Ethel Margaret Hayes ~ 1893 - 1962
married 1918
William Hendy ~ 1891 - 1972
First Child
Ethel Margaret was the first born of Albert Hayes & Margaret (nee Cochrane). Ethel was born on the 18 January 1893 in Tooborac. The family eventually grew to six children when the last of them, David Kingsley Hayes, was born in April 1902. Sadly he died barely three months later in July.
Ethel grew up with three sisters and a brother - Annie Cecilia, Ruby May, Albert Norman McLeod and Mabel Searcy. |
Hendy SiblingsWilliam was born to Frederick Edward Hendy and Emma (nee Berry) 23rd September 1891 at "Fairview" in Katunga, just north of Numurkah, Victoria. "Fairview" was the Hendy family property.
William was born into a family of four big sisters, Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Ann, Emily and Alice. After William came three brothers: Frederick Edward, Stanley Gordon and John Stitchell. All the children were born at "Fairview" in Katunga. |
Wedding Bells
Ethel and William had relatives in common. William's mother was Emma (nee Berry) who was born in Tooborac. So William's family would have naturally visited Tooborac from time to time. Before 1917, Ethel's father had been the "Stock and Station Agent" for Tooborac. There were many marriages between the Hayes, Berry and Hendy families over the years.
William and Ethel married 3 April 1918, at Ethel's parent's home, "Glencoe" in Tooborac. The Rev. R Newell married them in the presence of family and friends. William's mother, Emma arrived from their family property "Fairview" in Katunga, but his father had died in 1901. |
"Fairview", Victoria
Most of the following story was written by Margaret McKenzie & E Wilkenson for the "Stories from the Hayes Family, Volume 2" booklet.
After their wedding in 1918, William and Ethel Hendy spent their first years of marriage on the Hendy farm "Fairview" in Katunga, just north of Numurkah, Victoria. (Katunga is about 100 miles/170kms north of Tooborac.) While living there, their three eldest children, Joyce Hayes (1918), Merna Margaret (1920) and William Keith (1921) were born.
"Carrols Lea" & "Browley", New South Wales
Always looking for land of their own, "Carrols Lea", a property in the Corobimilla district in New South Wales, came up for sale. William was able to buy the middle block that had an existing farmhouse on it. The young family packed up and headed north in a bullock dray, taking a couple of days to reach their destination, some 110 miles/180 kms north-east of Katunga.
Ruby June chose a most inopportune time to enter the world on 15th June 1923: the Murrumbridgee River was in flood and the road to Narrandera was closed. A motor train that ran between Narrandera to Tocumwal was duly stopped to take Ethel to Narrandera!
Emily Ethel was born 6th June 1925, also at Narrandera.
It was hard work in those days, and at times the rain was light on, so William was always on the look out to buy another property with better prospects. It wasn't long before "Browley" in Corobimilla, came on the market. The family made the big move and this property proved to be a great property with William growing many a championship wheat crop. There were horses, sheep, fowls, turkeys, and always a milking cow or two for cream and butter. Within the house yard were numerous fruit trees, plus plenty of grape vines growing over trellises etc. "Browley" had a tennis court and the family really put it to great good use.
After this move, their numbers grew by three to complete the family: Albert Frederick Norman arrived 02 July 1927, then Marjory Winsome 14 April 1929 and finally Douglas John 3 January 1935 makes eight!
Ruby June chose a most inopportune time to enter the world on 15th June 1923: the Murrumbridgee River was in flood and the road to Narrandera was closed. A motor train that ran between Narrandera to Tocumwal was duly stopped to take Ethel to Narrandera!
Emily Ethel was born 6th June 1925, also at Narrandera.
It was hard work in those days, and at times the rain was light on, so William was always on the look out to buy another property with better prospects. It wasn't long before "Browley" in Corobimilla, came on the market. The family made the big move and this property proved to be a great property with William growing many a championship wheat crop. There were horses, sheep, fowls, turkeys, and always a milking cow or two for cream and butter. Within the house yard were numerous fruit trees, plus plenty of grape vines growing over trellises etc. "Browley" had a tennis court and the family really put it to great good use.
After this move, their numbers grew by three to complete the family: Albert Frederick Norman arrived 02 July 1927, then Marjory Winsome 14 April 1929 and finally Douglas John 3 January 1935 makes eight!
Parents plus Eight
With eight children growing fast, Merna was the first with wedding bells in 1940, followed by Joyce in 1943, Emily in 1945, June in 1946, Keith in 1950, Marjory in 1951 and Douglas in 1959. Albert never married.
[The stories for the eight children will be coming soon ...]
Final Days
Ethel Margaret Hendy (nee Hayes) died 21st October 1962 in Narrandera, New South Wales, aged 69 years.
William Hendy died 15th April 1972 in Corowa, New South Wales, aged 70 years.
Their son Albert Frederick Norman Hendy died 30th January 1971, Narrandera, New South Wales, aged 42 years.
William Hendy died 15th April 1972 in Corowa, New South Wales, aged 70 years.
Their son Albert Frederick Norman Hendy died 30th January 1971, Narrandera, New South Wales, aged 42 years.