Martha Elizabeth Stokes, born at the Don, was the seventh of nine children born to William Stokes and his first wife Eliza Ann Lacey. Her mother died when Martha was six years old and her two youngest siblings, Ernest and Eliza, died as babies, so Martha grew up as the youngest child. Her father married a second time to Ellen Leech, a widow, in Jan 1876. Miss Stokes sang alto in the Exhibition Choir in 1891-92. Her father, stepmother, brother William and his wife Elizabeth and sister Ada Biggs are also pictured in the Family Album. Martha's father spent the last two years of his life living with her at Lefroy. He died in Apr 1906. Martha, at the age of 41, married George Brown on 7 Apr 1908 at Launceston. There were no children. Martha died at the Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Scottsdale, on 7 Sep 1947 at the age of 80. Her husband had predeceased her. Her sister Ada lived at Scottsdale. Martha was buried at Carr Villa in the Church of England section B 270.
Sally Vandenberg Jun 2008