| Notes |
- Mollie Thora Ann Hopwood was born in Scottsdale, Tasmania, on 3 May 1921. Her birth certificate records her as having been born at "Mrs Keppler's" in Scottsdale. Newspaper articles refer to a Nurse Keppler and her mother (probably Alma Keppler) running a 'private hospital' in their home in Christopher St, Scottsdale, around that time. There are numerous birth notices for children born in their home.
Although Molly's mother, Christina, married Donald Milton Hopwood on 6 November 1920, they separated just three weeks later when it became known that the child Christina was carrying (Molly) was not his. The name of Molly's father was not stated on her birth certificate. Christina was just 19 years old when she gave birth. Through later DNA testing we have since concluded that Mollie's biological father was Horace Oliver Hardy, a 30 year old former soldier living in the Scottsdale area at the time.
Donald and Christina had nothing to do with each other for the next seven years, and at some point during this period Christina moved to Melbourne. Donald visited Christina in Melbourne in March 1927 and found her living with another man, John Anderson. He filed for divorce in May 1927, and it was granted in September.
Amidst all this, it seems Molly was not given a particularly stable upbringing in her younger years. She regularly travelled between Melbourne and Launceston, apparently caught up in a bitter dispute between her parents, and as a child was never really given the opportunity to settle in either location. She saw very little of her half-sister, Norma Hayes, in Melbourne while growing up.
As a child Molly continued to live in the Tamar district of northern Tasmania. There is a reference to her being involved in a fair at Deviot School in December 1929 (aged 8 years), and also of a Miss Molly Hopwood participating in a church fair at Deviot in the Tamar district in January 1936 (aged about 14). Molly later changed her name to Yvonne Mollie Thora for reasons unknown.
Molly appears to have been living with her mother, Christina, and step-father, Jack Hayes, at Werribee, Victoria, by about 1937 (aged 16 years), and it was here that she met Vincent Charles Monterola, a RAAF airman based at the nearby RAAF Base Laverton. Vincent and Molly married on 12 March 1938 in the living room of a marriage celebrant in Melbourne. At the time of her marriage Molly's name was registered as 'Molly Thora Hopwood'. Molly's first child, Joan Lorraine, was born on 21 July 1938 in Glenhuntley, Victoria. Molly was just 17 at the time.
In January 1939, 17-year old Molly and her six-month old daughter Joan moved with Vincent to Richmond, NSW, where Vincent was posted as an Air Observer with 3 Squadron. They lived at 4 Bennett St, Wentworthville, in the western suburbs of Sydney. After Vincent was killed in a RAAF training accident in the Blue Mountains in August 1940, Mollie returned to Melbourne, pregnant with their second child. Vincent Dudley was born at Werribee, Victoria, on 9 April 1941.
Molly was 19 years old when Vincent Jnr was born, and was forced by her mother, Christina, to give both Joan and Vincent up for adoption. Joan was adopted by her maternal grandmother, Christina, and Vincent by his paternal grandfather, Francisco Melville Monterola in Adelaide.
Molly is listed as "Yvonne Mollie Thora Monterola" in the 1943 Australian Electoral Roll, with an address of 67 Garfield St, Wentworthville. Her occupation is shown as "mutn. solderer" (presumably a munitions solderer). She would have been living back in Victoria by this time, so presumably her electoral roll entry had not been updated. In the 1949 Electoral Roll, she is listed as "Yvonne Mollie Monterola" and her address is shown as 29 Ames Ave (suburb not listed, but in the Victorian state electorate of Oakleigh). Occupation is shown as "finisher".
In 1946, Mollie was living at Glenmire Guest House, 469 St Kilda Road, Melbourne. While living here, she made several enquiries with the Air Force on her eligibility to receive a war pension. Mollie later gave birth to Pam and Maxwell, to separate fathers, both of whom were also given up for adoption. By 1949 she had then met and married George William Hopley, and they were living at 35 Royal Parade, Parkville. Molly and George remained in Victoria and had four children, Christopher, Garry, Brendan and Amanda.
Molly died at Glen Waverly on 4 January 1987, aged 65 years, and was buried at Springvale Botanic Cemetery (Pescott Lawn, Row CR, Grave 39) in Clayton, Victoria, on 7 January.
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1921 - 1987 (65 years)
