VAILE, Maud Annie (Mrs R. W. B. de Montalk)

Born Auckland, daughter of Samuel Vaile who arrived Auckland 1843. Married R. W. B. de Montalk, an Auckland architect and son of the lecturer in Modern Languages at Auckland University College. Her son, who claimed to be Count Potocki de Montalk wrote of his pedigree “with its royal, imperial, papal and even saintly ramifications”, but claimed that marrying a Vaile was no mesalliance—“rather the contrary”. His grand uncle Earle Vaile was not impressed. The de Montalks, he said, had some good Scottish Macalister blood. As Maud Vaile, she exhibited 1885–97 with ASA: from 1898–1903 as Mrs de Montalk. Exhibited: Auckland Industrial and Mining Ex 1898.