Mary Gertrude Isabell HOSCHKE was born on 10 Mar 1889 in the Orara Valley. She was the 11^th child born to Amandus and Mary and their third daughter. Mary suffered from asthma, and was sent to live with her maternal grandparents in Orange, which was a drier climate, at around 12 years of age.

 

In 1914 at the age of 25, Mary married William David Tait in Wellington. His family owned a bakery in Wellington that had been around for some time before Mary & William married. William’s father Robert had passed away in September 1910, William was only 23 and from birth, deaths and marriage records it appears he was the only surviving child of their marriage, so we can assume it was expected that he take over the bakery and look after his mother.

There is reference to the roof being blown off the bakery and the adjoining store in what was called the largest storm in living memory in January 1899.

Mary & William lived above the shop for many years and it’s believed they raised their family there until at least 1948. Above the shop there were three bedrooms, a lounge and bathroom. At the rear of the shop downstairs there was another lounge area and an office. When the bakery was sold the family moved to Enmore in Sydney and then later to Concord.

As mentioned Mary & William had five children, Edith Elizabeth Mary, Robert William, May Ethel, Edward Arthur, and Joan Isabel. Mary’s mother in law Elizabeth Tait also lived with them at the store, so it must have been fairly crowded with 8 people living in a three bedroom home.

William passed away on April 3^rd 1944 at the age of 57. He is buried in the Wellington General Cemetery in the Methodist section along with both of his parents Robert & Elizabeth, and his sister Isabella Sherriff Tait who had passed away in 1902.

Edith Elizabeth Mary Tait

Mary and William’s eldest child, Edith was born on October 5^th 1914. She went on to marry Irvine James Finucane at Wellington, NSW in 1946. According to her obituary, Edith had been unwell for some time leading up to her marriage and she passed away the same year, shortly after giving birth to a baby son named Peter. She was aged just 29, and was survived by her four siblings and her mother also. She passed away at her mother’s home in Arthur Street Wellington, NSW, having stayed with her since being discharged from hospital. She was buried on the same day in the Methodist section of the Wellington Cemetery.

Peter was raised in Sydney with the Tait’s and later after Jean  married ? Gunning at Concord we believe that Peter went with them to live in Port Macquarie, NSW.

General Notes: Obituary in Wellington Times 24 October 1946

Robert William TAIT

Robert was born on 29 May 1916, and he resided with Constance Mary Norris in Darlinghurst for many years up until near the time of his death. Robert (Bob) served in the airforce during WW2 and after that had a long career with Castrol Oils.

May Ethel TAIT

May was born on 26 Apr 1918 and died on 13 Jan 1961, at age 42. No marriage is listed on BDM for Mary.

Edward Arthur TAIT

Edward was born on 5 May 1920. He married Una Harriett Tupper who had a son Darrell Coady to a former husband. Darrell worked in the bakery till it closed in 1948 and then stayed in touch with the Taits in Sydney.

Jean Isabel TAIT

Jean was born on 15 Dec 1921 and died on 22 Apr 1999, at age 77.  Jean may have married a man named GUNNING, later in life and had no children. Doug & Margaret met with her at her home in Port Macquarie in the last few years before she passed away, but sadly she was not able to share much about her family.

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 Mary Tait nee Hoschke died on 3 Sep 1961, at age 72. We’d dearly love to find Peter Gunning / Tait / Finucane or members of this family. Information here has been collected from obituaries, family stories from Ian, Doug & Margaret Hoschke, Duane Norris and the Internet (headstone photos). So this is a call out, we hope others can pass it on also. Mary’s name is one of the most searched for names on our website, so if you are out there and you are family, we’d love to hear from you.