Louise Augusta Fookes

     NOTE: The information on this page is my research to date and is subject to change as I become better informed. I very much welcome any corrections or additional info you might have - my email address is at the bottom of this page. Whilst historical facts are not copyright, my writing about these facts are. If you wish to use any text from this site on Ancestry or on any other website, please ask me first - Tim Hill.


Louise was born on Friday, 9 April 1880 at the small Tasmanian town of Evandale.¹ She was the daughter of Rev. Henry Samuel Cox Fookes and Jane Maria Murray. She presumably lived with her parents at Waratah, Tasmania, in 1890.²

Her mother died 22 August 1903 at the age of 52. Louise was aged 23 when this happened.³

She married Charles Leigh Clare Nicholson, an engineer, son of Donald Nicholson and Euphemia Scott Gibb, in a Church of England ceremony at St. Martin's Church on Sunday, 8 December 1907 at Queenstown, Tasmania. She was 27 and her husband Charles was 35. The wedding certificate was also signed by Albert Henry Fooks and Lily Euphemia Eveline Nicholson. Others attending the wedding may have included Rev. Henry Samuel Cox Fookes as father of the bride, Euphemia Scott Gibb as mother of the groom and Donald Nicholson as father of the groom. Brothers and sisters who may have attended include Coralie Hannah Lucy Fookes, Alice May Fookes, Vernon Edward Fookes, Noel Francis Fooks, Eric Vere Fookes and Reginald Murray Fookes. Louise and Charles went on to have three children together.⁴

Charles lived in Queenstown before his marriage, and stayed there with Louise.⁵

Louise, aged 29 and Charles Leigh Clare Nicholson, aged 37 became the parents of Hubert Nicholson on Thursday, 16 December 1909 at Queenstown, Tasmania.⁴ The Nicholson family posed for a photograph c1910. Louise and Charles lived circa March 1910 at Queenstown, Tasmania.⁴ Louise and Charles lived in 1914 at McNamara Street, in Queenstown, Tasmania.⁶ Louise Augusta Fookes was was engaged in home duties in 1914.⁶ Some of the extended family posed for a photograph in Queenstown, Tasmania, circa 1915.   Louise and Charles lived in 1917 at at 24 Acland Street in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda.⁷ Louise and Charles lived in 1919 at at 20 Dryden Street in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda.⁸ Louise's occupation was given as 'home duties' in 1919.⁸ Louise and Charles lived in 1922 at at 5 Clarke Street in the Melbourne suburb of St. Kilda. Also living in the house was a Donald Nicholson - perhaps his father or brother.⁹

Her father died 10 February 1924 at the age of 76. Louise was aged 43 when this happened. Louise and Charles lived in 1925 at at 177 Glenferrie Road in the Melbourne suburb of Glenferrie.¹⁰ Louise Augusta Fookes was a manageress in 1925.¹⁰

Louise and Charles ran a strawberry farm Mount Dandenong Road, in Montrose, Victoria, and their son Brandon would sometimes work there (and couldn't eat strawberries for years afterwards).^11,12

Her husband Charles died 1930, leaving her a widow. Louise lived in 1931 at at 51 Haines Street in the Melbourne suburb of Glenferrie. It is likely that both her sons were living with her then.¹³

Louise, as the mother of the groom, attended the wedding of Hubert and Mavis Lily Oaten, a designer, in a Church of England ceremony at All Saints on Saturday, 17 February 1934 at the Melbourne suburb of Kooyong. Hubert was 24 and his wife Mavis was 20. Mavis married with the consent of her mother.. Violet Barbara Cheyne as mother of the bride. Aunts, uncles and grandparents who may have attended include Charles Henry Oaten, Albert Henry Fooks, Winifred Amelia Oaten, Alice Eleanor Mary Oaten, Margaret Mary Oaten, Henry William Oaten, Charles Henry Oaten, Lydia Amelia Oaten, Lily Hawthorne Cheyne and Daisy Agnnete Cheyne. They went on to have some eight children together, only two of whom reached adulthood.^14,15 Louise Augusta Fookes was as a drycleaner.¹² Louise lived in 1936 at at 8 Coppin Grove in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. Also living her was her daughter Jeanne.¹⁶ Louise lived in 1937 at at 5 Riversdale Road in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.¹⁷ She lived with her sons and Hubert's wife Mavis in 1942 at at 2 Coppin Grove in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn.^18,12

After the death of her husband, Louise spent time living with each of her three children but spent longest with her son Hubert and his family. However, this wasn't easy for Hubert's wife Mavis.^12,19 She was living with her daughter Mavis and son-in-law at at 20 Bluff street in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn East in July 1959.²⁰

Louise died on 21 July 1959 at at Melbourne Home and Hospital for the Aged in the Melbourne suburb of Cheltenham at age 79 of coronary sclerosis that she had for two years that became an acute occlusion.²⁰ Her body was interred at Springvale Botanical Cemetery on 23 July 1959 at the Melbourne suburb of Springvale. Plot: Church of England, Compartment N, Section 11, Grave 14.^20,21