Rose, Irene

Irene ROSE (nee Boyle) was born on 16 August, 1908 in Newtown. Her father, William Boyle, was born in 1870 and worked at the Argyle Timber Mill. He married Martha Willis, born in 1880 in Queensland, in 1902 in Bunbury. Irene’s father served in WW1 in 1915 then, on his return in 1916, took up farming in Newtown. He managed a farm for the Reading family.

Irene speaks of her siblings: Lillian born 3 January 1904, Florence born 10 February 1905, Laura born 1 January 1920, twins, Leslie Vivian and Lindsay Gordon born 7 November 1915 and their families. She reminisces about her days at Newtown School. All of the children left school at 14 years of age. They had no hobbies because there was always too much work to be done. They went to church every Sunday.

Irene describes the house her father, who was working as a sleeper cutter, built. They grew their own vegetables and fruit and kept chickens for eggs. Her father built an oven outside out of ironstone. Her mother made jams and baked bread.

Irene talks of the effects of the Group Settlement Scheme and the Depression on their supportive community. The family went to dances, had beach picnics, played tennis, rode horses and picked wildflowers.

She married Albert Rose on 24 October 1929 in St Mary’s Anglican Church, Busselton. They sold the dairy and concentrated on potato crops. They had two children – Maxwell Albert (Max) born on 19 August 1930, and Keith Thomas born on 10 January 1934.

Irene moved to a new house in Busselton in 1958, two years after her husband died. She was a member of the CWA from 1931, a life member of the Badminton Club, secretary and treasurer of the Vasse Red Cross then later their liaison officer. She played golf and bowls after retiring to Busselton.

[Max ROSE provides history on the family name, family crest, emigration from the UK to Australia of the first Rose in 1854, and their families’ stories for the recording.].