FAMILY NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 1988
FLASHBACK ••••••••• The youngest child of William
and
Sarah Laws was Frank Charles.
He was born 28th April 1876, most likely while the
family was still at Brookfield,
He would have
grown up at Kangaroo
Point and probably went to the Normal School.
He served his time
in grocery and hardware (as apprentice ) and for a
large part of his working
life he worked at
Barry & Roberts in Brisbane.
He lived all
his life in the Brisbane area.
He married
Margaret Robb, known to all the family as Aunty Maggie. She was very proud of her
Scots ancestry.
She was a lively talkative, and cheerful character, while Uncle Frank was quieter and more
serious in manner. They were a very devoted couple all
their lives, but
they had no children. Aunty Maggie’s
brother lived with them
for some years.
In
1914 -15 they lived in Edith St, Wynnum.
Their nephew Frank Goodall Laws visited
them there when as a boy he had a holiday in Brisbane with the Langhams. They probably
lived at Wynnum until about 1921, when they were at
39 Mornington St, Red Hill. Here
they lived all the rest of their lives.
Olive
Wood remembers when her family used to visit them there, going
Saturday evenings to play cards. She also
remembers their pet dog, which they both loved.
In
the Depression about 1930, Frank
was put off
at Barry & Roberts when staff had
to be reduced. He was then
about 54 years old
and would have been
working there close
on 40 years.
However, length of service was not considered. Men with no children dependants were the ones put off first. He was, however, presented with an engraved gold watch, and this he
wore proudly for the rest of his life. There was no superannuation, and relief payment was only
one pound per week, so
being "put off"
was a real hardship. Frank never
again managed to get a job.
In
the 1940's,
his nephew Frank
moved to live in Brisbane, and he and his
family often used
to visit Uncle Frank
and Aunty Maggie during the week-ends. Uncle Frank
used to smoke a pipe a great deal
of the time and had
his little vegetable garden, even though
the site was very steep and difficult. Aunty Maggie
did excellent fancy work and crochet.
She was ‘not a well
woman' for many
years, as she had an irregular heart. The
children used to enjoy the visit, for these two were real
characters, most kindly and entertaining too.
There were always lots
of cookies and they would all play bobs and
other games. Then
there was the mysterious close room of treasures, which Aunty
called "Bluebeard’s Room".
Frank
Laws died in 1955, and Maggie
the following year. The remains of both these dear kindly people
are at Mt Thompson Cemetery.
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| Maggie & Frank Laws |
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| Frank & Maggie Laws |
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