Gertrude Olga Louise Leviny was born in 1879. She took art and wood-carving classes at the Castlemaine School of Mines in the early 1900s. She was a highly skilled woodcarver. She also enjoyed needlework, and made raffia hats and jewellery.
Gertrude wished to train as a nurse and commenced studies that were cut short when she contracted typhoid fever in 1903. In 1906 she suffered from meningitis, and was to have poor health throughout her life. Whilst recovering in 1906, she became engaged to a man by the name of Edgar, but the wedding was cancelled two days before the planned date for the ceremony in 1907, most probably at Gertrude’s instigation. In the late 1920s Gertrude moved to South Yarra in Melbourne, but returned to Castlemaine after two years, continuing to live at Buda until her death in 1969 aged 89. (Source: Culture Victoria, Goldfield Stories, The Leviny Sisters)
- Writers:
-
fulleg
- Date written:
- 2015
- Last updated:
- 2015
