Valerie_Annesley_&_Don

7.1.3.1

Valerie Annesley

(This information for Valerie was taken from family records which her daughter Lynn had been researching)

Valerie was born 2nd June 1915, at Palm Lodge Bowen. Her father was 32 years at the time of her birth, and her mum was 27yrs.
Her mother was born at Weathersdane, Tambo in Queensland.

                 * Lt Claude Harold Annesley.
                * Married to Katherine Gillett (NSW family).
                                * One daughter Valerie Iris.
                                * Separated/divorced (he took Valerie).
                * Lived/operated Bowen lighthouse.
                * Left Valerie with friends and went to Napier NZ just before the earthquake.
                * Never heard from again.

(Valerie was taken by her father supposedly to the Bowen lighthouse where he was the keeper, and then later to Scarsdale
a property where Claude was the station master).

Valerie was left with some friends of Claude’s who were a droving family and he left for New Zealand.

                 * Valerie was left with Hansen’s (cattle drovers).
                * She was an excellent horsewoman but had little formal education.
                * Worked on Strathmore & Marathon stations near Charters Towers where she met Gordon (Don).
                * Around 1939 Dale was working at Manumbah Mill (near Jimna) and Valerie and Don joined him.
                * Val & Don left the Stonington Station as it was not financial enough     to support four families.

* There were three children then Norma, Gordon and Jill and two more Robin and Jean were born at Wondai and Lynn at Southport.
* Around 1943 Dad had an accident at the mill and broke his hip. Local doctors eventually sent him to Brisbane where he spent two years in the Diamantina (PA Hospital).

* Mum and the kids stayed with Katie on a large property in Compo Road Salisbury (now Evans Road).

* It was a large house with second husband Jim and sons Jim and Wilfred.

* Katie was working at a parachute packing factory at Coopers Plains and drove a single horse and dray to work each day. She would wait at the gate for us to run down and get a horse ride back up the hill to
the house.

* She had many large geese on the property. * Next door was a similar holding with sheep, crops and bees. I think the daughter was Ethel who Dale married.

* In 1944 Val & Don bought a house at 10 Burleigh Street Burleigh Heads and lived there until retirement when they moved to a second home on the Biggenden property which Norma and husband Neville had
bought.

* Both are buried at Dilarnil.

Valerie married Gordon Glendower Forster Born 20th March 1911, in Townsville, Died 8th April, 1979 at Biggenden. Both are buried at the Degilbo Cemetery. He was 24 years old when he married Valerie.   They had the following children:

Norma Valerie Forster                                                1936                                        Married Neville Just    "Yarrabee" Didcot

Gordon Annesley Forster                                            1938                                       Married Maree

Jill Daphnee Forster                                                   1939

Robin James Forster                                                   1941

Jean Iris Forster                                                         1943

Lynn Heather   Forster                                               1946       D 19/9/2008        Married Wayne Birch     Hervey Bay


Valerie died 25/3/1980

A letter from Dale to Lynn written 25th November 1997, after Lyn wrote to Dale asking if he had any
photos of her mum as she was doing an album of her life.

"Dear Lynn

It was a pleasant surprise to receive a letter from you. I sorry for not answering same before
this, but I have been working on income tax returns and being partially blind is no help -
Ethel does not want to know anything about it.                                                                                                                               Forster home at Manumbah

Unfortunately, I do not have any photos of Val and Don Foster, I often think about Val - she didn't have much of a life - uncaring parents who didn’t seem to give a damn about Val or me, after their marriage break-up. I was only a baby, - so mum kept me - Val was about 7 years old so our father took Val hundreds of miles across rough country to Scarwater Cattle Station owned by the RSL. As manager of the large cattle station he could not be bothered with a little girl so he dumped her on a droving family who lived mostly in tents - so Val had little or not education - The only good thing to happen to Val was to meet and marry Don Foster. The first time I met my sister she was married with 3 small children, when Don and Val came down to work and live at our farm at Tansy.

I got Don a job at Manumbah timber mills, everything was going good until he had that terrible accident as No1 bench man - he was promoted too fast - it usually takes 5 years to become No 1 -= Don was promoted to No bench man in 2 years he was very friendly with the mill manager. I could never understand our Father, after world war one he was a army officer and could have returned to England and lived a life of luxury, as his uncle was Lord Annesley and our father was entitled to be called "The Right Honourable", but no - all he wanted to do was ride horses, muster and drive cattle - heat - dust and flied. I've tried to find out where he died and is buried but have had no luck.

Mum dropped dead walking down the street of Alpha - not far from where she was born Tambo age 59 years - she never took care of herself - always riding wild horses. I have visited Biggenden and cleaned and put flowers on Don and Val's grave.

We used to see Robin Don as he liked to be called, when he was a big wheel in the Postal Department - now Don and Maree are retired millionaires we don't see them anymore.

We write to Norma and Neville every Xmas, I guess they are still in the cattle business - Gordon where is he now, he was in the timber business last time we heard of him - does he still suffer from asthma. Jill - we heard she lives in Newcastle, when she was young she was a very pretty girl.

My hobby is propagating and growing rare pot plants - I have 2 green houses full - I like plants they are easy to get on with -not like some human beings. You must be the only Foster left still at Burleigh Heads - the family is rather scatted now. If you should ever be up this way - please come and visit us, it would be best to phone the night before. I have enclosed a copy of a chart I've made of our family tree. By using the left hand side of the chart Annesley - Jillet will give you some idea how to make a family chard using the right hand side for Forster family - I think I got the right spelling at last - I was missing the R out.

Checking on dates - I was amazed to discover Valerie passed away over 17 years ago 25th March 1980.
I can let you have photos of Val's parents if they are of any interest to you.

Well Lynn, I hope you can read my scribble, I write like I talk - fast. Regards and best wishes

Your Uncle Dal"

          With her dog at 4 years                                     Valerie with her mum













Valerie with Norma

                                                                                                                                                 Norma and Neville Just                                                   Neville Just in CMF Uniform

Additional photos from Dale Herron

                                                                                                                                                                                    Valerie and Gordon at Family weddings getting older