Martha Henstridge

Role: Second wife of John Telfer (1840–1913)

After the death of his first wife Martha Allen (1840–1876), John Telfer (1840–1913) married Martha Clara Henstridge on 28 Dec 1876 at the Residence of J. Telfer, Tantanoola Creek, South Australia.

Born: 22 Jan 1854, South Australia
Died: 13 Nov 1921, Adelaide, South Australia (aged 67)
Buried: Tantanoola Cemetery, Tantanoola SA

Martha was the daughter of Frederick Henstridge Sr. and Maria Smith. She had 10 children with John Telfer: Mark, Maria Clara, Isabella Lucieton, John Roland, Clara Blanche, Robert Freddy, Douglas, Colin Roy, Alan Dale, and Alma Tressy.

Sources:

Family Stories

After the death of his first wife, John Telfer married for the second time on 28th December 1876. His second wife was Martha Clara Henstridge, daughter of Frederick Henstridge. The marriage took place at John's private residence at Tantanoola Creek, officiated by the Rev. Charles Tresize. John was described as a "Stockholder", aged 34, and Martha as a Spinster, aged 23.

Martha came from a family with a remarkable history. An old letter preserved in the family tells the story: "When John Telfer took Martha Henstridge to wife, he married into a family with a great historic heritage." The Henstridge family is descended from the Viking Hengest, who came to England as a mercenary to assist King Vertigen of Kent, but overthrew him and ruled Kent for a number of years. His descendants fought the Normans in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood. The heir to Hengest-Ridge Castle was given a baroncy by King John, and the barons kept the manuscripts to Magna Carta secretly in Hengestridge Castle until the King was forced to sign them.

Martha was very supportive of her husband in all his activities. She was an active member of the Tantanoola Red Cross, and served as Postmistress at Tantanoola from 1919 to 1921 after her daughter Tressic. Martha died in 1921 and is buried alongside John at Tantanoola Cemetery, where her headstone reads: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."

(From the Borders to the Bush, pp. 238–240)