▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent , ▁A str id ▁V arn ay , ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁their ▁ex alt ed ▁league .) ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Florence ▁Mary ▁Wilson ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Richmond , ▁Victoria ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁April ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁Swedish ▁car p enter ▁who ▁had ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁from ▁Wilhelm ▁Lind holm ▁to ▁William ▁Wilson , ▁and ▁the ▁dress maker ▁Hel ena ▁Mary , ▁n ée ▁Harris . ▁Her ▁father ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁and ▁her ▁mother ▁set ▁up ▁in ▁business . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁Florence ' s ▁mother ▁married ▁again , ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 8 - year - old ▁Sy rian ▁book - keeper ▁named ▁John ▁F aw az , ▁and ▁Florence ▁took ▁the ▁name ▁Florence ▁F aw az . ▁ ▁Career ▁She ▁was ▁discovered ▁by ▁the ▁cho irm aster ▁Rev . ▁Edward ▁Sug den ▁at ▁the ▁Wes ley an ▁Method ist ▁Church ▁in ▁Pal mer ston ▁Street , ▁Carl ton , ▁Melbourne ▁( now ▁Church ▁of ▁All ▁Nations ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁she ▁won ▁first ▁pri zes ▁in ▁both ▁the ▁sop rano ▁and ▁mez zo - s op rano ▁categories ▁at ▁a ▁singing ▁contest ▁in ▁Ball ar at , ▁obtain ing ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁which ▁enabled ▁her ▁to ▁continue ▁her ▁studies ▁with ▁El ise ▁W ied ermann . ▁She ▁went ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁to ▁study ▁further ▁with ▁Gab rie le ▁Sib