22 Canget Street, Wingham: A women’s affair

During an era when most women did not have control over their finances, this house represents a diversion from that norm.

In 1897, Hannah Fotheringham bought a block of land in Wingham for ‘her separate use’. She subdivided the land between 1900 and 1920, but kept a corner block just for herself.¹ Following the death of her well-known husband, William Fotheringham,² their son W J Fotheringham built Hannah a ‘5 roomed cottage’ on this block.³ Although approval was given to build the house, no plans were submitted to Council until it neared completion in mid 1919.⁴

Hannah and her daughter Mona left their grand family home at 42 Canget Street and moved into this more modest dwelling. Hannah was a devoted supporter of St Matthew’s Anglican Church and laid the foundation stone for the new rectory in 1924.⁵ After Hannah’s death in 1934, the property passed to Mona who continued to live there until her death in 1943.⁶

Elsie Maud Oakes, a boarding house manager in Isabella Street between 1936 and 1943, bought the property in 1944 with the help of a mortgage from her sister-in-law. The house was in her name even though she lived there with her husband Charles, a factory employee.⁷ After Elsie’s death in 1973 the property was sold to Eva Maud Worth and her husband Walter Worth of Kippax, farmer as joint tenants where they lived until the 1990s.⁸

After a century this grand lady still stands strong.

Author: Janine Roberts