EDGOOSE, Myra Winfrey

1916 - 2015  (98 years)

• Name	EDGOOSE, Myra Winfrey
  Born	2 Mar 1916	Australia
  Gender	Female
  Died	13 Jan 2015	Corooy, Queensland, Australia
  Person ID	I440	Edgoose
  Last Modified	30 Jan 2024

  
  

  Father	EDGOOSE, Arthur James,   b. 21 Apr 1871, Leopold, Victoria, Australia ,   d. 6 Oct 1957, Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia  (Age 86 years)
  Mother	CANNON, Ann Harriet Celia,   b. 3 Jun 1877, Donald, Victoria, Australia ,   d. 2 Jun 1965, Blackburn, Victoria, Australia  (Age 87 years)
  Married	21 Sep 1898	Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  Family ID	F302	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	MAY, Geoffrey Richard Obe,   b. 18 Apr 1910, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia ,   d. 30 May 1983, Lindfield, New South Wales, Australia  (Age 73 years)
  Married	27 Jan 1940	Kew, Victoria, Australia
  Last Modified	16 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F120	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Letters from AUSTRALIA		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 713.jpg MYRA WINFREY MAY formerly EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE WHEN: 31 December 2001 FROM WHERE: Unit 19, Mayflower, Australia WHAT: Memories of her late sisters, her parents, and Siss; reflections on childhood. PAGE 1
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 718.jpg MYRA WINFREY MAY formerly EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE WHEN: 31 December 2001 FROM WHERE: Unit 19, Mayflower, Australia WHAT: Memories of her late sisters, her parents, and Siss; reflections on childhood. PAGE 2
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 817.jpg ANECDOTES OF THE LIFE OF ARTHUR JAMES EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHAT: Notes made by his youngest daughter Myra Winfrey EDGOOSE (1916-2005) for Michael James EDGOOSE
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 827.jpg MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 21 April 2001 WHAT: An e-mail extract on the subject of family history.
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 829.jpg MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 15 September 2001 WHAT: An edited e-mail extract on the subject of family history.
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 830.jpg MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 20 September 2001 WHAT: An edited e-mail extract on the subject of family history.
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 831.jpg MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 27 September 1901 WHAT: An edited e-mail extract on the subject of family history.
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 832.jpg MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) to MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 24 November 2001 WHAT: An e-mail extract on the subject of family history.

  
  

  Letters from ENGLAND		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 833.jpg MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE re MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHAT: An e-mail on the subject of Myra Winfrey MAY nee EDGOOSE and her father Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) PAGE 1 WHEN: 1 December 2001
  		Edgoose MyraWinfreyEdgoose 440 834.jpg MICHAEL JAMES EDGOOSE re MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE (1916-2015) via BRUCE TIPPETT. WHAT: An e-mail on the subject of Myra Winfrey MAY nee EDGOOSE and her father Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHO: Youngest daughter of Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957) WHEN: 1 December 2001 PAGE 2

  
  

• Notes

  MYRA WINFREY EDGOOSE 1916-2015 Myra Winfrey EDGOOSE was born on 2 March 1916, daughter of Arthur James and Annie EDGOOSE who married at Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, on 21 September 1898. She was named Myra after Kingsley GREENWOOD's mother. From the 1937 Electoral Roll of Box Hill, Deakin, Victoria, Australia: *EDGOOSE Arthur James EDGOOSE Annie EDGOOSE Myra Winfrey From the1939 Electoral Roll of 5 Oxford Street, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia (abbreviations expanded): EDGOOSE Arthur James, civil servant EDGOOSE Annie, home duties *EDGOOSE Myra Winfrey, kindergarten teacher (findmypast) From The Argus, 2 May 1939: "SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Ormiston Old Collegians mothers and friends have formed a Red Cross emergency service branch under the leadership of Mrs. T. H. STURZAKER and group leaders Mesdames PORRITT, LARK, FETHERS, SHAW, ELLIOTT, and Miss EDGOOSE.........." She finished teaching in 1939 and married Geoffrey Richard MAY at Highbury Grove Methodist Church, Kew, Victoria, on 27 January 1940. From the 1946 Electoral Roll of 35 Hunter Road, Camberwell E.6, Victoria, Australia: *MAY Myra Winfrey, home duties (findmypast) In 1968 she was living in Sydney, NSW, Australia. In 2001 she was living at Unit 19 Mayflower, 61 Belinda Street, Gerringong, NSW 2534, Australia. Extract from an e-mail dated 21 April 2001 which Bruce TIPPETT, nephew of Myra Winfrey MAY nee EDGOOSE (1916-2015), wrote to Michael James EDGOOSE: "My feeling is that Myra would like the information in the attached used judicially but what has upset her is [sic] the implications contained in some of the anecdotes which give a wrong impression of AJE [Arthur James EDGOOSE (1871-1957)] not seen nor demonstrated in his daily life and his respect for his fellow brother. No matter how the picture is painted it should always show the truth. Myra is of course the last left of that generation, who can voice their understanding of what occurred, and so should be heard." (E-mail dated 21 April 1901) Extract from an e-mail dated 15 September 2001 which Michael James EDGOOSE wrote to Bruce TIPPETT: "I have today entered the TIPPETT and MAY family details which you kindly sent me and am now turning my attention to Myra MAY's anecdotes which conflict with what Bert's wife Ethellyn wrote in the 1960s. I think the proper way for a historian (if I can call myself that!) to act is to record both versions and let anyone who reads what is written judge for themselves in the years to come. I think you will agree that apart from the paragraph beginning "ETHELLYN EDGOOSE...." there is nothing contentious. In fact everything else was taken directly from your mother's letters or conversations with her when she spent some weeks at my house in England about thirty years ago. Before I re-write anything at all can you explain Arthur James's decision never to enter a Methodist Church again? ...................... I have difficulty in understanding why anyone should criticise him for spending his winnings in such an exemplary fashion." (E-mail dated 15 September 2001) In September 2001 Myra replied to the above questions in a letter to her nephew Bruce TIPPET which Bruce conveyed to Michael James EDGOOSE: "The reason AJE [Myra's father Arthur James EDGOOSE] did not want to enter a Methodist Church again was simply a deep feeling of being let down by his family. I'm strongly against Ethellyn's opinion and I cannot even feel that if AJE had received money he would have felt so bitter. Before John James died, Winfrey was a frequent visitor to our home in Oxford Street. Many a time I was proud to be allowed to sit in his 'jinker' between Win and my father and go for Sunday drives. Percy, when he married, lived about two miles away in Doncaster. There were no buses and not even a railway, so he drove (again a jinker) to the spare block of land beside No. 5 Oxford Street. Then Percy caught caught the train from Box Hill to the City every day. It was my sister Ina's duty to feed and water the horse in the morning, put the jinker in the shed, and reverse the routine at five every evening. Percy's eldest son often did his homework at our dining room table whilst waiting for his dad. By these small remembrances you can see how let down AJE felt - he had had, up to that time, a good relationship with his 2 brothers. I have a feeling that he was not offered any papers to view, or will to see (if there was one) - Michael's summing up of the situation , as far as I am concerned, is more to the point than Ethellyn's. However you may want to contact one of the EDGOOSE (Bert & Ethellyn's) sons to see if they can throw any light on the subject - I'm of the opinion to let 'sleeping dogs lie' Re. the Titles Office - no mention of that; it is really beside the point. AJE was Assistant Registrar and never became Registrar because in those days the Catholics saw that they took the head positions. I'm including a poem from the Box Hll local paper of November 11th. 1898 in reference to AJE. While Arthur LEACH forsaking law for cricket True to his name a sticka at the wicket. A Bridegroom is not always in good luck EDGOOSE by name he sometimes gets a duck. I see that Michael starts at AJE's adolescence - we have earlier information if needed." [Signed] Myra 85+ P.S. You will notice that Bert & Ethellyn were not included in my stories - I cannot remember them, only that when Bill [William Rupert TIPPETT 1898-1966, Lynda Ann EDGOOSE's husband and father of Bruce] was helping me with my maths they lived in the street before yours [i.e. the TIPPETs] in Box Hill. Re selling of Risegate. I finished teaching in 39 (1939 not 1839) and was married in 1940, Up to the year 1938? , Bessie was still travelling the line. The Education Department could tell you when she retired - she was the No1 lady??? - it was written up in the paper. They were still at Risegate and Nunawading Council should give you the date of sale, etc. - when they all died I do not know. M.M." (E-mail dated 20 September 2001 to Michael James EDGOOSE from Myra Winfrey MAY via Bruce TIPPETT) Extract from an e-mail from Michael James EDGOOSE to Bruce TIPPET dated 27 September 2001: "My own view, havng read Myra's comments and Ethellyn's as well as a letter from Graeme, is that Arthur did indeed pay off the mortgage on his father's house so that his sisters would always have somewhere to live. However, if John James wanted everyone to have equal shares and there was no money to be bequeathed , isn't it possible that Arthur quite reasonably asked for his equal share in view of his earlier generosity? Bert may well have wanted to sell the house to provide it , but if Athur had refused to allow his sisters to be made homeless isn't it entirely feasible that the other brothers would have had to club together to buy him out? To sum up, Arthur wanted his sisters to continue to live at Risegate but felt it only reasonable that he should receive his inheritance in view of the fact that his earlier generosity meant that his brothers' share of the inheritance would eventually be much greater than it otherwise would have been if he hadn't paid the debts and bought the adjoining plot. I see nothing unreasonable in Arthur's behaviour (I would have done the same), but equally I can see that the other brothers might not have been too happy about raising some cash. Ethellyn made the mistake of telling me that Arthur wanted his lottery winnings back - something I now think is obviously ridiculous." (E-mail from Michael James EDGOOSE to Bruce TIPPETT dated 27 September 2001) A letter from Myra Winfrey MAY nee EDGOOSE to Bruce TIPPET dated 24 November 2001: "Sorry I have taken so long to answer last letter * Father's bio - I feel Michael is getting to the truth of the matter, but - 1.) I do not think Methodist or 'ism or being with the Titles office had anything to do with Father not putting his name to the Blackburn property. - it was the done thing - and what I think upset him him was that J.J.E. did not put in writing or leave something to say what had been done. Example - was there a will? What happened to all the antiqye furniture? etc! etc! As I think I told they were still living in Risegate when I married in 1940. The rest of that passage is as I recall pretty near what happened. 2.) There is not an address for Mother's birthplace - it was Donald in Victoria. 3.) Re the "gambling". I personally don't think Father had much money to do this. Money was always tight and Mother had a housekeeping book which was entered up every day and signed by Father!!! Money borrowed could have been just to catch up with the running of the house, etc. we must remember that although Father's brothers and sister were 'state school' teachers we, the Edgoose girls had to have the best and went to "Private' schools. Even in those days that cost a bit - uniforms, etc. I well remember I had only one (1) school uniform which was replaced as I grew but the new one became my Sunday best for quite a while. I had one (1) new white frock for the Sunday School Anniversary and that had to do for Speech Day prize giving at school. 4.) Re Father's Roses and Daffodils. He took a two week break every year to prune his roses - about 300 I think from memory. He was noted for the large bunches he took to work in the shape of a fan, he hung them from the luggage rack of the ttrain carriage and loved people to remark on them. His daffodils were also treated like children. They were picked in bud, opened in the cellar, and packed in large boxes (also taken by train) to the Town Hall or Exhibition Building in Melbourne to be put on show. Any girl at home had to help! He won 4 paintings (I still have mine), one (1) for each of us - originals of course. 5.) Could Elmeth's [sic] sons be alive still. They were country teachers and I do not remember them at all. 6.) The dates of the girls birthdays (are) in the wrong order - Lynda 1899; Norma 1903; Ina 1908; Laura ?; Myra 1916 - I must have been a bit of a shock! I was named after Kingsley GREENWOOD's mother. In fact, they, with 4 other Methodist ladies started the Retirement Home at Mont Albert where Mother was for years. They worked for the money in the fetes, etc., as they thought it most necessary, and they ended up being the first to occupy the rooms. I do hope you can read my scrawl - the old hands are getting a bit stiff but can't complain. I hope all your family are well - also hope Jude (my cousin Judy SWAIN q.v.) goes on improving after her little setback. Love to all, Myra MAY." (E-mail from Myra MAY nee EDGOOSE to Bruce TIPPETT conveyed to Michael James EDGOOSE dated 24 November 2001) Extract from a letter from Myra Winfrey MAY formerly EDGOOSE to Ainun & Michael EDGOOSE dated 31 December 2001: "I am very sorry that Bruce did not contact me when I was younger. I am now in my 86th year & find it necessary to explain that I am alive, the youngest of the five girls. While Lynda & Norma were both married and Ina nursing, I lived at home with Mother and Father for many years on my own. The two eldest were both in country Victoria, and I was sent first to one & then to the other for my school holidays. Father put me on the train in charge of senior girl and met me on my return. You ask about Laura Jean. Norma, Ina and the baby had diptheria all at the same time. The baby Laura died I think on her 1st birthday or may be 2nd - no date given. On my Birth certificate (I have the full copy) Father wrote Lynda Ann 16 Norma Winfrey 12 Ina Mildred 8 Laura Jean (deceased) I was born in 1916 March 2nd. my Mother was 38 at the time. I only remember visiting "Risegate". I have no memories of the spinster aunts at Oxford St, or the Bert EDGOOSES. I fancy that my mother and the aunts did not get on well. Mother was a very pretty woman, who had her sister Tereas Margaret CANNON to live with her until I was a teenager. "TISS" did most of the work & really most of the bringing up of the girls. Mother sang beautifully, was a member of many church activities. She sang in the choir. I have explained to Bruce that money was always short. I'm sure "TISS" received only her board for all her work. I did my school study etc. by gas or candle light even though electricity was available. Father's excuse was "It better for your eyes". Looking back I now think he could not afford to have the electricity connected. He was retired from the Titles Office when I was in my last year of school & so we lived on his retirement salary. Father always kept a good table, often choosing the meat himself and instructing "Harry" the butcher how to hang it. Of course all the vegetables were home grown either at Oxford Street or "Risegate". Boxhill was about 30 minutes from Melbourne so if I went out of an evening my escort had to catch the train back so one memory of father I will never forget. As the train arrived Father would be there trousers and overcoat over his pyjamas, a cloth cap on his head to escort me home, even though he had been to bed and I was in my twenties. I still have the last letter my Father wrote to me after his birthday in April 1957 he died in the October. As you will have no doubt gathered I was my Father's girl. We did work well together mainly because I was so interested in the garden etc. and sport - I was not one & never will be for sitting and gossiping - Geoff my husband often played chess with Father or we both helped him with his stamp collection - He would stop what we were doing at 10pm sharp & go to bed with the instruction "Don't keep her up to late my boy". I was always sorry he did not come to New South Wales to see us. Mother thought it too far!!!" Myra Winfrey MAY was born in Australia on 2 March 1916 and died at Corooy, Queensland, on 13 January 2015 aged 98 years. (Google) (David Richard May on Ancestry) (revised 04.01.2019)