Shep's Place Family Tree

There would have been a gentle social round with similar people of the district. This uneventful life continued for 20 years when Mabel's mother died ‎(in 1917)‎ and she took over the housekeeping for her father. Allen engaged Miss Ethel Woods for companionship for Mabel. After she left life continued much the same. Mabel was 50 when her father died in 1933 at their Dover Street, Malvern home. After this was sold she was now well able to afford a house of her own and she planned and built one on land at 22 George Street, Hawthorn with a creek running at the far end of the land, but as the land sloped up from it her house never flooded even when once or twice the creek overflowed. Mabel was in a short distance of her cousin Olive Lakeman ‎(Mrs. Gibson)‎ of Victoria Terrace ‎(now called the Belair Road)‎ at the suburb of Kingswood. Mabel and her cousin were on very friendly terms. The same smooth life-style continued with social activities, brief holidays with brother Lance at his Ashbourne farm, some charitable work with the Red Cross from the outbreak of war in 1939 and interstate visits to cousins, all dating from August 1935 when she first occupied the house at Hawthorn.

There was a series of lady companions. Miss Dora Hunter stayed the longest. They were paid a small salary, were housed and fed, and in return helped to keep house and garden spotless. They all seem to have had an unfortunate leaning towards "taking over" in Mabel's opinion so changes occurred. There was too, Mr. Harry Parks, a bachelor who owned a confectionery and pastry cook business at Adelaide who brought her toothsome delicacies that saved her from growing too thin, and accounts of his latest part played at the Dickensian Society of which he was an enthusiastic member, and of course gave her that platonic male companionship she enjoyed.

This lasted many years until Mr. Parks imprudently took a holiday to Sydney and was there snared by a widow who returned to S.A. as his wife and so broke up the long and agreeable friendship. He took Mrs. Parks to visit Mabel, who, more surprised than put out, was much amused to realise that it was the new wife who evinced quite strong signs of jealousy. Alas! so drastic a change was not beneficial to Mr. Parks. He died within two years in the late 1940's without having reached his three score years and ten.

Mabel was not exactly tactful. When E.M.S. was aged 10 and all too aware of much hated puppy fat, she did not find Mabel endearing when she said after studying the E.M.S. person - "she is very stout, isn't she" as though E.M.S. was not standing in front of her.

Brother Lancelot retired from his farm at Ashbourne in 1955. he was by then 70, and Mabel 72. He and Edith decided on a seaside suburb as he was fond of fishing and they found a house which pleased them at South Brighton and attached to it was a self contained flat exactly right for Mabel to be close yet independent. It was a wrench for Mabel to part with the comforts, larger space, and loved garden at Hawthorn. These were purchased by the retiring headmaster of Scotch College, Mr. N.M.G. Gratton. so with the best of her goods and chattels Mabel removed to South Brighton at 33 Oleander Street.

Both Lance and Mabel were pleased with this arrangement, but Edith her cousin cum sister-in-law, was not quite so happy. She was not over fond of Mabel who was quite aware of it, but having a dry sense of humour she was able to appreciate the situation and referred to Edith to visitors as "Mrs. Wilson, next door". Two years later Lance died suddenly. The sisters-in-law continued their separate ways though still beneath the same roof and remained on somewhat formal terms. Mabel acquired a small terrier, "Terry" around which her life centred with daily walks along the beach the greatest pleasure of both. The card and afternoon tea parties with a small group of local ladies continued.

Terry and Edith were not mutually attracted as she was not a dog ‎(or cat)‎ lover.

Mabel's health remained good though arthritis increased with the years. Edith saw to her well being with real kindness and when Mabel went to a nursing home at St. Peters she visited her regularly. Mabel died aged 86 in 1968 and was buried with her parents at a private service at Balaklava.