Augusta Vickery
Augusta Vickery
and her husband's will
Augusta Vickery was one of two sisters born in Jersey who emigrated to Australia, where they became famous singers and actresses. Their father George was a successful lawyer and politician in Jersey. Augusta's sister Leonida's life is recorded in a separate Jerripedia article. Augusta married an Irishman and reports in Australian newspapers in 1880 reveal that after his death, his family in Ireland contested his will
- Brisbane Courier, Queensland, Australia, Friday, 16 January 1880
- Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, Tuesday, 20 January 1880
A curious will case
Under the head of "A Curious Will Case", the Melbourne Age reproduced from the Dublin papers a case tried in the law courts of that city. It was a suit instituted for Dr Archdall, who had died on 26 January 1876, in Maryborough, Queensland, and whose next of kin disputed the testament on the plea that the testator was under the influence of drink when he gave instructions to have the document drawn up.
The will left the whole of the property of the deceased (in Donegal and Fermanagh) to his widow, Augusta Archdall, better known in the colonies as Andree Navaro, the burlesque actress. The result of the action was not known when the mail left, as the counsel for Dr Archdall's relatives had taken a technical point relating to the proof of the will, and the case has consequently been adjourned to permit the opposing lawyers to look into the matter.
There are a good many people in this colony who will be interested in the sequel to a rather romantic story. Dr Archdall appeared in Maryborough in 1875, where, although evidently a gentleman of refinement and culture, he was the associate of a knot of rather reckless young men, who took a particular delight in shocking the propriety of the decorous people of that town.
At one time he took a trip to the South Seas in a labor vessel owned by his new friends. Much interest was felt in Dr Archdall by those who had heard his story, and knew that he had been the victim of a "sensational" divorce case, and his evident gloom and abandonment to drink were attributed to the mental shock he had undergone.
In fact he excited the compassion evoked by the spectacle of a ruined life - the many attractive qualities of the man enhancing the sentiment.
Surprise marriage
A good deal of surprise was excited when it was known towards the end of the year that he had married the well-known burlesque actress Andree Navaro - whose name, by the way, was Augusta Vicary [1], and who was the daughter of a barrister-at-law and first deputy of the State of Jersey (US) [2]
The new Mrs Archdall, from the date of her marriage in September, devoted herself to the attempt to save her husband from the consequences of his own conduct. His constitution was evidently breaking down from habitual excess, and she constituted herself his nurse.
The medical gentleman who attended the sinking man bore testimony to the devoted affection with which she attended him at the hotel where they were staying. The disputed will was dated in October, about a month after the marriage, and Mrs Archdall fought hard for her husband's life till the following January when he died. It was reported, on the authority of the doctor who attended on the deceased, that if the unhappy man had been taken in hand earlier by so careful and skilful a nurse, his life would have been saved, but that at the time of his marriage his constitution, never very robust, had been destroyed by prolonged success.
Miss Navaro had for some time refused to marry Dr Archdall, and only yielded after long and urgent solicitation, and evidence was adduced at the trial to show the perfect propriety of the relation between them before marriage. After her husband's death Mrs Archdall endeavoured to maintain herself as a teacher of music and languages in Maryborough, but did not find a very profitable field for her exertions.
She refused, however, offers of a renewed theatrical engagement. Whatever may be the result of the trial, and whether it leaves Mrs Archdall with a substantial reward for her devotion to the sickly melancholy stranger, who fell in love with her and married her, those who were acquainted with the strangely assorted pair entertained no doubt of the reality of their mutual affection.[3]
- Leonida Maude Vickery, Augusta's sister
- George Vickery lawyer and politician, father of Leonida and Augusta
Family tree
