RootsChat.Com

A photograph of RLS,  his family and workers at Vailima, Samoa, was found in a house in the USA. Names and a few comments were noted along the bottom margin of this photograph.
One figure intrigued my sister and me. It was a slim young lady, perhaps 18 - 19 years old, dressed all in white, and identified as 'Mary CARTER- governess',  but there were no young children evident. The photograph is in a number of places on the Internet, and here Mary CARTER is more clearly identified as maid to Mrs Margaret Isabella Balfour STEVENSON (RLS's mother).
RLS in an 1891 letter writes that Mary CARTER, a very nice Sydney girl, who served us at a boarding house and has since come on – how long she will endure this exile is another story.
It was hoped that Mrs STEVENSON Snr in her book “Letters from Samoa 1891 - 1895” would have mentioned her maid Mary CARTER, but she didn't. Mary's time in Samoa appeared short. Mrs STEVENSON arrived in Samoa on 4 March 1891 and Mary CARTER evidently departed 11 May 1892  for New Zealand.
For a teenage girl to travel from Sydney to a far off South Sea island and to be employed in the household of such a famous author was probably the most exciting thing that ever happened in her life!  I am curious. Who was she and what was her subsequent life?
Is she a leaf on your family tree?

Thank you MJB, that is a real improvement!
Mick

Thank you for that info. Found via Trove Hugh Borland's "A Journey Through the Years" published in the Cairns Post in 1953. It gives much the same information about the death of Corbett and the events which followed. Three hundred and fifty two ounces of gold would have been worth a great deal.  There seem to be many stories and obviously many campfire tales have been told over the years.
Regards,
Mick

....I just found a second image of John Corbett's grave. We were told that his body was discovered beside the track, about fifty metres from where he was buried. Supposedly the money (gold?) he was carrying was never found.

Helping a dear friend try to find out more about her father .....

Robert McArthur BEATON was born Belfast 22 July 1897. In the early 1930s in Australia his marriage disintegrated, his political ambitions failed to materialise and he was involved in a lengthy court case between his employer and the Customs Department.
On 18 December 1934 he arrived in England on the vessel "Moreton Bay". His London address was Queen's Hotel, Leicester Square, his age given as 36 and he is described as an Industrial Officer.
On 17 December 1957 he died at the Royal Free Hospital, St Pancras, age about 60 years, a company director, whose address was Caledonian Christian Club, 9 Endsleigh Gardens, St Pancras. He left no will.
My question is  ...  what did Robert do, where was he from 1935 to 1957? I cannot seem to find him anywhere. Any suggestions please?
Mick