We Were Seven Too
Dad - Eric Ernest John Brett
Dad was a man who always seemed to be happy. Liked work and gardening, didn’t like worry, loved drinking beer on Saturdays, love singing and loved his seven kids. Dad didn’t believe in god.
Mum – Annie Martha Brett (nee Goldman)
Mum was a very moral woman. She always worried and didn’t understand jokes. She loved my brother Jack the best, and when she was in a good mood always called Jack “Johnno”. We were not jealous of that love, because he deserved it. Mum was a good fruit cake and pickles cook. She was very religious and never missed Mass.
The Children of Eric and Annie Brett
John William Brett was the eldest of the family. He was a good boy and a good man. He liked singing, wrestling and swimming. He was very religious, and he liked to help the Nuns and he only really ever loved my mother.
Mary and Joseph
So named because they had to be christened in a hurry. They didn’t live to use their given names. They were not twins; I don’t know what years separate them. One baby is buried at ‘Rocky Glen’, my mother’s family property at Gulf Creek. The other I’ll tell about later.
Eileen Patricia.
Eileen was given an Irish name because she was born on St. Patrick’s Day. A tall thin girl; a beautiful rosy cheeked woman. She liked to knit and cook, and had a lot of friends and I know she loved me.
Edna Agnes. She was described by my mother’s family as a sweet and quiet girl. She was always tidy with never a hair out of place and had a slightly oriental look. She wore her very black shiny hair in a short bob with a straight fringe. To be not nice to Eddie was to say that Eddie looks like Chinese.
Elizabeth Mary. Called after the little ‘Princess Elizabeth’, but I was slightly different in the fact that, besides having long blonde ringlets, I had the voice of a well-trained bullock driver.
Joan Therese. Joan always had a cold, didn’t have as much work to do as the rest of us and always told mum everything we did wrong. She did a lot of work when we left home.
William Eric. Named William because he was born on the day that mum’s father died and ‘Eric’ after dad. Bill was a spoilt brat and after five girls could do no wrong as far as dad was concerned. He was a beautiful looking child with blonde curly hair.
James Anthony. Jimmy was our ‘Angel with the Broken Wing’. He too loved my mother and was sweet and gentle boy.
The Family of John William Brett
Mary Turner was born at Wichembrook, Suffolk, England on the 5th of July, 1835 and married at Posshenford, Suffolk, England to Samuel Brett (born England on the 17th of May, 1834) on the 16th of October, 1856.
John William Brett was born on a sailing vessel off the coast of China on March 5th, 1857.
Lousia Brett was born in Shoalhaven on the 12th of March, 1860.
Charlie and Mary Brett, twins born on the 28th of November, 1862.
Fanny Edith Brett was born on the 28th of June, 1864.
Frederick Brett was born on the 8th of July, 1865.
George Brett was born on the 5th of June, 1867.
Sarah Hannah Brett was born on the 8th of March, 1869.
Joseph Brett was born on the 5th of April, 1871. He lived for only two years and nine months.
Ada Brett was born on the 27th of January, 1873.
Henry Brett was born on the 4th of November, 1875.
Annie Brett was born on the 4th of July, 1878.
Dad was a man who always seemed to be happy. Liked work and gardening, didn’t like worry, loved drinking beer on Saturdays, love singing and loved his seven kids. Dad didn’t believe in god.
Mum – Annie Martha Brett (nee Goldman)
Mum was a very moral woman. She always worried and didn’t understand jokes. She loved my brother Jack the best, and when she was in a good mood always called Jack “Johnno”. We were not jealous of that love, because he deserved it. Mum was a good fruit cake and pickles cook. She was very religious and never missed Mass.
The Children of Eric and Annie Brett
John William Brett was the eldest of the family. He was a good boy and a good man. He liked singing, wrestling and swimming. He was very religious, and he liked to help the Nuns and he only really ever loved my mother.
Mary and Joseph
So named because they had to be christened in a hurry. They didn’t live to use their given names. They were not twins; I don’t know what years separate them. One baby is buried at ‘Rocky Glen’, my mother’s family property at Gulf Creek. The other I’ll tell about later.
Eileen Patricia.
Eileen was given an Irish name because she was born on St. Patrick’s Day. A tall thin girl; a beautiful rosy cheeked woman. She liked to knit and cook, and had a lot of friends and I know she loved me.
Edna Agnes. She was described by my mother’s family as a sweet and quiet girl. She was always tidy with never a hair out of place and had a slightly oriental look. She wore her very black shiny hair in a short bob with a straight fringe. To be not nice to Eddie was to say that Eddie looks like Chinese.
Elizabeth Mary. Called after the little ‘Princess Elizabeth’, but I was slightly different in the fact that, besides having long blonde ringlets, I had the voice of a well-trained bullock driver.
Joan Therese. Joan always had a cold, didn’t have as much work to do as the rest of us and always told mum everything we did wrong. She did a lot of work when we left home.
William Eric. Named William because he was born on the day that mum’s father died and ‘Eric’ after dad. Bill was a spoilt brat and after five girls could do no wrong as far as dad was concerned. He was a beautiful looking child with blonde curly hair.
James Anthony. Jimmy was our ‘Angel with the Broken Wing’. He too loved my mother and was sweet and gentle boy.
The Family of John William Brett
Mary Turner was born at Wichembrook, Suffolk, England on the 5th of July, 1835 and married at Posshenford, Suffolk, England to Samuel Brett (born England on the 17th of May, 1834) on the 16th of October, 1856.
John William Brett was born on a sailing vessel off the coast of China on March 5th, 1857.
Lousia Brett was born in Shoalhaven on the 12th of March, 1860.
Charlie and Mary Brett, twins born on the 28th of November, 1862.
Fanny Edith Brett was born on the 28th of June, 1864.
Frederick Brett was born on the 8th of July, 1865.
George Brett was born on the 5th of June, 1867.
Sarah Hannah Brett was born on the 8th of March, 1869.
Joseph Brett was born on the 5th of April, 1871. He lived for only two years and nine months.
Ada Brett was born on the 27th of January, 1873.
Henry Brett was born on the 4th of November, 1875.
Annie Brett was born on the 4th of July, 1878.