I’ve been good recently and have been scanning a few more old family photos. Scanning isn’t the funest job in the universe. In fact it’s rather a drag. But still it is nice to have a few more done. And they are nice high res ones, named, and filed appropriately, ready for when I need to access them again in the future.

But while I was scanning some photos of one of my grandmas, I thought I’d like to share them so came up with an idea to do a mostly pictorial blog post of both of my grandma’s (maternal and paternal), and in another one I’ll show you my four great grandma’s.

So let me introduce you firstly to Evelyn Hannaford (nee Randell) my maternal grandma (1916-2006)

Evelyn Randell & brother Pete at “Kenton Park”, Gumeracha, c1920

Evelyn and Pete Randell at “Salem Glen”, Gumeracha, 1921

the girls at Gumeracha Primary School, 1922/23? Evelyn in at the front and on the right hand end

Evelyn with her three older sisters, Anne, May and Dorothy, c.1924

Dorothy & Evelyn “Lyn” Randell, 1941

Evelyn Randell & Cecil Hannaford, married at Gumeracha in 1941

And that brings me to Valda Phillips (nee Winter), my paternal grandma (1921-living)

Valda Winter with her three sisters, c.1928
Back L-R: Mavis and Valda
Front: Betty and Joyce

Valda Winter (on far right) & her sisters, c1932

at the beach
Joyce Winter, friend Joan & Valda Winter c1936

Thebarton Methodist Basketball Team, c1937

Valda Winter, c1940

Valda Winter, c.1942

Valda’s wedding, 1944

Today, March the 8th, is International Women’s Day. It is a day to celebrate and honour women both past and present. For my contribution to International Women’s Day, I want to share with you some photos the women who have helped make me, me!

Obviously throughout everyone’s life there are many, many people who influence us. For this post I’m am sticking to the ancestral lines. Concentrating on those whose genes I have inherited at least some of. The ones who taught me things when you were young, and who embedded their values and ideals into me, and no doubt some of whose trait I have picked up.

HERE’S ME …

this is me at age 4

MY MUM …

Anthea Hannaford (age about 3). Married Alan Phillips.

MY 2 GRANDMA’S …

Valda Winter age c.19 (1916-living).
Married Horace ‘Ron’ Phillips.

Evelyn Randell (1916-2006) age 5, with ‘Pete’, one of her bothers.
She married Cecil Hannaford.

MY 4 GREAT GRANDMA’S …

Winifred Lena Cosgrove (1892-1976).
Married Horace Norman Phillips.

Irene Daley (1894-1954).
Married Otto Rafael Winter.

Dorothy McCullough (1889-1987).
Married Ralph Hannaford.

Ella Sinkinson (1876-1943). The lady in the bottom corner is her oldest daughter, Anne.
Married John Beavis “J.B.” Randell.

MY 8 GREAT GREAT GRANDMA’S … 
Although I do have photos for 6 of my 8 great great grandma’s I have opted to simply list them, to save this becoming so ridiculously long.

Kezia Howard (Cecelia) ‘Sis’ BEECKEN (1867-1939)
m. Samuel Thomas PHILLIPS

Mary Ellen LUCAS (c.1856-1944)
m. Denis John COSGROVE

Hedvik (Karolina) VINBLAD (1856-1934)
m. Otto Edvard WINTER

Margaret Florence HAYHURST (1855-1935)
m. John DALEY

Martha Rosa KELLY (1864-1901)
m. William John HANNAFORD

Eva RICHARDSON (1860-1925)
m. Robert McCULLOUGH

Phebe ROBBINS (1838-1932)
m. William Beavis RANDELL

Lydia Amelia BAYS
m. Ebenezer SINKINSON

In case you were wondering who was who in the top picture …
Top row L-R: Phebe Robbins, Alona Phillips, Dorothy McCullough, Evelyn Randell, Martha Rosa Kelly, Evelyn Randell & Cec Hannaford’s wedding.
Bottom row L-R: Valda Winter, Winifred Lena Cosgrove, Anthea Phillips (nee Hannaford), Valda Winter’s wedding, Irene Daley.

Every one of these women (and their husbands too), played a part in making me who I am. Some were emigrants, some were pioneering women, many were hardworking country folk. And I’m sure some of their traits have come through the generations.

www.internationalwomensday.com

#MakeItHappen

#IWD2015

Today is a special day.

Maybe “special” isn’t the right word. Maybe “remembrance” would be more suitable. As it was on this day 138 years ago … (28 December 1876) that my great great grandpa William Beavis Randell passed away.

Let’s start off by saying I LOOOOOOOVE jewellery.

Apart from genealogy and chocolate, jewellery is a passion of mine. It all started when I was about 10 or so when an auntie gave me a beautiful silver necklace, which I wore day in and day out. This one necklace has since been replaced by a whole stash of necklaces, rings, and bracelets. And when I travel rather than buy souvenirs from the places I visit, I tend to buy jewellery. At least its small enough to bring home easily enough.

Anyway I found a site that combines my love of genealogy and jewellery. So naturally I helped the economy by doing some online shopping. And now I want to share with  you what I bought ….

The www.mynamenecklace.com.au website  is one of those places that you can order jewellery from and get it customised to have your kids names on it. Well I ordered a bracelet, but rather than get my furkids names put on it, I chose to put my ancestors surnames instead. Well, my four grandparents lines anyway – Hannaford, Randell, Winter, Phillips, and to top it off it has the Tree of Life in the centre.

my MyNameNecklace bracelet has just arrived

ooh it’s so pretty!

new bling added to my wrist!

I’m so thrilled with my new bracelet that I have already ordered another one as well as a necklace. On those I’m getting the words Genealogy. Past. Present. Future. put on them, which should be cool. Anyway when they arrive, I’ll have pics on my Facebook page. They’re my Christmas presents from me to me (we all have those don’t we)?

I don’t normally write about companies, but I chose to do so in case any of you also have a love of jewellery and wanted to do something customised with current (or past) family names on it, I thought I’d share details of this MyNameNecklace site with you. Afterall they do have a whole range of “Family Tree” related jewellery, so how can that not be interesting?

And in the interest of disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with the MyNameNecklace company, other than being a happy customer.