The Old Homestead

This weeks theme on #52ancestors in 52 weeks is "The Old Homestead". Now that's a really American term and I don't really have much information on an old farm that has stayed in the family for generations. But we do a bit of family history linked to a house.

"Fifeshire" - 9 Eurobin Ave, Manly (Sydney's northern beaches).



It was owned by my great-grandmother (my mother's father's mother) Emma Ivanhoe Morton. She was born in Manly in 1878, and married Arthur John Hardwick in 1909 and they lived in Brookvale, NSW. However, after he ran off with another woman, she lived with her son George Arthur Hardwick in Redfern and Punchbowl, before moving purchasing the house in Manly.

Emma Ivanhoe Hardwick (Morton) in December 1924

She would have named it "Fifeshire" because her father, David Morton, was born in Pittenwheem, Fife in Scotland, before coming to Australia in 1859.

Pittenwheem Harbour, Fife, Scotland

George Arthur lived with her until he married my maternal Grandmother in 1938. However, after they divorced in 1943, he went back to live with his mummy!

Emma Hardwick died in 1957 and in 1958, George is recorded as having moved to North Manly. Not sure what happened to the house after that, but it is estimated to be worth around $3 million dollars now, according to realestate.com.au! Maybe we should have held onto it...




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