I was born in North Fitzroy in 119, then wnen I was six months old I went to live with my grandparents as tney were James E.Lovett and Hannah Lovett. As they both live on Lake Condah Mission, where they had worked for quite a few years than they were told by the Rev. Stanley, they had to leave lake Condah so they left and went to a part of Lake Condah of 4,000 acres called Adamson Paddock, where most of the boys here had sons and girls where they grew up. I understand they lived there for quite a time and then came the time to move again to a little old place called Greenvale. On tne place was quite a house, wooden with wooden shingles, and that is the place where my mother wa6 born, also my uncle Samuel, also uncle Herbert.well, as time went by my five uncles went to, what they say, world War 1- 1914 -18.So they all sailed away overseas and my grandparents were very proud of them as they all returned home to their mother and father. so as time went by I was taken home by my mother to live with my grand father Jim and grandmother Hannah as I was happy when my grandparents looked after me. As I grew up at Greenvale, which was a lovely old place with all its trees, a big gravel pit when my uncles Bill, Fred, Herb and Samuel worked on the roads with Mr. Sam Porter as their boss, doing the main road from Hamilton to Portland. Then my uncle Eben and Auntie Mai came to live at Greenvale where they had their family and lived with them until they got a little house in Heywood. well, for myself, I went to school at Mt. Ecksley, Greenvale, and the kids gave us a hard time calling us black but the Frosts, Porters, Gardners and Bannans helped us out with our fights.Before I got to Greenvale my cousin Franci was there, as she was two years old when my aunt took her to our grandparents.As Igrew up Franci helped Granny look after me and as Iwas growing up my uncles all came back from the war and they helped my grandmother and grandfather get clothes, boots and shoes for me and I can always recall uncle Fred and uncle Herbert getting a little black beaver overcoat for me - I remember it well. Iwas about five years old and I did love them for it and for the love they all gave me. As I grew up I would return with my grandfather and grandmother to lake Condah Mission for church, as it was a beautiful stone church called St. Marys, Lake Condah. We would all walk the eight miles to church at three oclock with the Rev. Prentice taking the service. We had beautiful thanksgiving at Easter time with all the gifts that were growing in my grandfathers garden :- pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, then all the other people from Lake Condah Mission who still lived there did the same. I was confirmed in the Lake Condah Church - St. Marys, and uncle Herbert always played the organ at the church. Also, after the service they would give the Easter gifts to each other. My grandmother made tea cosies, jams and sauces for the fair then we would have nice dances there. As I got older my granny and grandfather would take us to the dances in he Lake Condah school and have supper, then we all walked home again. After the Church, Lake Condah we would then go, to Auntie Nora Connellys for afternoon tea, only the Elders would join Rev.Prentice. I went to church with granny and grandfather to Greenvale each Sunday, also with uncle Herbs family and uncle Freds too. Then came the day when my youngest uncle, Samuel, went away to the 1940-194 war.He was the last son from the big family of my grandfather and grandmother, after having five sons in the first 1 14-1918 war. My grandfather died after being nit ny a car coming home from Hamilton.He was walking home to Greenvale and was hurt that bad that he died four days later in Portland Hospital, which was very sad for my grandmother and family. I loved living with my grandmother and grandfather, they brought me up really well and I am proud of them and love them very much. I lived for many years in the house at Greenvale where my mother was born, and always remember when grandfather gave me a little birthday party .As we did not have any candles , my grandfather made a little cake and put some raisins on it.I had my cousins there with me Franci, Iris, Hannah, Jean, Robert, Jackie, Charlies and James, and we had a wonderful day. I loved them for everything - all my uncles, aunts, and cousins. I guess I used to spend most of my time going with my uncle Bill, uncle Fred and uncle Herb on the horse and cart up and down the main road. That was really wagging from school. Then I used to go with my grandfather to help him stack his wood, and fill his pipe, then we would go down to the Greenvale house to get our billy of tea then granny would wake up that I did not go to school, as I can always remember I spent more time with my grandfather and uncles cutting wood and carting gravel. After all was aver, I still laved my grandmother and she told me always to take care, so I did, and she said she would make a wish that she wanted to live until her baby son, Samuel, came home from the Middle East and New Guinea, which he did. Then one Tuesday morning my grandmother passed away and I was glad I was there with her that morning and I took her a cup of tea at 8.30 a.m. as granny had told me she had a headache. Uncle Eben, his boy John, was there with me and uncle Mick, grannys son, so she asked that I get Dr.Collins, so John (Choo) and I got in my old chrysler and we went to Heywood and when we returned my granny had gone into a coma .she passed away at 11 Oclock Tuesday night. She was a grand lady and I loved her, my grandfather and all my family very much as they gave all their love to me so Ill love them all forever. Roselea Lovett Donker
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:17:20 +0000
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