Matthew Bougen

  General Notes:

Parents - Matthew Henry Bougen & Sarah High

A letter dated 20 June 1921 on Matthew's son's military service record (Norman Bougen) indicates that Matthew desreted his wife Catherine (Hollow) around 1905 and his last contact with Catherine was around 1911.

Appears to have remarried in 1921 (Was this a bigamous marriage?) He does not appear on any NSW electoral roll (1930 onwards) - perhaps for a good reason.

Genealogist Dianna Chandler provided the following narration:

Matthew arrived in Sydney abt 1890,he married Catherine Hollow on the 3rd June 1891 in Sydney. Catherine was the daughter of James Hollow and Alice Alicia Williams, Catherine was the 4th child of 14, she was born in 1863 in Mudgee NSW, she died 1947 at Parramatta Sydney.
Matthews occupation at that time was a Blacksmith, he later became a Vetinarian, records show he first practised as a Vet in Cowra NSW 1911 till 1915, and again 1924, from 1928 till 1933 in the Ryde area of Sydney. My sisters tell me he was also the vet for Canterbury Racecourse.
Matthew and Catherine had two children, Muriel b 12 Dec 1892 and Norman 8th Jan 1894, Norman died in France WW1 25th July 1916. Muriel married George William Moore 6th Nov 1914, they had three children, Wilga, Bede and Neil; Muriel d 1965.
Matthew had a second family, he married Christina Rumble in 1922, however their relationship goes back to 1903 when their first child Frederick was born and that's another story. Recently I was able to view Normans army records, in 1923 Kate Bougen, her name is recorded with both C or K was trying to obtain Normans was medals, on one form she is asked about the father of Norman, the reply she knew he was still living but didn't know where as he had deserted her 10 years earlier, the plot thickens, it's apparent Matthew had a double life. It is amazing that my three half sisters know little of their grandfather or his family, he died in 1943 and the eldest granddaughter would have only been 2, they onlty know of his life with Christina and his connection with racing.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Registered Death, 1943, Canterbury, Nsw, Australia. ⁵²²

Matthew married Catherine Hollow, daughter of James Hollow and Alice Alicia Williams, in 1891 in Sydney, Nsw, Australia. (Catherine Hollow was born in 1863 in Mudgee, Nsw, Australia and died in 1947 in Parramatta, Nsw, Australia.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Registered Marriage, 1891, Sydney, Nsw, Australia. ²⁷¹