TODAY, (APRIL 1), WOULD HAVE BEEN MY DEAR OLD MUM AND DAD'S 76TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Bridal Party
Best Man, (Groom's Brother), John (Jack) Maher
Bridesmaid, (Bride's Friend), Isabel Cuthbert
Groom, Francis Ronald (Ron) Maher - Bride, Ethel Ruby Douglas
Bride's Father, George Douglas
Flower Girl, (Bride's Neice), June Grant.

Mum and Dad who were married in St Monica's Catholic Church, Footscray, on the 1st of April 1933, were the proud parents of six children, Beverley, Ronald (Brian), Alan, Barry, Francis and Janet. Sadly for them however, three of their children, Beverley, Barry and Francis, lived such short lives, Beverley, 3 days, Barry, seven and one half months and Francis, 1 day.

I cannot begin to understand just how difficult a time those early years would have been for my parents so early into their married life. They did however overcome their grief, and went on to live a happy life together, until Mum passed away on 6th March 2001, aged 88, followed by Dad on 28th October 2002, a few weeks short of his 92nd birthday.

Mum, who was born in Bairnsdale, Vic, on February 17 1913, and Dad, born in Werribee, Vic, on November 27, 1911, spent most of their married life living in the western suburbs, (Footscray) Stafford St, (where I was born), Napier St, Greenham Place, and Coronation St (Kingsville).

70 Coronation St, their last address address in the western suburbs .

In 1993 they decided with very little (if any) prompting, to leave Footscray/Kingsville which had been home for the greater part of their life, and move to Silver St, Cheltenham, where they were close to Brian and Betty, (Cheltenham) and Alan and Lyn, (Mentone now Hampton). At that time Janet was living in Laverton, but has since moved to Tarneit, (Werribee).

On the verandah at Werribee (Dad's birthplace).
Grandmother, Uncle Bill, Mum, (Auntie Ag), Dad, Uncle Tom

Mum and Dad were very happy in Silver St, and
never regretted their decision to leave Coronation St
Silver St Cheltenham

1969 -Anthony's Christening . Dad with Brett and Michael, Mum with Anthony,
Debbie, Carolyn, Julie, Greg and Stephen
Off on a cruise

Another cruise

Land's End, 1977

You can take the boy out of the Western Suburbs,
but you can't take
the Western Suburbs out of the boy

Michael, Julie, Greg, Carolyn, Anthony, Stephen, Debbie, Simon, Brett, Mum, Dad, Mark

How I Like to Remember Them - Gone but not forgotten