David & Florrie Kane

Story

David Hugh Kane (my father) migrated to Australia in 1927. He was born in Castlederg Northern Ireland on the 4th November 1910. He was one of 10 Children and his eldest brother John was killed in Europe during World War 1. His youngest brother, born after the older John was killed, was named John French Kane.

Matilda Florence Rebecca Muldoon (my mother) migrated to Australia in 1928. Her mother, Mary Muldoon was the triple certificated nurse who was the doctor, nurse, delivery nurse, delivered the above baby David Hugh Kane and said what a bonny baby boy, I shall have to have a little girl for him and so my Mother was born on the 30th November 1911.

They spent their childhood together in Castlederg. They were very young when they first applied to migrate to Australia. Mother even forged her father\’s signature. It was after the 1922 uprising and life was very difficult in Northern Ireland. My father never took out another girl in his life and he loved her till the day he passed away.

Dave arrived in Brisbane and as was the case for the male assisted migrants he worked for a sponsor for 12 months. He was sent to Townsville where he worked for a dairy farmer whose cows were grazed on the Town Common. It was a very difficult job as the milking was all hand done, no fancy machines etc. He had Sundays between milking off. After 12 months, he moved south to the Clifton, Felton areas and began working for a man named George Armstrong. He cleared scrub country, trained trotting horses, milked cows and remained friends with the Armstrong family all of his life.

Florrie (Matilda) arrived in Australia in Christmas Eve 1928 with a penny and half in her purse. She went to the immigration hostel and found work as a house maid in Brisbane working at schools, private homes. Dave met up with her again on his way to Talgai via Clifton. She worked with Mr O\’Connell who was transferred to Toowoomba to the Prep School and he asked if she would accompany him and his wife. From the day she set foot in Toowoomba, it was always where she wanted to live.

Dave and Florrie married on 20th August 1934. Florrie was working for Mrs Waterfield who lived in Herries Street beside the now Glennie School. Mrs Waterfield allowed her to leave the dishes til the morning on the night of her marriage. Dave was still working at Talgai.

They purchased a block of land at 222 Bridge Street Toowoomba. Joan Elizabeth was born in June 1935, David Alexander in July 1936, John Hamill in January 1938, Terrence Neville Andrew October 1939, twin girls Ailsa Catherine and Aileen Mary April 1942, Lynette Florence November 1943, Desleigh Anne May 1946, Sharon Margaret February 1948, Peter June 1949, Rodney James April 1951 and Robert Lindsay May 1956.

They decided to move to Gowrie Little Plain in 1946 to share farm a property. They share farmed at Nunkulla, Cambooya, and moved to Bell in 1951. In 1960, they bought a property called Bella Vista but changed the name to Belle Rista. Even though all the troubles such as drought, poverty, hard work, and no water this farm was their pride and joy and they loved the farm. They did everything together, became interested in racing and would attend the local picnic races, made life-long friends.

David Hugh Kane passed away in September 1977 and Florence Rebecca Kane sold the farm Belle Rista to their son Rodney James who still lives there. She moved back to Toowoomba to a house in Clarice Street. The door was never closed or locked. Florrie went to Northern Ireland to see her brother in 1978 but never left Australia again. She passed away on the 1st January 2005 aged 93 years. Aileen passed away in 1999 from Leukaemia with the most of the family living in or around Toowoomba, Brisbane, Bell and Stockton NSW.

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