Marion Jane Macvean née Fraser

This is a quick update on some of the information I provided in my series of posts published earlier this year, titled “Madam President”.

Just a reminder, Marion was married to John Macvean, my 1st Cousin 4x removed. She was also the daughter of Sir Simon Fraser and Margaret Bolger, and was the paternal aunt of Australia’s 22nd Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser.

In my previous posts, I shared that I had made contact with the Quirindi District Historical Society. I heard back from their wonderful team of volunteers again, and they happily provided me with some more information on Marion.

First off, one thing I had wrong, which I thought I might have. Concerning the house that Marion lived in at Quirindi, I hypothesised that this particular house on the corner of Henry and Hill Streets might have been her house, named “Tycawina”.

I was wrong. This is not Marion’s house. It was, in fact, the house opposite, on the top left side of the intersection in this photograph below.

The volunteers were able to confirm that it was this property, as a photograph of it appeared in a book on the history of the area titled “Quirindi 2000” by Dorothy Durant. Here is a copy of that photograph taken by Graeme Collins.

It was actually a triple block going through from Hill Street to Lee Avenue behind it.

Since starting these posts on Marion back in May, Google Maps have updated its street view and here is the latest view of the property from Hill Street in July this year.

I had some great luck in finding the property listed in “The Northern Daily Leader” from when it was last sold in 2022. Thanks to the paper for being so generous and sharing their photos online, we have this fantastic aerial shot of the property showing it in greater detail.

According to the Leaders online sales blurb, Tycawina features 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, with a large amount of outdoor space and a private courtyard. It also boasts a 2-car garage and a separate one-bedroom cottage with a kitchen, lounge, and bathroom.https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7852246/elegant-home-with-original-features-60-hill-street-quirindi/#slide=5

Thanks to the paper and also Real Estate.com.au and Property.com.au, we have the chance to actually see inside Marion’s home, as they provided interior shots too. They also confirm that a lot of the features shown are original and from Marion’s time in the home.

First off, the front entrance, which faces the main garden.

I wonder if this gate shown below might have been the original street entry from Henry Street to gain access to the property.

This looks like it would link up with a path that might have run the length of the bottom of (Figure 6), leading to the two white arbour structures on the stairs, in line with the front door.

Next, we have the formal entrance with a coat room included.

On the right you go through to the formal lounge.

This then leads through to the dining room that, according to the Leader, boasts, “…spectacular ornate finishes, open fireplaces and French doors to a private balcony.”https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7852246/elegant-home-with-original-features-60-hill-street-quirindi/#slide=5

The building is designed around a central courtyard.

Next is one of three bathrooms on the property with “…Original clawfoot tub, showerhead, pedestal basin and medicine cupboard…” https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7852246/elegant-home-with-original-features-60-hill-street-quirindi/#slide=5

Then, we have the kitchen, which still features the original cabinets, and a breakfast corner, which is situated behind the photographer in the view below.

And finally, a butler’s pantry that also boasts a built-in double-sided servery through to the dining room.

What an absolute treat to be able to see into Marion’s world. I so hope some of it has survived since it last sold. Mind you, if I had bought it, that shocker of a bathroom would be gone.

There is one other person that I feel we need to mention here, namely Dr Kevin O’Hanlon. He is mentioned in the line of text under the photo of Tycawina in (Figure 3). I’ve just done a bit of a quick dive on Trove and it looks like Kevin and his family lived at Tycawina for the better part of 30 years.

I cannot find a leaving notice for Marion or a taking over premises notice for Kevin on Trove, so I turned to the Electoral Roll listings on Ancestry.com.au.

This is the last listing for Marion in the electoral roll for 1949.

Dr O’Hanlon and his wife, Ellie Mary Shannon were in Thomas Street, Quirindi at this stage.

Unfortunately, the next three years of the electoral rolls are missing from the Ancestry records. I can only assume once again they didn’t survive. The next record available is for 1953, and look who is in residence in Tycawina.

So somewhere in the intervening three years, Marion moves out, and the O’Hanlons move in.

Here are the O’Hanlons.

I’m including this next article as it accompanied the photo of Kevin and his daughter Patricia. It is very interesting to note what they went through.

Article 1: Courtesy of Trove, National Library of Australia

What a journey they had to endure, and I read another article about their experience and in it, they revealed that Patricia lost the use of her legs halfway through the first part of their crossing.

It was wonderful to read that Patricia survived; unfortunately, she was only with Ellie and Kevin for another two and a half years, as she passed away in October of 1939.

Patricia was buried at the Quirindi Lawn Cemetery.

Ellie and Kevin go on to have another three children, Frances, Connaught and Charles, who, from all reports, go on to lead full lives.

Ellie passed away at Tycawina in 1968 at the age of 60.

Ellie is also buried at Quirindi Lawn Cemetery.

The last electoral roll listing I have for Kevin is in 1968, and his son Charles is listed as still living with him.

I’m fairly sure that Kevin went on living at Tycawina until his death in 1975.

Kevin is buried at Quirindi Lawn Cemetery the same cemetery where Patricia and Ellie are buried too.

I know this is only a small mention of the O’Hanlons, but it just seemed the right thing to include them, as their story is just as much a part of the Tycawina story as Marion’s.

To finish off, the Volunteers at the historical society also sent me this small article they had on display, mentioning Marion from the Quirindi Advocate, which is not available on Trove.