Spotlight ... In The Beginning!

Lately, I've been deeply invested in uncovering the exact birthplaces of my ancestors and extended family.  This pursuit has been spurred by the realisation that familial accounts of birthplaces were often misleading or outright incorrect.  

Though verifying these details has sometimes required purchasing official birth records - an expensive endeavour - I find immense satisfaction in knowing I am uncovering and preserving the truth about precisely where my ancestors' and relatives' stories actually began.

The Start of My 'Beginnings' Quest

I started this recent journey of discovery with the exact beginnings of my parents and their siblings.  

In this post however, I will only share some of the interesting details uncovered in relation to the births and birthplaces of my mother and a couple of her siblings, because it led to a further discovery - an intriguing story about someone who is not a relative, but who's impressive story I'd love to share.

Accessing birth records through the Queensland Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths has been a valuable resource, albeit with limitations.  Currently, only birth records up to 1925 are available, so I've only been able to locate records for three of my maternal grandmother's eight children:  my uncle Edmond James O'Donnell, my mother Margaret Brigid Connors nee O'Donnell, and my uncle Maurice Owen O'Donnell. 

Upon initially receiving these records a few years ago, I really only gave them cursory glances.  Recent deeper dives, however, have revealed fascinating insights.

Birthplaces and Surprising Details

The birth record of Edmond, my grandmother Sarah O'Donnell nee McCane's first child, lists his birthplace as "Kyburra, Bowen-Ayr Railway."  

At first glance, this might sound as though he was born at a railway station!  Not so.  Edmond was born at home on his parents' farm near the Kyburra siding, along the Bowen-Ayr railway line.   

This entry highlights how rural life during the 1920s shaped the recording of important events in my grandparents lives.  They didn't live in a town.  They lived in a farming community that was recognised and named according to the nearest important landmark - the railway siding where the farmers loaded their produce onto trains for shipment to markets elsewhere in the state.

So this home birth provided me with a very interesting insight into how a fact like "where born" was completed by my grandparents on their child's birth record.  An interesting aside is what's recorded in the 'witnesses' column further along on the record.  

There are three possibles for an entry in this column.  

1. is for the name of a medical attendant (usually a doctor).  

2. is for the name of a nurse attending the birth.   

3.  is for the name or names of any other witnesses (such as family members - husbands, aunts, grandmothers etc.)

Immediately I noted that my maternal great grandmother, Margaret McCane nee Farrell, was listed as the attending 'nurse'.  

This indicates she acted as a midwife during the birth of her own grandchild.   This role within families would have been quite common for women in her era.  Many would have gained hands-on experience assisting relatives and neighbours in childbirth.  My great grandmother Margaret had first-hand knowledge, having witnessed her mother giving birth to her siblings when she was 14 and 21 years old, and having given birth to seven children herself.

In addition, Margaret lived on a farm that was located quite close to daughter Sarah's home.  This proximity to her daughter and son-in-law's farm further cemented her role as a supportive presence during childbirth. 

Along with all of that, the tradition of midwifery appears to have run in the family.  My great grandmother's sister, Helen Ann Davies nee Farrell, had made a career of it, operating as a midwife after her husband's death in 1911.  No doubt, Margaret and her sister Helen would have had long conversations about childbirth over the years, and this combined wisdom would have comforted my grandmother Sarah during the delivery of her first-born.

When Sarah gave birth to her second child, my mother Margaret O'Donnell, in 1923, the birth record lists her birthplace as "Broadlands, Ayr-Bowen Railway", which essentially means that she was also born at home on the family farm, just like her older brother Edmond.   Instead of using 'Kyburra' as the recognisable local landmark, my grandparents used the name often used for the area around the Kyburra siding.

 

The role my great grandmother Margaret played in the birth of this grandchild of hers was once again listed as 'nurse'.  By this time, my great grandmother was aged 56, supporting her daughter (my grandmother) Sarah once again with the birth of a child.

Shifting Traditions

When my grandmother Sarah gave birth to her third child however, things had changed.

It was 1925 by then and the birth record for my uncle, Maurice Owen O'Donnell, lists his birthplace as "Palm Cottage, Poole Street, Bowen".  This means that my grandmother Sarah had travelled almost 70 kilometres / 43 miles to the nearby town of Bowen to give birth.

The name "Palm Cottage" intrigued me and I wondered what sort of place this was!  I also noticed that the witness listed for this birth was not my grandmother Sarah's mother (my great grandmother Margaret) as before, but someone named Nurse Amy Field.

I realised in that instance that my grandmother had travelled to what was called a "lying-in hospital" run by a midwife named Nurse Field.

Uncovering Nurse Amy Field's Legacy

My previous research into the history of the midwifery career of my maternal great-grandaunt, Helen Ann Davies nee Farrell (mentioned before as the sister of my great grandmother Margaret and therefore the aunt of my grandmother Sarah) had uncovered the fact that she had been running her "lying-in hospital" for around 23 years by this stage.  

(Her story can be found here:  The Story of Helen Ann Farrell )

It was not common practice for women to give birth in hospitals back in the early 1900s.  The beginning of many babies' lives happened in a "lying-in hospital", which was a facility run by a private midwife in her own home.  Pregnant women would go there just before the birth of their baby and remain there throughout labour and for several days afterwards, supported by the midwife.

It would seem highly likely that my grandmother Sarah had received advice from her aunt Helen about the benefits of giving birth at a highly regarded establishment like Nurse Field's 'Palm Cottage'.

My interest had been piqued!  I was curious about Palm Cottage and I embarked on a research journey to learn about Nurse Amy field.

Immediately, I found that she had been mentioned in a blog post written by Trisha Fielding, a professional historian and writer who has worked at my local university, James Cook University.  Trisha Fielding is a Special Collections Library Officer there, and is a published author of quite a number of books about aspects of North Queensland history.

The post from Trisha's blog North Queensland History is titled NQ Midwives - "Invisible Heroines" and there is a great photo of Nurse Field at the top.

The author of this post, Trisha Fielding, goes on to say:

"Born in Bowen in 1879, Amy Louisa Wilcox Field trained as a nurse in Warwick for three years under Matron McNamara and later nursed in private homes in Bowen and Proserpine. ....  In 1908 she opened a private hospital in Bowen called Palm Cottage, where, by the time of her retirement in 1936, more than 2,000 children had been born. .... Nurse Field died in August 1939, at the age of 68, only three years after retiring from nursing."

There was an excerpt from a newspaper obituary included in this post as well, so I went off to Trove (Australia's free online research portal located at the National Library of Australia) to see what I could find in the newspaper archive.

In the Bowen Independent, dated Friday 28th of July 1939, this obituary appeared:

It was followed by this "Mother's Tribute":

An article published in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, dated Monday the 24th of July 1939, mentioned that from Bowen's early years in the late 1860s, up until 1922, there had been around 948 successful births in the town, but by 1936 (when Nurse Field had retired), the number had passed 2000!

That particular article also stated that "She had a marvellous record.  Her patients always returned".  

Historian Trisha Fielding had described Nurse Field as one of the "invisible heroines" of North Queensland's history, and this sentiment was echoed in contemporary newspaper articles, praising her exceptional record and the loyalty of her patients.

A Broader Perspective

The shift from home births on rural farms to seeking care at facilities like Palm Cottage highlights the evolving practices of childbirth in the early 20th century.  Discovering these details has enriched my understanding of not only my family's history, but also the broader context of maternal care in rural northern Australia.  It has also connected me to remarkable individuals like Amy Field, whose contributions deserve to be remembered and celebrated.

I now wonder if Palm Cottage might appear on the birth records of my other maternal aunts and uncles.  Did my grandmother Sarah return to Nurse Field's care for the birth of her subsequent children?  This question is a tantalising thread I intend to follow in my ongoing beginnings research.

I'm joining Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.

The prompt for this week's challenge is:  In The Beginning.

Anyone who wishes to join the challenge, please click on this link:  Generations Cafe (Facebook Group)

Memories ... August 13

 Remembering two Wedding Anniversaries

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page)

Today is the anniversary of my maternal Grand Aunt Susan McCane's wedding day,

and my maternal Great Grand Aunt Helen Ann (Annie) Farrell's wedding day.  

These two women were related.  Helen Ann was Susan's aunt.  They both married on August the 13th, but their wedding days were 29 years apart.

Helen Ann Davies nee Farrell

(Sadly, I have no photos of Helen Ann or her husband to share).

• Helen Ann (known as Annie) Farrell was born in north-eastern England in July of 1871.

• She was the fourth of nine children born to Irish-born immigrants Michael Farrell and Susan Muldowney (Downie).

• Her parents had left Ireland years before Helen Ann's birth, and had moved firstly to Scotland (where they had married) and then to England, where all their children were born.

• Helen Ann emigrated to Australia with her older sister Margaret in December of 1885.  Helen Ann (Annie) was only 14 years old when she left England, arriving nearly two months later in Townsville, north Queensland.

• Helen Ann and her sister travelled to Charters Towers, west of Townsville, where they both worked as servants.  The remainder of their family, their parents and siblings, all emigrated in late 1887 and travelled to Charters Towers to be with Helen Ann and Margaret.

• Helen Ann met her future husband, David Davies, whilst living and working in Charters Towers.

I can only share a few details about their wedding day.  I have no information about what the bride's wedding dress looked like, or who was in the wedding party.  Whilst I have searched for local newspaper records from that time, I have not been successful in finding any so far; and there are no family stories to share either. So, here the scant details that relate to Helen Ann's and David's special day.

• They married in August of 1890.  Helen Ann was aged 19 at the time, and required the permission of her father to marry (as she was under the age of 21).  This permission was given and the wedding was conducted at the Catholic Presbytery, as the Church itself (St Columba's) was a building site where major extensions and alterations were being carried out at the time.

  

• Helen Ann and David were married according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

• One of the witnesses to the marriage was Margaret Farrell, Helen Ann's older sister.

  

• The other witness, identified as a 'sponsor' was likely someone known to David.  The name originally recorded was "Mary Agnes Tippett", but then there has been a correction made and a note recorded beside the last column that the name should read "Henry James Tippett".  I have no more information about who these people might have been.  Perhaps Henry Tippett was David's employer.  

• Helen Ann and David went on to have nine children, including twins daughters. Sadly their daughter Eileen Monica Davies, who was born in 1903, passed away aged just one week old.

• Tragically, the marriage of Helen Ann and David only lasted until March of 1911, when David was lost at sea during the sinking of the S.S. Yongala.  This was just five months before they would have celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary. 

 

• Helen Ann was widowed at the age of 39 with eight children to care for.  Susan was 19, David was 18, the twins Helen and Margaret were 15, Elizabeth was 12, Mary was 9, Thomas was 6, and Rita was just one year old.

     

• Helen Ann never re-married.

I have previously shared Helen Ann's story with many more details and for those who are interested in reading more, please follow this link:  The Story of Helen Ann Farrell

For anyone interested in reading a little more about David's sad demise, please follow this link:  Shipwreck! Townsville's Titanic. 

Susan Mary Bidgood nee McCane

• Susan Mary McCane was born in November of 1892, in Charters Towers, Queensland.

• She was the eldest of seven children born to Irish-born immigrant Owen McCane (Muckian) and English-born immigrant Margaret Farrell (mentioned above as the sister of Helen Ann). Sadly, one of Susan's younger brothers, Edward William McCane, died as a result of a drowning accident in 1905, when Susan was 12 years old.

• Susan began her teaching career around the age of 20.  She initially taught in Charters Towers, but then became the head teacher at Molongle Creek Provisional School (later named Gumlu State School) in Gumlu in 1914.

• By 1914, Susan's entire family, her father Owen, her mother Margaret, and the five surviving children including Susan (aged 21 at the time), had all moved to a property that Owen had purchased on the south side of Molongle Creek, in the area around the small township of Gumlu.

• This is where Susan met her husband-to-be, Frank Alexander Bidgood.  He was a farmer who had also purchased property in the area, although his land was near the Wakala railway siding.

• Susan and Frank's courtship was interrupted by World War 1.  Six young men from the area went off to serve their country, including Frank, who enlisted in mid-1916 when he was 32 years old.  He saw action in France and was captured by the Germans, becoming a prisoner of war in April of 1917.

• Thankfully, Frank survived, after being a prisoner of war for over two years.  He was repatriated to England in January of 1919, and then shipped home to Australia in May of 1919.  Three months later, he and Susan were wed.

 

• Susan and Frank were married according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, even though Frank was not a baptised Catholic.  (He was Church of England).

• The witnesses recorded on the marriage certificate were Sarah Mary Josephine McCane (Susan's only sister) and John Lennane (who I assume was a good friend of Frank).

• As recorded on the marriage certificate, Susan and Frank married at "the residence of Owen McCane (Susan's father), Gumlu" on the 13th of August, 1919.  There was no Catholic Church in the area at the time, so weddings were usually conducted at the home of the bride's parents.

• In the photo above you can clearly see that the wedding portrait was taken outside at the family farm, where two large mats had been laid down on the ground.

• An item printed in a local newspaper gave more details about their special day:

On 13th August, a wedding of much interest was celebrated at "El Rita," Gumlu, the residence of the bride's parents, when Miss Susan McCane was united in the bonds of holy matrimony to Mr Frank A. Bidgood, Toowoomba (late A.I.F.).

The Rev. Father Morley (Bowen) officiated.

The bride wore an exquisite frock of ivory crepe de chine, beautifully hand embroidered and trimmed with orange blossoms.  She also wore a lovely veil, which was kindly lent by Mrs. W. S. Gordon, Proserpine (a recent bride).

The bride was attended by her only sister Sarah, as bridesmaid.

The bridegroom was supported by Mr John Lennane, late A.I.F., as best man.

The bride's present to the bridegroom was a handsome gold Albert (a watch).  The bridegroom presented the bride with a diamond and pearl pendant, and the bridesmaid with a pearl and emerald brooch.

The happy couple received many congratulatory telegrams, and the presents, which included many cheques, were numerous and costly.

After the ceremony a reception was held at the residence of the bride's parents.

Previous to her marriage, Miss McCane, who has been head teacher of the Molongle Creek State School, Gumlu, for over five years, was presented with a beautiful silky oak duchess by the Gumlu residents.

The school children, at an afternoon tea, presented their teacher with a handsome eight-day clock, suitably inscribed.

• Interestingly, the school Susan taught at closed down upon her marriage until a new teacher could be found.  In the early 1900s women were not allowed to continue teaching once they had married.  

• Susan and Frank were married for just twelve and a half years until sadly, Frank passed away at the age of 48 in early 1932.  I think that the conditions he endured during his years as a prisoner of war would likely have impacted his health and perhaps contributed to his shortened life span. 

 

• Together Susan and Frank had seven children.  At the time of Frank's death, the children's ages were: Leonard 11, Ernest 9, Lorna 7, Irene 5, Alfred 3, Frank 1 and Neville 5 months old.  

 

• Susan never re-married.

I have also previously told Susan's story.  So for anyone interested in reading a little more about her, please follow this link:  The Story of Susan Mary McCane

The Story of Edward Joseph McCane / Memories ... July 12

 This is the story of my maternal Grand Uncle, Edward Joseph McCane  (1907 - 1983).

Our common ancestors are:  Owen McCane and Margaret Farrell

I'm publishing this post on the anniversary of his birthday.

Anniversary of a Birthday

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page) 

• Edward Joseph McCane was born on the 12th of July 1907 at the family home of his parents Owen McCane (Muckian) and Margaret Farrell.  The family lived in a cottage at the Pumping Station, outside Charters Towers in Queensland.

• Edward was the youngest of seven children born to Owen (an immigrant from Northern Ireland) and Margaret (an immigrant from England).  Throughout his lifetime he was affectionately known as 'Eddie' rather than Edward.

• At the time of Edward's birth his siblings included:

          - Susan Mary, aged 14.

          - Sarah Mary Josephine, aged 12.

          - Thomas Owen (known as Tom), aged 8.

          - John Michael (known as Jack), aged 6.

          - James Patrick (known as Jim), aged 3.

• Tragically, the first-born son of Owen and Margaret, Edward William, had died in a swimming accident just two years before the birth of Edward Joseph.

• The loss of their first-born son, Edward William, would have had a devastating impact on Owen and Margaret.  It appears that they then named Edward Joseph in honour of their lost son.

Photo of Margaret McCane nee Farrell with her 4 surviving sons
Back row:  Thomas Owen and John Michael McCane
Front row:  James Patrick and Edward Joseph McCane

• The photo above was taken sometime after the death of Edward William, likely around 1911-1912, and shows Margaret McCane nee Farrell with her surviving sons.  Edward Joseph is the youngest boy, sitting beside his mother, and would probably be around the age of 4. 

The list of enrolments at the Molongle Creek Provisional School in 1914.
Source:  The publication "Gumlu State School:  100 Years"

• At the start of 1914, aged 7, Edward Joseph and his older brothers were all enrolled at the Molongle Creek Provisional School (named Gumlu State School a year later), near Gumlu, Queensland.  The teacher would have been their older sister Susan McCane as she had become the school teacher in January of 1914.  Edward continued his education under Susan's guidance until he finished compulsory education at the age of 14, in 1921.

• Edward's family had moved from Charters Towers the year before.   His father had bought land and established a farm on the south side of Molongle Creek, near Gumlu, moving over 200 kilometres to the east (around 130 miles), closer to the coastline.

• Edward Joseph was to spend the remaining years of his childhood and his very early twenties, living and working on the family farm.

• The photo above, taken c1921, shows Edward Joseph, the young boy in the middle of the photo, standing in amongst the cane field on his family farm.  Edward would be around 14 years old.  He is with his oldest brother John Michael (far left), his brother-in-law Frank Bidgood (in the middle of the photo), and his father Owen (far left), who is holding Edward's cousin, the son of Frank Bidgood. 

McCane Family June 1921
Back row L-R: James Patrick (Jim), Thomas Owen (Tom), John Michael (Jack), Edward Joseph (Eddie) McCane. Front row L-R: Sarah Mary Josephine, father Owen McCane, mother Margaret McCane nee Farrell and Susan McCane.

• This photo, also taken in 1921, shows Edward's family posing for a family photo on the day of his sister Sarah's wedding.  Edward Joseph, standing at the back far right, would turn 14 the following month.

• In 1930, when Edward was aged 22, his father Owen McCane (Muckian) passed away.  Edward's mother Margaret took over the running of the family farm, ably assisted by Edward's brothers John Michael (Jack) and James Patrick (Jim). 

• By this time, both of Edward's sisters had married and moved out of the family home and his eldest brother Thomas Owen (Tom) was the teacher at Gumlu State School.  Edward's eldest sister Susan had married Frank Bidgood and his second-eldest sister Sarah had married James O'Donnell.  Both sisters were still living in the Gumlu area at the time of their father's death, but were living on the farms of their husbands.

• In 1933 Edward Joseph married a descendant of prominent Bowen pioneers.  Alice Maud Wilson was the daughter of Richard Hugh Wilson and Maud Sophia Nash Emmerson, the granddaughter of Joseph Emmerson and Amelia Hollis Sinclair, and the great granddaughter of Captain Henry Daniel Thomas Sinclair (referred to as 'The Father of Bowen') and Sophia Jane Paton.  Her family had deep roots in the region.

Alice Maud Wilson  c. 1930

Captain Henry Daniel Thomas Sinclair (Alice's great grandfather) was known as the founder of Bowen, having discovered Port Denison.  Captain Henry's wife, Sophia (Alice's great grandmother) was the first white woman to step onto the shores of Port Denison.  Their eldest daughter Amelia was present with her parents when the settlement at Port Denison was named Bowen.  

Amelia (Alice's grandmother) had married Joseph Emmerson, the eldest son of Daniel R. Emerson who had taken up the first leases of land in the Bowen area with his sons. Joseph Emmerson (Alice's grandfather) worked the cattle property 'Pretty Bend' at Bowen before moving with his wife Amelia to establish one of the first cattle properties in the Proserpine area, 'Amelia Vale Station'.

I've written about my family's connection to the 'Father of Bowen' previously and anyone interested in finding out more can follow this link:  Spotlight on ... My Family Connection To The "Father of Bowen".

• Edward Joseph and his well-connected wife Alice Maud were married at St. Mary's Church in Bowen, according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church, on the 8th of March 1933.

• At the time, Edward Joseph was working as a railway employee and was living at Binbee, on the railway line to Collinsville.  The married couple lived there for about three years until Edward Joseph was transferred to Bowen.

• The Australian Electoral Roll record from 1936 shows where some of the McCane clan were living, including Edward Joseph and his wife Alice.  Whilst Edward's mother Margaret was still living on the family farm at Molongle Creek, along with Edward's brothers John Michael and James Patrick, their wives Agnes and Marie, and brother Thomas; Edward Joseph and his wife Alice Maud were living on Thomas Street in Bowen.

• The occupation listed for Edward Joseph - "cleaner" - does not refer to someone who cleans houses or business premises for a living.  It refers to a position in the Queensland Railways.  A "cleaner" was the first rung on the ladder to becoming an engine driver.

• By this time, 1936, two children had been born to Edward and Alice - daughter Aileen Merle McCane, born in 1933, and son Mervyne Edward McCane, born in 1934.  The family lived on Thomas Street in Bowen until both children left home, and then Edward and Alice continued living in that same house until their latter years.

• Edward's name was to appear in the local newspaper, named The Bowen Independent, quite frequently from the late 1920s to the early 1950s, giving an insight into his interests and favourite pursuits, as well reflecting his active involvement in the community.

• An article from 1927 shows that Edward was an ocean-going soul from an early age, even though his family roots were very firmly planted in the land.  The article titled "Splashes of Spray" talks about a sailing competition and mentions a boat owner's efforts to repair his craft 'Valeta' with assistance from a Dave McKinnon and Eddie McKane (should have been spelt McCane)!

• Eddie would have been 18 years old at the time and helping his mate get his sail boat ready for  future competitions.  It seems likely Eddie would have spent time sailing with his mates as well.  

          Later newspaper articles however, clearly show that sailing was not going to be his all-

          consuming passion.  Another ocean-going past time was to become his great love.

• Newspaper articles from 1936, 1948, 1949, 1953, and 1954 tell of his prowess as a fisherman, although in the beginning his surname was spelt with a 'k' instead of a 'c' after the 'Mc' and he was often referred to as "Woop", which was apparently his nickname.

1936

1937

1940

1948

1949

1953

1954

• It also seems that Edward Joseph (known as Eddie or Woop), already a local fishing legend, became infamous for some other risky pursuits.  Newspaper reports about his crocodile hunting, black swan saving, shark catching, Portugese Man-o-War wrangling and whale chasing antics made entertaining reading for the locals and Eddie was celebrated for his adventurous exploits, as well as his fishing skills. 

1936

1937

1940

1945

1946

1949

I do feel rather sorry for those poor whales!!!!

Edward Joseph McCane 

• Edward appears to have been a rather talented swimmer as well.  He competed in various swimming events and was well-known for his achievements in the local swimming community. 

• An article in a 1940 edition of The Bowen Independent lists him as the Secretary of the Bowen Railway Swimming Club and the Captain of the swimming team.

• When the new municipal Olympic-sized swimming pool opened earlier that same year, Edward competed in the Cork Grabbing Competition which was part of the pool opening carnival.  Of course, he won the competition!

• When competing in the Impromptu Swimming Carnival held between the Mackay Swimming Club and the Bowen Swimming Club at the new swimming pool the following year,  Edward Joseph came second in the 50 metre handicap.  He would have been 34 years old.

• For the "Monster Swimming Carnival" happening in late 1943, apparently the whole town of Bowen nominated Edward for the breast-stroke event according to a report in The Bowen Independent!!!  That statement does seem a little over-the-top, but then I wasn't there!  

• Sadly, Edward's mother Margaret passed away in 1955 when Edward was 48 years old.

Mervyne Edward McCane

• Then tragedy struck in March of 1956, when Edward lost his only son Mervyne. 

   

                                                                                

• Newspaper reports at the time mentioned the shocking death of an electrician who had died while repairing fallen lines after Cyclone Agnes had hit the Queensland coast near Townsville.  The cyclone had ripped a path of destruction along a 500-mile stretch of coast from Cairns to Mackay and whilst Townsville had received the brunt of the cyclone's fury, Bowen experienced a lot of damage.

• Edward's son Mervyne was in fact aged 21, not 20 as newspapers reported at the time.

• Despite these losses, Edward Joseph continued to live a full life until his passing in December of 1983, at the age of 76.  He was buried at the Bowen General Cemetery.  

• Edward was survived by his wife Alice and daughter Aileen.

• His daughter Aileen Merle McCane (known as Merle) married Hector Burnett Joachheim (known as Darcy).  In 1963 they purchased a bakery from Hector's uncle and established the iconic Joachheim's Pies in Bowen.  It was (in Bowenite eyes anyway) the world-renowned home of the world's best meat pies and sausage rolls.  The bakery became a beloved institution in Bowen, adding to Edward Joseph's family's legacy in the community.

My childhood memories are filled with the smell and taste of freshly baked bread, picked up from Joachheim's after church on a Sunday, and the undisputed best-ever pies and sausage rolls taken home as treats on the school holidays!  It was all so much more meaningful to me because it was lovingly made by family!