Twynam, Emily Rose (1845 - 1910)

Emily Rose Twynam was born in 1845 at Hexham, New South Wales, died at Riversdale near Goulburn on 9 January 1910.

She was the ninth of eleven children of the Reverend Robert Thorley Bolton and Jane Martha Bolton (née Ball). Jane was English, while Robert was born in Narva (in modern Estonia): the Boltons were an English trading family that had maintained strong links with Russia and the Baltic region over several centuries.

Both of Emily's elder sisters achieved eminence in their respective spheres. Anne Bolton was the first woman graduate of a university in the British Empire, and was later a teacher of mathematics in Melbourne and in Oxford. Mary Windeyer was a leader in organisations promoting the health and welfare of children and women, and in the suffragette movement.

Emily married Edward Twynam in 1866, a year she described in a note on a visiting card as 'the year of bliss', and she bore eight children during the period 1867 to 1882. Edward was District Surveyor of Goulburn; he acquired the Riversdale property - a fine brick house with a large garden. near the Wollondilly River - in 1873, and the family lived there until 1887. When Edward was appointed Acting Surveyor General of New South Wales the family moved to Sydney, where they lived at 'Theula' in Milsons Point and later at 'Coma' in Potts Point. Edward retired in 1901. and soon afterwards the family returned to Riversdale. Emily and Edward remained there until their deaths in 1910 and 1923, respectively.

Emily was interested in art and craft and many of her works still remain. She was very competent in woodcarving, embroidery and drawing. In 1893 she won a prize for her embroidery at the Chicago International Exhibition. More than 130 drawings of plants birds and lizards survive in her sketchbooks. She carved furniture and picture frames with botanical themes some of which are displayed at Riversdale.

Source: Extracted from: Proudfoot, Ann (2004) The art of Emily Rose Twynam / Ann Proudfoot, exhibition catalogue.
and Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riversdale,_Goulburn (viewed Nov.2013); Death notice - Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 12 January 1910
Portrait Photo: Extracted from: Proudfoot, Ann (2004) The art of Emily Rose Twynam / Ann Proudfoot, exhibition catalogue.