Wednesday 2 September 2009

Old Photos

This old photo shows my parents-in-law, Sam and Maria, with 3yo Joe and 1yo Domenica. They all came to Australia from Sicily in 1951 to start a new life for themselves.
More babies were born and the family grew and prospered from these humble beginnings living in this little wooden shack.
Was it destiny for Joe to meet me in 1968 and for us to marry a couple of years later & produce our four children?
His whole family had to cross the world for this to happen.
This pic is of my Greatgrandmother Mary. She came to Australia in 1856 from Tipperary, Ireland. She married fellow Irishman, John who had been transported as a convict...yes I do have convict origins....and they had seven children which Mary was left to raise after John died at just 36.
Poor Mary didn't fair well in the beauty stakes and even more sad is the fact that I look just like her. Yikes!
This little tot is my mother Nina, she was born in 1912.
Second of four daughters to Mary's youngest child Liza. Mum was a great storyteller and I grew up listening to her descibe the life of her youth. How I wish I had written it down...or that she had been able to write a blog....I'm so glad to have these photos, just look at the ruffles on the dress, all pressed with an old flat iron and the wee shoes, so sweet.

4 comments:

JuliaB said...

Hi Sue
Lovely stories. It's great that you have all these old photos. My nana is a great storyteller too, and she writes it all down and keeps albums and everything. Just wish I could read her writing!! xx

Rebecca said...

What lovely photos I love looking at my nana's old photos and as she is from England I like looking even more now that I've been there and seen some of the places and people. I don't think its a shame you look like your nana you should be proud becouse she sounds like a amazing women to do what she did. Always remember its what inside that counts.
Big Hugs
Bec

Maggi said...

A great piece of history. What a pity that blogging was not around so long ago as there would have been so many interesting stories to be told.

Liz said...

You are amazingly like your G-grandmother Sue, you are also like your Mum too, how great to be able to track them and have the photo's.
Lizzie
XXX