Mary Anne Arthur nee Cochrane was a teacher at the school on Flinders Island in the 1830s. It was here she struck up a relationship with
Walter George Arthur (q.v.)- after being found in bed together the couple were made to marry on 16th June 1838. After her marriage she travelled with her husband to Port Phillip and then over to South Australia before returning to Flinders Island in 1842.
While living on Flinders Island, Mary Anne and her husband were under the control of Dr Henry Jeanneret who was reported to be unkind to the Indigenous people living there. Jeanneret was stood down from his position in 1844 but was reinstated in 1845. Upon hearing of Jeanneret's re-instatement on Flinders Island, Mary Anne Arther alongside Walter George Arthur, John Allen, Davey Bruny, Neptune, King Alexander, Augustus, King Tippo and Washington wrote to the Queen of England petitioning against Jeanneret's return. She did not sign this petition but played a part in putting it together. She also wrote many letters to different government officials regarding the mistreatment of Indigenous people on Flinders Island.
After her husband's death, Mary Anne married Adam Booker.
