Yearly Archives: 2025
My White Christmas Memories
I’m Australian born so my experiences of Christmas were quite different to those I had during my time spent after marriage whilst living in England. Hubby was in the Royal Navy and at the time of our first winter there, we lived in the Navy ‘patch’ near his posting to HMS Royal Arthur in the midst of the Wiltshire countryside. We had recently upgraded his vehicle from a Morris Mini to a rather sporty Ford Cortina, so packed it up … Continue reading
Christmas at Grannie Bell’s.
My mother always enjoyed telling a story and as the year’s end approaches, I am reminded of one of my favourites from her childhood, “Christmas at Grannie Bell’s”. Grannie and Pop Bell were Mum’s maternal grandparents. Grannie’s parents, Gottfried and Augusta Kuhn were of German heritage, having come to the Colony of Queensland as young newlyweds aboard the Herschel in 1873.[1] Grannie, Louisa Theresa Kuhn, was born in Townsville in 1877, the third of their six children.[2] Pop, Charles George … Continue reading
The Hallams’ Pioneer Days in the Whitsundays
I’m planning to write a longer story about the Hallam family and their pioneering life in the Whitsundays. This blog shares some starting thoughts. My great-grandparents, William (Billy) Hallam and Mary Josephine Sheehy, raised nine children, all born in Bowen, North Queensland. What strikes me about Billy, a man of short and nuggety build, is how industrious he was, taking all kinds of work depending on the season. It was a pattern that repeated itself in the next generation. When … Continue reading
Family photos can help to tell a story
A well-quoted proverb is that ‘clothes maketh the man’, which I would also like to extend to include women. The proverb’s origins are buried in the mists of time, but potentially go back as far as Homer. The proverb suggests that a person’s clothing can significantly influence how individuals are perceived and judged by others. It can even affect their own behaviour and the way they perceive themselves. This proverb came to mind recently when I took the opportunity to … Continue reading