 In 1877, Helen's mother, then a widow, relocated with Helen's sister and two brothers to Australia.Helen had just become secretary to Richard D'Oyly Carte and remained in London to help with production of "The Sorcerer" at the Opera Comique.From the time that she was hired as Carte's secretary, Helen was intensely involved in his business affairs and had a grasp of detail and organisational and diplomacy skills that surpassed even Carte's.