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- Observations and Memories as remembered by her grandson Les. Myfirst real memories of my Grandma were in the late thirties when wemoved from Parramatta to The Oaks to live with my grandparents.Grandma or Jessie the Elephant as we kids nicknamed her, was a tallwell built woman who at first contact seemed to dominate you, but onlater reflection I know she had a heart of gold. If you happened tobe misguided enough to call her by her nickname, was to do so at yourperil. One, like an elephant she never forgot two , she also kept anapple tree switch which which was worse than getting the cane and Iknow she was an expert at using it as I have had both. Grandma hadthis belief that idle hands made mischief, so there was always anallocation of jobs, clean the chooks yard, wash out the pig sty andif you had been up to mischief it was , empty the dunny can.Grandma was a very simple person who was proud of her simple home,her ability as a cook was unsurpassed, she had a wonderful pantry ofher preserved fruits, jams, sauces and pickles, all from her owngarden and fruit trees. Grandma also cured her own hams and flitchesof bacon which never went in an ice chest and kept for months in ameat safe. Her large well cared for garden was always a topic ofinterest to both locals and visitors in her small country village TheOaks. Grandma had had ability to handle all situations as theyarose, I remember playing {where I should not have been} and split myhead open. Mum panicked but not Grandma, she sent one of the otherkids to get Amy Laurence who was a bush nurse, the nearest Doctorbeing nine miles away { no cars then}. Amy and Grandma with anordinary needle thread and cotton put five stitches in my head usingonly Frozel Ice. Today there is not even a scar to remember them by. As I grew into a teenager I grew closer to Gran, who at thisstage was living on her own having lost Grandfather {Fardy} some yearsearlier. We were living back at Parramatta and I would often ride upto The Oaks some thirty miles to see her. Grandma had very fewsecrets, one I discovered, that she liked a small glass of sherry ateleven o'clock each morning, so I always made sure she had a supply. She was a wonderful cook especially with her fuel stove and herginger sponge were my favourite. Always cooked on Sunday after theSunday roast dinner, her secret ingredient was a tablespoon ofdripping she used as shortening. Gran always had a nap after lunchin later years and when she woke she showered, put on a clean dressand pinafore before making afternoon tea. Mum died in 1953 andGrandma came to live with Dad and my two younger brothers Ken andBarry to look after them. Dad died in 1958 and Gran carried on untilin 1959 after a short illness she passed away. I not only lost myGrandma but a good friend.
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Our Family
1883 - 1959 (76 years)
