The Ancestor Digger: 2019

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

My Father's Cars

Amongst the things that my father (Barrie Robert Smith 1934-2014), entrusted to me was a little gem of a list of the cars that he owned, and when:

1953 - Austin A40 Ute
1956 - Commer Ute
1958 - Holden FC Panel Van
1959 - J-Model Vauxhall Sedan
1956 (???) - Holden FJ Panel Van
1963 - Ford Falcon Station Wagon
1964 - EH Holden Station Wagon
1968 - Fairmont Station Wagon
1973 - Volvo 144 Sedan
1976 - Volvo 244 Sedan
1986 - Toyota Corona Sedan
2000 - Toyota Corolla (the only one he purchased brand new)

For some of the vehicles I have photos, and if I come across his own car I will exchange, but for others they are just similar vehicles off the internet.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1953_Austin_A40_utility_(21564178660).jpg

Austin A40 Ute

http://www.actionvehicles.com.au/car.php?car_id=264

Commer Ute

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1958_Holden_Panel_Van_(FC)_(14732635926).jpg

Holden FC Panel Van

Barrie's J-Model Vauxhall Sedan

Barrie and his Holden FJ Panel Van

Val and Chris with the Ford Falcon Station Wagon

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holden_EH_Special_(16221238745).jpg

EH Holden Station Wagon

Val, Barrie, Steve, Malcolm and Chris with the Ford Fairmont Station Wagon

Image Courtesy Volvo https://www.volvocars.com/

Volvo 144 Sedan

https://assets.volvocars.com/us/~/media/shared-assets/images/galleries/inside/our-company/heritage/heritage-models/27_volvo244_large.jpg?w=480

Volvo 244 Sedan

Barrie with one of the Volvos

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/1986_Toyota_Corona_%28RT142%29_CSi_sedan_%282009-01-03%29.jpg

Toyota Corona Sedan

https://www.cars.com/research/toyota-corolla-2000/

Toyota Corolla Sedan

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Drover Family Heirloom

This lovely black glass milk jug was given to me by my Grandmother, Queenie Anderson, but was brought to Australia from Scotland by her mother Charlotte Drover in 1910.

It has no markings and is probably not worth anything in monetary value, but as the family came from Scotland I love the Scottish decoration of the rose and thistle.

Although the Drover family came to Australia in 1910, arriving on the "SS Osterley" on the 22 September, they came via a rather circuitous route. Charlotte Drover suffered from 'false angina' and was told by her doctors in Edinburgh that she needed to get out of Scotland to get relief.

Charlotte Drover (nee Sutherland)

On the 28 Jul 1906 the family boarded the "Pretorian" and sailed for Toronto, Canada. I think Canada was chosen as there were many others in the family who previously emigrated there. Unfortunately, Charlotte's condition was no better in Canada, and doctors there told her she needed to go somewhere hot and dry, so they came to Brisbane. I don't know whether her condition was any better in Australia, but she lived to be 75, dying on 29 Oct 1937.