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My grandfather, Ede WHITE was born in Foxground on 25th May 1890 and grew up in Kangaroo Valley on his father, Albert White's farm at Wattamolla.
His mother, Alice Ann (Parrish), died just before Ede turned nine leaving 8 children under the age of ten, the youngest only 3 months old. (George, Ede, Myrtle, Ann, Jimmy, Sid, Morton & Cecil)
His father Albert remarried in 1899. The children were raised by Albert's second wife (Emma Keevers), along with two more half-brothers and two half-sisters (Stan, Rose, Lindsay and Clarice).
Ede attended Upper Kangaroo Valley School.
He tried to join the army during the WW1, but was rejected on medical grounds due to an ear infection. He then joined the police force. He trained as a mounted policeman at Redfern and was stationed near Comboyne and Kempsey.
My grandmother, Hilda Watts was born at Prospect, near Blacktown 18th May 1893.
She grew up on a farm with her parents, Tom and Agnes Watts, and five brothers and sisters at Coolangatta (near Shoalhaven Heads).
Whilst courting, Ede used to ride his horse from Kangaroo Valley, over Berry Mountain to Coolangatta and back, about 40 km round trip, sometimes falling asleep on horseback as "the horse knew the way".
Ede and Hilda were married in Berry on 18th November 1916.
After only a week, Ede had to travel back to his police posting at Comboyne on the North Coast. Hilda travelling by herself by coastal steamer to Port Macquarie, getting quite seasick.
As a policeman's family they had to move very often, their children Hazel, John, Olga, Rex and Norma went to school in different towns.
He was stationed in Comboyne, Bangalow, Lismore, Bowraville, Fernmount, Menindie, Braidwood, Wagga Wagga and Wellington, where he retired 2 years after his son, Jack died during the war.
They settled in Albert Street Berry, next to the Methodist Church.
In retirement Ede enjoyed gardening and raising fat calves.
Hilda enjoyed cooking, sewing and craft, winning prizes at the Berry Show. She was a member of the CWA and Methodist Auxilliary.
Her favourite hobby was breeding and showing prize budgerigars.
Hilda passed away on 6th Sepember 1971. Ede joined her 20th August 1975.
They now rest peacefully together in Berry Cemetery.
Go to Ede and Hilda's genealogy