Avon Lea

I was recently re-reading an essay about an interesting part of Australia's queer history. Historian Ruth Ford has written in some detail about Annie Payne, a British migrant who came to New South Wales at some time around the turn of the 20th century (Ford 44). According to the electoral rolls from 1903, 1906, and 1908, Annie Payne worked as a domestic in Newcastle. In about 1908, she met Harriet Brown. Harriet was also a domestic, and she lived across the road from Annie on Watt Street in Newcastle (Ford 45). At some point in the next three years, Annie Payne disappeared entirely and Harry Payne appeared. Payne dressed, and passed, as a man. On 30 August 1911, Harry Payne and Harriet Brown wed in East Maitland (Ford 45). It was the beginning of a marriage that lasted over fifteen years, until Harriet’s death in 1927. The couple moved to Sydney and Harry worked in a variety of jobs, including work as a tram conductor, tram driver, commercial traveller, and rate collector, while Harriet was a homemaker (45).

Did Harry and Harriet consider themselves both female? Or was Harry what we would now call transgendered? These are just two of an infinite array of possibilities. It is impossible to say how the Paynes saw themselves. But I do like to imagine them.

I like to imagine the Paynes in the house they shared in the outer suburbs of Sydney, the house they named “Avon Lea”. Harry coming home, loosening his tie and talking about his day. Drinking tea or beer with Harriet over their kitchen table in their working-class suburb. Feeling proud of the life they had built together. Forgetting their secret, and just living. Mowing the lawn, hanging pictures, going for Sunday drives. I like to imagine this because I know that what Heather and I have is not as new, or as threatening, as some people imagine. I also like to imagine this for Harry and Harriet. Apart from historians, it seems that there is no-one left to remember them, and historians must mainly remember facts. I like to try to imagine the things that got lost behind the facts, small trinkets lost like dropped change.

In 1928, after Harriet’s death, Harry married again, under the name of Harcourt Payne. He married a widow by the name of Louisa Maria Adams. It is unclear if Louisa knew of Harcourt’s biological sex, but given Louisa’s strong, lifelong involvement with the Salvation Army Church, this seems unlikely. Ten years after they married, Louisa Payne also passed away.

I do not like to imagine what happened next. Harcourt was in deep mourning, and his physical health deteriorated. Eight months after Louisa’s death, Harcourt “collapsed in the street” (Ford 47). His doctor organised his admittance to the Lidcombe Old Men’s Home/State Hospital. Harcourt was now 64 years old. Upon admission, he was bathed, and found to be a woman. He was immediately sent to a women’s hospital, examined by doctors, and questioned by police. The story was picked up and publicised widely in the newspapers. Harcourt was deemed to be insane and was held in a mental hospital, where he died a year later. He was buried in an unmarked grave.


Works cited:

Ford, Ruth. “They ‘were wed, and merrily rang the bells’: Gender-crossing and same-sex marriage in Australia , 1900-1940” in Graham Willet and David Phillips, eds., Australian Gay and Lesbian Perspectives 5, Australian Centre for Lesbian and Gay Research, 2000, pp.41-66.