GRANDMOTHERS

I have been doing “grandmother duty” this week and it has not really been a duty but a great joy.  Miss Sarah, our great granddaughter, has been having time with us.  Her first sleepover with grandmother and poppy on her own. She has spent much of her time fishing with poppy, which poppy has enjoyed as much as Sarah.  We have been shopping, out for morning tea, made a scrapbook of important people in her life, visited her great, great aunt and uncle and played with their dog and generally had a happy time together.  It gave me cause to reflect on the role of grandmothers and how the role of grandmothers have changed. 

When I was growing up I was quite jealous of the kids I knew who had a grandmother in their lives. Dad’s mother died when he was 13 years old and Mum’s mother when I was just 4 years old. My great grandmother Sophie was around till I was 8 but she lived in Sydney and we were in Newcastle. I do have some memory of her but did not see her very often

My cousin Anne had a grandmother, my cousin Glen had a grandmother and my friend two doors down the street had a grandmother. Oh, how I envied these kids the privilege.

Grandmothers were a very different species sixty years ago. They all had white hair, or if they were really stylish, a blue rinse. Many had long hair fashioned into a bun. They always wore an apron when in the house and when they left the house in my experience it was never without a coat, hat and gloves. They always had their legs covered in thick stockings and often wore sensible shoes. When they were in the house the ones I knew at least were in control of domestic duties or were relegated to the role of “invalid”. But I so wanted a grandmother of my own. 

I have a picture of my Mum’s mother, who died when I was just four, at Mum and Dad’s wedding on my dressing table. She is dressed in a very sensible, what looks like a crepe suit, with a large hat and a very large corsage on her lapel, such was the fashion of the time. When I look at that photo I imagine, Alma would have been about 70 years old based on her appearance. However, when I examined it further I realised Alma would have been 47. My great grandmother Sophie would have been about 70 at the time  of the event and I find her image hard to reconcile with my current age and appearance. 

                                        

Being a grandmother has given me much joy over the last 25 years. I must admit when I was told I was to become a grandmother my first thought was that I was far too young. I soon moved passed this and with the birth of each of my eight children and two great grandchildren I have been knocked sideways by the love I immediately feel for each of them and ever so thankful for the joy they have bought to my life.

 

When my Mum went into aged-care some 9 years ago, I was charged with responsibility of packing the house and her belongings.  Tucked in a suitcase on the top of a wardrobe I found a dress which I immediately recognised as being  of significant importance in my mother’s history. The photo is a picture of Mum in the dress.

As a child I can remember seeing this dress and its accessories and wishing I had an event in my life where I could parade in the costume.  Even though I longed to try on the dress I was never given the opportunity.  The dress always raised a feeling of happy, fascinating times.  

The costume was made and utilised at the time Australia was experiencing the Great Depression and by the end of the decade would be at war with Germany. This period of Australian history was seen as a time of great hardship.  With the unemployment rate of 40%  many were affected.  However,  when I spoke to Mum about this she recants that “the depression” really did not have a huge impact on her family as her father retained his employment with the railways. Her family even managed to purchase a home during this time. Mum was an only child.

In the 1900s children were often involved in the activity of a Fancy-Dress Frolic.  The children were outfitted in fancy dress and were taken to a school or church hall to “parade” before the nominated adult judges. The parents would pay a nominal entry fee, which was generally only a few-pence, making the event affordable for as many as possible.   The Frolic was used as a fundraiser for different organisations.  

In a big frolic there may have been several categories such as overall  best senior and junior costume, best paper costume, best pair, best character costume, best national costume to name just a few.   Prizes were awarded in each category and were perhaps a certificate, hair ribbons or a handkerchief, often donated by a member of the organising group.   The parade of costumes was followed by games, songs and dancing for the children.  From searching Trove, I have found that my maternal grandfather was often called upon to be Master of Ceremonies  and my mother won many prizes  and was an avid frolic attendee.

 Before Mum’s passing  I was able to encourage her to tell me about the dress and its role in frolics. She recalls she won many prizes in her costume and said they were  fun events.  In researching the history of frolics, I also found reference to my father winning a prize in such an event.  His costume “Wait here for Trams”.  Unfortunately, this costume has not survived. 

I had made the assumption that the costume had been made by my grandmother but Mum was able to tell me, quite indignantly,  she had made the outfit herself.  She said the accessories had been purchased by my grandmother.  My mother had a successful career as a seamstress, when she left school, after studying pattern drafting and dressmaking and to quote her reminiscence “I could always sew."  The costume was made, in her home, using as Singer treadle sewing machine.   The skill exhibited in the construction of the dress is of a high quality leading to my assumption that it had been made by an adult.

 THOMAS AND BRIDGET JENNINGS

Thomas and Bridget (nee Conroy) JENNINGS  were born in ARBUT GALWAY Ireland and travelled to Australia arriving on 28 January 1864 as Assisted Immigrants on board the ship Siroco.  Thomas was 24 and Bridget was 22. The couple had married when Bridget was 16 and Thomas 20.  With them on the journey were three of their sons - Jeremiah, (4) William (3) and John(7 months)  Thomas had a sister in the Colony who resided in Newcastle - Bridget.  It was Bridget who assisted the passage by sponsoring  the family to come to the colony. Bridget arrived in the Colony in 1855 aboard the HILTON.  In 1860 she married Joseph TIERNAN (a sea captain)

On the voyage of the Sirocca the ship’s captain was Lewis Arthur Berriman. The ship was 152 tons and sailed from Liverpool to Sydney.  The  family would have made their way to Liverpool from Ireland in preparation for the voyage.  There were 31 married couples on board; 143 single males and 136 single females. 29 male children and 25 female children aged 9-12 and 10 infants.

By 1865 convicts were not being transported to Australia so the colony was experiencing a labour shortage.  There had been an influx of immigrants during the 1850s when gold had been discovered and the lure of making a fortune led to many making the decision to make the voyage to Australia. The journey to Australia was an arduous one taking up to four months or more. Because of poor hygiene and cramped living conditions the death rate was high.  One in 10 adults and one in 5 children were known to perish.  Storms presented a particular problem and when the crew “battened down the hatches” it meant that the passengers were confined to their quarters.  For those in cabins this was bad enough for those in steerage it would have been intolerable.  They were confined to their quarters with all the other passengers, in total darkness,  with no ventilation and limited toilet facilities.  Seasickness was rife at these times because of the boat pitching in the storm.  

After a short period of quarantine the family would have been “released” into the care of Bridget Teirnan.  At this time it is understood that the family lived in Pitt Row in Newcastle with Bridget.  At some time later they moved to Adamstown.

Thomas and Bridget went on to have a further four children when they arrived in Australia.

Thomas was arrested and charged and sentenced to serve time (lengths of the sentence varied between one and seven days) at least 8 times between 1873 and 1893. He served his sentences in Maitland gaol. The gaol admission register state that he was 5ft 8ins, with dark hair and grey eyes.  His physique  is described as strong, and that he could read and write, his religion was Roman Catholic and he had various scars.  The records also state that both his little fingers had been amputated.  His occupations were variously listed as labourer, miner, stone breaker.  It  appears that despite his convictions Thomas was always able to hold down a job.

 One of his arrest that I find particularly interesting and coincidental was on 16 January 1900 Thomas was arrested for of wantonly throwing stones to the danger of people passing by on Broadmeadow Road, Hamilton.  When he appeared in court he stated that larrikins were throwing stones at him so he had cause to retaliate.  Witnesses however saw no larrikins interfering with the accused.  Thomas was fined 5 shillings or in default 24 hours gaol.  The interesting coincidence in this story is that the arresting officer, Constable Mullane, is the great, great grandfather of my friend Catherine. 

In April 1895 Thomas was employed as a stone breaker and on his way to work at Hexham he was knocked down and gored by a bull.  He managed to startle the bull after it had attacked him a couple of times by taking his tea bottle from his back and striking the bull.  He wandered around in a semiconscious state until he was picked up by a milkman who took him home to Adamstown where he was put to bed and attended by the doctor.

Bridget Jennings died on 24 October 1908 and is buried at Sandgate Cemetery. Her obituary published in the Newcastle Herald states she was 71 years of age and that she was a well respected member of the community.  Her death certificate states her cause of death was senilis.  Her address is given as Popran Road Adamstown, her occupation is listed as domestic duties, and her parents as William Conney and Mary Mahon.

Thomas Jennings died on 22 January 1917 and is buried at Sandgate with Bridget.  His obituary states that he was 81 years of age and until recently he could hold his own in a days work with the best of men.  At the time of his death it is reported he leaves four sons (John had passed away by this time) 29 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren.  Mr M Jennings is reported to have said the large attendance at his funeral was testament to the respect his father was held in the community. 

Thomas and Bridget’s five surviving sons all made valuable contributions to life in Australia and I will provide further information about this in future posts

NAME	DOB	MARRIAGE	DOD	COMMENTS
JEREMIAH	1859	HAMILTON: Elizabeth M   1877	1944	served as a counsellor and Lord mayor of Adamstown
WILLIAM	1860	DONNERLY, Elizabeth   1881	1931	on the board of Kurri Kurri Hospital for many years
JOHN	1863	HICKENS; Casina E       1889	1911	curator of the Sydney Cricket Ground predeceased his father
THOMAS	1865		1866
PATRICK	1867	McNamarra, Annie 1892	1940	active in mining circles
MARY	1869		1869
MICHAEL	1870	MURPHY: Ellen 1892	1943	active in mining circles

 HOUSE OF LOST VINTAGE

My name is Anne Gleeson and I live with my husband of 52 years in beautiful Lake Macquarie.  We are the parents of 3 daughters and a son.  We have 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.  My husband and I are both retirees and enjoy life at home on our two acres of paradise. 

 

I enjoy writing and have recorded lots of stories about my own life. During the pandemic “stay at home”  I commenced writing the stories of my ancestors.   I recently attended some sessions which were part of the History Illuminated program  by Lake Macquarie Council.  In session facilitated by Jill Ball – GeniAus (http://geniaus.blogspot.com) - on blogging my plan to start this new blog was born.  

I have chosen the name the House of Lost Vintage because my husband jokingly referred to our house on day the Vintage House. Over the last 20 years I have collected a large array of items connected to women’s social history and the lost arts in which our female ancestors participated with such a high degree of skill.

Through the blog I will be sharing Family History stories and events, childhood memories, information about pieces in my collection and stories about life events.  

Cheers

Anne