THERE apparently exists an extensive Orams Family history, compiled by an Orams family member in New Zealand some time ago in preparation for an international reunion. Unfortunately, it appears it is far too large and wide-ranging for this humble (and still very much a “work-in-progress”) page! Instead, we offer more modest accounts of the Orams and Halleren family members and, courtesy of Brian and Jean, some facts and figures about her branch of our family tree.

Mummy montage

The Orams Family

Orams Ancestral Chart Part 1

Orams Ancestral Chart Part 2

Mummy Montage 2

Mummy montage 3

The wedding of Ernest & Margaret Orams at Yarraville Presbyterian Church, March 5, 1932… Their invitation, news announcements and wedding cake are all pictured here… Margaret Halleren Click to enlarge! Ernest Orams		Ernest Orams… on the steps of Granville Hospital (top) & (below) c.1920. Margaret Halleren c. 1929 and Ernest Orams’ Morris Cowley car (top) & (below) at Werribee

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Josiah Orams (top) & Martha Orams	Caroline Orams Josiah Orams, jnr	Josiah Orams in his shop on July 17, 1879
Property Notes... Land ad 1885 Back of 1885 ad Property ad 1907 All docs	In the early 1950s, Ernest Orams was hit by a car whilst riding his bike near home. He sustained a broken leg and was hospitalised. In preparation for his court case he took these photos (above and left) of the site of the accident, Moreland Road, Footscray. It appears that Papa Orams also had an earlier major mishap on his motorbike…we found this article during a routine search of The Argus newspaper…Mum says he was in hospital for months – and missed going to the war because of his injuries…	Moreland Road, Footscray *  *  * Among the photos and documents in Papa’s collection was this mysterious image with the inscription, “Mr Clegg & Myself 1950”. But since neither looks like Papa Orams and we don’t know who Mr Clegg is, the mystery remains… Mr Clegg & Myself, 1950

R O N A L D  O R A M S Josiah Jnr and Ronald Orams c.1912

His assorted correspondence from 1931-1932… Beaverlake envelope Beaverlake letter Postcard 1 front Postcard 1 back Postcard 2 front Postcard 2 back

Jean Orams c.1940 at St. Kilda Beach

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The Halleren Family in Belfast c.1910

The Halleren family photograph (above) was taken in Belfast (circa 1910), after the death of Martin Halleren (senior) who was a ship’s plumber and worked at Harland & Wolff, builders of the RMS Titanic and her sister ships, RMS Brittanic and RMS Olympic. Pictured (l-r) are Lizzie, Martin (standing), Jean, Catherine, Tony (standing), Charlie and Margaret (aged about 10 – Jean’s mother). Tony’s wife was little Aunty Anne, our Welsh great-aunt who kept the yappy little dogs!

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Catherine Halleren, a widowed nursing sister and mother of six (all pictured above), was the owner of a private hospital in Belfast who had served in the Queen Alexandra Nursing Corps during World War One. She came to Australia with her youngest daughter, Jean, and on January 25, 1925, opened “Granville” a (private) 12-bed general, surgical and maternity hospital in Yarraville to serve the people of Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs. Together with a small dedicated staff – including her daughter Margaret who joined her in 1927 after completing her training in England – they delivered more than 4000 babies and took care of thousands of sick and infirm Melburnians for 30 years. No patient who came to her for care was ever refused treatment or turned away.
“Granville” closed as a private hospital following the death of Matron Halleren in 1955.
Read more in The Catherine Halleren story below.

Granville Hospital, Yarraville	Documents related to Granville Hospital: Granville Letterhead Granville Invoice Granville Closing Letter Documents (including their combined Resumes) related to Matron Catherine Halleren and Sisters Margaret and Jean Orams: Catherine Jackson (Hollis) Hollas birth certificate Catherine Halleren’s War Record Request (1) and Registrar letter Letter from Catherine Halleren to Margaret Orams 1925 Surgeon’s Reference for Sister Margaret Halleren and from Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital	Catherine Halleren at Granville Hospital c. 1930s
Catherine Halleren c. 1914	Margaret and Catherine Halleren	Catherine Halleren (seated) with unknown c. 1918

In 1988 as part of Ausralia’s Bicentennial celebrations, a Government-funded project called, “Unsung Heroes” was launched to acknowledge the countless outstanding individual contributions made in the recent history of Australia. Jean submitted a brief outline of the efforts of Catherine Halleren at her hospital, “Granville”. Although not included in the final book, a certificate was issued and Catherine Halleren’s story has been given a place in the National Library of Australia alongside the other “worthies”. A copy of her story may also be found here along with details of the “Unsung Heroes” project.

Unsung Heroes & Heroines

Catherine Halleren c. 1918 The Catherine Halleren Story

(L-R) Nana Orams (Margaret Halleren) with Jean & Brian and Nana & Pa Walsh at the Presbyterian Church, Yarraville, August 1960

(L-R) Hector Orams, Marion Lindupp, Allen and Brian Walsh and Rev. Norman Paul, August 27, 1960. The beautiful bride is Jean Walsh!