Family Histories

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HAYWARD LILY

Speaking about a much respected Elder who has passed…..
This is posted in respect of the women who have undertaken hard work on farms.
Aboriginal women were part of the work force on stations 'up North' and farms 'down South', particularly in the early part of the 20th Century.
The Noongar men in the South West often took up contracts to clear land, but it was their families who worked together to get the job done.
Lily Hayward, nee Underwood (RIP 2009) was born in the bush near Manjimup, and grew up as part of the Kanaeang people.

 

  

LILY HAYWARD AT  T.A.F.E. 1985             #1

 

A REMOUNT HORSE LIKE THE ONES LILY USED TO BREAK IN    C1939            #2

 

As a child, tragedy struck her family, taking first her sister Thelma and then her mother. At first Lily was taken in by the Krakouer family for two years then went to live with her aunt Lily on the Gnowangerup reserve where she met Eric Hayward whom Lily had met once before, when she was a child whilst his family was visiting her family.
Brother Wright married Lily and Eric at Gnowangerup, which the couple would use as a base for ten years, c1926-1936..
Working the land
Lily worked hard to provide for her family, undertaking clearing jobs for the Wadjalar settlers. Lily and Eric spent quite some time clearing land for a Gnowangerup landowner.
On many of their contract jobs, Lily undoubtedly used what she had learnt as child from her mother Ruby, on how to build a strong mia mia.

 

 
 

Lily later told of how her mother had gathered bark and blackboy and knew how to make it warm and strong enough to stave off the cold wind of winter.
Lily also worked catching brumbies that ran wild in areas of the South West at that time. They were broken in and sold mostly to early settlers.
Lily hunted with a gun, trapping or shooting native animals for their skins which were much sought after by overseas buyers.
During this time, Mrs Hayward gave birth to her first five children.

 

 

 

 

Every endeavour has been made to accurately record the details however if you would like to provide additional images and/or newer information we are pleased to update the details on this site. Please use CONTACT at the top of this page to email us. We appreciate your involvement in recording the history of our area.

 

References:                 Article:      From the Obituary; Lily Hayward nee Underwood 'West Australian' 2009 Edited by Patrick Cornish

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Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2024