Martha Annie CowdroyPrint Page

The marble plaque, erected by the parents and members of the church choir, commemorates Martha Annie Cowdroy, organist of the church who died in 1905 at the age of 24 from typhoid fever. 

After four weeks suffering from typhoid fever, and intense anxiety on the part of the whole community, Miss Martha Cowdroy, eldest daughter of Mr. Henry O.T. Cowdrey J.P., passed away at 1 p.m. on Thursday. When we went press on Tuesday evening the patient appeared to be rallying, and there were hopes of her recovery. It was only temporary, however, and she subsequently collapsed, and lingered until Thursday aftenoon, the end coming peacefully. No words of the press can describe the feeling of sorrow that fell upon the community, and in fact all over the district, when the sad news became known.

Since her illness became serious, it had been the main topic of conversation everywhere, and day by day there were anxious personal inquiries, as well as by letter and telegram, as to her condition. For a week past she had been unconscious, aud medical skill being beaten, the struggle became one between disease and Nature, and the deceased must have possessed extraordinary vitality to withstand it so long. Everything possible was done for her, for never was a family more devoted than her father and mother, brothers and sisters, as well as her lover and a trained nurse from the City, and day and night they sat by her bedside ministering to her. But her end was to be, and thus the favorite of everyone was carried off in the flower of her life. 

The deceased had resided in Bega since childhood, and was always a favorite. Latterly, she had been assisting in the teaching at the Deaconess High School, and had endeared herself to the pupils, their sobs at the funeral yesterday telling of their grief. A musician of the front rank, she was in request at all social gatherings, and she was never appealed to in vain in the name of charity. Her cheery face and sunny smile will be missed on all sides.
Southern Star (Bega, NSW), 18 February 1905.
 

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