NAA: A659, 1941/1/6493
Passow, Catrine Marie Margarethe
Digital copy - 1772755
| Occupation as written | Home duties |
| Standardised occupation | DS00: Domestic service - Domestic duties |
| Application received | 1 Oct 1916 |
| Application status |
Approved |
| Official | |
| Date of approval or denial | 18 Feb 1919 |
| If rejected, why? | |
| Birthplace as written | Luensburg, Hanover, Germany |
| Modern country | Germany |
| Age on application | 63 |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 31 |
| Port of Departure | None |
| Port of Arrival | None |
| Date of arrival | 1 Jan 1884 |
| Name of ship | None |
| Address in Australia | Wirrabara |
| Address State | South Australia |
| Time at address | 30 years |
| Previous address 1 | Callowie |
| Address State | South Australia |
| Time at address | 2 years |
| Married | Yes |
| Children | Yes |
3: 2 boys (Mitchell, Queensland) and 1 girl in Wirribara too |
| Name of reference | Alfred Kite |
| Occupation of reference | Officer of Police, South Australia |
| Marginalia description | p.1 cover - 'F'
Hunt, 26 Oct. 1916 - someone has put a question mark by ‘eligible’ in the copy in the file. |
| Police report attached | Yes |
| Link to other applicant | |
| Literate | Yes |
| Reason | Inheritance |
| Other information | First appl as husband lost certificate, then about inheritance
Widows Fund to Hunt, 6 February 1919: ‘her husband’s failure to obtain a Grant of Naturalization, our client was debarred from winding up her husband’s affairs, and her daughter, who had married Mr. H E. Heithersay [sp?], was authorised to wind up the estate of her late father… the duty was assessed against an estate largely got together by the thrift and industry of the present applicant' |
After 1st application, widowed.
Passow to Hunt, 20 Oct 1916: hubby nats in Adelaide June 1885. ‘he has no record of it’; ‘We are both well respected citizens and any body around here would be only to pleased to report on our characters loyalty. Only for the war this would not have happened, as we have children grown up and married and good citizens.’; Hunt, 26 Oct. 1916 - no trace of nat. and neither eligible.
Widowed in 1918. Re-appl. through Honburg, Melrose & Homburg, Widow Fund Building, Adelaide - approved once they directly contact minister in 1919 after initial refusal from Hunt, 3 Jan 1919:
Reply, 6 January 1918: ‘We desire to point out that the husband of the applicant died 12 months ago, and upon his estate both State and Federal Duty has been paid, to the extent of about £150. It seems to us particularly harsh that Mrs. Passow, now an old lady, is not entitled in the last years of her life to become naturalised in the country where she has resided continuously for a period of 33 years' & asked Minister 'to look into the matter personally’. Memorandum emphasises that lived in Australia 32 years at time of first application in 1916 (imsinuating they could have applied earlier). AH minute, 9/1/19: ‘Inform that very special reasons must be shown before naturalization of alien enemies can be granted. Ask if any such reasons exist in this case’. Reply, 6 February 1919: ‘assisted her husband in his fruit growing pursuits, and worked like an ordinary laborer, tilling the soil and driving her produce to market a distance of 30 miles… Mr. Passow (now deceased) left a net estate worth approximately £3,000… since her residence in this State, has never left it… if he failed in this connection [nat] it is unjust to impose any hardship on his widow… We cannot conceive of a case where a woman is more entitled in her old age to the orginary [sic] rights of a citizen in a country, to which she has not only devoted the best part of her life, but also has given her hard and continuous work which might fairly be described as arduous pioneer services under hardships which she can justly point to with pride. It may not be known that both Mr. and Mrs. Passow were 2 of the earliest pioneers in developing the fruit growing industry in one of the districts 160 miles north of Adelaide. We shall be glad if you will bring this letter under the notice of the Minister who the writer saw personally some weeks ago in Adelaide.’