Mary Anne Ford

  General Notes:

After the death of her husband Thomas Ward, Mary Anne was left to bring up and support her 6 children. When her brother, Golden Willie, returned after discovering Coolgardie, he gave Mary Anne 10,000 pounds. Mary Anne purchased the Lake Bolac Hotel with this money, but at that time a women could not be the licensee of a hotel. Mary Anne therefore married Louis Murray who became the registered licensee of Lake Bolac Hotel, whilst she really ran the Hotel as the owner and publican. Meanwhile, Louis did some of the cooking, looked after the publican's booth at local race meetings (he was secretary of the Lake Bolac Racing Club), and drove a butcher's van around the district.

Mary married Thomas Ward, son of Thomas Ward and Margaret Dixon, in 1868 in Wickliffe, Vic. (Thomas Ward was born in Wickliffe, Vic and died in 1887 in Lake Bolac, Vic.) The cause of his death was accident.

  Marriage Notes:

Marriage regno 865

Mary also married Louis Murray, son of James "Seanair" Murray and Catherine McDonald, in 1890 in Dunkeld, Vic. (Louis Murray was born on 31 Mar 1858 in Learmonth, Vic, died on 12 Jun 1929 in Ballarat and was buried in 1929 in Lake Bolac Cemetery, Lake Bolac, Victoria.)

  Marriage Notes:

Regno 6951