Cadell School Reunion

I am yet to attend a school reunion.  There is hope for me yet, as my late grandmother didnt do hers until 68 years afterwards....

Doris Winifred Ash is shown in the early 1920s in the previous post.  This new picture was taken in October 1988 and reads "Cadell School reunion Class 1920"

Doris, aka Jimmie Bonfield, is third in on the right.  Dressed very smartly, as we remember her....

1924 in Cadell

The Ash family arrived on the Borda in 1920.  They originally stayed with Mabel's sister Daisy Annie Gertrude Poole and her husband William John Stanley Poole in possibly his fathers house in Prospect.  There was then a story of Doris going to school in Adelaide, crossing the South Terrace parklands from Wayville trying to avoid the cows! 

They then head to Cadell in the Riverland, Cecil opens a store The Universal Store and then buys the Navy and Army Stores.  They stay in Cadell until 1935, running the switchboard and post office as well.

Doris Winifred Ash continued her schooling in Cadell and then took up the role of switchboard operator and no doubt helped out in the shop.  It isnt clear when this photo was taken - definately during the 1920s -Cadell Primary School.   Doris is to the right of the boy in full view wearing dark blazer.  The big bow turns up in a number of photos!

In 1924 in "The Advertiser" there was a "Ford 22.5" registered to the Cadell Universal Store...  It has since been discovered the 22.5 refers to horsepower of the vehicle, so it doesnt give away much.

The old newspapers reveal so much of the life the family had in Cadell........

Cecil Reuben Ash born 1889 Clerkenwell, London

The above photo was taken in 1913 - the baby is Doris Winifred Ash, her mother Mabel Maud Louise Dodd is to her left and to her right is Cecil Reuben Ash.  Also in this photo is Mabel's sister Lilian Kate Dodd and her then boyfriend and later 1st husband, William Edward (Bill) Dewing.

I have created this blog to share with family members both here in Australia and in back in England, where the story starts.  In particular, for a Robert Ash, who in 2003 made a posting to Genes Reunited with a plea for information on his great uncle.

http://www.genesreunited.com.au/boards.page/board/general_topics/thread/626810

I was busy with my own young family at that time, and didnt start exploring our family links until a lot later.  Sadly "Robert Ash" appears to have changed email address or can no longer check it as I havent had a reply.  I am guessing Robert would be possibly be the grandson of one of Reuben's brothers,  Albert Ash c1878 London or Harold Ash c1887 London or George junior.

Cecil's parents were;

ASH, George c1843 Northampton 
ISSIT, Caroline c1846 Northampton 

George was a confectioner, with Cecil also learning the trade - in the 1911 census they were both busy making lollies!!!  My mum says Cecil continued making lollies until his last days.....but thats not all that Cecil got up to!!

I have his tiny leather-bound diary from 1920 where he counts his pennies to pay for his family's adventure to Australia.  His granddaughter, my mother, recalls many of his business dealings - but the most documented is the Ash's adventures in the Riverland Soldier Settlement of Cadell, South Australia 192X-1935.  Trove, the online Australian Newspapers, paints a wonderful story of the family's time there.

The story starts on the SS Borda in 1920...