5. Margaret Ellen Brown.

Above: Margaret Ellen Brown, aged 67 years, with her daughter-in-law Iris Stephenson at the wedding of her daughter, Beryl, in 1949.

Margaret Ellen Brown was born on September 24, 1882, at Kamarooka, Victoria.She was the fifth child and second daughter born to Rosa Corvan and Robert Brown.
Margaret grew up with her siblings at Kamarooka, and as the family lived at Kamarooka East they most likely attended the Kamarooka East State School No. 3616. As was typical of many young families struggling to survive in the goldfields area during the late 1800's-early 1900s, the Brown children received only the very basics of an education. Children left school to bring in a wage at a young age, and the Brown children were no exception.
Margaret was only ten years old when her father Robert died, and as soon as they were able she and her siblings left school to work and help ease the burden on their widowed mother struggling to keep her large family together.Margaret was put into service as a domestic maid at Goornong, south-east of Kamarooka.
As a child, Margaret suffered an eye injury with a sharp pick that she was using, and she never regained any sight in that eye.
On December 10, 1901, at the age of nineteen years, Margaret Ellen Brown married William Stephenson at St. Johns Church, Malmsbury.In the years to follow, Margaret and John had a family of six children:
* Irene Marguerette Stephenson: born 1903, Malmsbury
* Robert William Thomas Stephenson: known as 'Bill'. Born 1905, Malmsbury.
* Charles Frederick Stephenson: born 1906,Woodend.Died 1984.
* Ivy Mary Stephenson: born 1908, Woodend.
* Lillian May Stephenson: born and died in 1911, South Melbourne.
* Beryl Margaret Stephenson: born 1926.Married Harry Barnett.Children John and Helen.

Beryl was very helpful in providing me with information about the Brown family.Her family kept in close contact with my Yarrawonga Browns, and it was Beryl who sent the much-loved photocopy of the photo of Rosa Corvan.She wrote about her mother:
" She was a very loving mother and wife, and all her sisters and brothers came to her in Trouble. Her church life was everything to her."

Margaret Ellen Brown Stephenson died in 1953, Malvern, Victoria.