Caption: Alice as a young girl: From an album in The Elms Collection
The Elms c 1900: The photograph shows Euphemia Maxwell on the lawn in front of the Mission House: Source: The Elms Collection
Alice Maxwell 1860 - 1949
Alice was born in Kilmore, the third surviving child of Andrew and Euphemia. She first visited her aunt Christina as a young child, soon after the battle of Gate Pa. At the age of 15 she returned, and when she was 21 spent a much longer period at The Elms. She heard many stories from Alfred himself, and many of these were recorded in Meomories of a Mission House, first printed in 1942, and still available today.
Alice was passionate about the history of The Elms, and began the tradition of showing visitors around the property.
Neither Alice nor Edith married. Apparently Euphemia frowned upon any budding relationships, preferring to keep her daughters to look after her in her old age.
Life was far from easy for the three Maxwell women. They were not well off, and needed to work hard to put food on the table. The house cows had to be milked, vegetables tended, fruit picked and bottled, eggs collected.
In 1913 it was decided that the 17 acre property should be subdivided, in order to raise money for maintenance.
The lean-to structures on either end of the house were extended to provide space for a bathroom and a small kitchen.
Alice died in 1949, and is buried in the Mission Cemetery.
