Sunday 1 July 2018

Story of Minnie Kemp

The second small booklet that the Watsonville folk published for this year's annual Pioneer Women's Day event is another great addition to their collection and is worth the effort to obtain.  Entitled 'The Story of Minnie Kemp nee Roos' it was also compiled by Watsonville historian, Jane Chapman.  This little book tells the tale of a local lady who was left with seven young children to rear on her own after the death of her husband in 1928 and how she soldiered-on during those hard old days.  The booklet includes a number of short memories of life with Minnie which was shared by her descendants.  Another great addition to anyone's collection of short stories of life in early North Queensland produced by the Western Progress Association.

Heather Joan Howe's Story

The family of Mrs Heather Howe was pleased to be able to present a snapshot of Heather's life in this small booklet which was featured at the recent Watonville Pioneer Women's Day event.  Entitled 'Heather Joan Howe's Story', this story was compiled by Jane Chapman from an eulogy written by Heather's daughter, the Cairns historian, Kay Earl.  Heather spent much of her life on the coast particularly about the Gordonvale-Aloomba area before she and her husband moved out west to manage cattle properties including their own small station 'Red Bend' on the Herbert River.  The Western Progress Association was pleased to produce this booklet to pay tribute to Heather who, until her passing in 2016, was a regular at their Pioneer Women's Day where she was well known for her enthusiasm for bush poetry.