Gallery Samples Stories of our Ancestors | Page 57

“Now we’re doing
The Grand” says
Grandpa
On the Left
Grandpa and
Granny all dressed
up for the photoshoot

Here they are again in less formal attire at home

E

CHAPTER 5: THE OFFSPRING OF REBECCA AND JOCK
LLEN : 1889 – 1964
Although Ellen was born at a time of happiness for her parents, she brought with
her a difficult personality. Much to Rebecca’s dismay she found it hard to relate to
this small child who appeared to so dislike her.

I have no idea of the circumstances of little Freddy’s birth, infancy and finally death
at 10 months but it could only have affected little Ellen badly. Her Mother must have been
firstly preoccupied with her second baby then overwhelmed by his death. Any small child
would suffer from the ragged emotions that were left over for her.
Perhaps it was then that Ellen developed feelings of inferiority which she then counteracted by
living an illusion of grandeur. When Ellen and younger sister Alma, in Jock’s financially
competent days were sent to St John’s School for Girls she felt she had come into her rightful
place in society. Ellen was in Standard 4 and I think might only have attended for a year when
Jock’s financial collapse precipitated their hasty retreat back to a free Government School.
Alma took the downfall in her stride but poor Ellen was devastated. She spoke about her time
at St John’s all her life.
After Ellen finished school, probably only Standard 6 if that, she took up dress-making and
became a very competent dress-maker, eventually highly praised and sought after. She was
careful to cultivate only the ‘better sort’ of ladies and aimed for friends in high places. Ellen had
never wasted time dating the young artisans who frequented their household and looked upon
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