Lundager Family collection
Collection
Material held includes: material related to Jens Lundager's profession as a professional photographer such as examples of his work and equipment used in creating his photographs; photographs of Jens and his wife Mathilda Lundager (nee Biltoft); postcards, photographs, diaries and correspondence about the lives of his daughters Else, Hulda, Mary and Alma; postcards and photographs in the First World War era collected by John Craies, husband of Mary Lundager; and a family photograph album belonging a member of Mary Craies's extended family, Thomas West of Ipswich.
Jens Hansen Lundager was a Danish-born Australian photographer, newspaper editor and politician. He was considered a master of photography in his era. Born in Vejlby, Denmark, in 1853, Lundager worked as a potter before establishing a photography business. He emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1879, aged 25, and worked as a photographer for the New South Wales government before trying his hand at gold mining at Temora. He then moved to Rockhampton and established a photography business. Lundager married Dane Mathilde Helene Biltoft (1859-1934) in Rockhampton in 1882 and together they had seven children Else Johanna (1883-1953), Mary Christine (1884-1890), Henry Walter (1886-1890), Hulda Hellene (1888-1970), Mary Christina (1893-1966), Alma May (1898-1953) and Dagmar Mathilde (1900-1901). In 1892, Lundager's studio burnt down and he moved to Mount Morgan where he continued his photography business and bought a bookstore to supplement his earnings. He was also heavily involved in the Mount Morgan community. Lundager moved to Sydney in 1919 and died there aged 76 in 1930. (Information taken from: Danes in Australia, Art and Photography and Wikipedia websites, viewed 4 September 2024). Four of Jens and Mathilde's daughters feature in this collection. Else Johanne Lundager (1883-1953) stayed with her parents studying dress making in Mount Morgan and working in the retail industry in this area in Sydney. Else never married. Hulda Helena Lundager (1888-1945) worked as a piano teacher in Mount Morgan before studying to become a general nurse at the Ipswich General Hospital, on East Street, in thr early 1920s. Hulda later moved to Sydney, N.S.W. where she lived with her sister Else and parents. She completed further training at the Royal North Shore Hospital, North Sydney, to specialise as a mid-wife and began working in this field in Sydney in 1926. Hulda enjoyed a long career as a nurse working until 1945 and never married. Mary Christina Lundager (1893-1966) trained to be a public-school teacher at Red Hill State School, Mount Morgan, from 1909-1913, before working as a teacher in a number of locations throughout Queensland. In 1927 she resigned from teaching to marry John Hamilton Craies the following year. John Hamilton Craies (1894-1979) served in the Military Cadet Corps and the [Australian] Garrison Artillery in Townsville. John enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) age 20 in Alderley, Brisbane in 1914. He was part of the 25th Battalion where he served at locations such as the Gallipoli Peninsula, Alexandria, Somalia and Zeitoun, at times within the 22nd Howitzer Brigade, and the 105th Battery of the 25th Battalion. He was then transferred to France to serve in the 5th Field Artillery Brigade (F.A.B). He returned to Australia in 1919. John worked as a bank officer in many locations and was part of the Citizen Military Forces (C.M.F.) during World War 2. Mary and John Craies had a daughter Helene Alma Craies (1928-2018). Helene married Gordon Douglas Hughes (1928-). The West family were related to Gordon through his mother. Alma May Lundager (1898-1953) trained to be a public-school teacher at Red Hill State School, Mount Morgan, from 1916-1919, before working as a teacher in a number of locations throughout Queensland. Alma enjoyed an overseas holiday to Europe from March 1937 until 28 September 1937 and a trip around the edges of Victoria around 1949. She never married.
Multiple copyright statuses.