The Disappearance of Margaret Bale part 1

The “Disappearance” and “Discovery” of Margaret Bale
Formerly a Kalgoorlie School Teacher.

In December of last year, 1909, Margaret Bale, a young woman about 25 years of age, who had for the three years previous, been a member of the teaching staff of the school conducted by the Sisters of the Church (Anglican) at Lamington Heights Kalgoorlie. She left the goldfields with the stated intention of returning to her native England.
Reaching Perth, this young woman stayed with some friends till December 22nd. On that day the world ceased to know of ‘Margaret Bale’ and until Thursday last, it remained in mystified doubt of her whereabouts. On Thursday last the young woman stepped back into the world and became Margaret Bale once more, after having for over seven months assumed male attire and passed herself off as “Martin Able.” The transposition of the letters in Bale became Able.

The escapade of Margaret Bale has amazed those who knew her. Her disposition is such, that she made comparatively few friends both in Kalgoorlie and on the coast, but those whom she did make the acquaintance of are astounded at what she has gone through. On her own explanation, the young woman had become tired of the dull monotony of her existence, and it was when she was in Perth, preparing to return to England that she bethought herself of a scheme to alter matters.

When she left her friends on December 22nd she conceived, the extraordinary idea of giving up the life that she had been leading and, with the object of effecting a drastic change, she dressed herself as a young man and, as it were! began life afresh, taking as her name that of “Martin Able.”

Whether she had ideas of making the change a permanent one is not at all clear, but the manner in which she concealed her identity demonstrates that there was some determination in her planning. Miss Bale was to have sailed from Albany to Liverpool on January 6th last, and when on December 22nd she did not return to the home of the friends with whom she was staying in Perth, a search for her was at once instituted. All inquiries failed to find her, and the boat she intended sailing by left Albany on January 6th without her. Her disappearance was reported to the police, and the detectives undertook the task of finding her. Months of search were unavailing and eventually the matter was made public. throughout the State, and, just as, the deepest interest was being, manifested in the case, the missing, young woman was discovered under circumstances of a most extraordinary nature.

With her discovery came an account of the young woman’s life as a man. . After donning male attire and having her hair cut, she secured lodgings at Fremantle. Shortly after that she was a successful applicant for a position as steward at the Fremantle Club, an institution where the staff is generally composed of Chinese only with or two whites being also employed. The new steward greatly impressed the officials of the club who found in “him” a quiet well-mannered “boy” who always seemed to be anxious to please and to give satisfaction. The pay was 15 shillings a week, and the new addition to the staff earned the money for “he” was particularly good at work that other members of the staff did not do so well, such as polishing and other work which required more than ordinary neatness.

The only failure with the young “fellow” was his inability to appreciate strong language. Conversation with him was usually restricted, but when the speakers endeavored to ” mix their words” and impart a trifle of flavor to them, the young steward declined to proceed further. “He” told one of the club officials that “he” could not carry a dozen bottles one day and when the official made use of a “damn” he was greeted with a gentle but firm upbraiding. On another occasion it could not be understood why “Martin Able” did not wake one of the officials when sent to do so. Now, of course, the reason is apparent. A fortnight of club life was sufficient for the young woman, and she hit out again, and was in and out of several situations, and then settled down in her own business in High street, Fremantle, as ” Martin Able,” a purveyor of pictures, postcards, stationary etc. The business did not boom though, and shortly after “Martin Able” moved out.

Punch Melbourne – 25 August 1910, page 15

At one time Martin Able took on a job as cellar-man and handy man at the Odd fellows Hotel, Fremantle. “He” held the position for three months, during which time “he” gave general satisfaction, though “his” strength was not equal to the demands of the position. The “cellar-man” was noticed to be good at washing, and frequently comments were passed in the hotel about the way in which “he” washed his shirts, etc.

Finally “he” obtained a position as a clerk in Perth catering office, and it was while “he” was there that the detectives heard a whisper which resulted in the discovery of Margaret Bale.  She was a trifle despondent when discovered, but she candidly admitted her identity and she did not shirk telling the officers of the Detective force all about herself.

Able had plenty of enjoyment as a young man, and he visited the un-registered race meetings at Bicton, smoked and went to dances. As an exponent of the art of Terpsichore (delight in dancing) however, “he” was not a success, and his gyrations at one dance led to him to being described as a “supple heifer.”
To keep up the deception the young masquerader smoked cigarette and cigars, and even palled up with young girls, who were attracted by the “young man’s” nice face. It was a novel experience for her to be ogled by little coquettes in the streets, and she was a trifle embarrassed on several occasions when girls endeavored to “mash” her. As a young man, Miss Bale was a huge success and she would have would have still been undiscovered but for the publication in the Sunday Times of her photograph.

A young lady employed in a shop in High street, Fremantle noticed the similarity between the features of the missing Margaret Bale and “Martin Able,” and when she conveyed her impressions to the detectives it signalised the setting of the sun of “Martin Able,” and the return to the world of Margaret Bale.

Next week, more about this unusual young woman and what transpired while she was ‘missing’ and what became of her. She ‘sold’ the story of ‘When I Was A Man’ to the Golden Gate Newspaper in Fremantle.