Sanders Jean Alison
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | Alison |
| Place of birth | Gawler |
Jean Alison Sanders was born in Gawler, the third of six daughters to Doris Lee (nee Cox) and John Lee of sheep station ‘Angorichina’ near Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. Doris’s parents Christopher (painter & decorator)and Letitia resided in Gawler, therefore Doris returned to Gawler to give birth to her children. William, eldest brother of Christopher was Mayor of Gawler for a number of years.
School lessons for the girls were by correspondence, with a governess. In grade 2 and 3, Alison went to Blinman public school as her father believed the girls needed company of other children. Elder sisters, Mary age 7 and Margaret age 5 were enrolled in St Peters girls school, although Mary didn’t want to go. Their father John died in January 1946 at the age of 39 as the result of an accident on the station. Doris then returned to Gawler with her young family of 6 daughters. John’s father, had died the spring before at the age of 85.
Mary attended Gawler High School, Margaret, Alison, Helen, Pat were at the primary school, and Heather, was 6 months old. When it was time for Heather to start Kindy, she attended the new Elsie Ey Kindy which was then located at the Congregational Church opposite Light Square.
Alison lived with her family in the family home on High Street called ‘Nyanza’ (named after a ship) shared with her Grandparents. She attended Gawler High School when older and the family attended St George’s church with their grandparents who were involved in church life and the parish. Doris later bought her own home in Hill Street, Gawler South.
Following her school years, Alison worked in Adelaide as a junior clerk in a steel firm in Franklin Street (also operating the switchboard) lasting a couple of years. Alison then applied for a position with lawyers in Pirie Street and worked there until married at 20 ½ years old (approx 3 years).
Alison and Ron Sanders were married at St Georges Church February 1958 and built their home at Willaston on land – part of a big paddock bought from Mr Fromm of Williamstown. This involved carting sand bricks from the kiln at Willaston, and timber. It was a good thing that Ron was a carrier and had access to trucks for this purpose. Mr Dieckmann was the builder and lived opposite where Hyde & Partners is located, with a workshop in Ninth Street. His brother (Mr Diekmann’s) operated a fruit and veg shop, approx. where Subway currently operates. Sweeney and Rowe provided the ceilings from the vicinity of Glen Mann’s shed – opposite Willaston Deli. Glen Mann supplied timbers for the roof.
Alison began working in Gawler at John Duncan’s chemist shop which he bought from Mr Pearson. It was a chemist shop located (north side of ANZ bank) next to the Doctors’ rooms of Covey, Hannon and Deland. John Duncan later started a gift shop across the road. He later built a chemist shop, Doctors rooms and a small arcade (existing today) running through to High Street. Alison continued working for the next 2 or 3 years and amongst her duties was delivering prescriptions to customers using a brand-new Ford Zephyr ute. She would ride her bike to and from work, along the dirt road, passing the playground on Redbanks Road.
Alison and Ron have three children, Catherine, Christopher and Matthew.
Through Catherine’s involvement in Guides, Alison agreed (in 1976) to help Trix McConnell with the Brownie group in their premises in Todd Street. She ended staying in what was supposed to be a temporary role and subsequently became Brown Owl and continued with the group for 25 years, leaving to take care of her elderly Mother. In 1977 Alison volunteered to attend the 50th anniversary of guiding in Papua New Guinea as a cook to the group, accompanying her daughter who was one of the guides attending.
Throughout this period, Alison was driving a school bus on the Kangaroo Flat route. There are some rural families of whom she drove the parents and their children on the bus over that time. She was often a source of stories, information, a listening ear, home-work tutor and of course supplier of after-school snacks – usually apples!!
Since retiring from bus driving, she spends time with her 11 grandchildren, watching their sport/activities and enjoying life by visiting their nearby farm raising beef cattle.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1t46sIGz7_J3T34GOYtfOLIj27BDiXAxy Click here to read Memories of Gawler 1923+ by Colin Hillier. Sand-carting - page 21.
References
Memories of Sanders Jean Alison
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