THE LIFE STORY OF ANNIE SARGENT

Annie and Tim honeymooned at Port Macquarie; and upon their return home Annie’s parents welcomed them with a celebratory meal and wedding cake. There were some wedding gifts, including clothing but the newly married couple gradually gathered the requirements to set up home independently and the rented a room at Kogarah for 12s6d a week. After a time, Annie’s parents sold their Miranda property and bought a large home in Hurstville. They invited Tim and Annie to move back in, Annie’s father was working at the Sydney Woollen Mills during this period.

Annie and Tim joyfully welcomed there first daughter, Margaret in 1940. When Margaret was just eleven months old and the young family were thinking to buy their own home, Annie’s mother died. A second daughter, Jill was born in 1944 and Annie’s younger sister Marge, married in 1946. Annie and Tim decided to stay in the family home, raising their two precious daughters and caring for Annie’s father. Tim loved working in the garden raising vegetables and poultry and growing fine figs and lemons, his daughters both inheriting his green thumb. Even though wages were small and money tight, Tim would not let Annie go out to work. Annie cooked, sewed and knitted to make ends meet. There were times when heavy rain would get into the phone lines which would provide overtime for Tim, and a little extra money for the family. Family holidays were modest trips to Katoomba, Coalcliff or Long Jetty. Tim was a capable worker and was promoted to be manager of seventy men in the surrounding districts. On his retirement after twenty-eight years of service, his workload was divided into three sections. At his farewell dinner, Tim was presented with a wallet full of notes, and Annie was given a silver and pearl broach in gratitude.

A trip to New Zealand was to have been a reward for the hard-working couple, but Tim’s health began to fail during the trip. He gradually declined, cared for throughout by his devoted wife Annie and loving family. Tim died in 1975. Annie never regretted her marriage for a moment or cared about the fifteen-year age difference between her and Tim. Annie has great pride and pleasure in the life she and Tim created together, their two wonderful daughters, their sons in law, and the grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren that Annie has had the pleasure to watch grow and thrive. And at 105 years of age Annie has never forgotten those bluest of blue eyes.