IT WAS AN ARDUOUS JOURNEY
When he was just 16 years old , Ray ’ s family still living in Hobart , was urged by Joseph ’ s ailing brother George to take over the prosperous business he had established in distant Thargomindah , in outback Queensland . Joseph agreed .
It was an arduous journey . First by ship to Sydney , then overland all the way to remote western Queensland where they finally arrived . But Joseph was not the right man to run that business .
Joseph ’ s teetotal beliefs , from his strict Methodist upbringing , prevented him from maintaining the sale of liquor – the main profit earner . The business quickly failed .
Fortunately , Joseph ’ s descendants did not share his teetotal habit !
After the fiasco of the general store , Joseph left town with his family and moved east to Crows Nest – another small country town . There he opened a drapery store .
Right : Joseph White ’ s ( Ray ’ s father ) drapery store in Crows Nest