Mahomet Allum

Mahomet Allum

April 29 at 1:28am ·

MAHOMET ALLUM, 83 HAS BABY DAUGHTER ADELAIDE. Today.

At 83 Mahomet Allum, well-known throughout W.A. as a herbalist, has become a father of a curly black-haired, fair-skinned baby daughter weighing nine pounds, if our days before his wife's 20th birthday. He hopes next time 'God willing' to be the father of twin boys, he told 'The Mirror.' Mohomet Allum met the girls mother, pretty South Australian Jean Emsley last year when she came to him for treatment. They fell in love and married.

At first Mahomet would not permit his wife to attend a hospital for the birth of the child, as it was against his beliefs. When, however, the doctor would not attend his shop in Sturt-street, City, he had to allow his wife to go to the hospital. Now she is there, he does not wish her to return too soon to the home where sick people constantly visit.

Mahomet, who claims to have effected over 80,000 cures in 14 years in Adelaide said that he want ed someone to perpetuate his name. For that reason he wanted a boy and is slightly disappointed. But, never mind,' he said philosophically, 'Next time, perhaps, God willing, there will be twin boys. 'She is so much like me. She has my eyes, my nose, my hair, God is! good,' he said of his 9lb. daughter today.

ORPHAN WIFE His wife says that penniless without parents, she went to Mahomet Allum who not only cured her by restoring the use of her left hand where doctors failed but looked after her destiny by providing her with a home and comfort. I cannot thank God enough for what he has done for me and surely it is proof when I can write in appreciation of Australia's miracle man Mahomet Allum,' His wife said "Words cannot express what f feel in my heart for Mr.Allum."

Mahomet Allum produced for our inspection a gold lettered petition from his king and people urging him to return to his native land. There he says, he could be head of an army 100 000 strong; but he has made his home here and here whole section of a cemetery for poor Islams who could hope only for a pauper's grave in normal circumstances. Adelaide charities know him as one of their most generous, though most unobtrusive benefactors.

MADE A WILL Sometime ago lie made a will, in which he made generous provision for the poor of the City, as well as for his Islamic friends who were less fortunately situated than himself. He told us that he was transferring his property to the little girl. Not that Mahomet is going to die he feels as strong as a tiger today, not a streak of grey shows in his hair. His eyes flash excitedly and at 83 he walks straight and erect and as vigorously as a man 30 years younger.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75879582

Mahomet Allum (1858?-1964), camel-driver, herbalist and philanthropist, was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Selling Arab horses and camels to the British Army enabled him to travel through Asia; he probably arrived in Australia between 1884 and 1890. He worked with camels, delivering supplies and provisions to inland townships and stations, and also as a station-hand, butcher, storekeeper, sailor and mine-hand. He was in both Broken Hill and Western Australia for some years and is known to have been in Kalgoorlie in 1903.

Allum married in 1940, with Moslem rites, Jean Emsley, a patient; next year, when he was about 83 and his wife 20, a daughter was born. In 1953 the family travelled to Afghanistan, intending to remain. His wife died, and Allum returned in 1954 with his daughter to Adelaide, where he resumed practice as a herbalist.

The funeral procession from the mosque to the Centennial Park cemetery was over a mile long. Allum's estate, sworn for probate at £11,218, was nearly all willed to institutions which cared for children.

Valmai A. Hankel, 'Allum, Mahomet (1858–1964)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/allum-mahomet , published first in hardcopy 1979, accessed online 4 May 2018.