Constance Lodge to H A Hall, 1 December 1933

File: Constance_Lodge_1933_12_01.doc File:Constance_Lodge_1933_12_01.pdf

Typed 14 March 2012 by IB

Transcription

Strelley Busselton

Dec 1^st 1933

My dear Aubrey

I am going to address my family letter to you this week & answer all your questions about Janeys letters.

1. Maud Paley is the eldest daughter of Dr Attfield and Alice daughter of Captain Roe. He was the Imperial Doctor to the “Establishment” Fremantle Prison, he was a great cricketer & a splendid man & a typical Englishman. He left Fremantle for England when I was a little girl & had three daughters Maud, Alice & Molly. Mrs Attfield was a beautiful girl & had “the Roe manners” to perfection otherwise very two faced.

2. Aunt Alice Roe was the daughter of George Stone Attorney General & sister of Sir Edward Stone, she only died in /29, considerably over 80.

Fanny Phillips is the daughter of Sam Phillips of Culham and Sophie daughter of Capt Roe & claimed to being the first white child born in the state. A moot question. Fanny is still alive, was always a Cat & married Harry Cook, a most unhappy match, he drank and died a few years ago.

She is no relation to the Burts & Hares. George Phillips Com of Police was a son of Mr Phillips Resident Magistrate of Albany. He & your grandmothers maid lived I believe at the Canning, & had a large family of illegitimate children, when offered the R M of Albany the Governor made the proviso that they should be married, only one child was born after the Ceremony, she married Vernon Bussell and was the mother of Archdeacon William Bussell of Adelaide. When Mr Phillips (the original) sisters died in England, they left their money to be divided among their brothers legitimate children, so Mrs Vernon Bussell got the lot. George was one of the sons & was Com of Police he married Emma Hare sister of Fred & Reggie & died of Consumption, he afterwards married Vitty Burges daughter of Sam Burges of Tipperary York, brother of Bill & Lock the two ugliest men I ever knew. As a child I thought they were Ogres. So you see there was no relationship between the Roes & George Phillips.

Now I have answered all your questions. The Hares originally came out here because the parents were heartbroken at their son being convicted of forgery & sentenced to imprisonment. Jack the youngest son was also a bad lot. Rev Francis Hare was a saint & died in New Zealand. The Hares were what was termed Squireans in Ireland, nothing much & the Burts belong to the same class as ourselves & don’t pretend to be anything more. So that is that for the Burts. Fred is a rank bad lot & Reggie you know all about.

Alex McRae came to lunch on Tuesday with Jack & Enid. He came down by plane it was delayed & got in late to Carnarvon & was not to start until 10 the next morning so after a few drinks Alex went to bed, got up early next morning & went round to see you, said he found a loaf of bread and a jug of milk on the doorstep & a girl asleep on the verandah & nobody about so he went back to breakfast & before he had it, they were whisked off to the plane & so he did not get to see you, so that is his story. He is very well & on his return to Roebourne is going for a trip to Singapore.

It is hard times your being “on the road” for Xmas. I do hope you are well enough to undertake the trip but I suppose it is safe if the doctor gives you his consent.

I went to a matinee of “The Squatters daughter” on Wednesday. Mr Morris motored me there and back so I was not too long away. I shall have to give up croquet, as Tom is nervous about [being] left & of course I cant leave off in the middle of a game, so it is better to drop it altogether.

Mr & Mrs Claud Irvine have been staying at Mrs Keptons. Alick & I went to see them. Jack [and] Tom put in the time going to Cattle Chosen & then called for us. Brought us home & picked up Enid & the baby so as to be home for milking.

Jack is selling off all his young stock, reducing his dairy as the price of cream gets lower & lower, & will go in for sheep. The poor “groupies” will be ruined.

I forgot to say Mr Irvine is an absolute wreck, she looks well, they returned to Perth yesterday.

I am sending you three white coats. Tom has grown out of them. I fear they will be very big for you. I hope Constances new boss is a success. We are both quite well, Tom has to be very quiet or he gets giddy. Curiously enough he loves motoring, but shuns driving has never been behind any [---]

Love to you all

Yours ever

Constance Lodge