Ruth Behrens
(8 July 1895 - 19 October 1977)
Ruth's father, William (65), died on the morning of 12 June 1907. When he was buried at the Box Hill Cemetery, Ruth's six older brothers carried their father's coffin from the horse-drawn hearse to his grave.
Ruth was one of the earliest students to graduate from the nursing course at the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital.
Edmund and Ruth welcomed their first child, Helene n 26 March 1933. Just two months later, on 21 May 1933, Ruth's brother Ed died unexpectedly aged 42, after an unfortunate accident in which a horse kicked him in the head. The family buried Ed at the Box Hill Cemetery. Six months later, her mother, Alice, died on 8 November 1933 in Doncaster, Victoria, and was buried in the same grave as her husband, in Box Hill Cemetery, Baptist Section, Plot B-40. The following year, Ruth's brother, Ken died on 20 July 1934 from consumption (tuberculosis), aged 48. He too was buried at Box Hill Cemetery.
Ruth Behrens was born on 8 July 1895 at the family home, 800 Elgar Road, Doncaster. Ruth was the second youngest child of German-born Frederick William Ellis Behrens (22 June 1841 - 12 June 1907) and his Australian-born wife, Alice Martha Powrie (5 Nov 1857 - 8 Nov 1933):
When Ruth was born she had six older brothers and an older sister.
Ruth and her siblings did their schooling at the Doncaster State School No. 197 which was constructed c1886 at 679 Doncaster Road to replace a previous timber structure.
- Frederick (Fred) William Behrens (29 Oct 1882 - 5 Nov 1966)
- Ellis Behrens (16 Apr 1884 - 28 Apr 1965)
- Kenward (Ken) Behrens (16 Mar 1886 - 20 July 1934)
- Otto Behrens (29 Apr 1887 - 11 Nov 1963)
- Thomas (Tom) Behrens (25 Sept 1888 - 5 Nov 1970)
- Edmund (Ed)Behrens (20 June 1890 - 20 June 1933)
- Minna Behrens (3 Oct 1893 - 7 July 1973)
- Ruth Behrens (8 July 1895 - 19 Oct 1977)
- Nettie Behrens (8 Nov 1896 - 7 Oct 1937)
When Ruth was born she had six older brothers and an older sister.
Ruth and her siblings did their schooling at the Doncaster State School No. 197 which was constructed c1886 at 679 Doncaster Road to replace a previous timber structure.
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Behrens family in early 1907 just before William passed away.
Back from left: Tom, Ken, Otto, Edmund
Middle from left: William and Alice
Front, from left: Ruth, Nettie, Minna
Absent: Fred & Ellis
(Photo courtesy of K J Bland)
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| Ruth, Nettie & Minna Behrens c1907 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
Ruth's father, William (65), died on the morning of 12 June 1907. When he was buried at the Box Hill Cemetery, Ruth's six older brothers carried their father's coffin from the horse-drawn hearse to his grave.
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| Behrens siblings at the wedding of Ellis Behrens & Alice Scheffler 1911. Back L-R: Otto, Minna, Charlie Jensen, Ken. Front L-R Tom, Nettie, Ellis, Alice Scheffler, Ruth. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
Ruth was one of the earliest students to graduate from the nursing course at the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital.
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| Wedding of Charles Stafford and Minna Behrens. 19 October 1914. From left: Nettie Behrens, Tom Behrens, Charles Stafford, Minna Behrens, Ken Behrens, Ruth Behrens, & Fred Behren Photo by The Burlington Studios, 294 Bourke St, Melbourne. (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Nettie, Minna, Alice and Ruth Behrens. The photo was taken at The Burlington Studios, Burke Street, Melbourne c1914. (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
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| Ruth Behrens c1914 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
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| Behrens family picnic near Warrandyke c1915 From left: Charlie Stafford, Belle & Ken, Ruth, Nettie, Alice, Leo Stafford (boy) Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Ruth, Minna & Nettie Behrens in the buggy with Ken at the back. Photographer and date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Behrens family picnic c1918 From left: Lorrie & Tom, Ruth with Leo Stafford (boy), Alice, Nettie, unknown woman & man, Belle & Ken (standing), four other unknown people Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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Alice Behrens (centre), with three of her children.
From left: Nettie, Otto (front) and Ruth.
Date unknown, but in the 1920s.
(Photo courtesy of K J Bland) |
Ruth trained as a nurse at the Sydney Adventist Hospital and then completed midwifery training.
35 year old Ruth married Johannes Friedrich Edmund Martin (14 May 1894 - 29 Sep 1965) who was known as Edmund, at the Mont Albert Seventh-day Adventist Church, Victoria in 1930. Edmund was a train driver.
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| Ruth Behrens holds the first baby she delivered. Photographer and date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
35 year old Ruth married Johannes Friedrich Edmund Martin (14 May 1894 - 29 Sep 1965) who was known as Edmund, at the Mont Albert Seventh-day Adventist Church, Victoria in 1930. Edmund was a train driver.
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| Edmund Martin & Ruth Behrens on their wedding day 1930 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Wedding of Ruth Behrens to Edmund Martin, 1 October 1930 Mont Albert Seventh-day Adventist Church, Melbourne. From left: Edmund Behrens, Nettie Behrens, Edmund Martin & Ruth Behrens. Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Edmund and Ruth had three children:
- Helene Alice Martin (26 March 1933 - )
- William Rolfing (Rolf) Martin (29 March 1935 - )
- Bernice Clara Martin (10 March 1937 - ) known as Clara
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| Ruth and Edmund Martin at the their home in Brighton, South Australia Photographer & date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Edmund and Ruth welcomed their first child, Helene n 26 March 1933. Just two months later, on 21 May 1933, Ruth's brother Ed died unexpectedly aged 42, after an unfortunate accident in which a horse kicked him in the head. The family buried Ed at the Box Hill Cemetery. Six months later, her mother, Alice, died on 8 November 1933 in Doncaster, Victoria, and was buried in the same grave as her husband, in Box Hill Cemetery, Baptist Section, Plot B-40. The following year, Ruth's brother, Ken died on 20 July 1934 from consumption (tuberculosis), aged 48. He too was buried at Box Hill Cemetery.
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| Ruth and Edmund Martin with their daughter Helene c1935 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Ruth Martin with her children, Helene, Bernice (Clara) & Rolf. 1937 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
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| Ruth Martin with her children. From left: Helene, Rolf, Ruth, Bernice (Clara) Photographer & date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Edmund and Ruth's daughter Clara married Vivian Louis Alexander Marr (21 Jan 1927 - Apr 1994) on 6 May 1954 at the Adelaide Registry Office. They would later divorce.
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| Helene Martin with her mother Ruth. c1967 Photographer unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Edmund predeceased his wife on 29 September 1965. He was buried at the Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide, General E, Path 11, Grave 823.
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| Ruth Martin late in her life Photographer & date unknown (Photo courtesy of A & N Holman) |
Ruth (81) died in Adelaide on 19 October 1977. She was buried with her husband at the Centennial Park Cemetery. The Australasian Record of 9 January 1978, page 15, published the following obituary in Ruth's memory:
MARTIN. Ruth, dearly loved wife of Edmund Martin
(deceased), and mother of Helene, Rolf and Clara, passed
away in Adelaide at the age of eighty-one years on
Wednesday, October 19, 1977. Sister Martin was the last of
the nine children of the respected Behrens family. Two of her
brothers were pastors of the church. In the very early days of
the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital our late sister graduated
from the nursing course, and all through her long life she
practised the principles of sincere Christian living. She will
certainly be missed from the front pew at the Trinity Gardens
church where she regularly worshiped. Services at the
funeral chapel and at the Centennial Park Cemetery, South
Australia, were conducted by the writer. J. H. Wade.
(deceased), and mother of Helene, Rolf and Clara, passed
away in Adelaide at the age of eighty-one years on
Wednesday, October 19, 1977. Sister Martin was the last of
the nine children of the respected Behrens family. Two of her
brothers were pastors of the church. In the very early days of
the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital our late sister graduated
from the nursing course, and all through her long life she
practised the principles of sincere Christian living. She will
certainly be missed from the front pew at the Trinity Gardens
church where she regularly worshiped. Services at the
funeral chapel and at the Centennial Park Cemetery, South
Australia, were conducted by the writer. J. H. Wade.
The children of Edmund and Ruth
Edmund and Ruth had three children:
References
Wade, J. H. (1978, 9 January). Till He Comes. Australasian Record. 15. Retrieved from http://documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/AAR/AAR19780109-V83-02.pdf
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank K J Bland for supplying family records, and photographs for this project, and also for sharing his recollections about his grandparents. Many thanks goes to A and N Holman for sharing their years of research, and for allowing me to use many photographs from their family collection.
Last updated on 26 February 2018
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