MADELEINE O'BRIEN NEE MADSEN

 

Madeleine Madsen

EARLY LIFE

Madeleine at school

Young Madeleine

Source: The Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1942) Thu 21 Dec 1916 Page 33

Madeleine and Doreen Madsen (sisters) married Charles and Eugene O'Brien (brothers).

Back row: Madeleine, Nellie, John, Grace, Wilfred, Doreen, Charles

Seated: Unknown man, Emily Madsen, John Michael O'Brien, Julie O'Brien

On grass: Barbara, Colleen and Kathleen O'Brien.

At the age of 24 Madeleine had been behind the wheel when the family went for a drive in 1928. A tyre blow out caused a crash in which Martin Madsen, her father, died.

Madeleine had sat in the ambulance with his head cradled in her lap. Years later she suffered depression and underwent shock treatment for the condition (in the 1960s). She also felt incredible anxiety and guilt about abandoning Mr Peel (her fiance). Instead she married Charles O'Brien.

While residing in Loretto nursing home, she received some unofficial counselling from Sister Phillipa and it made a huge difference to Madeleine (for example, she took fewer drugs thereafter) and felt more at peace.

228 Marrickville Road, home of Emily, Ella, Doreen and Madeleine in 1930.

Madeleine married Charles St Clair O'Brien in 1938 in Marrickville. Their daughter, Julie, was born on 12 July 1943 in Walmer Private Hospital, Marrickville.

Madeleine with daughter Julie.