The Story of Margaret Brigid O'Donnell

I begin my family tree blog with the story of my mother, Margaret Brigid O'Donnell (1923-1968).

Margaret Brigid O'Donnell 

It's probably a good place to start because, out of all the family ancestors, I have a decent number of photos of her to share in this post.

In the year of her birth, 1923, construction started on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, King Tutankhamum's burial chamber was opened by Howard Carter, the very first issue of Time magazine was published, and Mount Etna erupted in Sicily.

Margaret's birthplace was registered as Broadlands, near Ayr, Queensland.

Margaret was in fact born at the family farm which was near Kyburra, close to Armstrong Creek, situated between Gumlu and Guthalungra.  Broadlands, listed as Margaret's birthplace, was a nearby railway siding on the main rail line that ran from between Townsville and Bowen, and the area around it was referred to as 'Broadlands'.  

When Margaret was born, her father James O'Donnell was aged 35 and her mother Sarah McCane was aged 28.  James owned a small property where he had settled down to begin a family with Sarah, and they already had a son named Edmond James, born in 1918.

Margaret came into the world in June 1923, and after that her family grew considerably with the birth of five more brothers and one sister: 

Maurice Owen (known as Morrie) was born in 1925; 

John Joseph (known as Jack) was born in 1926; 

James Thomas (known as Jim) was born in 1929; 

and Edward Martin (known as Eddie) was born in 1931.

Margaret with her older brother Edmund at the back,
and younger brothers Maurice, Jim, Eddie and Jack.
(Photo shared by Terry O'Donnell)

Here's an old photo of Margaret with five of her brothers, possibly taken in 1932 at the Kyburra family farm.

Margaret's only sister, Marcella Therese, was born in December of 1934; when Margaret was already in the double digits ... 11 years old.

Margaret with her older brother Edmund holding youngest sister Marcella
and brothers Eddie, Jim, Jack and Maurice in front.
(Photo shared by Terry O'Donnell)

The photo above shows Margaret with five of her brothers and her little sister.  It might possibly have been taken in 1935 or 1936.  By this time Margaret would have been into in her teenage years, 12 or 13.

It was around this time that Margaret was attending Gumlu State School, and this would likely have been her last year at school.  Students in the 1930s only attended school until they were 12 years old.

Before attending school, Margaret would have been home-schooled by her mother who had been a teacher before she married.

A few years later, another brother, Terence William (known as Terry) was born in 1937.

Margaret had, by this time in her life, displayed a real talent for the art of sewing.  In the local newspaper, the Bowen Independent, she was mentioned as a Bowen Show prize winner a couple of times.  In 1936, aged 12, she won second prize in the 'Best Hand Worked Apron' competition event, and won 1/-.  

In 1938, aged 14, Margaret won first prize for the 'Best Doyley'.  This time the prize was 2/-.

Margaret with her brothers Jim, Jack, Maurice, Eddie and Terry
and younger sister Marcella.
(Photo shared by Terry O'Donnell)

The photo above shows Margaret with her younger brothers and only sister, probably taken around 1941.

Margaret had a nickname.  She was known as 'Mina'.  The story behind her nickname is unfortunately lost to me now.  It sounds like something one of her younger siblings might have come up with, but there are no siblings still living who know the whys and wherefores of this nickname.

In 1941 Margaret was mentioned again in the local newspaper, the Bowen Independent (Friday, July 4, 1941), as 'Mina'.  

'Miss Mina O'Donnell' was making her debut, along with eight other young ladies, at the Debutante Ball, aged 18.  

Such an event would have been an absolute highlight for young women living in the area at this time.

The article stated:  "Miss Mina O'Donnell wore a white taffeta frock with swing skirt and shirred bodice finished with sash peaked in front and bow at back, also silver spray on shoulder and one in hair. She wore a white velvet coat and white lace mittens.  She carried a white and silver evening bag and bouquet of roses and fern finished with ribbons tied in tiny bows and ends.  She also wore a gold cross and chain."

Would Margaret's (Mina's) debutante dress have looked something like this?

It certainly seems like this particular McCall's dress pattern would have come close.

The O'Donnell family lived on the Broadlands property until around the mid 1940s, when circumstances prompted the decision to leave and move down the highway to Bowen.

The O'Donnell Family
Back Row L-R: Jim, Jack, Margaret, Maurice, Edmund
Front Row L-R: Terry, mother Sarah, Marcella, father James and Eddie.

Here's a photo of the entire family, taken sometime after the move to Bowen, possibly around 1944.  Margaret would have been about 21 years old.

Margaret O'Donnell was mentioned again in the local newspaper in 1947.  The occasion was the Pilcher/Tredrea wedding and Margaret was one of the two bridesmaids.  The bride, Marjory Agatha Tredrea, was a very dear friend.

The Bowen Independent article (Friday, December 12th, 1947) stated:

"The bridesmaids were the Misses Ellen Pilcher and Margaret O'Donnell, the former being a sister of the groom, and the latter a close friend of the bride.  Both were frocked alike.  Miss Pilcher choosing blue and Miss O'Donnell pink.  Their gowns looked really lovely, being of delicate net over satin, with large picture hats to match."

Margaret, on the right, as a bridesmaid in 1947, aged 24.

Margaret was a bridesmaid once again in 1949 for her cousin's wedding.

Irene Bidgood (known as Bon) and her sister Lorna were the daughters of Margaret's mother's only sister.

Margaret's mother Sarah O'Donnell nee McCane and her sister Susan Bidgood nee McCane had been extremely close throughout their lives.  Their daughters had grown up as very close cousins, spending many hours in each other's company.

When Irene Bidgood married, she asked her sister Lorna and Margaret, her close cousin, to be her bridesmaids.

Wedding Party of Irene Bidgood (Margaret's cousin) and Ted Lawlor -
Margaret is the bridesmaid on the left and her cousin (the bride's sister) Lorna is on the right.
(Photo shared by my maternal 2nd cousin Therese Olsen nee Lawlor).

This photo shows the lovely bridesmaids, Margaret on the left and her cousin Lorna on the right, in their gorgeous dresses and fabulous wide-brimmed hats.  

Margaret was 25 years old.

By the early 1950s, Margaret was working in what were known as 'Railway Refreshment Rooms'.  These no longer exist, but back in those days many railway stations had Refreshment Rooms.  Tea, cakes, scones, sandwiches and sometimes alcoholic refreshment were on offer for passengers alighting from trains to take a little break from their journey.

 

Old photos suggest that Margaret possibly worked in Ingham,

St. Lawrence,

and outback Queensland.

In the year that Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne, Margaret (Mina) was 28 years old and no doubt participated in celebrations here in Australia.  Margaret herself was mentioned again in the Bowen Independent, on Friday February 8th, 1952:
'Miss Mina O'Donnell arrived home on last night's mail from Charleville to spend a holiday with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. O'Donnell, Dalrymple Street.'

The photo above was taken sometime around 1952-1954.  Margaret is on the left, at the back.

Australian Electoral Roll 1954

Electoral Roll records show that she was working as a Manageress at the Charleville Railway Refreshment Rooms in Charleville, outback Queensland, in 1954 when she was 31 years old; so it's likely Margaret is standing with the staff under her management at the time in the above photo. 

Dances / Balls were very important social events during Margaret's early adult years, and would have been the primary way to meet young gentlemen.

This photo shows Margaret attending a ball or social dance, sometime in the early to mid 1950s.  Margaret, who would have been in her mid-30s, is seated far right at the back, and the man she would marry (my Dad) is crouched down on the far left in front.

The O'Donnell family Christmas celebrations throughout the 1950s were held at their Mum and Dad's home in Bowen.  I can imagine the fun and frivolity that would be had when everyone was seated around the large dining room table at the back of the old Queenslander house.

The photos above would have been taken on Christmas Day, in the mid to late 1950s at Margaret's parents' house on Dalrymple Street.

The two shots at the top show all the brothers and sisters with their father James and mother Sarah.  Looking carefully at the shot down at the bottom though, you will notice two extra ladies seated side by side on the left of the table.  They were Desley Hockings and Maureen Currie, who became my aunties after marrying into the family.  

Australian Electoral Roll 1958

 

By 1958, Electoral Roll records show that Margaret was living back in the family home in Dalrymple Street, Bowen; along with her father James, mother Sarah, brothers James Thomas and John Joseph, and her sister Marcella.  Her occupation at this time was listed as 'barmaid'.

Margaret married Bede Connors in January of the following year, 1959, aged 35.

Wedding Party:
Left to right back row:  Best Man Henry J. Allan ; Bridesmaid (and sister) Marcella O'Donnell; Groom Bede Connors; Bride Margaret O'Donnell; Father of the Bride James O'Donnell; Bridesmaid Marg Pilcher; Groomsman (and brother) James O'Donnell.
Front row far left:  Flower Girl Sandra
Front row far right: Flower Girl Carmel

Margaret gave birth to two children. Bernadette (that's me!) was born at the end of 1959 and Mark was born in 1961.

1961 held some sorrow for Margaret though, as her dearly beloved sister Marcella died on the 29th of April.

This photo shows Marcella on her wedding day, but sadly Marcella's passing meant it was quite a short-lived marriage.

Unfortunately Margaret's married life did not last all that long either, just nine short years.  Suffering rheumatic fever as a child left its mark, and by the late 1960s Margaret was quite ill and experiencing heart problems.  She had to spend time in a number of hospitals, and had quite extended stays at times.

Margaret died on April the 18th, 1968 at the rather young age of 44.  She died in Gympie, the home of Margaret's husband's mother (my paternal grandmother) where Mark and I were spending the Easter break with Dad and his family.  I was still only 8 years old, and my brother was just 6.  My Dad was 43, and had just celebrated his 9th wedding anniversary in the January of that year.

Margaret was buried at the Bowen General Cemetery.

Margaret Brigid O'Donnell  1923 - 1968.

💗  Family Anecdote:  from my cousin, Carmel ...


"As you know, I am the flower girl on the right in the wedding photo. My dress was pale green and Sandra’s was a very pretty lavender.  
(The story goes that Grandma Connors chose which granddaughter wore which colour!!!...much to my mum’s chagrin.💕)
I think Sandra(Karen) still has her bonnet."

Update:

I'm adding some additional photos to my original post.  Unfortunately I don't have many details about these photos, so I'm hoping family members might see these at some point in the future and recall when / where they may have been taken. 

 

(Thank you to my 2nd cousin for letting me know the details about the wedding party photo in the top right hand corner)