Betsy Wakefield is my Great Grandmother. She was mother to Kelleen Lillian Cullinan, my paternal Grandmother and 6 other children.
Betsy was born on 12 April, 1861, in Hackham, South Australia and died on 2 June, 1904.
Betsy’s death was a little over a year after her 2 year old daughter, Catherine drowned in the Darling River at Kelleen Station, near Pooncarie in NSW.
Betsy’s parents, Thomas Wakefield (from Haslingford, England) and Tamar Speed (from Balsham, England) immigrated to Australia (Port Jackson, Sydney), on the ship Una in 1849. They arrived in South Australia in 1854.
Betsy met Michael Cullinan, her future husband, through her brother, Tom (who worked alongside Michael). They married on 2 June, 1886 in Kapunda, South Australia. She was 25 years old.
Here are the places where Betsy lived:
1861 Hackham, Noarlunga, South Australia
1886 Kapunda, South Australia
1888-1904 Kelleen Station, New South Wales
Further Information on Betsy’s family (the Wakefields) can be found in High on the Hill, (p.231) a history of Onkaparinga City in South Australia.
Kelleen Lillian Mary Cullinan (also known as Queen or Queenie) is my paternal Grandmother. She was born on 10 February 1899.
Here’s some of the key places and events in her life:
1899 Lived at Kelleen Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales, Australia
Attended Connorgie State School (no longer exists, building moved to Pomona). Kelleen had to cross the Murray River and walk a mile to attend this school near Lethno. She went to school till the age of 12.
Kelleen’s chores at home included bringing in the goats, having to search miles in the scrub for them. Also milking the cow.
She learnt to row the flat bottom boat across the Murray River (to collect mail) – by herself.
With no elder sisters at home, Kelleen began running the home at 12 years of age.
Annual Events
St Patrick’s Day Races at Wentworth
2 day trip in a double seater buggy pulled by two horses. At night a communal camp bed was prepared.
Pooncarie Boxing Day Races and Pooncarie Hall Dance
Kelleen met her future husband, Herbert Curran, at the dance.
New Year’s Day Picnic – Lethero
Events: Athletics, Dances at night
1919 – She married Herbert Curran at 20 years of age on 4 June 1919 at Mullingar, Pooncarie. See Herbert Curran page for photos of places below.
Herbert Curran and Kelleen Cullinan’s Wedding Day
1919 Lived at Curlwaa (fruit block), New South Wales
End of 1920 – Mullingar Station, Pooncarie, New South Wales
1921 – Telegraph Hotel, Pooncarie, New South Wales
Kelleen and her husband were licensees of the hotel. Kelleen didn’t like the life here (and was a teetotaler her whole life) so they moved not long after.
1922 – Benetook Avenue (fruit block), Mildura, Victoria, Australia
Kelleen took on Blockie Wife duties including assisting in picking, spreading, shaking pulling out, rolling on, and pitting apricots for drying.
Times were tough due the depression so they sold the block in 1925.
1925 Cowra Avenue (rented house), Mildura
1926 – 1939 66 Eighth Street, Mildura
1939 – 1993. Thirteenth Street (fruit block alongside the railway line), Mildura
Kelleen was an avid Mildura football club supporter, often attending games, right up until 6 weeks before she died.
(L-R) Doug Curran, Kelleen Curran, Kevin Curran, Valda Curran (Kerr), Herb CurranKevin Curran and Kelleen (son and mother) at 13th Street house.
Kelleen died in 1993. She was 94 years old.
Information sourced from Doug Curran’s, The Family History of James Cullinan 1816-1990.
The 2nd Wife of my Great Grandparent (paternal side) was Ellen Dhann, nee Connelly (1867 – 1907). She was married to my Great Grandparent: Michael Cullinan (1852 – 1924)
Her parents were: Patrick Connelly (1838-1888) & Ellen Kearney (1836-1875)
