Memories ... September 30

 In Remembrance

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page)

Today is the anniversary of  the passing of my paternal Grandmother, Grace Olive Brown  1885 - 1974.

My grandmother passed away forty-nine years ago today, having lived a life that spanned eras of progress, challenges and cultural revolution.  She witnessed the world transform in ways so unimaginable when she was born.  

In the year 1885 Grace was born into a world brimming with possibilities.  That year saw the launch of the world's first mass production of shoes, a small but significant step in the march of industry.  In the realm of science, 1885 marked a milestone as Louis Pasteur successfully tested an anti-rabies vaccine, offering hope in the fight against the deadly disease.  The world of music was graced with Brahm's '4th Symphony in E' and in the literary world, Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' made its debut, captivating readers with the adventures of its young protagonist.

Fast forward to the year 1974, the year of Grace's passing, and the world had undergone profound transformations.  President Richard Nixon's resignation following the Watergate Scandal shook the foundations of American politics.  The global landscape was affected by the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis, a period of great economic and energy uncertainty.  The 'Rumble in the Jungle' took place, with Muhammad Ali defeating George Foreman in a legendary boxing match that transcended the sport; and Swedish pop group ABBA achieved international acclaim by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with their catchy song 'Waterloo', solidifying their place in the rich tapestry of music history.

• Grace was born in in Lismore, New South Wales in February of 1885.  She was the oldest of four daughters born to Richard Joseph Brown and Ellen Cusack.

• Grace married George Thomas Connors in July of 1906.  She was 21 years old and he was 26.

•  They went on to have 11 children over the following 21 years, although only nine survived into adulthood.

Left:  Grace attending the Show
Top right:  Grace, likely on her wedding day in 1906
Bottom right:  Grace and husband George in their later years

• Grace and George began their married life in Lismore, but they would soon be roaming across northern New South Wales and southern Queensland following the opportunities for dairy farm work wherever they could be found.

• From 1908 to the early 1930s, Grace, George and their growing family lived in various places including Mullumbimby, Legume, and North Lismore in New South Wales, as well as Killarney, Maleny and Beaudesert in Queensland.

• Eventually Grace and George settled down in Gympie, Queensland and lived there from around 1935 onwards.

• Grace passed away in 1974, eight years after the death of her beloved husband George. She was survived by all her children except her son Thomas, and was buried at the cemetery in Gympie next to her husband.

As today is a special day of remembrance, I completed an update of the original blog post I published about my grandmother many years ago on my family tree blog.  

For anyone interested in reading this longer, more detailed story about Grace's life, please click here:  The Story of Grace Olive Brown ... Updated!

Top left:  Grace holding her granddaughter Bernadette Grace (me!) 1960
Bottom left:  Grace going shopping with her granddaughter Ann  c.1946
Top right:  Grace with her husband George, daughter Betty (in the nurses uniform) and granddaughters Ann and Pat.
Bottom right:  Grace holding her granddaughter Bernadette, with her daughter Betty and granddaughter Karen (Betty's daughter).