Ada May Kelly

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ADA MAY KELLY
A SHORT SKETCII OF HER LIFE
BASED UPON HER DIARIES
COMPILF-D BY
W. S. KELLY
t
ADEI,,AIDE
GILLINGIIAM & CO. LTD:
101{

FOREI,YORD
Since my beloved wife's dearh I have gained nuch consotrtion
and courage from readins her diaries and letrers aDd in r€call;ne
n'any inc;deils i! ou. Iif; togerher. T am hopeful rhat these shor'i
notes will inrerest an,l hclp many who loved her.
In 1939 May helped me to compile 'William Kelly Clein
uhich lold ol my srandpar€nts landina in Soulh Australia in
1838 and sketched some of the earlier doings of the family. The
presenr bopklet carries the stoly of onc branch ol the family a
litile further'
w. sra. Kclry

ADA IIAI KI]LI,I

EARLY DAYS
X'lay Da\\'son was l)orn h the Moutri Bryan district of South
Aflstftlia iu 1876. Rc,th hcr |arcnts had l3nded in the early days
ol the Sta1e. |er father Charles Davson ir 1839 and her moiher
ChrrLorLe Clode early i1r the 18,1Os. Charles Darvsou was a typical
hardy t,ioncer ud I'ccxhc an accotlr!lisb€.I bushman. Hc managed
big cattle shtions in tlre lar north oi So11th Ausiralia. T,nter he
Iurchased a farm nea. MouDt Br).3r dcvoted chiedy to the breediDA
of \Icrino shtcl) and there thc fanily of sc\en, of whom Mny was
the yo!rgest, \'ns re.rred.
Coulltry life ir most areas {,as hard in those days and otrered
litllc olporluDity for socirl lifc. Mr. .nd Mrs. DaNson brought
1rt their childrcn to love tfieir ch$ch nnd to be loyal to its
teachin!.s. Theirs \ras a high staDdard ol truth and honesty but
lile $as srrneNhnt ditjl,cd and conhued. May Sained Sreatly {ronr
twa ycars shc sr)cnt as a boifrlcr al thc lurra fligh Scloo]. The.e
she forn1ecl many drn fricn.lships \lhicli lastrd all he. life, and
thc'p rl.u lr"r I,\c u c1 rn- rir.t ,oun, e\tre-.ion.
lVh{,tr thc Sou!h ,^!rstraliir OLscrvcr start€d a Bookshelf
col,rnrD edited by "Nlaslie" (Miss lvin;Ired Scott) May became
one of lhe fou darioD henbcrs, and devoted hersell nost
tho.oughlj to the studl of thc suLjects discussed. This opportunjty
for si(ly and e\pression had a lerr stjm(lating c{ect and g.eatly
Nidencd the contacts available to the Iotrng studeni.
LD l$7 Nlr. lla\lsotr ieDlcd our "l{crrindic" hontc at ciles
Corncr wherc hc catre 1(J liv€ rvith Mrs DaNson atrd Mav. This
mo(e I r4urhl r rJ, ) clirqes ln rt.e nc\v comnruniry 'wcre a
ntrnber.,i Ldokshclf rncmbcrs NLro had known I'lay D:rvson
lhB,r1gh hcr \!ritin$s. These Snle her ^
great wclcomc b the
(lishict and nrany ol ibcm renained her firn fr;ends all her life.
1hc l,cnLrty ot thc lxDdscape from thc "Nlerrindie" homestead vas
to ho n cortiruiDr{ ilcliglit. lts chrngirs bcxutics ir lorm and
.olotrr nirant rntrch to l1cr, enrichins lrcr lite.
May \r.s bro1,gh1 u1, a loyal meflber ol the Arslican Chtrrch
nn(l erer rftcr hrl)l a grcat love n)r $orsIip in that cburch-
IIoNcycr sh. joincd h.Ipily in tlr. lilc oi thc liltlc Methodist
church it (iiles (-txncr. As ieacler oI ihe senior girls class shc
therc bcg:tr a l(nrg perio(l ol service nr thc teaching of the srriptures
c,'ntinrc(l latcr in Adclaiclc, I\'I(lbo rfle nnd Canbe.ra. Througli
hcr dcrl.,tion to this task she lvon the friendship and confrdence
oI a l\'ide circLe of yourg people. May Darvson was a prim little

person. She dressed vcry piainly and had fixed ideas about her
conduct Nhich \!ere by no meals easy to a1ter, but underneath
thc apparent primness was a rvide synpathy, a deep charity and a
constant and loving heart.
In 1909 May and I \\'ere nrarrj€d ard she cam€ to live in the
co,lage ar r'rF fa,rr.'llerc. alLloJgl qhe gc'r.-all) llaJ gooJ help,
liie tra. lo, tl".lrle ho .($ife. tor therc wcre nrc.1 to
care {ot as ^r"I $'ell as and there Nere {ew am€nities in those
dals. Ifa), also had 'n}'self thc cnre ot her agenrg father and mother.
Ivery wcek shc Noold visi! thcn1, gcDeftlly drivnrg a strlky often
with a baby iD a bashet in the back.
Abou! 1912 there $.as considerable developn1eflt jn thc district.
Solre young llrcn cnDrc lron thc city to Lcarr tatmirg .nd a
nlmbcr of B'itish nrjFrants Legan worhing ir the locality. These
rLru tsrour,n ol Lcc In ','Fn
e rl"sell rr
'-ciat.J
$ rh lhc Gilcs
I oi er cl,urch a,,l rll"1 |.d rl,p scf i rla". L. rrc SurJay School.
Ifay alld I tric(l to Dral(e thcrr $'clcolnc at Saturda)' €vering
gather;ngs ai our home. xhere Ne had iurl and ganes as lvell as
sore nusic and altempts at a.ting and rccidng. May loved to h.ve
thesc bots rbout and was hapty to provide often up to a doz€r1
hearty iellows Nith strpper. They came because they knev they
ThcD thc firiit Norld war caDe and alnrost at oncc Norrnan
Owen vert olT to join thc 3rd T,ight Horse. IIe $as soon follolved
by Will Edgerley who wcnt to the 9th Liglrt Horse and a little
later Gcorge Arthur, Johrl Kelly aDd nry brother IIugh, all three of
Nhom rode oil to the war on thc;r own farm bred lrncks. Then
Edgar Kelly $ent and l{olvard Nield and all ihose 6ne group oI
English lads Nhose names are io be sceo otr tire Hono r Roll at.he
chu'cl. When thc )our)gcst lad Nelsotr Kelly, c,rlisted, their teachet
felt it vas t;me for hjn td enlist aiso. Sai jt Nas thrt in 1917 my
fatlcr Robert K€11]. left hls position on the Pastoral ard Land
Boards in Adehide aDd canre back to Nlerrindic \vjth ury sisters
Flo and Amy to care for the larnr whilc I $cnt into camp. Tljs
meant a big move for lfa)'and her four children \lho occdpied my
fithe!'s horse ir 4th Aven e. St. Peiers. 1'her€ shc re'na;ned
through 1$o anxio s ).€ars, carhg for the fanrily, hch;ng in thc
voluntary scrvices, :nd as ever nak;ns friends \\ ith lrer fleishbours.
Tbose Nere anxious dals Nhich brought healy losses to ou!
Iamily and friends. First JdhD $tts wonn(icd on Gallipoli, then
H sh $'as killed at Prsschendale. One oI our Engl;sh lads
Ern Jackson was also killed and towards th€ end Nelsor rvas

killed and I rvas lvound€d at Viilers'Bretonneux. Th€ family
iras s.eatly helpcd in ttrose hard days by the tender ministratjon
oI ltav. Arthur Dunn and my sistcr tr{abel who were servirg in
thc Iiap nda circu;t clltrnrg rnost of tlle war years.
Urhen the war ended llre men that came back once aga;n
rcturned to tbe Giles Corner church atrd with tlre addition ol a
nu ber ol youDser folk $€re a finc influence in the district.
IIv iather did trot iv;sh to rettrrn ro the city to live so we
set ab;ut brildirs a second hone or the larm laier to be known
as tlrr "While Housc." Just belore this lvas conpleled ny fath€r
iook srd(lenly ill .$d died. This l)lo1v togethcr rvith other
responsibilities brousht on a severe attack of eczema lvhich kept
nre i r ho.pir: l { rr"rll 'ar a limFarrJurrde' slrPcirlist rreatment
lor "ornc JcIr. 'l'lrrougl rl' tl s. liflic,rrt ,l.ys Miy Save
nremittins care rnd attention and this helped rn€ to regain notrnal
health.
LIFE IN MELBOURNE
Then Drost lnexpeciedly in 1929 I lvas asked hy the Biuce-
Page CovernmeDt to joifl the Ta'iff Board. lt vas a hard decision
to iDake lor i! Dretnt breaking up our hapPy lromc at Mcrrindie
an(l (liv;dins the fali1ily.
Eventr.lly Ne decidcd to accept the ;nvitation and moved to
Melbourne. 'l'he farlr was lefl to the manasen€rt oi our friend
Georsc Coinish util Bert $'is old cnoush to lake the responsibility.
As the boys lert school they rcttlrned to th€ {arm and May
nlaDased to keep in touch i\ith both sections of the family, she
and dle daughters taking lurr to care for mc ind thc boys on
Merrindie.
In Melbolrne May was sreatly helprd by the coftpanionshiP
of my s;ster, I{ary Arlhur ancl {auily, ltcv. George Arlhut being
iD chi-ae E src r.\rick Chnr.I \tl,ere M:y gjrtc con.rinl scrvicr'
latcr ie "f morel ro hore. in K.$ D.ar Burke Road Methodisr
Chur.h whete 1v€ had nuch happy lello$ship
Soon:rfter we uroved to MelbourDe iD 1929 the great dcprcssion
Icrin to lrc felt a'.d .a,lj in th. rh:rLi.s rrncnlla)nenr begrn to
Ie se\ere. True to the tr"dilion whi.h her muLlrer hrJ c't1['lished
itr lter carc of thc road travellos who carried their swags in d1e
norrh of South Atlstralia in the eatly da)'s, May made friends with
all kisds oI m€n who tramped the streets of M€lbourne looking

Ior Nork or. meal- Shc could not nnd nuch wolk io. them to do,
brt.h( qe,.crallr loun.l xn e\cuse tn ti\e lhen, r lew 5hillinss.
What $rs rror, irnpurlirl -1,' eJre .r.Fnr reJl 5)rnp.rhy ?;d
kirdless not to DeDtion a good mca-]. So our hoDe at Elsteinwjck
hecalc tnoqn to ,r, (.1) n.r jI.L a, Ll,c I\Ir. Br).r honre l.i,l heen
kn"$n L nq rin.c l1 rhc rr,,,Jy n,non.he lun8 rord lrom Ad.lxiJe
td llroLen Hill
]I) \r,,rk hi I s.crr,"l rc,. ,,,Jl.lI intto,Lrtrr ,lJrine rLc L,rsy
)1.r {. ',,
(.'.lv lu2, rill Sct,l, r, " r loJ, l., oI ,1.. niglrr rhrr
lfirl,r' $i srs,l,'lir,J rh. b.lrur.:.,nr,J ro Jro!'oJ( u'rh,nss
all(l I iclt convincc.l thrl I corl(l not rcl]lnin or thc'l'arilT lloard.
ilelote that elenjns en(le.l rre hrrl decidcd to leave for England
to bc ol ant trse \!e coul.l. We wcre rcasorably lree of fa:nily
rcsponsilrilitics, llnh Lors Ncrc rinrried aDd on thcir own fnrnr!.
\V;n $as a tra;ncd trrse (l was no\.iD thc,,\ straliaD Armv
-\!r''ig Ser!., "nd s ,'ll - u,r Le o I ro r',. \,ar, \l ile i\4arin;
\!as shortly ro krvc lor l,rlia !{r mrrry liu Allen. Lcavr oI
absence having treen olJlahc(1 from rhc Tariff Board we lvere on
lltlt April, 1940 on 1le high seas bnu!.1 ior England. Travelling
at our o\\n expedscj with oblisations !o none, \!e held to the hope
thal rve rnight lrc ol soruc se to lhc Iomclanrl in thc ercrt confiict.
BRITAIN IN WARTIME
Since the earlv thirti€s May kept a careful dinry. The efltiies
arc lor tle nrost part n sinple catalosue ol fanil), ev.nts. During
our stnr ir Enslan(L hcl diarics {crc s.!ne\!bat f lle. and recora
;nci.Lents ol considcrable interest, and I proposc to quote frorn
thcse d;aries jr tcllin!. of her dojnss in I'rgland iu war lime. It
mrst bc cInphnsised thai s,e did Dothi!g distiflcrivc ir rhat pcriod
rvhen tsritons pla)'ed such a fire Frt i! rrorld history. Wh;t \!e
d:,1 sould Iar, L,,I h. e\cpJ'JLr nilliLn" ot rhr;rukxnd rile
of Brilain whosc doitrgs \,,ill never l,e rold.
The rotnge in tlre S.S. Oranra Nas alr aNious oDe. Nftrssolini
vas expected to strikc at an)' omeni an.l wc wcre flot s11re when
Ne lell Adcn s,hcthcr we Nollld bc pcrDitrcd ro pass throush the
R.lS(a in l rhe Mu.lirpa.,.i1 - \Licl, 'rLtL,{ s(" cun.i,lo?l vcry
vu1'rerablc. When Ne reached Gibraliar the nelvs was told o{ the
Gc nr.'r i'r!is: r ' f llol a-J zI,l rha n:J I r l,rrrl rrhi,r re.igned
,n l ltir.-r r I hflrcl,rl l.cc:,rr( I'ri, I - Niri.rrr Tl,c Lhv" wc
anchoreLl otr Sonrlramtrun on l5rh trla\ {e lr(.I,1 rl,ar H6lland

had .at;ttlatcd aDd ir as plrin that dle British lorces in Francc
Ncrc jn S.eat jeopardy.
We scttled in at the Florencc llotel, Lrncaster Gate. which $'e
madc onr ceDtrc whilc in l-ondon. Ncxt day Ne went to Paddington
to gel orr klent;ty.ar,'ls, ritidr tickets an(i Sns masks. A pleasant
Iittle Iady Nas questioning us. "Wherc .lid ].ou come fron?
Answer "Australia." "When di,l ]ou arriv(?" "Yesterday." She
looft.rl so puzzlc(l and askcd quite siDply, "Why did yorl comc to
Englard at a l;me liftc this?" 'Ihen I'Iay sai.l qrietly b t vith
dccp enlolion, "Wc came because we wanled to be uith you. Wc
would sooncr be hcrc Nilh you t|ar any where else id the rvorkl."
I ha(l ro leale thc talkiDg to tr{ay for somc min tes after that, I
could not qrilc t. st 'ny
voice. Those London folk wete Iovely to
ns ;n lhosc dils and .ltirely caphrred May's h€art. Moreovci
sbc was happy to know that the.c volld hc mrny spher€s sh€
could help in where hcr srmpnthr" and quiet corrage lvere Nanied.
I lxd 1rd1y c,'n,'c \ ru m.l. ;r I 'n.1,{r wl,ich kept me busy
Ior a co l,lc ot n'ccks l,!t in carly Jrne we ver€ ofi to Oxford
rvhere May star"ed uith Mr. and Mrs. Cairns. {riends of long
standing and paretrts oi ProI. Iater Sir Hush Cairns vhil€ I went
to Abcr)'stlv)th in Wales. o.201h lune uc nloved to Cnmbridge
rvfiere lve obta;ned two roonrs iD what \vere normally studerts'
d;gs at 32 Thompson's Lane. olposilc St. John's College, our kind
landlndy bc;ng Mrs. (-aklicott. We ftnde lhesc rooms out
hcadqrnrtcrs for tlrc best pxrt o: two ycars. We R.ave our landlady
aU our ratjon ti.kets and she trovided lls ivitb morn;ng and
cvcnnrg ncals \vhile rve lJtrrchased such food as was availabl€
I sct abort seekinS to under-{tand the igricultural set-up,
hoping to be seful in introducins Arstralian aglicultural
iftplc11]ents nnd ltrirS lJrrlicl1larly intcrcstc{l in thc norking oi
the light Iands ;n East Anslii. T rvas happy to meet once aeajn
rny {riend of the 1914-18 war, Stanley Cllivers, the head oI tbe
f(rd proc.ssins firn at Ilishn nnd lcading agricnlhtrist ^jrd
shrd
stock breeder. Chilers save srext assist.nce in introduchg me to
rnembers of the CarnLridse Asricrltrlral Connittee and many
{,!|crs inclndiflg 1|e 1!cll k,rosn g.nclicist Dr. John lJanmond.
I joined the Honrc G{ard and wns hapty to olnain my uniforn
and rifle the laltei having been sent lrom U.S.A. packed in grerse
since thc last w:rr. Our nornal task Nas to ouard a io.d l)lock on
Ii ,t.n ro?(l t"r 1\o niSl lJ i wc('i \l,p-. tvc wer. rpq,rireil ro
ivatch c€rtain points and check all entering and leaving the town.

Training tas also carried on oler the lvcekends, generally on
Suntlay mornings. ln tlc hesntime May got busy on all kirxls of
lnpretendons tns*s. Fir-<t she sot in touch \\,ith the Red Cross
aDd lvas direct€d to a Mrs. Baftcl lvhose holne sbc visit€d through
.ll our stay at Cnmlridse oblanring i'ool to kf,it ilith and
rcturn;ng the 6n;shed art;cles. Then she jo;ned a team of fine
women $'orkers s€rving at the Y.M.C.A. Cantcen and presided
over by Mrs- W;llia Chir$s. Thcrc May ryork€d for thrce (lays
a w€ek g€ncrally fro'n 10 a.m. tiu 3 p.nl. o. from 2 p.m. tjll closing
llelorf Ne leit Auslralir I'rol. lloycc Gibson g"ve us an
int.odrrction to h;s trncle Rcv. larl Cibson principal of Ridley
I]all, the Anslican trajnif,g ;nstiiutj.n for students Jor Holy
Ordcrs. We soon rec(ived an inv;tarion to havc tea at Ridl€y Hall
an(l ltny $ns lakcn aronr(l the b;'i sadcn by Mrs- Gibson and
learned horv short handed tley were in the garden. She
immediat€ly otTered to hclp Nith the res lt that she lovjngly
Norked in lhe gardrn ti'o .r three days cach $ c.k {hrt 1l''e remained
in Canbri<lge. This gav. ber great pleas ie not only beca se she
lras helping to produce oore food as rvcll as beauty but also it
gavc her a frller rnderst;rndirg.f thc nnglish seasoD. The Cibsons
aerc ftosi graciors t.r May and inrited her to many of the
frnctions at ihe Hall vhere she rnet nrany interestjng people.
All thr u'hile thcre \uas much aNiety coDcerning the Nar,
an irvnsion seemed;mniocnt ard grcat prcparations $ere being
ade to combat a landins by s€a or air. Although the en€my
bombing Nas not yet o! the nrassive scale that was to come later,
Lonrbcis wcre alrctrt most dnys and nights. I quote some typical
enlric.. in l4lo. I5rh A'r*u r. A luv;l) diJ. Sran wa: l,.it ar
AKr;c,rlru'Jl S'rool rn i 'rning xnd iI Li',-ary in alt. \Ve Irad
lunch at tlre bick o{ Tritrily Collcsc ard I went ro thc Cantcen in
the aft. Big battlcs aroun(l the coast.88 e,chy planes down. By
m;d night the toli s'as 144. Stan lvas at Hone Grard during the
nighl.' "l6th Augrst. Stan returne frorr tlonc Gurrd post in
tinre for hreal<tast. I took inished Rrd Cross articles to Mrs.
Ba.rel on H;lls Rond and brought back more work and Nool. In
the afternoon I Nent to see Prolessor and lllrs. Wilson in.l while
thctc r .ir-raid $arnifs scht us alkJqcth.i into thc lo\\,cr hall,
bnt the "all clear" sotrnded belore long. Sian had to go to H.G.
post bll calle.l at Wjlsons alter nnd cane home $ith me. 75 enemy
planes dos'n 22 of onrs.'' "25th Augtrst. Stan had tu \!ork rt llome
Guar(l post in morning so I $'€nt to St. Mary's Church at 11 a.m.

A r-u,l s.rvice anJ conerc(ir:4n. I :(a)cd lo lloly Co.nmun;on
afrirsrr,ls. ln.ll. '.e
$"ni Dr. Hllmn)onds lo tea. slan had
ro so to lLG- posl at night but '^ alterded the M0thodist Clurch at
( r;tl. Strect f;rsl xn(l I cnl to Y.M. Canteen vhere we hnd an
cxlrrne, L,!"v rinrr. '.v(r, ' 'r. su:rr€ as hJrd i' we corr'd ill
rto e'eninr. iL " ''
r"'r' dirl \tl..n I cam. hume alier I0 pnt
.\ l,u v ,lar ir tl . :,ir in,l ir a shr a''u Two rri.ls ',n oulikirts
.i I oir,lon 1n(l rii ls .vcr (.'mbri4ae; un. Ioml' drolp{rl al
Pemberton Terrace and dnmaged houses "
Mar rook all rc1..1x 'le I,'(.rrriuns $hen L'nrbs ucre xLoul
Shc ienr ',.ri,-r.i
. .hrlt,r. is rrtl nl thc '''scif inc Irrrr sh' diJ
not show anv fe3r. When s;ins to th€ air rai.l sheller at
-fhonrpson's l,ane shc a\rays took books and pictrr€s to shov
Mav had been tol.l thai it 1{as saier d r;ns bornbing ii ore
"rr un,lir rl'e srx (i . 'tli .r.s trol,il ly lru' wher' lhc \lairs
rt.rc * li,llv clrr-' r.l.J :'. i, rl,, l;t hnrncr Lrrl the sliircase
'.
o"r cor-iLr. $i- i l":l ilTii . ,{,It l\lrJ iccelr(d the idea and
often wLen L\'a'1r:v rnd 'h ' i/ rur go lo the shFl rr whi'h
upr..iiFi v.rv c"l,l.'sl.( $''nl,l .iI add knil trnde' our Iittl€
.rii'$rv. llrv';rr 1ik(n ll,i nr((:rrrrin 'he 'lirl nnl rPlear 1()
*or'' 6ne bit. I hat r.r'r'r','t " Thonrl on) Lane w;rh the
1.'"'i. 6lnppirre no, ':r i\:J i, Iwon,letirre how M:r! $orrlil
l,c frrirrg and th,r. fitrn .' 'rrr'.rly lnitr;ng nrder the .lrrrcise:
l5rh- ocrobrr. 'l rrrrr tu rhi rrtlrolndcrs D,1'arrm,nr in
"',,.".",t
x llouJ lr.r,"tu,un ({ pintl l $as'nrprisrd 1u
r:r,l i, s'r.rr ""t" a cc. h, n). ar,l $1,:.1 circ rli,) touk "f nc iterwrrds
I sas r:ven run c 'r
. "t
lei rr' l h.de ro resi h't^rP c ming home.
i',r "'1|^'"a
io lJ]r il ,asy. I ge l ,r rl,e,.rnlePn in lhF afr. L t
wrs not nllolved io work ucb :rnd c.nc home carlv Slan as
(,u1 \r;th Dr. H.hnlond all the niorniig. brrt canrc home to lunch
an.l ,eao i( the.ll. an.l l\ped in Ih" etening An a:' raid rv1'ning
i,, rhr evrninc atr"r r toiit, h3'l li lm urr nirr"$ Roi'l t:lling a
ii,"n .n,t **.t ins rhrce hn,rsu.. A,'.rl,ct :.'rnn ir'anr mid-nicht
bnr \rr,lnl Dot cet ul) '
\\'hen Lhc io.- Li* lir ,l're o ircen'l arv Lonl,s b'car"e mot€
ic,rcDS rl.c worn-n t;lk w.rc i.lclr" rikc l.s_"ns is tn how lo
dral with this menace.
"llih February. 1941- Fire dav but cooler' I as at Canteen
ln af1- but can)e liome five nirtrtes carl). I hurricd over supPcr
,i',i Mrs Caldicott ud Mrs Gair to a rncetiDg in the
Union "..t Hall "'itt' at the back of the Round Church to leatn how to treat

6re-bombs. Fleard a good talk on {he subject." IrolloNinC thrt
nreetinA ltay lut her name (lo$n 10 take her turn to fight 6rebombs.
ForttDatcly the sishts $hen she was on g ard 1v€rc fre€
ot raids on Canrbridse l,rt I hale no doubt she would have do e
her utmost to fighi !h. r hr(l any boDrbs inllen Nhen shc was on
Cambridge is lull .JI be diful brjldings Nhich rvere a source
of Srert (lclisht to Mar. bnl shc krvcil tNo al)olc all othcrs. On€
lvas thc Chrrch ol the Ilol) Scrrtrlchre c,nnmonly callcd the Ro nd
Church. This old lrlilding dnlcs brck lo abo t 1120 A.D. B1rt ;t
rlas rot its age or;ts bcxutl that hosr rttractcd May bnl thc
simple low churc| s.rriccs thrt Ncrc conrlucled llreie and th€
sense of rrorship and fcllorvsliip. The Round chrr.h \!is only a
few lar(ls fronl our ro,nns and l\lay wcni tlrcrc ever so often and
al$nls caffc fivay spirinrally rcfreshed.
The other b!ilding sh€ loved $rs llly Cathe(lrxl. "Friday,
121h Jrly. A 'rilletter
da!! A leiler cane from Marion in the
Diorning rvrit1cli it Darjc.ling and ftrll ol thc joy ol lilc. Tfien
Stan an(i I rvent to Ely io sce the C,rthc(lral vhich is so $(ndcrful
I narvel bow the nin(l oi rnan.otrkl conceive so mrch Leauty.
We wandcred around ihe otrtsjde ard the insidc arrl a kind young
man in a hlack sowr explained 1o us thc btrildins of the Octagon
torver in the centr€, and -lholved rs various other points. We went
to the Interccssion servi.e at St- Catherjnc's chal'el at noon and
then had lunch at ibe l,Iiosler tca roofts nnd botrght somc postcards.
Thcn I looted around the intcrior again, ie€lins I could
hardly Lear 1lJ leave iti Lnt we did eventually and retrrned to
Cambridse. ln lrcd tlat night I lay thirking ol thc !rirvcllors
healty of llly Cathedril rn.l lonsed to go and see it asrin."
Dly rvas only l5 miles from Canbr;dge and May went many
li'nes alter thit trst visil. Shc rche bercd thc l)''xvc doinss ot
Ilcresi.l rhc \V,.1( a[l nnw ii.l thc .h:' cc t. r,.r.r,l rl,c stnry
almosl on the spot of his adventures. The .{klreth carselvay by
which the Norntans sought to invadc the Isic of Ely was beirg
farnre.l l)y Stanle)' Chivcrs lvho took r1s to see the Cath€,lrxl ffom
that angle- The "kind yorng han jn hlack' remaioed consistently
kind, id fact quite a lcw of the clergy got to r€cognise tbc nodest
litll. lidr lhat tov.d thri' Cithedral s. ,le.olv
In rie rn.rn,inrc I hi'l lecn i.lcltv il,; Ar'-rraian \Vool
tsLrrd L tar.'all! lll rle grt lefr hy Dr.'cl nies Ross rvl en he
rct{|'led to Australia to become Dc.D of his faculty ifl Sydney.
I accepted the position on . part tirne basis on the understanding

that I was {rce to contiDue voluntary s$vicc amongst thc farrners
jn their grcat effort to step up foocl productjon. Accoldingly w€
vent to I-ondon on znd S€Dtember and took p temporary
residetrc€ once agaiD at the llorence Hotel. tr{ay {ound great
intcrcst visiting h;storic sites Nhilc I bccane estxblished at the
Wool Seffetariat at Bush Horse Aldrrych.
Satrrdar. 7dr Selteflber pioved to be nn historic d"y. May
rlas anxious to sce Windsor Nhc.c her mothcr, Charlotle Clode,
rvas horn. I-eslie Clade. Mny's consin. had rrransed rvith Mrs.
McMillan, $ho had been hous€keeper;n ihe Clode homestead to
show rs aronDd. I qrote f.on the diarJ. "Fairly hot but nic€
brccze. \Vc wcnr to Windsor by hai in t|c nx'rbing atrd Mts.
MacNlillan met us at the station a'rd showed us aiound. trVe vent
to thc Guild ljrll and wcre shorrn the famous sold snuffbox wjth
N in dianxD(ls on thc li(l !vhi.h Enpcror Lou;s Napolcon p.esented
to IIr. John Clode (my srcat uncle) who Nas nrayor of Windsor
lvhcn the ltrrperor visited there. Thc care-taker also showed us
Unclc John's portn;t in one of thc roohs a!(l lookcd up th€ dat€s
whcn he rvas thrcc tinres Driyor of Windsor. \Ve tried to enter
the Castle gatcs but Nere forbidden by the poUce. The sizc and
cxtent ol the Casllc as seen from outsidc lnrxzcd me.
Aft.r luDch \re rv.nt to Cllrcnce noad tlnd \rere shown
number 5, rhich Nas Aunt Emma's hone for so long and heard
many nnecdotes about the Clode fanrily. On retun to
Paddington wc fouod an air-raid lvas in progrcss brt we walkcd
from the strtio. to the Florence lvithout incident. Sorne ol the
bonbs droppecl during that raid lighied fires at ihe docks $hich
brlrucd ncrccly anrl provklcd a bcacon rvhich Suided the raiding
flanes to Lon(I.,n drrinr:a the nisht and cons;derablc damnge was
.lone. We heard the planes during the njsht hut stayed in bed."
That is i lrodesl acconnt of an historic event. That night ivas
tie first oi the hnssive lrohbjns vhcreby Gocring €xpected to
dcstoy London. We becamc more hardened to thes€ events later
l,ut tlai night;t seemed that the great city wc'tld be lvreckcd;
the sky 1\'as all nslolv (irh search Iishts and thc lcflection fron the
blrildinss that rvcre on fire. The brrsting of the hombs tosether
u,ith thc firing of the anti-ajrciaft guns and rhc noise ol the fire
cngincs and the amlmlxnccs nradc the trisht into n pandemonirm.
Next mornins we $ere surprised to find thai the great city
renairerl largely rnharmed and the fajthfll number 8 bus cane
along as usual rnd we went to thc Ccntral ]"I.rll lvcstminster, Rev.
W. E. Sansster's chnrch, to jo;n in th€ special day or Frayer. The

following night
I wrs duc 10 visjt Leeds on thc
Monday for a conterencc \'!ith tlie $'ool .esearch people. It seemed
almost inpo-csible tbat iraiDS would be tunning nonlally a{ter two
such nights. brt \ve rvcrc auay at 10.10 a.1u. and so
reachccl thc .tniet cotrfltry-sicle thc passcn!.ers in the train J€ll
fast asleep. We stayed at beaulifnl ^ll Harrowgat€ \vhich seened
marvellorsly pexcetul :Lfte' reccnt eveDts. May roaflcd the fi€lds
arourd llarrowsate vLriic I |aid rlaily visits to Bradford aDd l-eeds.
She lore.l the kee.cr a; of tle north, the $e€n fields and
particularly the hcathet.
Al1 the \NLile thc Brtlle for Britrin was bcing {ought overhead
an(l $€ kcpt an!;ors checl. as io 1lc progress of ihe momentous
fight. Gra(l{ally the British ighters es(ablish€d their ascendarcy
a d holc,<rcw strong€r i!1 tlc hexris of an heroic people.
Or 19th Seplcmler lvc ret Dcd to Canbr;dge uhere rve
carr;e(l or is formeri) except that no\! I lisiled l-ondon for a
couple ol days each veck, stayine for lhe most part at tbe
Kerlril'vorth llotel. This meant leaving May morc alon€ rvhich
she accepted as lravoly as cver nnd carried on lvith h€r busy tasks,
Abont this time the "Vegetahlcs for Victory" cnmpaign was
intensificd. With Britai{ rnder s;ege the prod ctjon of every
possiblc ponnd oi lood l,ccaorc ol rital ;rrportance. Albtrnents of
suitahle srornd rv€re made a'ailable for a low rcntal ard p€ople
vere encouraged to g!o!v the;r own legetables inchd;ng potatoes.
I started "dig{,ring for vi.tory" in a pbt lrhich I shared lvith John
Han]nord in the Rotatric Gardcns, and later in the Chestetton
area where I dug or l)cha1f ol a nlan away in the services. May
took a grcat irterest in these plots and often helped in thcir
,A,{ter an linslish Nintcr it is excit;ng to see the first siAns of
spring, and tr4ay Nas ahvays on tbe lookort for the first flowers.
The entry f.rr l9ih l'elJrtrary is ty!;crl. "A lovcly day. Stan start€d
for London nft$ lr-cakfasr- I lvcnt alDrg Trilrity Strcct ro Ridley
Hall stere I did some \veeding. I sarv many sDowdrops in flow€r
ruder thc trces, and on my Nay homc at the back ol 'fr;nity
Collcge, I saN a ieu snon<lro1s, sonrc ).ellow crocuscs, and:, fc{,
turple ones just peepins tbro sh. In the enclosed 'lvilderness"
aconiles ivere thi.k snder ihe trees, ljke a yellow carpet."
I thinl. she loved the dafiodils the best of all. She ventur€d
jnto snpcrhtiles in a letier ta Win {'r;tten on 23rd April, 1941.
"I-ast \reek aiter I had posted your letter I valk€d among the
l0

dafiodils at the back ol Qu€ens Colleg€ and telt lihe writing yor
at once to t(ll yon about tfiem. Just jm.sile abotrt an acre of
dnffodils gro\\'ing Nild rnder th€ trees, vhich are not yet lea{y,
though buds are burstiog. Yellol' daiTodils vith lovely big
trumpels; Nhite rlith o'aDse cups, nnd da;nty littlc yellow ones,
and lots of others too nlrmerous io mention, all flowering'and
lvaving in a gentl€ breeze! Among them at intervals a fine
hyacj,rth, \rh;tc, pinft or bluc, ard occasionally a natch of bl c
anenloncs creeping ove' the grotrnd; a fes nrin'oses pe€Ping
out at i.rerlals, and dear little daisies showing their swe€t faces
anrons thc srass rvhcrerei they hnd a chancel Such a least of
lovcliness I had not seen! Really, it rvas wonderful!"
By the niddle of 1941 the fanily vas u'€ll scatteredl Win
w,rs ntrrsing on the Suez ca alj Marion \"s manasing a C.M.S.
hostci in Calcrttr, Nith Jim in thc Briiish amry; Will was a
Iri'on,r of rar in ltrlr lirvins h.cn cdprured in North Africai
B"it "F,l
To'na wp.e le.p:!r8 rhc l,or.,e nres I rn:ng. B"rt working
Merrnxlie shott handed and hcbing Mi.j in her plucky nnnageneni
of Dewrang. May kept in touch \!iih them all and with a
wide circle of friends;n Arstralia lry srlrlace lett6s, air-mail
letters nnd cal)les. Irew arc the d.ys vhen she does rot record
the writing of a Iettcr in her diary.
It is a toric even now to read he' London and Canbridge
lcttrrs, tbey \!ere both tender a!1.1 strong. On top oi that she gav€
rnc inrnlurlJe h.lt' in trer:IirrE Lroirl(r.1.. .t,eecLe5 and arlicl€s
\hich I $a5 cxlled uron ro prodlce s€ek ty week. Tt ir temarkabl€
h"rv .1. errrornpass"d .o m'r.i] nut ro nrenrion fee,l;ns Bessic
rl,, rabl.il Eiv,,r,rs by.lohn llrrnn,un'1. Aflcr Bc.sic gavc birth
to six kittens ih{r trihe almost ate rs ollt of house and hone. May
rvalkcd nrany n;les to collect greens lor the huDgry {amily'i{hich
wh.n grosn wc save n\r.y.
All the wh;le there ivere rnany leaders of thought speakjng
;n Cambr gc ard the opportu'ity to hear them vas too good to
nriss, anrl May altetrded dany nnc churclr scrvices, lectures aDd
plal's. Dr. Temlle lvas thcn Archbishop of 1:ork, an(l Canbtidge
\ras in his diocese. May marle a point of being present at many
services he con{lucted. A diary entry of 12th October is typical
of Drany Sundays. "Star a1 ]Ionre Gtrard clrill in mornins l went
to Nesley chutch. ID aft. {e both \$ent to Great St. Mary's and
lr€ard thc Universi!y sermon ?reached b)' Dr. Temple. AlterNards
Ne walhed throuah Kins's Collcsc to ltrrof. 1,\'ilson's. Had tea
ther€, ihen saw qnrdcD and walked hone. Dr. Blau of Wool
11

Secrctrriat cnmc 10 sopter. We hcard Lord Bealerbtook spcak on
supplics for ]trss;a at 9 p.m."
The dialy mentjons manv notable.qpe.keis which May was
aLIe to hcar. Tlresc iicludc anongst nany others: Dr. Ncwton
Fle!', the Mistcr ol Weslcy T-odge, lvho made his ho'ne opcn to
us; Canon Raver; J. Mi.ldleton M rray; Prol. Vi€tor Mtrray;
W;llianr I'aloi and l'astor Ilildcbrand.
Wc had . qurcr sclccti(m of Pcople comc to o11r rooms. On€
day $'hen I $as d;slling Nith Flammond at o r plot in the Botanic
Gar.lens, NIay was srrmcNhat starilcd to have thr€c men, each s;x
feet 1a11, showD ini{) orr liltlc livirs 'oom.
They verc Sir John
Orr, now Lord Boyd Orr. Sir Charles Martin, and F. l-. McDougall,
Martin. \{ho \{as a most chaiming nrxn, saw the room would seem
crowdccl so hc srl oD thc tabl€ xDd soon hid the all vciy much
at case- Thcy cvcnhrally krcated nrc rt onr plot and we had a very
interestj'g conference at f)ownins College thrt evcning.
Wc had x dcl;ghtful Christmas ar l{a'pcnden with Dr. Gcot
Sannel, latc oi the Waite Instihrtc, and his D tch wif€ rtrd happy
family. Mrs. Szm el x'as very kjnd to May and we loved their
siople Chtistrras ceLemonies vhich uere carried out wilh both
rev€rence and haPrircss.
My work entailed occasional jolrneys to othei centres and i{
the trip was noi too nrshcd tr{ay .atue also. On one occasjon we
had a tlon.lerful wcck-cnd in thc l-nkcs district and then went on
to Scotland. T shall nevc' for,{et May's delisht nt being jn Scotiand
for thc first t;me; it seened like holy ground to het. t had work
to dc, xt Kilnnrnoct i)ol (hc holcls t{cre frlll. I quote: "Through
tle ftindness of a yonns Scotch girl ve folrnd quaters nt Turt
'Hotel'in Dnrvel, abori 7 miles ott, Nh;th rve reached by bus and
Iound everybodl' vcry tind and thoushtftrl. we liked llaivel so
1vell thal we sta)e(l two nishls instcad of one. Thc tolvn was
noted for laceinnkins, and there were Iov hills on each side; a
pretty peaceful country."
N€x1 d.y onr sood fricnds, Mt. ancl Mrs. Mc]-atcha! drove us
all tl,rorsr r\" lt,-ni c4,rIr). Crcirly r4 trfxysJelithr. Atlerl
f"w dars in Li.qo$ ril L,lin nrllr \ve spnt Io S(lkirk in thc
Bordcr courtry. there 1cl lrc llre guests of Mr. and Mrs. Tlro as
Cjbson. I vaoted to see the lvoollen mills htrt May was ftee to
vis;t manv histor;c sites- We were taken for a lronder{ul dfi'e
trr' ttc \;le o Yarro,v s-eins Ncsi,r: iurvF on l bul,l hcadl.tnd
ilrovc rhc riv,r, 11,,tr n jo:t. Mlryr l.ch anJ brck vir rlc
Vatle), of the Etirick. The Gibsons were both Border folk aDd
t2

'lvere stecpcd in thc history oI the coutrtry. Those were two rcdlellcr
(lx)s in May s nrcnury arJ .hc olt.n qpolr ol rhe hnppi'ress
ol Lhar visir.
Aplrlt lrom ihe tNo longei trips to Scotland which we took
togclher, N{a} \'etrt a nunll)er ol short journeys Drostly in
southern Essland Nhen my \iork tooL m€ to Brxdiord and Lecds.
Most of thesc journcJ''s were to visi! lriends ol long standins.
Typical ol lhc way tr1ay lrept the u.Ntry of hcr frier.ls of lonq aso
ir h.. Ir",,rr ;. i.l ,Lrar, L\ l.r v.ir ro Rev. .\. C. l(;ng who
had forderl]'been the A glican minisler at the Burra and had
giv.D htr the srifluLc prizc ol a s!1a]1 edilio'r oi Conrmon Pralers
as lors ajjo as 1892. Illay had carciully noled I'Ir. Kiirg's adcl{ess
and ttavelled by train a.d bus io visit her agcd and ailing friend
ir Srssex lvho 63 yerrs previously had lreen l(ird to her.
Onc othcr trip gavc her grcat pleasurc. Ycrrs ago r Scotch
hoy, J;n M;lne, ha.l conle to Arisiralia and hid \.orked on our
Iatm. May corrcspondcd Nith his parcnts and nrm frierdship
,esulte.l. WIcn wc \\'erc iD Lnslrtrd ihc Milncs hllil noved to
Catdiff a1ld M:ly h:Ld a vcry hnppy \.cek in their hoftc. Fro,n therc
she visired Bath and Bristol.
,A.s thc wrr
hrd o!. shnrc ol sad Dews. First was
th€ strdricn dertl of hy belovcd sister, Mary Arthur, the mother
ol {our line bo}s, lbree oi \rhon {,ere srrldiers. Then the dcath
in North Af.icr ot orr friends ITorrard \Vhe.ton, and Os Slratford.
I-ater lVill \ris pc,sted trris-.irrg, latcr prisouer of $ar. Only a
l;ttle before rye relurned my yoringest sister Amy d;ed suddcnly.
This was a grcat sadness io ns for Anry bad given nrch oI her
lile itr loviDs scrvicr to us and ours, ard wc had look(d {orrard
io the chance to comfort ud chcfish hcr uton otrr rettrrn.
When -iapan entered ihe war we ktrew otrr place \!as back
in A(sl.alir. M.ry Narted to r{lun) honre but shc Nns sad to lqrve
F:nsl:rnd whosc sallant leopl€ bad altogether lvon hcr hcart.
Ilosever we decided b rettrrn and after sonc battlins secured
bcrtlrs or the Glcnorchy.
Thcre s.cre nrary {nrervells to Drrkc. Iirst our kind .eighbotris
in ThonIson Lane and particrlarll'Mrs. Mathcivcs and her litde
daughler t{ose, rvho lived in .hc coltase across lhe r.ay. May was
very hapl,) Nith these our fricnds ud xlso Nilb o1rr ve.y L;ad
Iandlady Mrs. Cald;cott.
May's last two d:!ys lrere itpicnll) busy. 4th March. "Rairing
all day. I wns workirg at nrafting camorflagc nettirrg trom 9 till
11. Cane homc and did some rvashing. Too* thilgs to Rcd Cross
l3

shoD; handcd in Iil.rary Looks. In xfr. I packed the c.bin trunck,
the;r sent to Mn. Bariel and ltande'l in rwo pairs of mi(ens. then
to Mrs. Strans$ays. Had tea at Hammonds and said goodbye.
Stan a.riveil tri 8. r'I€ had stayed the previous night at Bonrnemouth.
Grouad rvh;ie rvith snow."
"sth lUarch. I took things to the Womens Voluntary S€rvic€
Stan went to the Bolalic Gardens and sarv Dr. Hanirnond, Sir
Charles Martitr atrd others. In ihc aft we went to Wood House to
tea. Mrs. Chivers and Hope there to s€e us. M.. Chiv€rs brought
s back. I said goodbye lo the neighbouls and 1,\'e cleared up in
NerL Jav se Iorrd.d S.5. Clcnorchy for hone on SaturJav'
7rh Va.ch, iq42 The !o\ase h 'nr
\as rhrousl the CaruLl'ertr
S€a at a time when tic e!1emy subnariDes lver€ active aod many
l,oals \tcre ,cirs sunk. Tl,c I,assase Lhrough the Pattama wa.
full of inreresr. Ue r.rche,l \V"llins'tor on lOl\ Af'ril, anJ had
(our Losv Jis" ar. u'r.l lhe No-rh lsland. Thcrr $e conlinueJ our
voyase r; Syincy $herc rve lan,leJ on lgth April, 1942.
CANBERRA
Australia was tac'ng anxious days nt the time o{ our return.
The battlc of llte Cotaf Sea was not yet iought and a Japanesc
invasion seen1ed immincnt. Our thought lvns to return to Mcrrindie
and free Bert for service in th. air-force Th;s we proceeded to
do and Befl \"1)r inro crmt. Soon hoqevcr strorrg requ€srs lvere
nette fronr Carrl'c-re for ri'e ro rry anl hcll in ^rgonising
tlre
apricullnral in. u.Lrv lu mPel rhP u,gFnr ,l"mand tor food whrch
h;.1 sndd.nlv aris.r r)olv ll,al Ausrralia $a. to be rl,e l,asc for
horh trn,nir( ar,'l An.ricaI lorccs l corrld nor lerve Mcrrindic
witl, bolh "on.
rsis, l{rL c\enluillr BLrL '!as
askeJ to relurn to
ih. r,rn while t\4ai 3r)d I wrnl to l;ve in ( anberrr' There T had
l,!sv. anxiou. da!= is Advi'nr lo thc trice" ( orrrmLsior,cr' Inctrber
of ihc Arricultirrat SlrnrUns Comrnittee rnd mcmLer of thc
Austrrlia4 Meat Cornmissioir. My work rcquired ne to be
conl.nuallv:no!ins Ler'rren th€ caPit3l ciricr of the C"mmoDwcallh.
Tltis meant thar May uoq Inuclr of her lime ilone. Shc
;n,nedidtelv ser aho!] hell,ins eood .au'es in her usurl l,usv vav
On. oi I'er nost urcirri oicupation" wrs -he sending of food
Darcels to hcr frien,ls in Brrta;n Altrost evcry home was sending
f*cels;n rlose day'. I'nr May h3d sPcc;al rersons for devotins

Lerself lo rl-i, Lrsk. Su,nany o( -l- i!i(nLls in rl,e Ilon.c Lan,l
hal Lren -o verv L nJ ro,,- anr MaJ de iAl,LpLl ru hdve rhe chJncc
to repny iD soDe sDall part thcse great kindresses. So, lveek by
\.e'l:l'e ser r\o i,icl.i,,b !:rc,l.. lr $i:1ll .l..rc 1v:rh suc,
derotion: rh. gou/r $pr. cl,.:en L, s,ri||Le npFJr oi .he f^flicul.r
frip,,, ia \;e$, lnd ,l', t,rr.,r. $F c lll,J ro L, Ii,-i.ien,rir,id.
ll'c,e $is i.l$.,)<
.,r 'l.s!,I lo,,lt .rLu. L tr,lr .t,. ,tar
she Nas packing her parcel, she i\rs thinkin!. oi her deir fric,d;
in Engl:nd, Scoilard or \\rales, thirking o{ their Deed and
reheDrb€r;'rg thc;r kindtrrss to rls. X,tixcd \!ith rhc irriclcs that
werc packed so carclrlly Nas a grcrt deal of lorc aod afcction.
As in other parts, IIay macle tirm iriends 11,ith our neighborrs.
'lhe Carberra pcoplc rvcrc very kind 1o us Nd Nc Ncre paraicularly
happy Nith otrr fric ds at thc \Vcslel chnrLh. Bui May uradc
nin; otlr,r fri'n,1" il"o. For I,a.. n rl,(,i r. jr Cant,ei ra our
houe ras back to bxck Nirh rLe housc thxt l,erroY lxtcr lived in.
One of thc carlicr Rrssians that lir.d thcre was a (tuec. loohing
lellor' that I laas happy to lcave alone. Brt that was n.,t MayG
way ol doirg thirgs- The R ssian had Leshorn fo\vts Nhich flaw
ovcr lhc fence into oLlr srrdcn. ODo dr-v hen r \.as away Mry
hriled our rciglibc,ur over thc le.ce and nrr;tcd hin to cofle and
hetp her catch tle hens. He professed bc could no! nderstand a
wor'l sh' .JiJ l,'rt (v' n u' l) l', !r. f, r". i.J, l r. curr. ir ind
IrcL$r.I rl.e n rl..y c u'rl t Ll'. ,, 1.:r.l Ili. .l,u$ed l,ir, l,o$ lo
cl1t one wins of each lten and tlcn sent hin back to do the sane
lr'ith the reurajlr(lcr. Alicr that she passed or-cr rhe the feDce a1l
-he o,Jd srfrr- .,r'l l..a,el,r,l 5cr1t ' $l cl' rh. lo\]s grcrtty
pDrc.iared. L,ra'1. -ll) ri,. R s i..n ri,i$e.l rn.t ,.qrrr ro riciprjcir,
L. hrn li r o!,r odJ vpg, . rL" u .il u.re JJJ he lcruxllv
l,x..cJ ov., . , rn (Fj.: Tl..,r pleis" I \l:,l rn E ,r; !. 'r r,.arr rtral
she llas l,llildnrg ur) a l;ny scrap of !po.l will Nhere rone ha.l
lllar.' .lwxys sluuth coitcndcd thai thc l)eoplc of Canberra
r€re partic{larlr kindly nnd that thcre $as vcry liitle unrleisanr
class d'stirction behveen them. Shc oft€! tol.l stories to iilusrrate
the;r goodress to h€r. Ouc Nas al)otrt a policcnuD lvho lived
ncarby and with u.hon shc was firnr lri(!(ls. On onc occas;on
s,hen I lvas a1la)', Mrs. Cl nies ltoss sesior caDre to sfend a rveel<
Nith her. 'lhey had a dcligltlul tinre togcthcr; sceing the vivid
.flru,r,. c, I,,,rq. (r li,,d. l 1,,, ,G . .1 urher Ir-r,r'ii,rt r nSr. Thu
day the v;sit ivas to end the taxi tailed to conre as arransed and
it was almost tirne for the trair to depart. May hastered to her
l5

fricnd the polic€man who was in h;s old clothes working in thc
garden. "But. said May as she ofren told the tale. "he came nt
once and drovc us quickly to rhc sralion. The" he strode on to the
platlorm and order€d the train to halt while h€ took Mts. Clunies
Ross most careiully to h€r cariag€. And then he kindly took me
back to my home!" I suppose the policeman just did that deed as
part of the day's work and promptly lorgor all about it, but May
never torgot ac(s ol kindness done to her by others, I suPPose thrt
why so many loved her.
It was ahvays difficult to persuade May to buy things for
h€rself. She dressed very simply ard did not like buyirs mor€
than th€ minimum of requjrements. But while in Canberra she
pur.fiased a liLrle b-o$,r ra:nc"at which save hcr great satisfactior.
Whe" iL ,uas l,uttoned up to her chin she could de{y the cold of
Canberra and ev€n the ;in. Thus it was she wouid so out on
roush days to visit hcr aged frierds knowing that it would give
rhem added Dlcr.ure to hnve a call whe! few would venture forth.
About liat rime she took to riding a bicycle once againl May
did not drive a crr and Canb"na is a form;dable place to s€t about
without a motor. Moreover May oft€n had trouble with h€r {€et
which made much walking dimcult. How€ver she d€termined that
she would uo! IJe shut uo so she secured a b;ke and soon she could
be seen dresscd in h"i relieble raincoat and pedalling b'avely
Early ;n l94J we received a t€lesram from Marj at Dewtans
to sav that Will wrs (ree asain and headins for home! Th€n on
8th lily just lrefor€ he wag,.lue ro arrive in Melbourne we receiverl
a mosi movine letter from Bill $ritten on a hosPital ship in
Turkish warera ard tellins of rwo 6ne attempts to escane. The
next evenirs $,€ ,onk th. train for Melbourrre and Put up at the
Windsor Hotel. lt was all v€ry hush ltush as to when and where
the boat lvas to arrive, but snder some circumstances t€gulations
are made to be broken, and w€ alone w€re at thc placc wherc th.
boat tied uD early in th€ mornins. I shall never iorget seeing May
and her da;line 6oy tosether that happy day. W€ were soon back
at the Windsor and Bill was in th€ bath which was nlted to the
brim. May rvrs so hrppy not only because she had her boy back
aoain. but-also becau; he was eoinq back to Marj and Brvan and
t;e dear old dos Rover. Wlat-pletsed her most ol all was that
B;ll had come br.k lvilhout b:tt€rDess narrins his life.
Two other Iamilv events haDDened while we were iD Canberrr
which brouehr erieaihappine'. i6 Mav. On lSth July l%4, Win
l6

lvas married at Atherton, North Queensland, to B€rt Lahor€. Both
had sen'€d their comtry loyauy aDd well- Wnt as a nurse and
Bert as a bonrbardier jn, the artillert. Soon after iheir marriag€
they 1vere freed lrom fullher service which had already lnsted livc
years for each ol thenr, n:rd carnc sourh to live at DandenoDg in
In 1947, J;m ard Marion returnecl Nith their family oi three
from lndia where, s;Dce his disclurge lr(trn ihc Rrilisb arry, Jim
had bcef, first r srppl) omccr nr the Ifldiar Civil Service ^nd
late(
a secretary tu the Arst.alian H;gh Commissioner in Delhi. H€
was Do\! 1o rvorL rvith the llxlcrnal ,.\lTairs i'1 Canberra. Homes
rverc vcrj sr.rcc sd 1|ey shxred otrr h,use. 'l'his mcant not a lild€
crowding bri was a source of great inte,est t., May who delighted
to hxvc bcr youngesl horne agair nDd jn thc cbanre !o get t.r know
llrc Srandchildren.
HOME AGAIN
The years;n Canberra hurried on in a surprisins fasbion and
it Nas 19.18 before we Nere lree to return to N{errindie. When we
did rcturtr it rlas to tho White llouse Nith Bert and fanliy living
in the original home. It was strange that coning homet w€ had
been alvay for 20 years and arother generation had grown up ard
we felt slrnngers in ou! owl1 district. May never did transphnt
readil)., hcr roots went too d€ep for easy noving. For n lvh;le
there see)ied none who n€eded her and she misse.l the ftanv
frirnJs. prr.liL rllrly th( youf,g fripnrls. .hc lra,l wo'r in Canbe-ri
and other cities, and also the aged a d ail,trg Iolk lvhom she had
visited so regularly.
GiadMlly bowever h€r lifc became fllcd "glin;
old friendships
lvere rencwed and she found continual delisht;n the beauty o{
tlie laDdscape. Haptily also my li{e hecame less crowded, partic -
larly after 1951 lvhen I deliberately redrced my commitments and
we had more time togeth$. One of May's str.rng qualifications
was her abil;ty to read alond pleasantly. All throligh the years
she had read to me oftetr for an hor! or so eacli evening. I $ould
take nry turn occasionally but she wns much ihe bctter r€ader and
thororghly enjoye(l doing so if the book was worth while.
Naturally we searched the bookshops and libraries for th€ literattrre
that rould repay lleing read aloud. This sharing together many o{
the great books of the larguage vas a contirual deliAht.

I cannot list thc books herc but hcr diary remirds me that in
the blaclrout of 1940 1ve read tlle last s;x volumes of Nicolny and
Hay's great Lile of Liicoln. 'Ihe next year aft€r seenrs (;. M.
TrevelraD iDstallcd as X{astcr ot Tlinity w€ re-read his Elglish
Social Ilistory. The hst book wc read t.sether and finished only
a few days before her deaib lvas Gods, Grzves and Scholars," by
C. W. Cerah, a rrosi jrlercsriDg book on archaeolosy.
Ma,y's rcligious ljfc was vcry teautitul. Not oniy did she hnov
nei Bible vcry vell. but she sought rnrl found from ;t the lvay of
life, $hich she {ollovcd rvith great derotion. Readers oI these
trotcs Nill lrnolv she $as rorlralLr a vcry Lusy wr)nan. perhaps
in some pcriods too busy, olteu finding it hard tiJ rclax. Of litter
rears she learned to rest quietly and vithort strain. Th;s b€came
particularly true aiter she had . warbing some trvo years ago thai
ir r'^s .s{r,lial fDr her b icst. Soon i{ter break{ast she {ould
to her be.lroom lvith her bible and a.levotiotai aid. generally
'.iire the "Uppe. Rooni." ancl quietly read thc portion of scripture set
and scek to rpplr th. lesson to ber life for that day. She was vcty
iegnl^r in her periods of prarer yct she lras $'ondcr{ lly clrarit.bl€
to those, inclndiis mlself, who were much less regular- Her
dcvotion anLl bo charity were both very constant. Sbe read the
gospels not only to learn of a bea tifuli lifc lived long ago, but to
knorv nore and nore or One rvho Nas he! daily friend and
companion. Her liJe nas a finc cxanple of the drauing power of
a trtre ChristiaD character ior shc rvas greatly loved-
May wns greatly devoted to the little church at Ciles Corner
ard Jre jin\e il h"r ulrno"r loyr'r). l-l.r parLicuiar Io\e $rs ior
rhn uver:r, rs I!,ii-.rors anJ in.orjunirron wirh a (in) I'an,l of
deloted woDrctr uDd$ thc leadership of RoNena Kelli shc savc
happ;ly in hcart. nind and material things.
Over the last rear \r'€ had sotne happy trips toseiher. Last
spring ive went to Will's homc on Kansaroo Island t'hich May
l;ved $ith all her hcart. Thcn Ne had two holi(lavs in 1Jr'in's hally
home, includine one dclishttul week in the tanges around
Warbtrrton. Tliese interstate h;ps verc made fcasible bec^use
Mav lovc,l irr!(llinc LD air r,;hiclr.he did $ith utmoit cirse, and
alsti l,ec"usc *" *eic io.i"na* in rhe tict thit Mr. and l\4 rs Hill
who livcd il] po.tion of Whitc House kindly cared for the garden
and the pets ir our abscnct.
Wc hid or'e short tritl ro Adclaidc stayins with Mollie Clark
and her dcar sisters rvhosi horne rvas ahvays opeD to us and then
,i
I
18

ofl to Allan and Esther Drummolrd at Innan Valley vh€re Mat
seemed radiant rvith happiress in the honre of her greal fr;etrds.
May continu€d to rcccive n1any letters lvlich shc welcomed.
Natrtrally the ones she vatched for most were those cohiis fronr
her dailghters. Tbe letters s'hich arrived ev€ry two or three Neeks
{rom Marion, now living in washjtrgton, U.S.A., w€tc full o{ much
interest and pleasurc. But the letters she counted oD nost and
which arril-ed '€gularly
week by week ver€ lrom Win in
Melbourne. Ttes€ kept s ir touch with the day by day doings
of thc fanil) {'hich l'tay (lcliglrtcd to hcir aborlt. }Vill's lctters
fro'r Kargaroo Island $,ere mostly aboqi sheep and cattle but
occasionally and ahvays on her birthday he *role his mother a
real love Ictter rvhich she sreatly cherished-
We bad been itr the habit of entertaining friends at M€rrindic
or-€r the years but as May's health \reakened we had to limit tbese
visjts to cspe.ial friends. Over recert nronths we lvere happy to
havc Esther Kclly with us lor a rveek, paiticolarly as shc represented
the "Ransey" home that had meant so nuch to May. 'I.he.
rve had May's great triend ilIay Badmar who shared so much in
commotr Nith her including ar intense love of the garden.
EVENING
However mucb we enjoyed our journeys and the visits o{ our
{rierds, May lvas always pleascd to be home by olrrselves agai!
rvhen her lifc seemed to be fiiled with a quiet tcnce and happnress.
She loL€.l the sinple life rve lived rvhich seemed to fill her heart.
She loved the animals. especially the vlrite "FlulTy" cat- When I
saddled my hack shc lvould s.illingly loosc "Tigger" a dog lvith
r.€ry littl€ brains hrlt nuch good will and \.atch happily as he
barked ivith delight as I rode otr on Chester.
The lasl trip we had together rvas 10 Adelaide on 27tlt July,
$-here N{ay had some very lrappy hours vith ber gieat {r;end Mrs.
Allen. Then we visited Edna Whittaker atrd her nother Ellen
DaNson. This hone had ahvays heant much to May not only
because oi their great kindness to hff but also becatlsc they
belons€d to her late beloved brother, Alf, who had helped May in
matry ways including assisting her obiaitr her education ;n those
carly days and May n€ver forgot that act o{ brotherly kindness.
We siayed for the last night at my sister Mabel's hospitable
home where rve were always welcorne. I had other engagcments
19

I
that last evcD;ng Lut tr{ay and Mab and her daughter lUary hacl
real f<llo\!shirJ toscther.
Ne\r Jrv $e r.nL lo P'inc. Allred College to.ee rhe ol'erring
oi the r*s \virs "f
ihe old sclool. Tterr May her sotrre dear
.-i, "d: ul lu.1a s;indins Lhit tluared l,cc srerrly We.lrove h"me
witt Berl and T"n) ard arrired in good lime mu.h ro lrcr deliebL
fo! theD l\e bad our cvenins togelher.
Od Srndnv $e wcnt to Giles Comer church as usual and were
hanj,, ro hr\e'Ha?LI l(p l\ for ltnth. \\ rdr e.day,3rd Ausrrsr lvas
t" b"''he W"mqr. Nli"si;-arr- mc' ri'rC lnd as usual trfav c.r(hrlly
rerJ uD Llrc llisri,rrjr-\ jo,rr;al. Shc ilso I'ake,l -imllc cil<cs and
lisc it. r', trL" is an olTerins. On 1he Wedne'day LoIna took
hcr ro Ilaz"ltuD s|cre he rea;ng $as hpld. As alway. May
\{enl 1{ith hcr N€lI worD leather btg nlled to capacity
On ll.ur-,.1 pre.rins I rnok her to Be'r's rhcre 'he trlked
ri'h Lorn:r slr:le I 1ky.,1 bil)rr 'ls \':rh Tonr'
nn l'ri,la).51h Augusr. hcr Iait.ntry rcadq il swPpr !nv
\alroo r in 11,( ',rorn:nS.
'lrd x suod rest in t1'e:rtt rnd did a
\\. \r,l ; lrpp\' {ei\fr-r rngahc- on rIc rnoTirg of rhe 6tlr.
'fhcD I rvcrt to ili; sheep yards \lith Berr lor an hour. Half an
iolrr lnter Bert c.me to the horse ior a tool and fo(nd his Mother
busy and lappy as usual and staled some minutes to talk with h€r'
Ab;ut t0 ..rir. I rctunred blt could not see the little $'o!nan. Then
I fotrnd tllat her brave, iovins sPirit had ffown alvay to the
$onderf l spirit $rorld.
We rver:e very happy that our strong, true friend, Rev. Jack
Alletr $'is able t6 corie and condrct the fune'al service' first at
the littlc church, and ther in Riverton, very shortly but vjth great
Dower, li the ol'en grave.
'
Thc Dcs.iJic nn tl,e cuffin wa! direct and 'imPle
r. she wotrld
de.ire. lt ,e"rl: Adi Mr] Kelly, Died oLh Atrgusr. 1955 in her
80th year."
b

t,nl\',^_r't: \\. s KLt,J-f i\ND llA\lll-\
Ockn,tr. l9l7