Doris Calder (nee Newman) before she was married, standing far right aged about 18 years with her younger brothers, sisters and cousins.

Centre: Alfie & Eddie Newman

Excerpt from life story of Marjorie Newman entitled `Until the Rope Breaks’, which she wrote in 1990 when she was 80 years old. Marjorie married Alfred’s son Reginald.

“I also spent a lot of time with my eldest sister. In general life still went on much the same. Still flirting, playing tennis etc. and the boy on the white horse was a regular Sunday visitor. I had also met his family, and often rode my bike 14 miles to their place and spent a couple of days. The family consisted of his mother, (he lost his Dad when he was 14 years old), sisters Lexie and Claudie, Kitty and kid brother Alex, also the older sister Doris who was married to Matt Calder and lived at Mt. Eccles in Gippsland Victoria. Reg’s Mum was a very sweet person, and very quiet (not having the best of health). We liked each other right from the start. Then there was Lexie, who was a really marvellous person. Crippled from birth, her legs from the knees down were back to front and never grew very much. Her little feet never grew but somehow she learned to walk, and had special little boots. She was a great horsewoman and had her own horse, and although her left hand was also crippled she was always in complete control of the reins. We often went driving. She was also a very good painter, cook and dressmaker and always did all the sewing. She was 3 and ½ years old when Reg was born and she copied everything he did. They were very close to each other. Next there was Claudie, my age, and we became good mates. Being a tomboy like me and enjoying life we often went to the socials at Barrington and had a great time. Reg, being a stick in the mud, didn’t go out much. Then there was Kitty, younger than us, with a steady boyfriend, Reg Keep, whom she later married. Alex became the kid brother I always wanted. He was the same age as my kid sister Edna, and they became great friends. One of my most treasured possessions is a photograph of my Mother-in-law, given to me when I was eighteen with love. Also written on the back of it was “Yours till the rope breaks”. It didn’t break but it was severely tested at times, maybe a little tattered, but it’s seen the distance.”

Newman Family Barrington Tasmania
Back left to right: Reginald, Edith (mother), Lexie
Front left to right: Liela, Claudie, Alfred (father), Alex