Ethel Millicent TRIGG [31444]

  General Notes:

DEATH NOTICE: Ethel Milicent Preston
One of Temora's most gracious old ladies Mrs. Ethel Millicent Preston widow of the late Mr. George Preston died yesterday in the Temora District Hospital. Mrs. Preston who was 87 became ill at her home yesterday morning and was admitted to the hospital where she passed away in the afternoon. Mrs. Preston was the mother of Mr. Norman Preston, of Pucawan, Mr. Rex Preston, of Coleambally, Jean (Mrs. Doug Donaldson, of Temora) and Lorna (Mrs. Arthur Sanderson, of Temora). One brother, William Trigg, of Eastwood, also survives. The funeral will take place from St. Paul's Church of England for interment in the Temora cemetery on Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
Temora Independent - 30th September 1968

OBITUARY of MRS. ETHEL MILLICENT PRESTON

Mrs. Ethel Millicent Preston, who died on September 29 had lived in the
Temora district for over 50 years.
She was the widow of the late Mr. G. J. (George) Preston and the mother of Mr. Norman Preston, of Quandary; Rex Preston, of Coleambally; Lorna (Mrs. Arthur Sanderson, of Temora) and Jean. (Mrs. Doug. Donaldson, of Temora).
Born at Port Elliott, South Australia in 1881, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs Samuel Trigg. When her father was drowned in a yachting tragedy her mother was left with seven young children to bring up.
On leaving school Mrs. Preston took up part-time teaching at a Church of England school in Adelaide. She continued to advance her studies and was selected from a number of applicants to teach school and music at Yalpunga station near Tibooburra in the far northwest of N.S.W.
She travelled the longjourney from Adelaide via Broken Hill to Tibooburra by horse-drawn coach. There were no railways in those days.
The trip by buggy over illdefined tracks was quite an ordeal.On occasions when night fell, the coach had to stop and the passengersn one or two occasions had to sleep out in the open.
Her term at Yalpunga was often referred to by Mrs Preston as a happy one. She learned to drive a buggy and paid and they would visit other station
properties many miles away to play tennis. They even drove to Bullo Downs station in Queensland.
Mrs. Preston could recall seeing the blacks of the area taking part in their corroborees.
She continued to teach in the north-west for some years before coming to Pucawan to accept a position as teacher at a small school on the old Quandary South property of Mr. W. C. Preston.
In 1911 she married Mr George Preston and made her home at Quandary North, later called Mirroola. They lived there until they retired to Temora to live in 1945.
This gracious kindly lady will long be remembered by many friends in this district. Her acts of good neighbourliness were legion and the calls of charity never went unheard.
While at Pucawan and Quandary, both she and Mr Preston were active in many organisations. Mrs. Preston was an accomplished pianist and her services were called on at many functions in the old Quandary hall. She also played the organ for services at the old Quandary Union Church.
As president of the Pucawan Quandary branch of the Red Cross during the war years, Mrs. Preston worked hard and the branch had a fine record of achievement.
A good sportswoman as a young girl, Mrs. Preston retained this interest in recent years and was a good tennis player. She was a keen follower of cricket when her husband and sons played with Pucawan and often assisted in catering for visiting teams at luncheon in the days when all-day competition matches were played.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston celebrated their golden wedding in 1961 but shortly after Mr. Preston's health began to fade and he died in April 1965.
In addition to her four children, Mrs. Preston is survived by one brother, William, of Eastwood, nine grandchildren and one great grandson.
Canon Armstrong officiated at the funeral service held in St. Pauls and William Murray conducted the funeral.
Pall-bearers were Max. McKenzie, Arch. Preston, Clive Nixon, Bert Donaldson, Cecil Harper and George Preston (grandson).
The flower tray was carried by Jim Roberts and John Preston.
The large number of floral tributes bore silent testimony to the esteen in which this fine old Christian lady was held.
Temora Independant - October 1968.

  Research Notes:

Ethel's birth is shown as 1881 on South Austrailan Registers.

  Other Records

1. Ethel Millicent Trigg: Temora NSW.
Ethel and her family and Old Bush School Quandry in a bark hut.

Ethel married George Joseph PRESTON [31443] [MRIN: 11147], son of William PRESTON [30878] and Elizabeth Ann PARR [30879], in 1911 in Burwood Sydney Nsw. (George Joseph PRESTON [31443] was born on 25 Mar 1883 in Moama NSW, died on 7 Apr 1965 in Temora NSW and was buried in Temora Cemetery.)