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Note: Mary (known as Marie) Guthrie FORD Timetable of the events in her lifetime.
Born: 22/12/1892 Terranora (Piggabeen) NSW Born: 13/07/1895 Half Sister Eva BRADY Born: 26/09/1896 Half Brother Charles H Brady Born: 27/02/1904 Half Brother John Alexander PAGE Born: 11/07/1905 Half Brother Thomas Henry PAGE Born: 15/05/1907 Half Brother George PAGE Marriage: 12/09/1907 Step Father John PAGE to Ellen Jane Ford Death: 17/07/1908 Mother Ellen Jane PAGE Burial: 18/07/1908 Mother Ellen Jane PAGE (St Brisbane Cemetery - Dutton Park Lot . 218 Portion 6 Birth: 25/09/1910 Son - John Alexander FORD Adoption: May, 1911 John Alexander FORD Death: 07/07/1911 John Alexander FORD (9 Months) Burial: 08/07/1911 John Alexander FORD (Buried with Ellen Jane PAGE(King)) Married: 24/04/1912 William Henry GRALTON (Snr.) Birth: 30/10/1912 William Henry GRALTON (Jnr.) Birth: 01/03/1915 Zena May WinIfred GRALTON Birth: 31/12/1918 Ronald John Marcus GRALTON Birth: 02/08/1920 Owen Atkins Silvester GRALTON Death: 13/08/1926 William Henry GRALTON (Snr.) (38) Married: 23/07/1927 John Alwyn RICHARDS Died: 11/03/1954 John Alwyn RICHARDS Died: 19/03/1962 Marie Guthrie RICHARDS (Aged 69 Years)
Marie was named Mary Guthrie Ford by her father George Ford after his mother in Scotland who's maiden name was Jane Guthrie. In October 2004 I found the location of the grave of Marie's first son, John Alexander FORD and Marie's Mother, Ellen Jane PAGE at the Dutton Park Cemetery. It is an unmarked turf plot. The lot number is 218 in section 6 but you may not find it without an aerial printout from the Brisbane City Council web site. You will need a close up photo to see the exact spot and grave number 217 is that of Elen Casson and it is immediately to the left if you look directly at the tombstone with the sheds also in front of you to the right. Not far away is the 'In Memory of the Gralton Family' Monument. This monument is for members of the John Gralton family who was a son of Henry Gralton. Our line comes from his brother Alfred Gralton. It is well worth a look. After visiting the grave of Great Grandmother PAGE at Dutton Park I had a feeling I had been there as a very young child with Marie. I think we arrived by tram and I think she was the only one who knew who was buried there or its exact location.
According to a letter from the Queensland Department of Families, Youth and Community Care to my sister Mary Richards dated February 22,1999 Marie had put her baby, John Alexander Ford, up for adoption in May 1911. It was the adoptive parents who brought the sick baby to the Brisbane Bowen Hospital where he died aged 9 months. It had taken five years to October 2004 to obtain a death certificate showing the name of the baby. Armed with that information from Mary I was able to find the grave of John Alexander FORD and Marie's mother Ellen Jane Page who was buried in the same plot some three years before (1908). In 1915 Margaret PAGE was buried in the same plot and she was John Page's mother (Margaret Smith). The records show that Margaret's father was James Smith and her Mother was called Livingston and the Queensland BDM reference is 15/B020863. Margaret died on March 4 1915. Marie's name was FORD and her baby was called that also. Ellen and John PAGE had a least three children between 1904 and 1907 and Marie gave stepfather John Page's address as Lincoln Street, Stones Corner. Prior to that Ellen lived at Broadmere Estate Ipswich Road Junction and Qualtrough Street, Woolloongabba. Ipswich Road Junction is where the trams from Boggo Road met at Ipswich Road Annerley. Boggo Road is now known as Annerley Road and you may know the nearby Annerley Hotel now called 'The Muddy Farmer'. The name Boggo is a corruption of Bolgo and was changed to Annerley Road in honor of the Hon. D.F. Denham, the Premier of Queensland at that time, as it was his birthplace in England. Marie was also known as PAGE and Marie used the name after she had her first baby John Alexander FORD. PAGE was the name of her stepfather John Page. John Page was born Dundee Scotland. John Alexander Page was Marie's half brother born 27/02/1904.
After Ellen Jane PAGE died in 1908 Eva (about 13) became a neglected child and was eventually sent to the Industrial School at St Vincent's Orphanage. Eva was there from May 25 1909 to May 24 1914. It was exactly five years before she was allowed to leave and she would have been 18. Charles Henry Brady joined the Navy in Sydney in 1912 and signed up for seven years. Ellen Thelma Hanscomb remembers running into Charles Henry Brady when she was about 30 in Annerley Road near the Hotel he managed called the Redbrick Hotel. It is now known as the Burke Hotel and was established in 1890.
From 1912 Marie and her husband William Henry GRALTON lived at Bridge Street, Breakfast Creek. Dad and the other three children attended a State School in the area and it was near the Breakfast Creek Hotel. Marie's house was near the 'josh house' in Higgs Street. I recall brother Robert Henry Richards worked in that street for many years as a manager of an electrical wholesaler. Marie and family later moved to 225 Water Street, Fortitude Valley and the house still stand today. It is not far from Love Street where I parked my car most working day from 1964 to 1970 while working for Public Accountant Francis Patrick Malone of F.P. Malone & Co, however I was unaware of the existence of the house at that time. Around 1926 Marie had left Water Street and was living with Chris Toms and then a detective and then Jack Alwyn Richards. Jack was originally from Gympie. Dorothy Gralton (William Henry Gralton's sister) was looking after the four children, Bill, Zena, Ron and Owen. On 13 August 1926 William Henry Gralton died while living at Bridge Street and Marie returned to Water Street and sent the children to Injune or Roma to hide them from the Gralton family. It may have been a property called 'Hillside' at Guinewin Via Roma. It was most likely with her half brother Charles Henry BRADY.
William Henry was 13 Zena May Winifred 11 Ronald John Marcus 8 Owen Atkins Silvester 6
When they did return in 1927 Marie had many unpaid bills so they moved out of Water Street during the night, never to return, and moved to Carter Street, Northgate. Northgate East was once known as Oates Estate after the developer of that area and was then named Northgate, which meant "enterance" or "door" to the city. Water was connected in 1912 and when power was supplied to the district about 1924 and Automatic telephones introduced in July 1926 it looked like an ideal place to live away from the city. There was also a railway to Toombul and Northgate. I visited Carter Street a few years ago and photographed the house and what was the old bakery. On a recent visit the old bake house was gone and there are two house's in the very front of the block. Marie married Jack Richards July 23, 1927. It was in June of 1949 that an accident occurred in Sandgate Road at Boondall at 5.10 p.m. one Saturday evening. Inside was Dad and Mum and Billy Brian and myself. Brian was aged 11 months so that sets the date. Between 1948 and 1950 Zena would look after Billy, Brian and myself while the races were on. At Carter Street Northgate there were three blocks of land. One for the house and one for the bake house and another had a garden and a cow which required milking daily. It is not confirmed if this was the cow that Pop gave to the Sisters at the Holy Spirit Home at Carseldine. Email from Mary Dear Peter, This is what I wrote today Marie & John Alwyn Richards (Pop Richards) had a close relationship with the Holy Spirit Hospital and nuns during the early years of setting up their Covent nursing home at Carseldine. Sister Eunan the other day, and she is 96 (14 Dec 2004), told Patrick Richards about the cow Pop Richards gave them when they first came to the farm at Carseldine in 1945. He also had a car in the days when there were not too many around and he would drive the nuns into town to the hospital on Wickham Tce. (I think )They would drop special church laundry off in Woolowin at the Holy Cross Laundry. I don't think there were any buses. "The Holy Spirit Sisters came to Brisbane, Australia, in 1944, refugees from the war in Papua New Guinea, where many lost their lives. In 1945 they obtained a farm property in Aspley (now Carseldine) and established themselves there. In 1946 they purchased the old Lister Private Hospital on Wickham Terrace, Central Brisbane, and set up Holy Spirit Hospital. In 1962 they opened Holy Spirit Home at Carseldine" (extract from web site). Marie was in & out of Holy Spirit Hospital for over 20 years with ? angina episodes. It was some times said that Marie feigned this episodes when she wanted more attention, but this is difficult to say if this was true or not. She was treated with special care and given the same room if available and the nuns kept Marie's shelly tea cup & saucer in the kitchen for her as she disliked the thick hospital cups. The nurses remember her well and all refer to her as Grandma Richards. Her favorite nurse in the late 1950 and early 1960's was a nurse called Honey. She ruled over the nurses from her hospital bed. In later years the hospital gave her a hospital bed for use in her home (with her son William Henry Richards at 30 Donkin Street Scarborough). She used this bed until her death. That's all for now Love M & M The following is written by Hazel daughter of Zena. "6th Child Ellen Jane KING and Father George FORD Marie was the starting point for tracing this family's history "Marie was one of the children of Ellen Jane KING." It all started back in the late 1970's and early 1980's when Wally & Zena Bradburne tried to find Zena's mother, Marie's birth certificate. They knew that she was born at Piggabeen NSW. Wally tired for a number of years sending to Birth Deaths and Marriages' NSW and QLD. requesting a birth certificate under FORD and then Brady who was Marie's sister's name. Because she was actually registered under MARY no trace was found until in 2005, when through the internet search in NSW you can actually see the names on the registration list, and it was picked up her name was Mary Guthrie FORD born one year earlier than we thought. Because of :"GUTHRIE" being an unusual name it had to match. Up until now family members knew Marie had an older sister Bertha and younger sister and brother Eva and Charlie Brady. Now we have found out in fact there were 11 children and Marie's mother died from pregnancy complication with another child. Marie Guthrie Richards was my grandmother. Like everyone's grandmother you have fond memories, but Marie could be very demanding and would cut you down very quickly. As the saying goes Marie had "Champagne taste on a beer budget". My later memories of Grandma are that she spent her time between Scarborough at Uncle Bill's and the Holy Spirit Hospital in Wickham Terrace and occasionally staying with us at 208 Toombul Road Northgate for short times. Marie use to live with us from when I was born until the mid 1950's when she went to Scarborough to live permanently. She spent quite a lot of time in hospital. She suffered from hight blood pressure and hypertension. Sister Eunan now 97 still remembers as a new nun at the Holy Spirit Hospital, first meeting Marie when she entered her room she asked "Good morning Mrs. Richards. How are you today?' and Marie's replied "I can't comb my hair!" �.. this was Grandma. She didn't like hospital food too much and had a friend at Finnies so Marie would get food sent up to her at the hospital. Pop and Bill Richards were very good to the nun's at the hospital driving them about, taking them shopping and giving generous donations. I had three occasions to be in the Holy Spirit Hospital for operations and was given special treatment as I was "Marie Richard's granddaughter" on one occasion Grandma had a strawberry cream cake sent up from Finnies for our morning and afternoon teas. Marie had the ability to make you on edge most of the time - she could cut you down very quickly with only a few words like on one occasion while visiting her sister Bertha - Bertha mentioned that "I only use this tea service (a Wedgwood one) for special people and on special occasions" Marie replied "I don't know why, it is an ugly tea service and not very nice to drink out of" >>>>> this was my Grandmother Marie
6th Child Ellen Jane KING and Father George FORD Marie was Ellen Jane KING's sixth child. Her father was George FORD. She was registered on her birth certificate as Mary Guthrie FORD. Born 22 December 1892. This was 12 months before Marie had given as her year of birth and her name was Mary not Marie Mary (Know as Marie) was born 22 Dec 1892 at Piggabeen NSW where George FORD had a 160 acre dairy farm known as "Paxton Villa " farm Piggabeen on the Tweed River. This farm was named after where George was born Paxton in Berwick Scotland. Mary Guthrie FORDS' birth was registered 17 January 1893 by George FORD. George's mother was Jane GUTHRIE so Marie had been given her surname as her second name. Sometime after January 1893. Ellen's husband George FORD returned to Scotland with three of Ellen's children Jane, John & Cecilia. Ellen's first born Bertha and Marie stayed with their mother. We have now been informed by Cecilia's descendants that Cecilia had been told that her mother died giving birth to her and the family returned to Scotland to be bought up by George's sister in Scotland. Some time after Marie's birth Ellen was with Charles Brady a stockman from the Tweed Rivers. If it was implied that Charles Brady was Marie 's father >>> was this why George Ford returned to Scotland with three of the children? >>> was Marie's birth father revealed after George had registered Marie's birth.? Questions we may never know why George and some children returned to Scotland telling the children that Ellen had died and Bertha and Marie stay in Australia with their mother Ellen. Marie mother Ellen, three years later had another daughter Eva in 1895 with Charles BRADY and a son Charles in 1896. Ellen and Charles BRADY were living at the Broadmere Estate Ipswich Road Junction Brisbane when Eva and Charles were born. Ellen had Bertha and Marie with here. Like most of Ellen's children they spent some time in an orphanage. It May have been while their mother Ellen was pregnant and giving birth to other children. Marie was only 16 year old when her mother Ellen died in July 1908. By then Ellen had married again to John PAGE and had another three more children. The first born in 1904, then 1905 and 1907, so we assume all the children Bertha, Marie, Eva, Charlie and the three Page boys were all living together in Qualtrough Street Woolloongabba. Bertha nursed her mother during her last few months in Qualtrough St. until her death. Her death certificate say she had been ill for 5 months and pregnant with another child.. After Ellen's death, in 1908 although living with the PAGE family, Ellen's daughters Bertha, Marie and Eva and son Charlie would have had to bring themselves up. By 1909 Bertha who was 8 years older than Marie had married Ernest COATES 9th October 1909. Eva had run away from the Brady family at the Tweed where Eva was sent to be raised by her father's sister Eva. Consequently was sent to the Industrial School attached to the Nudgee orphanage for 5 years as a neglected child with no parents. Charlie was in the orphanage? Marie aged 17 had a baby John Alexander FORD born 25 September 1910. Information from Dept Families, Youth and Community Care states after the birth, Marie and baby were sent to the infant's home in Turbot Street Brisbane but they left and by March 1911. Marie then had gone to live with her step father John PAGE at Lincoln St Stones Corner. By April Marie had place the baby in a nursing home and registered her surname under PAGE not FORD. Reason being, Marie stated "she was know better by her stepfather's name Page and not Ford". Marie's Baby was adopted in May 1911 , but the adopted parents bought the sick baby to Brisbane Bowen Hospital where he died aged 9 months on 8 July 1911. This baby is buried in the same grave with Marie's mother Ellen Jane PAGE. An elderly gentleman in his eighties from Geebung contacted Don Richards towards the end of the 1990's trying to trace his mother's family. He had been adopted and gone through the adoption department who had given him the information that Marie was his mother and she had children Bill, Zena, Ron and Owen . He said that he was Marie's son born 1911 a year younger than Bill. None of this information has been followed up with. Marie married in 24 April 1912 to William Henry GRALTON and they lived at Bridge Street Breakfast Creek. William (Bill ) was a fruiterer and they had four children. William Henry born 30 October 1912, Zena May Winifred 1 March 1915, Ronald John Marcus 31 December 1918 and Owen Atkins Silvester 2 August 1920. The children were born at home in Bridge Street Breakfast Creek not far from the "josh house " near the Breakfast Creek Hotel. This photo of Zena taken in 1917 aged 2 sent to Grandma Gralton. When Zena was 4 she was hit in the head with a hammer by a friend while playing, which damaged her ear and had numerous operations on her ear up until the mid 1960's. She had 20 operation by the time she was 20 years old. These photos were taken at St Helen's Hospital South Brisbane looking back across the Brisbane River at the city of Brisbane. Photo taken 1921 with Nurse, Zena about 6 years old, Marie and Owen as a baby. Other photos taken at different time when Zena had other ear operations. Marie's Husband died 13 August 1926 aged 34 years from a heart attack and pneumonia. At this time Marie had left Bill GRALTON and was living in Water St Fortitude Valley. They had been separated for a few years. Marie was first with Chris Toms who eventually returned to his wife, then a detective and lastly Jack Richards. Bill was 13, Zena 11, Ron 8 and Owen 6. The children were being looked after by Bill Gralton's sister Winifred. On hearing of her husband's death Marie returned to their Bridge Street home and evicted her sister in-law Winifred from the home. Shortly after their father's death Marie took the children to a relative at Injune . Zena said that they went on the train to Roma and from Roma by covered wagon to a property near Injune. We have since found out that Marie's half brother Charlie Brady live at "Hillside" Guinewin 20km from Injune and about 69km to Roma where Charlie was managing a pub. Zena believed that she and her brothers were sent away so that the GRALTON family could not find the children. Not sure how long they were at Injune. When they returned to Brisbane the family lived with Marie and Jack Richards at Water Street Fortitude Valley. The children attended Breakfast Creek school and when they moved to Water Street Fortitude Valley after their father died in 1926 they attended a school up on St Paul's Terrace. This photo of Ron and Zena at this school. Ron and Owen continued their education at St Joseph's Convent Corpus Christi Church at Nundah when they moved to Carter Street Northgate. Eleven months after Bill Gralton's death Marie married John Alwyn RICHARDS (known as Pop) on 23 July 1927. The family moved during the night from Water Street Fortitude Valley to Carter Street Northgate. In 1927 there were not many houses between Northgate Station and Carter Street with only a few houses actually in Cater Street. Lots of vacant grass allotments. Bill was 14, Zena 12, Ron 9 and Owen 7 when they moved. The house was simular to a housing commission house today. It would have been very modern for its day. Northgate was along way out in the suburbs in those days with most people living close to the city central.
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