsole - Tucker
      A very pretty wedding was celebrated in the Woodlands Methodist Church on Wednesday April 21st when Myrtle, youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Wm Tucker, of Hoyleton, was married to Bert, eldest son of Mr W Shrubsole, of Halbury. The Rev W.O. Harris of Balaklava officiated and Miss Mary Clarke, niece of the bride, presided at the organ. The church was prettily decorated by friends of the bride with fern, and lemon, lavender and pale blue streamers, and from a bridal arch was suspended a large wedding bell, and on either side of the arch were the bride and groom's initials. The bride, who entered the church on the arm of her uncle (Mr John Tucker) looked charming in a frock of white marocain, daintily trimmed with silver lace. Her court train, suspended from the shoulders, was embroidered with silver horse shoes and true lovers' knots at the corners. The bridal veil, which was embroidered, was worn cap fashion, with the orthodox wreath of orange blossoms. She carried a dainty bouquet of white Flowers with satin streamers. The first bridesmaid, miss Mary Coulls, of Adelaide, (niece of the bride), was frocked in lemon crepe de chine, trimmed with rosettes and flowers. She wore a silver headband. The flower girl, Mavis Tucker, (niece of the bride) was in a pale blue frock of crepe de chine. She carried a basket filled with fern and flowers. Mr Stan Shrubsole (brother of the bridegroom) was best man and Mr Frank Tucker (nephew of the bride) was groomsman. During the signing of the register a solo 'Because' was rendered by Miss Hazel Redpath. A lucky horseshoe was hung on the bride's arm by her little niece, Phyllis Banks. The bridegroom's gift to the 1st bridesmaid was a camera and to the 2nd a signet ring. The reception was held in the Kybunga Hall which had been decorated in rainbow colours by friends of the bride and bridegroom. 80 guests sat down to the wedding breakfast. The Rev W.0. Harris proposed the toast to the bride and groom, to which the bridegroom responded. Later the happy couple left for Balaklava, en route for Kangaroo Island, where the honeymoon will be spent. The bride's travelling dress was of grey crepe de chine, with hat to match. The bride and groom received many very useful gifts including several cheques.
      Myrtle and Bert lived in a small pug and pine dwelling on the property of John Charles Tucker, near the home of Ted and Mary Redpath. Sadly Bert died after only three months of marriage, his heart weakened by rheumatic fever as a young man. Myrtle gave up the tiny home she and Bert had shared, and gave her prized possession, the Jersey cow called "Brownie" to her older sister Eliza Clarke.
      Eventually about 1928, John Charles Tucker (brother of Myrtle's father) decided to retire to the city and purchased a house in Prospect. Myrtle was offered the position as housekeeper and carer. Lovingly and conscientiously she cared for her uncle, continued to care for Mavis, and always welcomed and cared for any of the family who needed accommodation.
      She was a devout Christian, attended the Prospect Church of Christ, and faithfully followed the teachings of her Lord. Sometimes she was able to take a short holiday from caring for the folk at Prospect, and would invariably travel to Kybunga, and Zulu Farm, to help her sister Eliza on the farm. Her help in this regard was especially appreciated during the time after Alfred Clark's first wife Clara (nee Field) died, as Eliza was endeavouring to keep things running smoothly at Zulu Farm, and also care for the four remaining children at Clarunga; Isla, Ralph, Marion and Gwen.
      Sometimes she was able to take a short holiday interstate with other members of the family on a Christian Curch witness. In October 1935, Myrtle, together with Eliza Clarke, Marj and Arthur Adcock, Mary Clarke, Mary Redpath and Mavis Tucker travelled to see the Jenolan Caves.
      Win Sulley remembers Auntie Myrtle: " In retrospect I think as a young teenager I viewed Auntie Myrtle through a sentimental haze. The delaying of her marriage to care for her parents, her husband's death when they had only been married three months, and her subsequent caring for her brother Will's children all had a sadness to it that bordered on the romantic. In actual fact she was down to earth and a genuinely caring person. My first memories of here were when she lived at Prospect keeping house for her Uncle John. Other vivid memories of here were when Grandma Clarke (her sister) was ill at our place (Croydon). Auntie Myrtole came, slept on a cot in Grandma's room, and helped Daisy with the nursing and cared for us all. Later memories still, were of the small financial fights she faithfully sent to me in Japan. I knew it spelt sacrifice for her and was precious both to me and I am sure to her Lord, whom she loved and served all her life. Indeed I would venture to say that her religious faith was the basis of her unselfish life."
      As well as her caring and unselfish outlook on life, she was embued with a delightful sense of humour. The "little" children from Allenby Gardens would eagerly anticipate a visit to prospect to see Auntie Myrtle. When tales were told to delight Myrtle, she would throw her hands in the air, and with a wicked grin on her face, declare, "Hallelujah!" After the death of Myrtle's Uncle John, she continued to live in the house at Prospect, but only in one half, renting the other half to a Miss Gregor. Mavis Terrace (nee Tucker) lovingly cared for her Aunt until her death in 1973.

      70th Birthday at Prospect
      Friends and relatives of Mrs M Shrubsole arranged the birthday party held in honour of her 70th birthday in the Church of Christ Assembly Hall Prospect on October 3rd. It will be remembered that Mrs Shrubsole lived for many years in the Woodlands district before moving to Adelaide following the death of her husband Mr Bert Shrubsole. Two of Mrs Shrubsole's sisters, Mesdames F.W. Bakes and T. Day contributed to the programme with several duets and there also were games and dancing. At supper congratulations were offered from those present, and the guest of honour cut the lovely cake, while the assembled gathered sang "happy birthday". Mrs Shrubsole, who received a nice lot of gifts, responded to the expressions of best wishes and offered her sincere thanks for such a wonderful gathering.
      Finally at the age of 84 years, and after a lifetime of service to her lord and to others, Myrtle relinquished her earthly life. She died peacefully in her sleep, the effect of a heart attack, and was buried in the Kybunga cemetery next to her husband. Although she never had any children of her own, the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of her brothers and sisters mourned the sad loss of their Aunt, but rejoiced in the knowledge that she had been part of their lives. (The Tucker Family in Australia, 1992)

  • Sources 
    1. [S1] Cynthis Henley-Smith, The Tucker Family in Australia, (Gillingham Printers Pty Ltd Adelaide, South Australia), 1992, 191 (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S493] Genealogy SA, trading as the South Australian Genealogy & Heraldry Society, findmypast, South Australian Marriages 1842-1937 Transcription, (findmypast), 6 Mar 1869, Reg No. 78/440 (Reliability: 3).
      See attached South Australia Marriages 1842-1937 Transcription for Martha Lemon and William Tucker.


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