BRUCE-NICOL Family: Born in Glasgow, George Bruce-Nicol had worked for some years with the British – India mail service and after many trips to Brisbane, decided to settle here. In 1884 he married Helene Gaujard, his next door neighbour in Gray Street, South Brisbane. In around 1888 they built the charming house “Marly” on the land that Helene’s father Emile Emile had purchased in Franklin Street, HighgateHill. The house is still in existence.

The couple had two sons and 3 daughters between 1884 and 1891. Sadly the last daughter, Essie Evelyn, died in her first year. In 1886 George, in partnership with a brewer called Charles Lanfear, established the West End Brewery. Despite its name, the brewery was located in South Brisbane in Montague Road between Merivale and Cordelia Streets. The imposing building was a prominent landmark for many years. George Bruce-Nicol remained as chairman and managing director of the brewery right through until 1914 at which time it seems to have ceased trading. Bruce-Nicol died a few years later in 1917.

After George’s death in 1917, Helene, along with her daughters Corinne and Stella, moved to New Farm. She sold the Franklin Street house ‘Marly’ to the Anglican Church who used it as a maternity hospital. It was called the Sumner Hospital in honour of the founder of the Mothers Union, Mary Sumner. The Church eventually sold the property in 1938, subdividing the land in the process. Helene was well known in Brisbane as a philanthropist. During the First World War, she and her daughters were heavily involved with the Red Cross and established a French Red Cross fund. Stella was later awarded a 1914-1919 Gold Cross and Medaille de Reconnaissance Francaise by the French Government.

Stella never married and lived with her mother Helene until the latter’s death in 1929. Stella took up similar philanthropic interests as her mother and jointly they were strong supporters of St. Martin’s Hospital, St Margaret’s School and the Mission to Seamen. Stella also had a career as a journalist. She was on the editorial staff of the “Queenslander” magazine in charge of the women’s and children’s departments. Amongst other work, she wrote a women’s column called “Fileuse”. As “Aunt Fileuse”, she ran a very popular children’s pen friend column. Stella died in 1930 at just 42 years of age in St. Martin’s Hospital, which she had done much to bring into existence through her fund raising work. A memorial altar piece was installed in the Seamen’s Chapel, then located at Petrie Bight. George, Helene, Stella and Essie share a grave with Emile and Sarah Gaujard, Helene’s parents.