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DOWN MEMORY LANE

Mrs Lillian Smith nee Jones

Born l January 1911

I was born to Lettitia and James Jones in South Perth on the lst January 1911. At the age of four months old I moved with my parents and older sister to the Anglican Swan Native mission at Middle Swan where my parents became the matron and managers of that establishment  which cared for half-caste aboriginal children.

When I turned five I attended St Brigid’s Convent (Sisters of Mercy) at Midland, three miles away and was driven in a horse and sulky by a "native" boy named Tommy Bropho (father of Robert Bropho).

When I was 10 the mission was closed. The remaining children there were moved to Mogumber native reserve, but Mum and Dad had no wish to move there. They then terminated their mission work.

My parents developed an orchard property at Mahogany Creek after the closure. I stayed on at St Brigid’s, which now necessitated a train journey to and from school. There was now a distance of ¾ of a mile from home to the station and if you missed that 7.50am train from the Mahogany creek siding you missed school that day. School holds wonderful memories for me. From 5 to 15 St Brigid’s Midland and from about 16 to 18 I attended St Joseph’s School (off Victoria Square) which is now Mercy Convent.

My love of music saw me commence piano lessons at six years of age, and it was for music only that I attended St Joseph’s school. It was from Sister Vincent, an 80 year old St Brigid’s nun that I gained valuable insight into the days of coaches and coaching from a bygone era. I always felt spoilt by the Nuns. I related well to them and was always keen to learn. Sr Vincent was at St Brigid’s convent in charge of the laundry.

After school my piano prowess spread. A neighbour asked me to teach her the piano. Word spread so my future as a piano teacher was assured. In the twenties Mum and Dad bought me a grand old peacock blue manual Chevrolet, which I learnt to drive in 1929. My field of music teaching now widened to include Mundaring Weir, Sawyers Valley, Mt Helena, Chidlow and Stoneville. The Anglican rector then realised I could be a great asset to outlying districts so in no time I was in demand playing hymns on church organs, organising school concerts and the like. In fact I became "a big fish in a very little pond” and after marriage and living in Mt Hawthorn, I was a “very small fish in a very large ocean".

In 1940 on May the fourth I married George Stanhope Smith. After a few months at Mt Hawthorn in rental premises we moved to our home in Coogee Street.

Nicholson’s & Musgrove were the two music studios in Perth where I taught the piano for 18 months.

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