Stevenson, Frances Matilda, 1840-1914

Aolele, 1840-1914, Osbourne, Frances Matilda, 1840-1914, Stevenson, Aolele, 1840-1914, Stevenson, Fanny, 1840-1914, Vandegrift, Frances Matilda, 1840-1914

Wife of Robert Louis Stevenson. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, she married Samuel Osbourne in 1857. They had a daughter Isobel (Belle) born in 1858 and two sons. She divorced Osbourne after a varied and often unconventional married life, and married Stevenson in San Francisco in May 1880. Her Samoan name "Aolele" is engraved on the plaque where her ashes are buried with her husband.

There are 3 related items to this topic
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AFCM album 5

Date: Early 1900s

From: AFCM :Six albums containing newspaper and magazine clippings, and some original photographs

Reference: PA1-f-126

Description: Album of newspaper & magazine cuttings, maps, and black & white photographs, with the title "Outer New Zealand". Includes information on various islands, including Auckland Islands, Kermadecs, Cook Islands, Niue, Rarotonga, Western Samoa, Makogai Island Leper Station, and areas of the Antarctic. On page 6, there are 2 photographs of Cook Islanders wearing traditional clothing, one group from Mangaia, and one group from Aitutaki. There are sections giving detailed information and illustrations showing various agricultural activities, including the growing of bananas, copra, breadfruit, rubber, taro, kava plants, cacao, coffee and cotton; and on page 21 are 3 images showing the construction of a fale (Samoan dwelling). One section (pages 24-25) has information and images of Robert Louis Stevenson, his wife, his house "Vailima" and his tomb. There are several pages of coloured illustrations of different breeds of Samoan fish (p 46-50). Page 27 shows a group of Faipule (members of the Samoan Native Council) who visited Wellington in May 1925.

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Rutherford, Alex album 1

Date: [Between 1905 and 1936]

From: Rutherford, Alexander Mathieson, 1915-1998 :Photographs of Samoa

By: Tattersall, Alfred James, 1866-1951; Crown Studios (Auckland, N.Z.)

Reference: PA1-o-445

Description: Photographs of Samoa taken between 1905 and 1936, some taken by Samoan photographer Alfred James Tattersall, many by unidentified photographers. One photograph is not related to the rest, showing two young women flautists from Highcliff School, Dunedin, winners of a Dunedin competition in 1918 (P 90) The earliest ones, taken in 1905, show the damage caused by a volcanic eruption, and show lava pouring into the sea. The rest of the images are related to Donald Alexander John Rutherford, headmaster at Ifi Ifi School (Leififi School) from 1919, becoming Superintendent of Schools from 1923 to 1936. There are many scenes which include his family, with his wife and four children (including Alexander Mathieson Rutherford). Many of the scenes show school activities, including the ceremonies surrounding the opening of the new school at Avele; the schools at Malifa, at Ifi Ifi, Poutasi, Aleipata and other districts; sports teams; school parades, including boy scouts linked with the schools; and groups of teachers, both European and Samoan. General views of Samoa include the construction of a fale, the interior of a fale; fishing; cocoa beans and their harvesting and drying; copra industry, with Solomon Island workers; and sowing cotton seed. Several images show the celebrations for George V's birthday; school breakup feasts; and the farewell flotilla of canoes when the Rutherford family left Samoa in 1936. Social activities of the Europeans in Samoa include tennis, large groups of bowlers, and garden parties at Vailima, the Governor's residence. Inscriptions: Album page - "The Rutherford Family, November 30th 1936 ... Sae-Tupe" Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with cover bound in tapa cloth, light brown cloth spine; 25 x 30 cm

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Strong, Austin, 1881-1952 :Austin Strong's notebook; grandson of R L Stevenson. Le livr...

Date: 1895 - 1904

From: Strong, Austin, 1881-1952 :[Sketchbooks. ca 1895-1904]

Reference: E-778

Description: Notebook possibly made on a voyage, includes portrait sketches, sketches of sailing ships, a parrot, a lamp and two figures sketching with the parrot and lamp nearby. There is also a page entitled "Vailima", showing portrait profiles of RLS (Robert Louis Stevenson), LO (Lloyd Osbourne), MRLS (Mrs Robert Louis Stevenson, Fanny Osbourne), IS (Isobel Strong nee Osbourne), MIS (Mrs Isobel Strong?) and a bearded baby at the lower centre. There is a sketch of "Bron" and of a "lawyer on board, a very nice fellow. He was a[n] ambassador for something he ..." Also includes a sonnet (beginning "Thou now familiar english semes my turn / Thee, learned Wilson, still I fear to face / Just terror of the younger student race ...") and a short poem entitled "Where is my wife?": "If you don't come tonight / I shall go insane outright / Already more than halfway mad / I'll go entirely to the bad". Also accompanied by a printout of the article form "Historic Nantucket, vol 51, no 1 (Winter 2002) pages 5-9, retireved on 25 March 2009 from http://www.nha.org/history/hn/HN-theroux-strong.htm Other Titles - Louis Quantity: 1 sketchbook(s). Physical Description: Pencil drawings and handwriting in hardcovered notebook, 135 x 190 mm.