Mary Wade Descendants through her son, Edward Harrigan

Mary Wade Descendants through her son, Edward Harrigan

Harrigan Family

The story of the descendants of Mary Wade through her son Edward Harrigan.

The Mary Wade History Association (Editorial Committee)

Mary Wade to us : a family history, 1778-1986. Mary Wade History Association, Cromer, N.S.W, 1986.

1986

Many descendants, particularly V. Caldwell; R. Harrigan; J. Shepherd; S. Webb; H. Williams.

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Edward was born 20th Aug, 1803. This event, according to his mother, took place in a tent on a bank of the Tank Stream in Sydney. The child was baptised at St Phillips Church on Christmas Day, 1804.

His father, Teague Harrigan, was then a free man working for himself. Work may have been scarce, and in 1806 we find Teague joined a whaling and sealing expedition on board the Brigantine Fox, and he does not re-enter our story.

Mary was left with the baby Edward and two other small children, Sarah and William, who had been born on Norfolk Island.

We next find Mary and her three children in the household of Jonathan Brooker on the Hawkesbury. In 1809 another boy joined them with the birth of John, son of Jonathan and Mary, at Windsor in 1809. John was followed by two sisters and a brother, making a household of two adults and seven children. Jonathan moved his household to his Grant at Airds (now Campbelltown) before 1814. Edward (listed as Edward Brooker) was now a lad of ten or eleven years, and would assist with the farm work. He was fortunate to attend night school for six months. In 1815, aged 12 years, Edward accompanied his stepfather, Jonathan Brooker, in a party of cedar getters on the eastern slopes of the Illawarra Range. Edward was a big, strong lad, able to carry out the arduous tasks of cedar getting. Jonathan Brooker and his household were established on the Illawarra by 1828 and in the Census of that year; Edward is listed as Edward Brooker. He was ambitious enough to ask for a Grant while still a youth of 15. Family and oral history has it that when asked by the Governor what he would do with a Grant he replied: “I will work it”. He early showed an ability to produce a necessary tool when he built a plough.

Edward's grant was 60 acres at Tarrawanna, known as Spring Farm; so called because of its adequate water supply. Later on in drought years, water from Spring Farm met the needs of several households in the area between Corrimal and Wollongong.

There were also good stands of building timber on the property, including red cedar, much of which was used to build the homestead. A saw pit was dug, trees were felled and cut into frame timber and weatherboard, the latter being planed and beaded by hand, then nailed in place with handmade nails. There being no galvanised iron for roofing, shingles were made, and by necessity the farm became self-sufficient to a degree; most of the requirements of life, food, means of transport, building etc., being grown, manufactured or built on the property.

About 1833 it is believed that Edward married Mrs Mary Webber and set up a home on Spring Farm. Both Edward and Mary were in their thirties. Three children were born to them at Tarrawanna, Mary Anne (1835), Elizabeth (1837) and James Edward (1839).

In 1849, Edward paid an extended visit to the Hay district to assess the farming prospects of the area. His relatives (Rays and Angels) had large sheep and cattle runs near Hay. Edward preferred the Illawarra area and returned there in 1353 for good. Soon after his return, on 7th February 1854, he and his wife Mary were travelling to Wollongong in a spring cart which capsized after hitting a stump. Mary was thrown out and fatally injured. Two months later his daughter, Elizabeth, aged 17, married Robert Spinks on 25th April, 1854 and a few months later, Edward married for the second time. The second Mrs Edward Harrigan was Jane Willison Wood, born 1820 in Ireland. Jane was the eldest daughter of William Willison Wood, an architect of Cork. She was born in St. Patrick's Street, Cork. In 1849, Jane, with her mother and younger sister, Elizabeth, arrived in Melbourne and later came to Wollongong. The Wood sisters were well-educated women and established a private school at Market Square, Wollongong. At the time of her marriage, Jane's stepchildren were in their teens and Elizabeth was married.

Jane and Edward were devout Christians and in 1857 began moves to obtain a Church at Tarrawanna to serve all denominations. Edward provided the land, and at a later stage guaranteed debt incurred in building. A weatherboard church was built at a cost of ninety pounds Payne's Lane, now Caldwell Avenue. The Church of England acquired the Church on December 1859. Parish records show that first funeral at St Paul's Church of England at Meadow was that of Edward's mother, Mary Anne Brooker (nee Wade) who had died previous day on 17th December 1859.

Edward died on 9th July 1891 in his 88th year having firmly established a family group Australia.

To return to Edward’s children, we first born child, Mary Anne (1835), remained at Tarrawanna until her early death on 7th August 1870. Elizabeth (1837) had married Spinks, a local man of Towradgi, Illawarra her father’s second marriage. Elizabeth and Robert remained at Towradgi for several years. Their first six children were born there between 1855 and 1862. They then moved to a farm at Milton, near Ulladulla, where eight more children were born between 1866 and 1879. Sadly, at the age of 8 years, a son, William Spinks, was found dead in the bush. Cause of death was unknown and a Coroner’s Inquest was held. William was buried on the 14th October, 1874 at Church of England Ulladulla.

The following was written in Elizabeth’s hand writing and placed in her Bible.

The Folded Lamb

In Memory of my Dear Little Willie

I have a little child in heaven,
A dear one angel-bright,
Christ unto him a crown has given,
and garments pure and white

He stands upon the crystal sea,
Before the Throne above,
With harp and palm of victory,
And sings the songs of love.

I miss the hands that clung to me,
And made my heart so glad,
I miss his prattle and his glee,

And I am very sad.
God’s will be done, He knoweth best,
His wanderings are O’er,
My little lamb is safe at rest,
Where sin can hurt no more.

He might have stayed - I cannot tell,
Christ knew what lay before,
But now I know that all is well,
And fear for him no more.

Before one rising cloud could dim,
It’s sky, or drop in tears,
Christ came and took him home with Him,
To summer all the years.

I often think where he has gone,
What honour great I bear,
That I have one before the Throne,
Who calls me Mother there.

He is with Christ and I am his,
Round him our heart entwined,
And tho’up the heights of bliss,
In Heaven he’s still mine.

The Spinks family home at Milton was of timber with a shingle roof. Water for the house was carried in drums from a spring about 50 yards away. Robert was certainly head of the house, and no child left the table before the end of a meal. The Spinks’ owned a large buggy pulled by a grey horse. This provided the means of transport for the family. The farm was not really big enough to support the large growing family, so the older children left home to find work elsewhere.

Robert Spinks died on 30th April 1908 aged 86 years, leaving his Ulladulla property to his only unmarried daughter, Matilda Jane, together with his cattle, household effects and furniture. It seems Matilda sold out and bought a house in Sydney at Randwick as we find Elizabeth Spinks (nee Harrigan) died at the Home of Peace, Marrickville on 20th December 1915 and is buried at Rookwood.

The last child of Edward’s first marriage was James Edward Harrigan (Ned). He married Amelia Ann Thornton in 1859 and when the Kangaloon area was settled in the early sixties, he took up land on conditional purchase terms adjacent to his step uncle, John Brooker. James Edward and Amelia had 10 children, none of whom are now in the Kangaloon area. As the children grew up the farm was not big enough to support them all, so we find several of the boys went further afield for land. Some went to the north coast, some to the central coast, where they established families. The fifth son, George, married Annie Piper and remained for many years on the original holding. As George’s family grew, they too moved away. His eldest daughter, Olga, married Roy Nelson and went to Dorrigo where some of her descendants are still on the land. James Edward’s daughters also married and left the district. His youngest daughter, Elsie, married a teacher, John Irish. The Irishes finally settled in Newcastle where James Edward spent his last years, dying at their home on 12th May 1929. After the death of his first wife, Amelia, James Edward married Louise Brenning on 5th June 1889. There were no children to this marriage. James Edward and his wives are buried at East Kangaloon.

The children of Edward’s second marriage were Sarah (1855), William (1857), Louisa (1860) and Alice (1862). These children were all born on Spring Farm. Sarah Harrigan was born when her mother was 35 and her father 52. She lived at Spring Farm until she married Charles Kevern Thorn in 1884. Charles Thorn, originally from Adelaide, had left home when 12. During a roving life he acquired carpentry skills and some of the timber houses he built in the Corrimal district still stand. They had six children in seven years, of whom four survived. Sarah died soon after the birth of the sixth child, and this last infant only survived a few months. Charles Thorn raised these children together with the children of his next marriage. The surviving children were Myrtle, Illilias Helen, Angus and Muriel, Myrtle married twice and had ten children (including twins) and lived to 90 years of age. Illilias Helen (Lil), married William Phillips. They moved to Bowenfels because of their daughter’s health. The family were stricken with pneumonic influenza during the severe epidemic after World War 1. The father nursed his wife and three children successfully, and then succumbed himself. Lil then took her children and household goods to Sydney in a horsedrawn cart where she worked in boarding houses, eventually owning her own establishment, and in this way supported her family.

Angus Kevern Thorn, born 1890, early knew his own mind. His parents wanted him to become a teacher; he wanted to be a carpenter, so he left home aged 12, went to Sydney, found board at Birchgrove and got a job with a stonemason and builder at Willoughby. For a week he walked to work each day, then said he couldn’t keep doing this, so his employer provided accommodation in his own home and apprenticed the lad. Eventually Angus married the boss’s daughter’ and began his own family and business. During his working life all his building materials were carried on a Harley Davidson motor cycle with sidecar. Apart from his building interests, Angus interested himself in community affairs and served nine years as an alderman on Mosman Council.

Muriel Thorn, born 1891, married Lester John Lane (Wick) and lived until her 90th year.

William Harrigan, born 22nd December 1857, was the second child and only son of Edward Harrigan and Jane Wood. As sole heir he eventually took over Spring Farm and worked the property until his death in 1948.

William received his early education at Fairy Meadow Public School where he was associated with the planting of a fig tree, still standing in 1986. He soon showed skill at carpentry. At the age of 14 he was sent to Leichhardt, a Sydney suburb of one house at that time, to learn his trade of carpentry and cabinetmaking. On returning to Illawarra he was employed at the South Bulli, Corrimal and Mount Pleasant mines as a pit sawyer, miner and carpenter. He later became involved in other large timber construction of the time, including bridges for Illawarra Council. As a young man he joined the Wollongong Garrison Artillery Volunteers and was a member of the Wollongong Rifle Club for forty years. He became an expert shot, representing N.S.W. at interstate meetings, and was awarded many trophies, including the Queen’s Badge. He also interested himself in civic affairs, serving as an alderman on the Illawarra Municipal Council for many years. In 1881 William married Elizabeth Williamson of Dapto, the issue being four sons, Charles Edward (1882), William James (1883), Herbert Ernest (1885) and William Leslie (1892). All were born at Spring Farm. Charles and William James, after working in coal mines for a number of years became pioneers and successful farmers in the Dorrigo district, where their descendants are found today.

William James, on 4th September 1908, selected 213 acres of land situated 15 miles from Dorrigo on the old Armidale road at a place known as Deer Vale. The following year he left the mine and accompanied by his father, returned to build a tworoom slab house on the property. On 27th April 1910 James married Clara Tucker of Balgownie. James worked hard and long to develop the land and support his wife and the four children born between 1911 and 1920. Trees were felled, scrub cleared and by 1914 the farm began to do better than break even. Times were hard and up to this point he had found it necessary to supplement the farm income by taking outside work; but now milk cream and other produce reached the market in a quantity that made the farm a viable proposition. With success came expansion: another farm was purchased and over the years James continued to develop and improve his holdings. To James the land was his life, and he worked it until he was over eighty. He died at Dorrigo on 31st July 1974, aged 91 years. The old slab hut still stands on the property a monument to his endeavour.

Charles Edward, elder brother of James, did not go north as soon as James, but stayed on the job at Corrimal mine, performing various specified tasks. In order to get money to purchase land for a home he also took contract work clearing land for the Fern Hill subdivision. He eventually purchased a block land in Paynes Lane, Tarrawanna and began to build. He married Anna Tucker (Clara’s sister) 20th March 1907 and they moved into the new house, Over the years Charles gave a lot or thought to going onto the land, but it was not

until 1921 that the final decision was made when a property at Deer Vale, next door to his brother, became available. To build a house on the property he built a saw pit and utilised timber from his property for this purpose; just as grandfather, Edward Harrigan, had done at Spring Farm. After months of hard work the house was completed. Then came the building of bails, the dairy and sheds so that dairying could begin. Life on this property for the first few years could only be described as pioneering; heavy timber had to be cleared, stumps and stones removed to make way for the grass and crops sown, and to contain cattle protect the crops sown from kangaroos, wallabies and rabbits, fences had to be erected.

Even in those days, ‘life was not meant to be easy’. Six children, three boys and three girls, born to Charles and Anna between 1908 and 1924. In 1952 it was decided to move to town where another dairy farm was purchased and worked for several years before a house was purchased in Dorrigo and Charles retired. He and his family had been beneficial for the area in which they lived. Charles died on 26th December 1975 at the age of 93.

Herbert Ernest Harrigan (known as Bert) early showed the qualities that characterised his very successful career. At 14 he applied for and got work at the Wollongong Cycle and Engineering Works whose 1903 letterhead stated they were Cycle, Gas, Steam, Motor and Electrical Engineers, Turners, Fitters, Gunsmiths etc., etc., and agents for Crossley’s gas and oil engines, with a Head Office in Sydney.The proprietor, Mr Fred Taylor, visited Wollongong to demonstrate and race on Massey Harris bicycles and seeing the potential of the area set up business. Bert’s father paid a Twenty-five Pound premium and Bert became apprenticed to the cycle and engineering trade. He received no wages for the first year, two and six pence a week in his second year and five shillings a week in his third year as an apprentice.Conditions in the indenture included: Taverns, Inns and Ale Houses he shall not haunt; at cards, dice, tables or any other unlawful game he shall not play; matrimony he shall not contemplate.” One wonders how he could have done these things on the wage provided.

During his employment with Fred Taylor, Bert gained a wealth of engineering experience, including the building of a motor car, experience that was to serve him well in his future endeavours. To further improve his knowledge, after serving his apprenticeship, Bert obtained employment in other allied fields of engineering. He was for a time with the Balgownie Corrimal Colliery, in their machine shop, and later at a foundry owned by Mr Sam Davis.

Early in 1907, Fred Taylor closed his Wollongong business and Bert seized the opportunity to start out on his own, in leased premises in Crown Street. He bought Eight Pounds worth of stock and on 4th July 1907 opened for business with a working capital of One Pound.

Bert was a prominent racing cyclist of the day, and the first product of his new venture was the Illawarra Bicycle, built on the premises by Bert and his brother, Bill. His next undertaking was the manufacture of motor cycles (motor bikes) with engines and major components imported from the United Kingdom. Later, boat engines were designed and built, and it was here that his foundry experience paid dividends. He was able to produce patterns from which cylinder blocks and crank cases for his engines were cast. Most the patterns were made from red cedar from his father’s farm at Tarrawanna. In addition, gas oil engines were sold and serviced as were all types of farm machinery. To illustrate the magnitude and complexity of work undertaken, crankshaft for a Ford car was made for a customer at Ulladulla on the south coast. The crankshaft was machined on a treadle lathe with Bert and Bill working alternately to turn or work the treadle. The effort put into this seems to have suggested the next venture, as at a later date he developed a power plant to generate electricity the first in Wollongong which was used to illuminate his home and workshop. He later installed a similar plant in the local picture theatre. In 1911 he went to North Sydney to repair an early motion picture plant. For this he received Fifteen Pounds. He also operated the first oxyacetylene welding plant in Wollongong.

In 1910 Bert was offered and accepted the Ford Car and Truck Agency for the south coast. He then purchased two blocks of land and in 1912 built a workshop, sales and office complex on his Crown Street property. Expanding business resulted in the building of another large workshop at 2 Crown Lane.

Harrigan’s Garage by this time had become established as the first motor garage on the south coast. The first handoperated petrol pump was in use, and Shell petrol was sold at one shilling and a halfpenny per gallon.

One of the problems with the first bowser was that the petrol could not be seen until it emerged from the hose. Bert altered the design to incorporate a glass bowl through which the flow of petrol could be seen. Details of this modification were sent to America by the Shell Company and the next model to appear had a modified version of Bert’s idea.

There were only a dozen or so vehicles on the roads in the Wollongong area between 1906 and 1909, and in 1912 a bus service, Corrimal to Wollongong, operated. Some of Bert’s early customers and owners of early cars are of interest. Dr Scott of Brownsville bought an International Buggy about 1906. it had wheels like a sulky and was driven from the engine by canvas covered chains attached to extended hooks around the rear wheel spokes. The buggy was steered by a tiller like that of a boat, and finished up over Bald Hill in 1908. In 1907 Mr Dollahan had a very early Ford. Dr Lee had an 8 horsepower De Dion and Dr John Kerr a two cylinder Renault with two seats. Dr Park of Corrimal had a five seater and Mr Walker, a dentist, had a Clement Bayard. Mr Joe Parsons had a Commer Truck with automatic gear change. Mr Harry Woods had a three ton truck, while Mr S. Davis and Mr J. Parsons each had a 20 horsepower Metallurgic fitted with pneumatic tyres. Mr Billy Gilmore in 1907 had an 8 horsepower Enfield car with low petrol consumption. One day he settled an argument about this with a test run on a quart of petrol: the car managed 84 miles to the gallon. Petrol was one shilling and a halfpenny a gallon at the time.

On 25th November 1914 Bert married Rebecca Caldwell of Balgownie. Prior to this he had bought land and a residence in Crown Lane which became their first home. An extract from a report of this wedding which appeared in the Illawarra Mercury of 1st January 1915 is detailed and characteristic of social reporting of the day: A very pretty wedding was celebrated at Mr F. Caldwell’s residence, Balgownie, on 25th November 1914 when Rebecca, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs F. Caldwell of Balgownie was married to Herbert Ernest, third son of Mr and Mrs W. Harrigan of Tarrawanna. The Rev. D. McKay Barnett officiated. Mrs Barnett presided at the piano and played the Wedding March, while the bride entered the drawing room on the arm of her father, after which all guests joined in singing ‘The Voice That Breathed O’er Eden’.

The bride, who was given away by her father wore an ivory satin Sylvia dress trimmed with silk shadow lace and seed pearls and court train with orange blossom, horse shoe and true lover’s knot and wreath and Brussell’s net embroidered veil. She also wore a gold pendant set with aquamarines and pearls and a bouquet of white Canterbury Bells, sweet peas and maidenhair ferns, gift of the bridegroom. Miss A. Bell and Miss Dorothy Caldwell were bridesmaids, the former wearing a white embroidered voile dress trimmed with shadow lace and pale pink satin belt, white hat with white silk ribbon and pink heather flowers, the latter wearing a pretty frock of white silk brocade trimmed with shadow lace and pink satin sash and pink floral hat. The bridegroom’s gift to the bridesmaids was a gold brooch and bouquet and a gold brooch and basket of flowers. Mr W. Harrigan junior acted as best man and Mr F. Caldwell junior as groomsman. A reception was subsequently held.

The mother of the bride wore grey silk dress and black tagel hat and lancer feather, Mrs Harrigan, mother of the bridegroom, wearing black silk and black hat. The happy couple left by motor for an extended trip through the country, the bride travelling in a dress of ashes of roses silk brocade trimmed with silk guipure and pailette; she wore a white hat with lancer feather and silk roses. The happy couple were the recipients of many costly and useful presents. At the wedding breakfast the customary toasts were honoured.

In November 1918 Bert purchased land at Regent Street and in 1922 the family moved into a spacious new home. There were two small boys now in the household, and Ron and Doug appreciated a home with enough playing space for them and their school friends.

The business progressed and car sales became the main source of income. During the depression years of the late twenties and early thirties repair work dwindled but rather than put men off, Bert went out into the western districts and purchased Fordson tractors that had been superseded by more powerful machines. The machines were railed to Wollongong, reconditioned in the repair shop and were sold to coastal farmers who up until now had used horsedrawn ploughs. The repair shop was kept busy and the business survived. With the coming of war, as well as keeping transport and farm machinery moving, Bert committed the machine shop to defence work on a subcontract basis with Australian Iron and Steel at Port Kembla.

During the war, replacement parts for cars and trucks were at times nonexistent or in very restricted supply and if a part was not available it had to be made Harrigan’s workshop could do it. After the war, car sales were again an important part of the business and the Rootes franchise, accepted in 1940, provided cars for sale in 1946.

In July 1946 a partnership agreement under the name Harrigan and Sons was signed, as Bert’s sons had joined their father in the business he had established. In 1955 two companies were formed, H. E. Harrigan and Sons, and Harrigan Properties.

Herbert Ernest Harrigan died on 10th April 1967, aged 81 years. Over 60 years of his life had been spent in the motor trade, 27 of which he sold and serviced Fords. At the time of his death H. E. Harrigan & Sons was one of the biggest motoring firms outside Sydney metropolitan area. From 1965 to 1972 Harrigan and Sons traded as HarriganFord.

William Leslie (Bill) was the youngest son of William Harrigan and Elizabeth Ann Williamson and the younger brother of Herbert Ernest (Bert). Bill was associated with Bert in the Harrigan motor business from its inception. He was born at Spring Farm, Tarrawanna, and like Bert remained in the area all his life. His early education, like his father before him, and his brothers, was at Balgownie and Fairy Meadow schools. He was a noted poultry breeder, specialising in white and silver Wyandottes and game fowls. His birds won prizes all over Australia. He was a keen sportsman, being an A grade tennis player and an interstate representative in Soccer. He was an active worker for St Paul’s Church of England, Fernhill, and a great supporter of many other, district organisations.

His first marriage on 9th May 1917 was Alice Genevieve Dixon. They had two sons and three daughters between 1918 and 1928. Alice died on 4th June 1928 and on 21st June 1 958 after 27 years a widower, Bill was married to Lily Milburn and became the stepfather of three children. Bill died suddenly, at home, on 20th August 1961, predeceasing Bert by six years.

With the passing of Bert and Bill, an era in the annals of the motor industry on the south coast ended, an industry to which both men had their working lives. As their forefathers had pioneered the land, they had pioneered the motor industry and so they will be remembered.

Louisa Emily Harrigan was born at Fairy Meadow on 22nd March 1860. She was the third child and second daughter of Edward and Jane. She married Frederick William Mayne on the 25th September 1884. Their first child, Irene Alice Mayne was born in 1886 and the next child was a son, Frederick William Mayne, born in 1889. Louisa did not long survive the birth of Frederick; she died leaving two young children three, Irene Alice, and an infant son, Frederick William junior. Irene Alice was brought up by foster parents and retained the surname Mayne. In 1907 she married William Henry Whittorn who had been born in 1879 in South Australia. Their second son, Raymond Harold Whittorn, born in 1908, married Annie Eliza Boocock in 1939 and later became a member of the Commonwealth Parliament, representing the blue ribbon Liberal seat of Balaclava in Victoria, 196074.

Alice Clara was the last child of Edward and Jane, born in 1963. She attended Fairy Meadow School and in 1885, aged 22, she married Cunningham Caldwell of Balgownie, a first generation Australian born of Irish parentage. They lived for some years at Fairy Meadow, moving eventually to their own home ‘Hilcot’ at Corrimal, built on land bequeathed to Alice by her father. They had eleven children between 1885 and 1905. Over the years Cunningham worked as a farmer, butcher, drover and miner to support his large family. In 1917 their daughter, Ruth, died after a short illness leaving five children under the age of seven. Alice and Cunningham reared two of these children. Also in 1917, their son, Bruce, was killed in action in France. The Caldwell boys all worked in the mines. Alice’s family all married and reared families of their own (except Bruce).

Alice and Cunningham were supporters of the Presbyterian Church at Corrimal. Cunningham died in October 1941 and a few months later, their son, Stanley died of injuries received in a mining accident.

Alice died on 17th January 1956, aged 93 years, at the home of her daughter, Dolly. She is fondly remembered by her many grandchildren as a very loving person.

POSTSCRIPT Re Alice Caldwell, by her granddaughter, Joan Reid:

What a host of memories has been revived with the typing of this history. To say that Alice Harrigan Caldwell is remembered as a very loving person seems hardly tribute enough to this very remarkable woman and I don’t doubt that there is more about her elsewhere in the story.

I spent some part of every year with my granny, as did my four brothers and I recall her as a ‘mother superior’, the matriarch with the iron hands in a velvet glove. A woman of great intelligence, well read, and a woman of vision, integrity and perspicacity and generosity. Having borne eleven children of her own, she took into her home two of the children of her sister, Ruth, who died leaving such a young family. She looked after me for some time when I was only six months old because my eldest brother had contracted Scarlet Fever.

As I grew to my teens, Granny and I used to sit out on the verandah of Hilcot, gazing over the peaceful evening view to Wollongong as day ended; she in her rocking chair and I on the top step. I learned lessons of self-reliance, self-determination and responsibility from her during those times which were to stand me in good stead throughout my later ordeals; lessons which I remember today, nearly 50 years later.

It is my loss that circumstances caused my removal to Queensland when I married in 1946 and my only contact with Granny was through the mail. Even so, her intuitive ability was expressed when occasionally, and always when I was at my lowest, down to the last ten shillings, a book would arrive with the instruction to ‘read it now’. Scattered throughout the book for my eyes only would be several One Pound Notes.

God Bless my granny for ever!

Mary Wade to us : a family history, 1778-1986. Mary Wade History Association, Cromer, N.S.W, 1986.