Una (Brackenreg) Wellings
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Una Maxine (Brackenreg) Wellings (1893 - 1973)

Una Maxine [uncertain] Wellings formerly Brackenreg aka Fitz-Stubbs, Maxwell, Newham
Born in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Daughter of [father unknown] and DNA confirmed
[sibling(s) unknown]
Wife of — married about 23 Dec 1915 [location unknown]
Wife of — married 1922 (to 1927) in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australiamap
Wife of — married 3 Apr 1934 in St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, Victoria, Australiamap
Descendants descendants
Mother of and
Died at age 79 in Mater Hospital, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australiamap
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Profile last modified | Created 6 Jul 2021
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Contents

Preamble

Every time I write a biography on wikitree, I am reminded that we know too little about the lives, circumstances and motivations of our ancestors to judge their actions. We live in very different times.

In reading this biography, you may discover interesting facts about Una's branch of the Brackenreg family. You may also discover facts that are unexpected or which you might prefer - with hindsight - not to have known. However, not knowing does not change these facts. I have written this biography for those who would prefer to know, for whom knowledge brings closure or at least provides some answers or possible explanations.

Please help to improve this profile If you have additional information, sources or pictures for Una, please feel free to add them to this profile. If you are unsure about how to add information, I'm happy to do it for you. Simply contact me via the wikitree messaging system. Thank you, Matt

Note of Caution There is plenty of source material on the early life of Una Brackenreg Maxwell in contemporary newspapers. These paint the picture of a well-travelled and globally successful actress and film star with a pedigree of accomplished ancestors and relations. Some of these claims are factual, confirming others has proven difficult and some statements are clearly fictitious.

I have omitted information which I believe to be suspect or lacking independent validation from the biography. These are discussed in detail in the research notes.

Genealogical Validation

This personal profile is NOT YET Genealogically Defined, meaning that I DO NOT YET have a copy of at least one trustworthy piece of historical evidence that clearly documents the identification of the person's parents, at least one piece of evidence for each spouse(s), and at least one piece of evidence for each child.

DNA Validation

This profile is NOT YET DNA confirmed for the person's paternal line.
This profile is DNA confirmed for the person's maternal line.
See DNA Evidence below.

Immediate Family

Parents:
Siblings:
  • Una was the only documented child of Eveline Sarah Brackenreg.
  • Una has variously claimed to have had four brothers living overseas, but to date, no evidence for their existence has been found.
Spouse(s) and partner(s):
Child with unknown partner:
Child with Thomas Newham:

Biography

Birth & Childhood

Una was born Una Maxine Brackenreg in Kogarah, New South Wales on 4 Aug 1893.[1][2]. Her mother, Eveline Sarah Brackenreg (1859-1944) was 33-years old and unmarried.
Soon after Una's birth, her mother Eveline adopted the surname Maxwell and Una grew up as Una Brackenreg Maxwell.
In several newspaper articles, Una is described as a "vandemonian" or "born in Tasmania" and of Scotch-Australian-American parentage. These assertions are not supported by available documents, although Una may well have believed them to be true.
In 1903, Una Maxwell, age 10, entered a drawing competition and in the Sunday Times and won second prize (half a crown or 2/6). At the time, she was living in Sutherland, NSW.[3]

Early Stage Career and First Child (1910-1912)

Una worked as a vaudeville dancer, performing in the chorusline at the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney under her mother's adopted surname 'Maxwell'.[4]
Aged just 17, Una fell pregnant and her daughter Evelyn Brackenreg was born in Paddington in 1910.[5]. Evelyn's father is unknown.
The Tivoli changed hands in 1911 and sometime later, the new owner changed the format of the show and put twenty-four ballet and chorus girls out of work. On their last appearance, the dancers sauntered on stage smoking cigarettes and swigging jauntily from bottles of beer. Understandably the stage manager brought down the curtain – and then had a bucket of water ‘accidentally’ tipped over him. When interviewed about the incident by a reporter, Una Maxwell recounted that the manager went mad and had called the police, but found the officers on the side of the showgirls, asking 'why they hadn't given him another bucket...?'[6]
Having lost her job at the Tivoli, Una was looking for work as an actress. There was not much opportunity for out-of-work chorus girls. One dancer finished up scrubbing the floor at Sargent’s Restaurant and another, Martina Henderson, became a mermaid in a tank in the foyer of the Crystal Palace cinema.[7]
Una is said to have found acting work at the Palace Theatre before being engaged by a dramatic company to tour Australia and New Zealand.[8]. Whether Una found work as an actress in NZ remains to be investigated and confirmed.
What is known is that in 1912, Una used her name and image to endorse haircare products in popular newspapers.[9]. This shows her to be not only creative and versatile, but also an astute business woman.

Silent Movie Career (1913)

Little is known about Una's movements after 1912. It is likely that Una traveled to the United States in late 1912 or early 1913 to seek success as a silent movie actress (see Research Notes). In the early days of the business, silent film actors were often drawn from Vaudeville for their melodramatic acting style.[10] Una was reportedly associated with Spencer Pictures[11], Bison Films[12] and the famous Lubin Manufacturing Company[13], one of the most prolific and successful silent movie studios of the time.[14] Silent movies were typically 6-12 minutes in length and Lubin in particular produced hundreds of these short films every year.
Some of the articles published about Una name a number of movies she supposedly appeared in. To date, there is no evidence that she made a name for herself in the US silent movie industry or that she actually appeared in any of the movies she claims to have been associated with (see Research Notes below).
In any case, by early 1914, Una had returned to Australia to pursue a career on the stage. A 1915 newspaper article notes that she was reportedly offered a retainer by Lubin Films, but found the film work 'unusually laborious' and so decided to return to Australia.[15]

Acting Career (from 1914)

From Feb to June 1914, Una played supporting roles at the Princes Court Playhouse with a company putting on five to seven new plays every month.[16]
Sunday Times, Sep 1915
Una then returned to Sydney where she was engaged in Dec 1914 to play the minor role of 'Liza' in "The Christian" at the Adelphi Theatre. The production ran for seven days.[17]
In her Sep 1915 season at the Adelphi, she played a number of comedic roles to some acclaim: "the pugilistic assistant of the comedic footman" (Mill Girls to Millionairess), a "comedy nurse" (Boys of Dardanelles) and the "boy prisoner" (Never too Late to Mend).[18]
Una's name appears again in March 1916 in the Goulburn Evening Penny Post for a two-day performance at the Lyric Theatre by the Dixie Revue Company presenting a two-act musical burlesque including "the latest ragtime melodies, ballads, dancing, harmonised choruses and funniosities".[19]

First Marriage (1915)

According to contemporary newspaper articles, Una married Denis Warren K. Fitz-Stubbs on 23 Dec 1915. He was reportedly a former American operatic star / stock actor / celebrated dancer / film star, as well as a WW1 pilot who was awarded the Cross of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for chivalry.[20]
Unfortunately, the only contemporary evidence for the existence of Denis comes from six newspaper articles all published in 1916. Several of the claims made about his life in these articles can not be factual. A detailed search has also failed to locate any official records that would confirm the existence of an American branch of the Fitz-Stubbs family. For details, see the Bio of Denis Fitz-Stubbs.
Una was also reportedly engaged to Art Smith, a young American aviator - an unusual addition to her marriage announcement to Denis Fitz-Stubbs in the newspaper.[21]

Engaging the PR Machine (1916-1918)

In 1916 and 1917, several newspaper published lengthy biographies of Una. These were syndicated and not only chart her origins and career, but also describe her reportedly illustrious ancestry and wider circle of accomplished relations. It's not entirely clear what prompted the publication of these articles, but they are very clearly what would today be called a "puff-piece". Some of the claims, for example the identity of her first husband and his parentage have been challenging to verify in spite of the elaborate detail provided. All of the articles are unfailingly flattering to the extreme.
The 1916 biography in the Cairns Post describes Una Maxwell as follows:[22]
"Miss Una Maxwell, the brilliant and popular young star of delightful winsome personality, ability, and unusual qualifications as an actress, is an Australian favourite. Her career is a triumph of both beauty and brains. Her stage career has been a singularly versatile and brilliant one."
"Miss Maxwell is a recognised stage beauty. ... [She] invests every role in which she appears with her own personal charm and individuality, and it is these qualities, allied with her rich deep musical voice, that have so endeared her to the Theatre-going public."
The article also notes that Miss Maxwell is an author and has contributed to "several leading theatrical journals", using Uno-Una as her pen name and that she writes short stories and scenarios using the pen name of Ada Oliver.
Una also exploited her name and image for commercials. In August 1916, newspapers carried a series of advertisements for a cough and cold remedy sold as Dr. Sheldon's New Discovery, which included a large picture of Una as well as a lengthy personal endorsement under the heading: Brains and Beauty, a moniker that was frequently used to describe Una in laudatory newspaper articles of the time.[23]
A partial re-run of the 1916 article in 1917 adds:[24]
"Her vivacious personality, beautiful grey-blue eyes, and a sweet captivating manner, together with her rare talents and accomplishments make her an ideal subject for the camera. Possessed of such exquisite grace and charm she has been greatly sought after by the prominent artists of Australia to pose for their famous paintings, amongst them being the celebrated French artist E. Tiger De Closay."
We also learn that "Una Maxwell is athletic, fond of swimming and motoring. She has a little car and drives it herself, Sergeant Roy Cox, dare-devil driver and well-known athlete, acting as her mechanist."
Whatever kernels of truth may be contained in these articles, Una was clearly a well-read, creative and thoroughly fascinating personality.

Second Marriage (1922-1927)

In 1922, Una (29) married grazier Thomas Newham (61) in Kogarah, NSW.[25] Thomas was the son of a long-established family owning large tracts of grazing land around Wyangala, NSW. He lived for most of his life on his family's estate and was a keen horseman and racing enthusiast. Perhaps Thomas and Una met at the races in Sydney.[26]
For Una, her marriage marked an abrupt transition from the life of an actress and socialite in the city to becoming a grazier's wife in the country.
In June 1925, Thomas Newham was fined £20 plus costs on account of having neglected to control rabbits on his 2500 acre property, a fine he challenged.[27][28]

Trip to the USA (1925)

In 1925, the Newham family planned a trip to the United States. The details were published in The Burrowa News:
"Mr and Mrs Thomas Newham, of Wyangala, are about to depart on an extensive holiday tour. They will leave Sydney by the Niagara on July 30th, bound for San Francisco. After a good rest in that famous city, it is Mr Newham's intention to journey through Nebraska, where he will inquire extensively into ranch conditions of that country. Honolulu will also be visited, where the party will be joined by friends, and an extensive tour made of the various islands. It is Mr Newham's intention on reaching America to purchase one of the best motor cars procurable, and most of the journey through the country will be done per car. Miss Evelyn Fitz-Stubbs, daughter of Mrs Newham, who is now a boarder at the Brigidine Convent, will also be one of the party. On reaching San Francisco, Miss Evelyn will continue her journey on to New York and stay with relatives while the rest of the tour is being completed."[29]
The family traveled to Sydney to secure a passport and Thomas' passport (No. A37279) was issued in Sydney on 27 Jul 1925, only a few days prior to their scheduled departure. The family was to board R.M.S Niagara in Sydney on 30 July 1925 and then to sail via Auckland and Honolulu, ultimately arriving in Vancouver, Canada.[30][31]
Unfortunately, due to a strike of harbour workers in Sydney, the Niagara did not sail on to Sydney and was turned around in Auckland.[32] Rather than boarding in Sydney, the family had to make their own way to Auckland in time for Niagara's 4 August departure.
Una (32), husband Thomas (65) and Una's daughter Evelyn (recorded as 13, but actually 15) made it to Auckland in time and sailed on R.M.S. Niagara to Vancouver, Canada on 4 Aug 1925, arriving on 21 August.[33]
The family were away for over eight months and their return in Feb 1926 was marked in the local press.[34]
Following their trip to Canada and the United States, the family returned to the Newham farm in Wyangala, New South Wales.

Pregnancy & Tragedy (1927)

In late 1926 Una fell pregnant. Some time in 1927, she was admitted to the Cowra private hospital, possibly for the imminent birth of her child.[35]
Husband Thomas (67) was also in ill health and first sought treatment in Cowra, but then traveled to Grenfell to seek independent medical advice. The nature of his illness is unknown, but during his visit to the doctor, he suffered an attack of what was described as 'paralysis'.[36]. He died some days later in Grenfell on 30 June 1927.
Una's signature on her husband Thomas' will
Eveline Maxwell, Una's mother, and Evelyn Maxwell / Newham, Thomas' step-daughter, were both able to be by his bedside, but Una herself was still hospitalised in Cowra and unable to travel to see her husband before he passed away.[37]
Only two weeks after Thomas Newham died, on 14 July 1927, Una gave birth to a son who she named Thomas Haldane Brackenregg Newham.[38]

Inheritance

In his will dated 15 Mar 1926, Thomas Newham left all of his estate to his wife Una. According to publicly available probate records, this amounted to a net sum of £7,569, including over 2,320 acres of land (about 9.4 million square metres) and an eight-room brick and pine homestead. Other buildings included several sheds, a blacksmith shop and several small stables - all reportedly in "very bad repair".
The livestock on the estate was described as "very low in condition and of poor quality" owing to the prevailing drought. The sheep in particular were so poor that they were unable to be mustered and so the valuer used the last shearing count and "estimated that 300 have died of poverty" since then. In total, the estate included: 26 horses, 13 cattle and an estimated 2,300 sheep.[39]

Wyangala Dam (1928-1934)

In May 1928, Una was fined for not returning her expired car registration.[40]
Since the early 1920's, plans for the construction of Wyangala Dam were under discussion. Construction was begun in 1928 and after completion of the dam in 1934, Lake Wyangala ultimately submerged the homes of three branches of the Newham family that pioneered life in the upper reaches of the Lachlan Valley. The homes were those of Mrs. Una Newham, Mr Edward Newham and Mr. Walter Newham. The Wyangala Station homestead site can still be seen when the dam is close to being dry.[41][42]
The Commission was reportedly negotiating for the resumption of about 4200 acres of private land in 1932, well after construction of the dam had begun.[43].
About 743 acres of land, just over 3 million square metres, were officially 'resumed' by the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission on 8 May 1934.[44]. This represented about a third of the landholdings Una had inherited from her husband.

Trouble with the neighbours (1930)

Una continued to manage the Newham property, but evidently did not enjoy cordial relations with her neighbours, as evidenced by three disputes which escalated and were ultimately decided in court during 1930.
Dispute over cattle
In July 1929, Gallymont grazier James Healey and his son Jury discovered five of James' cattle on Una's property. The cattle had all been recently branded with the Newham brand. When James went to Una's residence to discuss the matter, he found that Una was ill, but he left a message with her mother, Evelyn Maxwell. For some time, James had rented an adjoining property and it was claimed that Una mustered not only her cows, but also a few from the Healey's paddock. Una claimed that if there had been a mix-up, it was because she had five missing and assumed that they were hers. The matter went to court in March 1930, where the case attracted local interest particularly because James' son Jury had only recently married Una's daughter Evelyn. This was a dispute between related families and even the sterile court transcript shows that not all was well between the two families. James Healey claimed £65 in damages. The judge found for the plaintiff and fined Una £45.[45]
Mustering dispute
At around the same time, on 26 November 1930, Una and her neighbour John Mitchell were in Cowra court, each accusing the other of failing to give sufficient notice of a sheep muster on their adjoining property. In the event, both graziers were fined. John was fined £1 plus £3/10 costs for giving insufficient notice and Una, who had initiated the court action was fined £2 plus £3/10 costs for subsequently failing to give notice of a muster at all.[46]
Dispute over sheep
Grazier Peter Evrington King of Wyangala alledged that Una or some of her station hands had defaced the earmarks of four sheep belonging to him and clipped them with the Newham markings. Una did not give evidence and was held not to have participated in the act, but as the owner, the court nevertheless held her responsible for her staff's actions and fined her £30 plus £15 in costs.[47][48]
Una successfully appealed the verdict and it was overturned at Cowra court on 3 Mar 1931 with the judge saying that "if the case had been presented properly in the first instance, it would have been a very hard one to answer."[49][50]
Petty theft
Later that same month, Una was accused of stealing a small silver cup from Glover's store in Woodstock, a small town 22km NE of Cowra. When challenged by Constable O'Brien of Woodstock, Una offered him £5 to withdraw the charge. The Constable did report her and Una was fined £10 for the theft. On 25 March, Una was tried at the Woodstock Police Court for attempted bribery of police and fined another £5 - the exact sum she had offered as a bribe. Una did not appear to defend the charge. [51][52][53] A newspaper announcement on 7 April notes that Una departed by car on a short holiday to Victoria (Melbourne and then Geelong) to recover her health, which had not been the best of late.[54]

Third Marriage (1934)

On 3 April 1934, Una Brackenreg Newham married Master Mariner George Flood Dollar Wellings from San Francisco, USA. The couple were married by Richard Sherwood at St. Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, Victoria in the presence of George Warren and David McKenzie Irvine.[55]. Notices and banns were dispensed with by permission of Justice of the Peace Mr. Cyril Woodford Kett before whom the couple had attested their details and made the required legal declarations.[56]
Signatures of Una and 'George' on their marriage certificate
Even though the marriage certificate provides a plethora of detail about Captain Wellings and his parents, his identity has remained opaque. For details, see George Wellings' profile.
Menzies Hotel, Melbourne (1935)
At the time of their marriage, both Capt Wellings and Una Newham gave their residence as the Menzies Hotel. Located at the corner of William and Bourke streets in Melbourne, the Menzies was considered the finest hotel in town where "wealth, rank and title mingled with the arts, sciences and learned professions”.[57]

Life after 1934

In 1936, the Dept. of Lands resumed an additional 5 acres, 3 roods and 20 perches of Una's land for the construction of a new road.[58]
In 1939, Una Newham was sued by Ellis Nicholas Sligar (1898-1967) in the NSW Supreme Court for £2,500 in damages. The nature of the suit is not identified in the notice and it is not clear if it ever went ahead.[59]
At some time after 1939, it appears that Una moved away from Wyangala. She does not appear in Census records under any of the names she was using. There are suggestions that she lived variously at her mother's home, 'The Retreat', Wentworth Falls, NSW and at 'St Cloud', 17 Grandview Grove, Armadale, Victoria.

Death of her mother Eveline (1944)

Una's mother Eveline Sarah Maxwell (b.1859) died on 20 Oct 1944, aged 85 years. She lived at 'The Retreat', Wentworth Falls, NSW.
It is curious to note that her mother's death notice in 1944 still refers to Una as "Mrs. Tom Newham", not as "Mrs. Wellings"[60].
In 1948, newspapers carried an In Memoriam notice for her mother in which Una was referred to as "Una Maxwell (Mrs. G. F. D. Wellings)". The notice was supposedly inserted "by her son-in-law (Captain G. F. Dollar Wellings, late Mathieson, Jardine, Shanghai, China)".[61] It seems incredible that Capt. Wellings, at sea or in China, should go to all the trouble of arranging an In Memoriam advertisement for his mother-in-law, rather than leave that task to his wife in Australia. The veracity of different elements of the "In Memoriam' Notice is discussed in detail in the Research Notes to Eveline's Biography.
Her mother's house in Wentworth Falls was auctioned by the Public Trustee in 1950.[62]

Reversal of forfeiture of land (1957)

On 20 Sep 1957, the forfeiture of Conditional Purchases of over 1,000 acres of land was reversed and the Wyangala lands were formally restored to Una Brackenreg Wellings.[63]

Death & Burial (1973)

Una passed away on 16 Jun 1973 at the Mater Hospital, North Sydney. She was 80 years old and had lived at McLaren Street, North Sydney.[64][65]
Her death notice notes her marriage to Capt. George Wellings and to Thomas Newham of Wyangala, her profession (actress), as well as claiming that she was a sister of the late Max Maxwell. Max was celebrated actor with whom Una was familiar from her acting days in Sydney. His actual name was Maximilian Franz Rumpff, born in Tasmania and certainly not her brother.

DNA Confirmation

Paternal Line:
No validation possible as father is still unknown.
Maternal Line:
Una's maternal relationship is confirmed by an Ancestry DNA autosomal match between Stephanie R. and her 2C1R cousin Beverley R. Their most-recent common ancestors are George Robert Brackenreg (1833-1889) and Elizabeth Bailey (1835-1914). The predicted relationship by Ancestry: 2nd-3rd cousin, based on sharing 155.2 cM across XX segments.

Red Herrings

Una Fitz-Stubbs and Una Maxwell are not different people

Throughout her life, Una adopted a number of different surnames, some by marriage, others as stage names and others for as yet unclear purposes. Una Fitz-Stubbs (Stubbs-1273 - now merged) is the same person as Una M. BRACKENREG (Brackenreg-72). She was the daughter of Evelyn S. Brackenreg and was raised as Una MAXWELL. Una was known variously as Una FITZ-STUBBS, Una NEWHAM and Una WELLINGS. In 1943, she also seems to have used names Una MANIFOLD and Una JENNINGS.[66]

Una Mabel Maxwell is not the same person as Una Maxine Maxwell

Una is not to be confused with the Una Mabel Maxwell who married Edward Naylor in Woollahra, NSW in 1915 (NSW Marr. Reg. 16793/1915). That lady was born in 1894, daughter of James Noble Maxwell and Emma Jane Wilson (NSW Birth Reg. 23929/1894). Edward Naylor was an artist and the couple lived in Kensington, Wollongong, Cessnock, East Maitland and Turramurra, NSW.

Una Maxine Maxwell did not marry Thomas Hastings Newham

Many Ancestry Trees erroneously record Una's husband as Thomas Hastings Newham. Although related, he is not the same as Una's husband Thomas Newham. Thomas Hastings died in 1949 and was never married. His obituary in The Burrowa News records:
The death took place recently at the Cowra Hospital of Mr. Thomas Hastings Newham, after a lengthy illness. The deceased had been in hospital for the past five months. The late Mr. Newham was a member of the well-known pioneer family of Newhams that had resided on the Upper Lachlan for almost a century prior to the construction of Wyangala Dam.
He was the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. E. A. H. Newham, of "Alston," and he was born at Reid's Flat 58 years ago. He resided at "Alston" until the property was resumed by the Irrigation Commission. Afterwards he held land interests at Canowindra and Sofala before finally settling at "Theole," near Goolagong.
The deceased never married and is survived by three sisters, Mesdames Downes (Sydney), Stapylton (Millthorpe) and Crocker (Cowra) and three brothers, Messrs. William (Woodstock), John (Galong) and Stewart (Woodstock). The funeral left St. Raphael's Church for Cowra cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Fr. Reen officiating at the graveside.

Research Notes

Was Una a 'star' actress?

The short answer is "probably not". Una appears to have been 'inventive' in creating narratives to suit her circumstances. Her biographies (see 'Engaging the PR Machine' above) suggest that she was a celebrated lead actress most known for playing "soubrette" roles (i.e. strong female characters that are mischievous, lighthearted and flirtatious). Researching her acting career, I have been able to find a range of theatre productions Una definitely performed in. During her Rockhampton season Feb-Jul 1914 and in Dec 1914 at the Adelphi Theatre in Sydney, she was cast in minor roles. In her Sep 1915 season at the Adelphi, she played a number of comedic roles to critical acclaim: "the pugilistic assistant of the comedic footman" (Mill Girls to Millionairess), a "comedy nurse" (Boys of Dardanelles) and the "boy prisoner" (Never too Late to Mend).[67]
I was unable to locate other mentions on theatre playbills on Trove until Una's name appears in 1916 in the Goulburn Evening Penny Post for a two-day performance at the Lyric Theatre by the Dixie Revue Company presenting a two-act musical burlesque including "the latest ragtime melodies, ballads, dancing, harmonised choruses and funniosities",[68] which does not speak to a stellar career as a leading dramatic actress.

Did Una travel to the USA in 1912-13?

The short answer is "possibly". Whilst I am not aware of any specific evidence in the form of passport or travel documentation that Una traveled to the USA in late 1912 or early 1913 to start a new career in the movie industry, there are a few facts which support that premise:
  • Una clearly appeared to be familiar with the USA;
  • Once married to grazier Thomas Newham in 1922, Una took him and her daughter Evelyn to visit the USA in 1925, a trip of about eight months. This is a most unusual undertaking for a man who had lived in Wyangala, NSW for all of his life and who would need to leave someone else in charge of his grazing business.
Una maintained a long-standing friendly relationship with an American, Mr Andrew Ackerman Reiter (1899-1997). Andrew would send her and the family letters and parcels for Christmas and on other family occasions. It is unlikely that their friendship began in 1912-13. Andrew was only about 14 years old and living in rural Ohio at that stage. It is more likely that the two met in Los Angeles when Una travelled to the USA with her daughter Evelyn and husband Thomas Newham in 1925. For more about Andrew's background, see his profile: Andrew Ackerman Reiter (1899-1997).

Was Una a silent movie 'star'?

The short answer is "No". It is possible that Una was in the USA seeking fame in the silent movie industry between Oct 1912 (when she was last reportedly at the Tivoli) and Feb 1914 when she was back on stage in Australia. There is no record of her name associated with any movie of that period and a year abroad is hardly enough time to advance to stardom in an industry cranking out literally thousands of titles a year. It is telling that whilst one newspaper advertisement published in Aug 1916 notes that "she [Una] will shortly return to the United States where she has been starring with several famous American Film Companies.", several lengthy biographies of her career and professional associations published in Oct 1916, Nov 1916 and Jan 1917 in the Cairns Post and Northern Herald completely fail to mention her silent movie career.[69]

Did Una appear in silent movies at all?

The short answer is "possibly, but not proven yet". The first mention of Una's film career is in a short note in the Sydney newspaper 'The Sun' in April 1913, which notes an affiliation with Spencer's pictures.[70] Una supposedly appeared in a range of Lubin's silent films including:
  • The Man from the West
  • The Eternal Duel
  • The Pale of Prejudice
  • The Moth, and
  • In Mysterious Ways, all of which were released in January 1914.[71][72]
Short 'one-reelers' such as the above typically featured only a few cast members and whilst it is possible that Una may have appeared in the movies above as an extra, her name (and variations thereof) is not listed amongst the cast of these movies, nor indeed in any movie released between 1912 and 1920 on the IMDB.com movie database (as at 13 Nov). It is possible that Una appeared in other movies which have not been preserved or that she used a different stage name for her film career (none of the movies above feature a common female cast member), but the possibility of her appearing in a silent movie can not be definitively excluded.
Amazingly, the archives of the Lubin Manufacturing Company have survived and include scrapbooks and administrative documents of the period covering Una's supposed career in silent movies. They are held by the Free Library of Philadelphia: Rare Book Department: Lubin Manufacturing Company records (1881-2006). See more at [4], so the question could probably be answered very definitively with more dedicated research.
There are notices of Una living and working in Australia in March 1916 and Aug 1916, so the earliest Una could have travelled to the USA after her supposed marriage to US actor Denis Fitz-Stubbs is in late 1916 or 1917. Too late to star in the movies she claims to have appeared in.
A 1918 article about her daughter Evelyn being directed in silent movies by her father is similarly improbable for the same reason.

Did Una marry three times?

The evidence suggests that Una was married 'properly' only once (to Tom Newham in 1920). There is no documentation for her supposed first husband (actor Denis Fitz-Stubbs), nor her third (mariner George Wellings). The research and evidence discovered to date are discussed on their respective profiles. It is likely that Una fabricated her first marriage to legitimise her daughter Evelyn's birth, much as her mother adopted the surname Maxwell after she gave birth to Una. The reasons for Una's marriage to Capt. Wellings are less clear.

Did Una fake her third marriage or was she taken advantage of?

Her marriage to Capt. George Wellings in Melbourne came about around the time when Una's landholdings had been resumed and presumably she would have been paid out in cash. It has always been assumed that Una manufactured her marriage to Capt. Wellings for some reason, but the possibility that she fell victim to an elaborate scam by a confidence trickster can't be discounted either. One would assume Una to have been too clever and worldly-wise, but... Perhaps this explains why she referred to herself as "Una Newham" in her mother's death notice. Then again, it is at odds with the elaborate In Memoriam notice for her mother, supposedly inserted by Capt. Wellings in 1948. As so often, we know too little about the lives of our ancestors to understand their motivations.

Sources

  1. ↑ Una Maxwell, Cairns Post, 3 Jan 1917, page 8, Biography
  2. ↑ New South Wales Birth Reg. No. 1893/18840 for BRACKENREG, UNA M., father: unspecified; mother: EVELYNE S BRACKENREG; location: KOGARAH
  3. ↑ Drawing Competition No. 2, Sunday Times, 2 Aug 1903, p.7 as accessed on Trove.nla.gov.au
  4. ↑ Advertising (1912, December 22). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 21. Retrieved November 14, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228834642
  5. ↑ NSW Reg. of Births: Reg. No. 42029/1910 for BRACKENREG EVELYN F, mother: UNA, no father given, PADDINGTON
  6. ↑ PhD Thesis of Mary-Anne Gifford, Vaudeville: The Last Theatre of the Working Class, UNSW, Apr 2020, page 112. Available online at http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:73198/SOURCE02?view=true (as at 10 Nov 2021)
  7. ↑ PhD Thesis of Mary-Anne Gifford, as above
  8. ↑ Una Maxwell, Sunday Times (Sydney) ,19 Sep 1915, page 8 (incl. picture)
  9. ↑ Advertising (1912, December 22). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 21. Retrieved November 14, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228834642
  10. ↑ [1] – viewed on 1 Jan 2022
  11. ↑ Photo and short note in The Sun (Sydney) 17 Apr 1913, page 13
  12. ↑ The Northern Herald, Fri 5 Nov 1915, Page 30 (incl. image) — see [2]
  13. ↑ Una Maxwell, Sunday Times (Sydney) ,19 Sep 1915, page 8 (incl. picture)
  14. ↑ [3] - viewed on 1 Jan 2022
  15. ↑ Una Maxwell, Sunday Times (Sydney) ,19 Sep 1915, page 8 (incl. picture)
  16. ↑ The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), daily editions between Sat 14 Feb 1914 and Wed 3 Jun 1914, page 2 as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au (14 Nov 2021).
  17. ↑ "The Christian" in The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 Dec 1914, page 4 and Referee, 9 Dec 1914, page 15 as published on trove.nla.gov.au (accessed Dec 2021).
  18. ↑ Searches for "Una Maxwell" on Trove.nla.gov.au various articles in the Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton (1914) and the Sydney Morning Herald and Daily Telegraph (Sydney) in 1914-15.
  19. ↑ Goulburn Evening Penny Post 25 Mar 1916, p.2 as found on trove.nla.gov.au
  20. ↑ Una Maxwell a Bride, Queensland Figaro, 12 Feb 1916, p.11
  21. ↑ Una Maxwell a Bride, Queensland Figaro, 12 Feb 1916, p.11
  22. ↑ THE BIOGRAPHY of MISS UNA MAXWELL. (1916, October 31). Cairns Post, p. 7. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article40397082
  23. ↑ The Sun (Sydney) 15 Oct 1916, page 7 Advertisement
  24. ↑ UNA MAXWELL. (1917, January 5). The Northern Herald (Cairns), p. 10. Retrieved November 13, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151002737
  25. ↑ NSW marriage registration #9164/1922, NEWHAM, THOMAS & FITZ-STUBBS, UNA B. The NSW database also contains surname variants of FITZSTUBBS, UNA B and STUBBS, UNA B F with the same marriage record number.
  26. ↑ Personal communication, M. Lohmeyer Dec 2021
  27. ↑ Carcoar Chronicle, Friday 19 June 1925, page 2 as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 2 Jan 2022
  28. ↑ Carcoar Chronicle, Friday 10 July 1925, page 5 as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 2 Jan 2022
  29. ↑ The Burrowa News, 31 Jul 1925, Page 3 as shown on trove.nla.gov.au - viewed on 2 Jan 2022
  30. ↑ SHIPPING (1925, July 1). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 2 (FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved November 13, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223735805
  31. ↑ Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Series: RG 76-C; Roll: T-14882 as accessed via Ancestry.com on 21 Nov 2021.
  32. ↑ AVOIDING STRIKE (1925, July 18). The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), p. 9 (LAST RACE EDITION). Retrieved November 13, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223734227
  33. ↑ Canada, Incoming Passenger Lists, Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Series: RG 76-C; Roll: T-14882 as accessed via Ancestry.com on 21 Nov 2021.
  34. ↑ Cowra Free Press, 23 Feb 1926, Page 2 as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 2 Jan 2022
  35. ↑ Burrowa News, 8 July 1927, page 7
  36. ↑ Burrowa News, 8 July 1927, page 7
  37. ↑ Burrowa News, 8 July 1927, page 7
  38. ↑ Personal communication to M.Lohmeyer, Nov 2021
  39. ↑ Probate Records for Thomas Newham, Inventory, NRS-13660-11-146-Series 4_145807, publicly available at NSW Records, Kingswood, NSW.
  40. ↑ Cowra Free Press, 11 May 1928, page 1 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 5 Jan 2022
  41. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyangala_Dam viewed on 2 Jan 2022
  42. ↑ Wyangala Dam, Goulburn Evening Penny Post, 21 Oct 1932, Page 2 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  43. ↑ Wyangala Dam, Goulburn Evening Penny Post, 21 Oct 1932, Page 2 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  44. ↑ Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), Friday 11 May 1934 (No. 88), page 1887-1888 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  45. ↑ "Gallymont Grazier sues for Conversion" in Cowra Free Press, 7 March 1930, page 9 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  46. ↑ Cowra Free Press, 21 Nov 1930, page 7 and "Wyangala farmers tale each other to court" in Burrowa News, 5 Dec 1930, page 1 and Inverell Times, 1 Dec 1930, page 4 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  47. ↑ "charge and Counter-Charge" in Sydney Morning Herald, 28 Nov 1930, page 8 and full court transcript at "Woolies from the wilds of Wyangala" in Cowra Free Press, 28 Nov 1930, page 1 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 3 Jan 2022
  48. ↑ New South Wales Government. Police Gazettes. 10 Dec 1930, p. 929, accessed via Ancestry.com on 27 Nov 2021.
  49. ↑ "Woollies from Wyangala" in Cowra Free Press, 6 Mar 1931, page 1 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 5 Jan 2022
  50. ↑ "Erroneous" in Cowra Free Press, 31 Mar 1931, page 2 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 5 Jan 2022
  51. ↑ "Bribing a Constable" in Leader, 27 Mar 1931, page 4 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 5 Jan 2022
  52. ↑ "COWRA" in The Daily Telegraph, 25 Mar 1931, page 11
  53. ↑ "Alleged attempted bribery" in Cowra Free Press, 27 Mar 1931, page 5 - viewed on trove.nla.gov.au on 5 Jan 2022
  54. ↑ Cowra Free Press, 7 Apr 1931, page 2, Town Talk
  55. ↑ Victoria Marriage Registration No. 4153 /1934, copy of certificate in possession of M. Lohmeyer
  56. ↑ Email to M. Lohmeyer of 8 Dec 2021 from Ms. D. Rowse, Hon. Cathedral Archivist, St.Paul’s Cathedral Office, Melbourne, responding to M. Lohmeyer's enquiry relating to the Marriage Certificate and other documents held at the Cathedral Archives relating to the marriage.
  57. ↑ https://www.melbournecentral.com.au/blog/history-architecture/may-2015/the-stories-behind-melbourne-s-streets accessed 31 Dec 2021
  58. ↑ NSW Government Gazette No. 173 (30 Oct 1936), page 4538 as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au 5 Jan 2022
  59. ↑ "NSW Supremem Court Notices" in The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 Jul 1939, page 3 - as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au 5 Jan 2022
  60. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Oct 1944, Page 18, Family Notices, Deaths
  61. ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 Oct 1948, Page 30, Family Notices, Deaths
  62. ↑ The Blue Mountains Advertiser, 9 Feb 1950, page 5 - as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au 5 Jan 2022
  63. ↑ NSW Government Gazette No. 107 (20 Sep 1957), page 2986 - as viewed on trove.nla.gov.au 5 Jan 2022
  64. ↑ NSW BDM Search, Death Reg. No. 57781/1973 for WELLINGS, UNA BRACKENREG, died N.Sydney, daughter of EVELYN SARAH.
  65. ↑ Death notice, Sydney Morning Herald of 18 Jun 1973, indexed in Ryerson Index (http://ryersonindex.org) and uploaded by Enid Frost to Ancestry.com
  66. ↑ NSW Government Gazette, 8 Oct 1943 (Issue No. 114), page 1780 – available on trove.nla.gov.au
  67. ↑ Searches for "Una Maxwell" on Trove.nla.gov.au various articles in the Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton (1914) and the Sydney Morning Herald and Daily Telegraph (Sydney) in 1914-15.
  68. ↑ Goulburn Evening Penny Post 25 Mar 1916, p.2 as found on trove.nla.gov.au
  69. ↑ For example: THE BIOGRAPHY of MISS UNA MAXWELL, Cairns Post, 31 Oct 1916, Page 7
  70. ↑ The Sun (Sydney) 17 Apr 1913, page 13
  71. ↑ Una Maxwell, Sunday Times (Sydney) ,19 Sep 1915, page 8 (incl. picture)
  72. ↑ Lookup on the IMDB.com movie database (as at 13 Nov)




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Images: 6
Una Maxwell (actress) 1915
Una Maxwell (actress) 1915
Una Maxwell (actress) in 1916
Una Maxwell (actress) in 1916
Una Maxwell (dancer) 1912
Una Maxwell (dancer) 1912
Signature of Una Brackenreg Newham and 'George F.Wellings'
Signature of Una Brackenreg Newham and 'George F.Wellings'
Menzies Hotel. Melbourne
Menzies Hotel. Melbourne
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