People Australia

Mrs. Moon, widow of the late Dr. John Moon, surgeon, celebrated her 98th birthday on Sunday, says the Sydney Morning Herald. Mrs. Moon's maiden name was Margaret Stuart Mein, and she was bom at Edinburgh on September 30, 1830. She left Edinburgh with her parents and two brothers in January, 1834, sailing in the North Briton from Leith by the Orkneys, the Cape, and Van Diemen's Land, and arrived in Sydney on August 28, 1834. Her father, Mr. John Stuart Mein, came to Sydney to inherit property at Portland Head and Cattai Creek, left to him by an uncle, Mr. James Mein, one of the pioneers of the Hawkesbury. On May 31, 1836, the family went to live at West Maitland, where Mr. Mein acted as manager of the first branch of the Commercial Banking Company there until February, 1845, when the family returned to live in Sydney. Two brothers of Mrs. Moon, since deceased, were Captain James Mein and Mr. Justice Mein, of Queensland. Mrs. Moon was educated at Mrs. Luke's school at Morpeth, where there were about 80 pupils from all parts of the colony, among them two sisters of the late Mr. W. C. Wentworth. Afterwards she went to Mrs. Liddell's school in West Maitland. As a child she saw convicts working on the roads, chained in couples to little carts containing blue metal, and has recollections of seeing men punished in the public stocks near the Town Hall. She also recollects at this time Mr. Pilcher, of Maitland, father of the late Mr. Charles Pilcher, K.C., being bailed up by bushrangers. His wife was successful in frustrating their attack. The bushrangers also planned to break into her father's bank, but an anonymous letter was sent to him, informing him of the plot, and constables were stationed round the bank and prevented the proposed attack. In spite of her great age, she manages her own house, signs her cheques, and up till as late as a month ago was able to do very fine embroidery work. Mrs. Moon at present resides at 55 Ocean-street, Woollahra, where she has lived for very many years. "I remember when all Woollahra was a sand hill," she says.