Clara Beatrice Jefferson (nee Potter) 1877 – 1906

The Gympie Family History Society conduct regular ‘Cemetery Crawls’ at the Gympie and District Cemeteries.  The Crawls typically feature up to 10 graves and we attempt to tell the stories of the people buried in those graves.  The story featured in the Blog Post is one of the many stories featured in the Cemetery Crawl Number 49 on the 20th March 2019.  The full booklet can be purchased from our rooms at 1 Chapple St, Gympie.  Other surnames covered in this crawl are: Chippendall, King, Clarke, Greene, Carlyon, Doyle, Roger, Ivory, Koppe, Richards, Ross, Dixon, Morish and Mitchell.

PS 196 JEFFERSON

Clara Beatrice (nee POTTER) JEFFERSON died 28 November,1906, aged 29 years.
Headstone Transcription: “In loving memory of my dearly beloved wife Clara Beatrice Jefferson who died 28 November 1906 aged 29 yrs. ‘Sleep on beloved, sleep, and take thy rest, lay down, thy head upon thy saviors’ breast, we loved thee well, but Jesus love thee best. Good Night.'”

Clara was born on the 14, January 1877 to George Alfred Potter and Sophie Touzean the 2nd of 7 children. Clara’s father, George Alfred Potter, was born in the colonies in 1846 in Sydney and was a Mine Manager of several Mining Companies and an Ironmonger whilst in Gympie. The Potter Family came to Gympie in 1874 from Ballarat, residing in the One Mile area. Clara attended the One Mile School in July,1882 and also went to board at the Maryborough Grammar School in between her years at the One Mile State School. This was to promote her musical talent.  In December,1895 the Maryborough Grammar School annual concert performed Stratton’s “Laila” an operetta which Miss Clara and Olive Potter Gympie gave prominent performances A lass of many talents she took first place in the Gympie Show fine arts competition with a sepia painting. This was in 1899.

On the 5 August , 1903 Clara Beatrice Potter married Frederick Charles Jefferson in Gympie. Frederick was the son of John Jefferson and Maria Ann White born in April ,1878 at Lady Mary Terrace. Frederick was attending the Monkland School in 1885. His father, John ,was a carter by trade according the schools admission register. The couple travelled to Noosa in a white ribboned coach for their honeymoon. In 1900, Frederick’s occupation was a draper and he continued to live at Lady Mary Terrance until the tragic accident and it was after this that he moved away from the area to relocate at Crow’s Nest on the Darling Downs.

Sadly, Clara died in a horrific way in an accident when she was washing clothing on the 28 November, 1906. She was just 29 years old. Her sister, Olive, was also involved in the happenings that day trying to save her sister. A full account of the accident can be found on the Trove newspaper website.  On Clara’s death her Head Mistress, Miss Bourne, commented that Clara was loved by her class mates and was looked up to by the younger pupils, she loved performing in musicals was part of the Gympie social scene. Clara was the lead in the musical “Phyllis” in October,1899 and also appearing in the same musical was Frederick who played Douglas.

Frederick later remarried in Dalby in August of 1910. His bride was Miss Ruby Myles and he was a resident of Noosa at that time. The couple would have three children Myles Frederick, Nerrie and Kenneth Myles, Frederick died in February 1936 aged 58 years at Crow’s Nest.  Frederick was a conductor of the Gympie City Band and the St. Peters Church of England Choir. He was deputy conductor of the Gympie Philharmonic choir and was at one time a champion euphonium player in Queensland.

References: Qld BDMs, Gympie Electoral Books, Trove Website Newspapers, One Mile School Enrolments, Monkland School Enrolments, Two Mile Cemetery Register, NSW BDMs. Researched by Faye Kennedy

These articles, covering the tragic accident and death of Clara Jefferson, appeared in the Courier Mail between the 28th and the 30th of November 1906.