Beal, Miss (fl. 1873 - 1875)

Probably Ada Murch Beal (1864 - 16 December 1948). Born in Vic., one of seven children, to settlers Charles Beal (1821-1888) and Amy née Murch (c.1827-1925). The family lived at the residences 'Bleak House' in Birregurra, and 'Varna' in Lorne. Ada probably collected MEL specimens (as 'Miss Beal') at Mount Gellibrand, 1873; Loutit Bay, 1875; and Richardson River, 1875.

Her mother, AMY BEAL, also collected MEL specimens.

In 1879, Mueller gave Ada an inscribed copy of F.A. Charsley (1867) Wildflowers around Melbourne.

As an adult, Ada lived at the residence 'Llandoo' in Lorne. She never married and died in 1948 at the Birregurra Hospital in her 84th year.

Source: Maroske, Sara and Vaughan, Alison (2014) 'Ferdinand Mueller's female plant collectors: a biographical register', Muelleria Vol.32 [consult for source references]