Charles Allen Du Val

Lucy Du Val

Lucy Du Val was born in 1869, the daughter of Gerald Du Val and his wife nee Catherine Shimwell.

She emigrated to Australia some time after 1891, as on 1 April 1899 at Rockhampton in Queensland, she was married to a doctor, Edwin Charles Temple Smith MB MRCS of Mount Morgan.

In the 1911 Census Return, however, she was back in Chorlton-on-Medlock in Manchester, the "matron and head of institution" of a large nursing home in York Place. With her was her daughter, Audrey Temple Smith, aged 10. Lucy’s status was given as "married", so presumably her husband was still alive, but he does not appear to have been with her. Because Lucy made a career for herself, Audrey was mostly brought up in the family of her Aunt Blanche Du Val.

Lucy Temple Smith died in 1934 in Manchester, and the following notice appeared in the British Medical Journal:

“In their great loss and sorrow occasioned by the death of Mrs Temple Smith, her daughter Audrey and her sisters Bessie Kipping and Blanche Norman Melland desire to express their appreciation of the loving messages from countless loyal friends, and of the beautiful flowers sent by them and many people whom she has aided and befriended” (1).

Lucy’s daughter Audrey Temple Smith was educated at Manchester High School for Girls (2), and married twice, the second time to Leslie Walter Wheal. In 1940 she published a novel French Salad, a thinly disguised account of some of her family’s adventures. Unfortunately, most copies were destroyed in a bombing raid. She also wrote a radio play called The Skeleton Key (3).


Leslie and Audrey Wheal, along with Bessie Kipping nee Bessie Du Val and Blanche Norman Melland nee Blanche Du Val and their families, lived mostly in France between the two World Wars (4).

(1) British Medical Journal 11 August 1934.
(2) Database: School Magazines 1883-1952 http://www.mhsgarchive.org/article_419.php
(3) The Straits Times (Singapore) 25 September 1949 page 6.
(4) Information of Anthony Wheal.