Doris Emma Ellen AXTILL [12357]

  General Notes:

Advertiser (Footscray, Vic. : 1914 - 1918) View title info Sat 6 Jul 1918
Page 3
A NURSING HOME
A NURSING HOME -
Ladies Strange Partnership
One of the strangest civil cases over brought before the local court was heard on Thursday. It was the story of a ladies partnership in a nursing business- cum boarding house and the eventual winding up of its affairs, The story as unfolded by Messrs Brocket and Secomb and their clients Doris Axtill and her father. W. T. Axtill, and Nurse Norah Ryan, was that towards the end of 1917 a house occupied by one Chamberlain in Pilgrim st., became vacant. Miss Ryan had looked with longing eyes on this house for a nursing home, so when Chamberlains were leaving they offered (through a mutual acquaintance, a girl of 20 Miss Doris Axtill,) Miss Ryan "first chance" of tenancy. Nurse Ryan said she could not afford to take it. Miss Axtill then offered to "go shares"-she had a small income of her own and was then boarding with a cousin-and a loose knit partnership began. The partners-to-be were each to put in half furniture, pay half rent, and share lighting expenses, but each was to maintain herself. Then came a question of linoleum and electric light fittings belonging to Chamberlain. These were also purchased under half.share conditions.

The furnishing was done according to arrangements and Nurse Ryan obtained nursing patients and went out to others. Miss Axtill had a casual boarder or two, Then Mr Axtill, the junior partner's father came down from the country and wanted a definite agreement of partnership signed.

Miss Ryan said "Perhaps later: but not now: and the latter arranged (though this Miss Ryan denied) for the girl to get a safe 10/ a week from Miss Ryan rather than a prospective partnership divi. some day.

After the father's departure Miss Axtill began to grow dissatisfied with the friendly arrangement and withdrew herself and chattels (all but the lino and the lights) from the home. The ladies then had a "settlement" of accounts by which the living expenses of the parties were pooled with a six weeks payment of rent by the junior partner, a 10/ paid for services rendered by the senior, proportions of various nursing fees of Miss Ryan's and Miss Axtill's half share of the lino and lights. Out of this rather complicated piece of accounting-it was all oral evidence: no documents being on view - Miss Axtill's share for her 11 week's enterprise was 25/-. She thought this little enough, but accepted it in a spirit of resignation and disgust at the chances of business life, Father, however, when he heard of the "settlement" was not so resigned, and the two cases at the court on Thursday were the outcome. Miss Axtill sued for 10 weeks wages and Mr Axtill, as her nearest friend, for illegal detention of the linoleums and lights.

Failure to prove any arrangement to pay, or demand to receive, wages caused the wages claim to be dismissed, but the other claim gave the justices some thought. A 25/ divi. for an eleven weeks' partnership, a certain amount of care and responsibility during Miss Ryans absence from home, the investment of five weeks' rent in the enterprise, half a houseful of furniture and £6 13/ worth of linoleum, was obviously inequitable. At last, after much argument, Miss Axtill, a bright but very unsophisticated young lady said, she thought she should have got at least £4 out of her investment and experiences. The bench seemed to concur in this view so Nurse Ryan agreed to pay that amount, and retain the lino and lights in dispute. The solicitors agreed to forego costs but the girl secured a railway fare (38/6) from Murrayville to Melbourne to which expense she had been put to attend the court.

It seems that Doris was married to, or lived with, John Joseph Hughes (1891 - 1964)

They seem to have had 4 children.

1. Denese Heather Hughes 1920 - 1975
2. Joyce Hughes 1921 - 1922
3. Felicia Mary Hughes 1924 - 2009
4. Sydney William John Hughes 1926 - 2018

According to Ancestry stories, the marriage did not last and the children were sent to convents/orphanages

1929 - Doris then married Walter Edward Bailey (1893 - 1969) in 1929 stating that she was a spinster

1933 - Doris married a New Zealander named Sidney Hill Spriggs (1902 - 1965). Doris stated she was a spinster on this marriage certificate. In 1938 Sidney Spriggs divorced Doris and cited in the divorce paperwork that her previous marriage had not been annulled and Walter Bailey was still alive. Sidney and Doris had one child

1. John Francis Spriggs 1935 -

1940 Doris married John Alfred Holmes (1908-1994) under the name of Doris Hughes, stating she was a widow and her husband had died in December 1929.

1958 Doris married William Kerton (1902 - 1980). She stated she was a widow and her husband had died on active service during World War 2

On Doris's death certificate Doris's only 2 marriages are mentioned, 1. John Holmes, I but age of marriage is stated as unknown. Her marriage to William Kerton is also mentioned but only those two marriages are stated. Her children on the certificate are Denise 37 and William 30 years old. No other children or marriages are mentioned on the death certificate.

Marriages:
1918 approx - I have been unable to find a marriage to John Joseph Hughes.
1929 - On Doris's marriage to Walter Edward Bailey in 1929 she states she is a spinster.
1933 - on her marriage certificate to Sydney Hill Spriggs in 1933 she also lists herself as a spinster.
1940 - on her marriage certificate to John Alfred Holmes in 1940 she states she is a widow since 16 December 1929 though all of her previous husbands were still alive at this time
1958 - On her marriage certificate to William Kerton in 1958 she gives her surname as Holmes and her marital status as widow. (Killed in action in 1939 whilst serving as soldier decease date unknown) although all of her previous husbands were still alive

Doris married John Joseph HUGHES [12358] [MRIN: 4270]. (John Joseph HUGHES [12358] was born in 1891 in Narrandera, NSW, Australia and died in 1964 in Marrickville, NSW, Australia ⁸⁹⁶¹.)

Doris next married Walter Edward BAILEY [12359] [MRIN: 4271] on 10 Aug 1929 in Collingwood, VIC, Australia ⁸⁹⁵¹.^,8952 (Walter Edward BAILEY [12359] was born in 1893 and died in 1969.)

Doris next married Sydney Hill SPRIGGS [12360] [MRIN: 4272] on 17 Feb 1933 in South Melbourne, Vic, Australia ⁸⁹⁵³.^,8954 (Sydney Hill SPRIGGS [12360] was born on 17 Nov 1900 in , , New Zealand,⁸⁹⁶² died on 27 Nov 1965 ⁸⁹⁶² and was cremated on 30 Nov 1965 in Springvale Crematorium, Springvale, Victoria, Australia ⁸⁹⁶².)

Doris next married John Alfred HOLMES [12361] [MRIN: 4273] on 18 May 1940 in Bendigo, Vic, Australia ⁸⁹⁵⁵.^,8956 (John Alfred HOLMES [12361] was born in 1908 and died in 1994.)

Doris next married William KERTON [12362] [MRIN: 4274] on 11 Oct 1958 in Bairnsdale, Vic, Australia ⁸⁹⁵⁷.^,8958 (William KERTON [12362] died in 1980.)