The ninth of Amandus & Mary Ann Hoschke’s thirteen children was Amandus Ludwig, who was born on August 1^st in 1884. Amandus Ludwig was born in Orange, NSW, the second youngest born there before the family moved to the northern rivers of NSW. Amandus would only have been two when the family travelled north with his eight older siblings and a baby brother Ennisil Carl (known as Ernest).

In December 1908 at the age of 24 Amandus married Helen Mary Edith Dammerel in Grafton, NSW. Helen was the daughter of George and Sarah Dammerel and she was born in Armidale, NSW on July 6^th 1883.

Clarence and Richmond Examiner

Tuesday 29 December 1908

SOCIAL NOTES.

A wedding was celebrated on Tuesday, 22nd instant, when Mr. A. L.. Hoschke, teacher at Moonee and Korora schools, and son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hoschke, of Upper Orara, and Miss Nellie Dammerel, second youngest, daughter of Mr. Geo. Dammerel, Signal Station, Woolgoolga, were united in the holy bonds.

The ceremony took place at the residence of the bride’s father, Rev. C. L. H. Cox officiating. The bride looked charming in a semi-Empire gown of ivory silk trimmed with silk embroidery, wreath and veil, and wore a handsome brooch, gift of the bridegroom.  The bride was accompanied by her youngest sister, Florence, as bridesmaid, who was tastefully attired in pale pink striped muslin yoile, Oriental trimming, and wore a pretty gold pendant and chain, gift of’the bridegroom.

Mr. Ted Hoschke (brother of bridegroom) acted as best man. A large number of friends assembled to witness the ceremony, afterwards partaking of a sumptuous wedding breakfast, when the usual toasts, were honoured. The number of handsome and useful presents received, inclusive of several cheques, are indicative of the high esteem in which the newly married couple are held. Mr. and Mrs. Hoschke left amid showers of confetti, rose leaves and rice, travelling to Sydney by the Cavanba. The school vacation is to be spent on the Blue Mountains.

Helen’s father George was the Master of the Signal Station developed on Dammerel’s Headland at Emerald Beach in 1887. Their family story is equally sad and fascinating and can be found here on the the South Solitary Island webpage.

Amandus and Helen were both teachers. As mentioned in the wedding report above he was teaching at Korora and Moonee schools when he and Helen married. In 1912 he began teaching at Wombah Public School, which had been established as a primary school in July the previous year. Wombah was initially approved as a provisional school in March 1872 and continued as a half time school and provisional school until July 1911. The school continued through to September 1953 when it finally closed.

As well as teaching the students who attended the school, as the only teacher Amandus was also responsible for maintaining the boat which was used to convey 9 students across the Clarence River from Goodwood Island to Wombah to attend school.

Amandus taught at Wombah Public School for 11 years until the 18th January 1923, when at the age of 39 he retired 5 months before he passed away from a wasting disease. We know he had been unwell for some time, there is reference to him having surgery as far back as 1911.

Clarence and Richmond Examiner

Tuesday 21 November 1911

Mr. Amandus Hoschke; an inmate of Clarence House Hospital, has been, successfully operated on, and is making satisfactory progress towards recovery.

Amandus and Helen had one child, a daughter named Nancey Evelyn Hoschke born on 25 August 1921, two short years before her father would pass away. It must have been difficult for Helen being widowed at the age of 38 with a young child.

By 1930, Helen (47) had moved to Bondi in Sydney and was living in O’Donnell Street and her occupation was listed as a teacher. (1930 NSW Electoral Rolls)

Three years later Helen in 1933 Helen was residing at Barton House in Dubbo and her occupation was listed as home duties, she was here for at least three years. Helen was 50 by this time. Barton House was a private boarding home in Dubbo.

By 1943, Helen, now aged 60 was once again residing in Sydney at 40 Fitzroy Street Kirribilli and she once again listed her occupation as home duties. She is listed at the address right up until 1954, when she would have been aged 71. This is the last record found for Helen, she passed away on the 29-Nov-1960 in Sydney and her death notice was published on 30^th November 1960 in the Sydney Morning Herald, aged 77.

But what of Helen and Amandus’ daughter Nancey? Nancey’s name was also spelt Nancy, but she mostly seemed to be known as Nance.

Nance married David Provan MacLaren in 1949 at North Sydney, NSW. She was 28, and she and David resided at Hurstville in Sydney. David’s occupation is listed as a bank officer, and from electoral rolls it seems he moved around between Newcastle and Sydney as a bank officer, and it was not until he and Nance married that he settled in Sydney.

Nance and Dave had a daughter born in 1952 at Crown Street Women’s Hospital:

SMH Wed 2^nd Jan 1952 (Trove)

It’s believed they went on to have another daughter, as Nance’s aunty Lillian told Doug & Margaret that they had two daughters. By 1958 Nance and Dave were living in Beecroft where he was still listed as a bank teller, and Nance was listed as a school teacher, like her parents.