Moira Bertram in Armidale by James Zee
A story of the Bertram sisters in 1931
Moira Bertram (1913-1993) was one of the few Australian women working in comics during the peak period of the 1940s and 1950s, writing and drawing with a unique style and creative flair. She worked consistently in partnership with her older sister Kathleen Bertram (1909-1977), who provided the stories' distinctive lettering.
It's not clear when the sisters moved from Sydney to rural NSW. In 1928, Moira was in Tamworth sending art to the Sydney Sun's Sunbeams supplement, but it wasn't published. 'Pehaps your drawings were not quite up to the standard,' Sunbeams said.11'Between Ourselves', The Sun (Sydney, NSW: 1910-1954), 1 July 1928, p. 50, viewed 12 September 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222168909....
In December 1930, Kathleen and Moira 'two popular young Sydney girls' took on the 'smart little' Kurrajong Café in Beardy Street Armidale.22'Personal', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 23 January 1931, p. 4, viewed 12...
At that time, Kathleen would have been 21 years of age and Moira just 18 years old.33There is an impression in the records that the Bertram sisters were living in Armidale by themselves, which is unusual...
We know this is 'our' Moira as she is described in a newspaper report as a black and white artist and a student of the Royal Art Society, where she was a pupil of Italian artist Dattilo Rubbo44See Australian Dictionary of Biography, Rubbo, Antonio Salvatore Dattilo (1870–1955), https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rubbo-antonio-salvatore-dattilo-8291, viewed 12 September 2022.... , renown for introducing modernism to Australian art studies. The report said Moira's 'work... as a commercial artist has been highly praised'.55'Personal', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 23 January 1931, p. 4, viewed 12...
Moira was actively promoting her association with the Royal Art Society and Rubbo to advertise in Armidale for drawing and commercial art pupils beginning from 9 February. She operated her art studio at 165 Beady Street, the address of the café, possibly from upstairs rooms.66'Advertising', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 4 February 1931, p. 5, viewed 12...
Kurrajong Café provided light luncheons, morning and afternoon teas, confectionery, Peters' ice creams.77'Advertising', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 19 January 1931, p. 5 viewed 12... It also sold George Adams Ltd cakes, a then popular Sydney-based bakery that had franchises across NSW and in Brisbane.
The Bertram sisters had acquired a franchise from George Adams Ltd. In 1925, the company had advertised for 'well-established Storekeepers to sell our famous rich cakes'.88'Advertising', The Armidale Chronicle (NSW: 1894-1929), 9 September 1925, p. 5, viewed 12 September 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article188976250... In December 1930, it notified its intention to transfer the Armidale business, then run by head office in Surry Hills (Sydney), to a 'responsible person as agent' on 'very reasonable terms regarding fittings'.99'Advertising', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 15 December 1930, p. 5, viewed 12...
That responsible person was Kathleen Bertram.
On new year's eve, almost immediately after taking on the café, a semi-drunk stranger stole 'a garlic sausage, valued at 3/8, the property of Kathleen Bertram'. While the sisters' father Arthur was minding the shop, he was out the back having lunch and unfortunately didn't see the theft. 'There were three sausages in a glass case when he went out, but only two when he returned,' he said.1010'The Sausage Did It!', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 2 January 1931, p....
Fortunately, a local policeman spotted the suspicious character who pled guilty and was fined £1.
For the first four months of 1931, the sisters actively advertised the café in the local paper.1111'Advertising', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 19 January 1931, p. 5, viewed 12... It's unknown how long they operated it after that. It seems they soon lost their famous cake supplier and stopped mentioning George Adams in advertisements.1212'Advertising', The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW: 1856-1861; 1863-1889; 1891-1954), 9 February 1931, p. 5, viewed 12...
George Adams Ltd was declared bankrupt in 1932 based on massive gambling debts. Between 1925 and 1930 Adams had lost an average of £5000 pounds a year on betting.1313'Gambled £5000 a Year', The Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW: 1924-1938), 27 September 1932, p. 8, viewed 12 September 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237038231....
Tragically, the Arthur Moritz Bertram had also gone bankrupt a few years earlier in 1925. He established a company in July 1920 to export wool and other produce.1414'Registered Companies', Daily Commercial News and Shipping List (Sydney, NSW: 1891-1954), 5 July 1920, p. 5, viewed 12 Sep 2022,... In 1921, he sent a large shipment of wool and furs to the United States, but a fall in the market resulted in a massive loss. He then accumulated even more debt and lost everything to the bank.1515'Drop in Skins', The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW: 1883-1930), 19 August 1925, p. 11, viewed 12 Sep 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article245256729.... Even beyond December 1930, action was underway to retain control of his property to cover debts.1616'In Bankruptcy', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842-1954), 16 December 1930, p. 6, viewed 12 Sep 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16739039....
This was, after all, the lead up and into the great depression (1929-1939).