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Hubbar, Mary Victoria (1854 - 1928)

Born
24 September 1854
Collingwood, Victoria, Australia
Died
22 October 1928
Redcliffs, Victoria, Australia
Alternative Names
  • Hubbar, Mary Victoria (maiden name)
  • Le Wah, Mary Victoria Wah, Mary Victoria (also used)
  • Lee Wah, Mary Victoria (also used)
  • Lee, Mary Victoria (married name)

Details

Mary Victoria Lee Wah (nee Hubbar) was born in Collingwood, Victoria of Cornish immigrants. Her father, John Hubbar, appears to have been an illiterate carter and later a gardener. In contrast his daughter had good handwriting skills and played a number of musical instruments, including the harmonium which she often played at church services. Her mother was Blanche Hubbar, nee Ungove, born in Cornwall. When Mary was born in 1854 she had five siblings, Elizabeth (aged 16), Grace (aged 14), Catherine (aged 13), John (aged 11) and Joseph (aged 4)

In 1878 she married James Lee Wah at the age of 22. She gave her occupation at this time as domestic servant. According to family memory they met at church after Mary Victoria's 'flaming red hair' attracted the 46 year old James' attention. A church official, Cannon MacCullagh wrote of Mary Victoria soon after her marriage that 'she seems a steady, quiet young woman'.

Mary Victoria and James had seven children. One of whom, Henry, died in 1892 at the age of 5 years. Mary Victoria had a particularly close relationship with her son Alfred John Edward who she lived with till he went to World War I in 1917 and then again in the last two years of her life to 1928.

Sources used to compile this entry: Lee, Chris, 'Unfolding the silence: James Lee Wah (1832-1909) Chinese goldfields miner and Anglican missionary', in Sophie Couchman (ed.), Secrets, Silences and Sources: Five Chinese-Australian Family Histories (La Trobe Asian Studies Papers), Asian Studies, La Trobe University, 2005, pp. 17-30.

Prepared by: Chris Lee, independent researcher

Published Resources

Book Sections

  • Lee, Chris, 'Unfolding the silence: James Lee Wah (1832-1909) Chinese goldfields miner and Anglican missionary', in Sophie Couchman (ed.), Secrets, Silences and Sources: Five Chinese-Australian Family Histories (La Trobe Asian Studies Papers), Asian Studies, La Trobe University, 2005, pp. 17-30. Details

Created: 11 December 2003, Last modified: 27 September 2005