mary alice ward (1896-1972) david nash anu, aiatsis ... · 2 nash: mary alice ward (1896-1972) 22...

22 October 2000

Mary Alice WARD (1896-1972)

David NashANU, AIATSIS

Supporting a 500-word version commissioned forAustralian Dictionary of Biography. Volume 16 .1940–1980 Pik-Z.

WARNING: Contains names and images of deceasedWarumungu people.

Address:PO Box 85Parkes NSW 2870

<[email protected]>

2 Nash: Mary Alice WARD (1896-1972)

22 October 2000

WARD, Mary Alice, née McEntyre, MBE, (1896-1972),teacher, pastoralist.

Born 1 September 1896 at Kooringa, Burra, South Australia 1,the eldest child of John McEntyre 2, an engineer of VictorHarbor 3, and Margaret Anne née Kelleher 4. Kooringa, Burra wasthe home of her widowed grandmother Mary Kelleher. 5

Mary was known as ‘Ollie’ by her family. The other children,her sisters and brother, were:• Helen Felicity ‘Toot’ McEntyre, who was in the Modern Women’sClub in Perth in the 1950s, a group associated with Communistsnotably Katherine Susannah Pritchard;• Margarita Kathleen ‘Kal’ McEntyre, born 21 May 1900, also atKooringa, Burra, 6 who was later the owner/manageress of severalrestaurants and function centres in Perth: Embassy Ballroom/Cabaret, Maxim Cafe, Earl's Court Reception Centre, William HayCafe;• Edward ‘Teddie’, born at Kalgoorlie, WA and died in 1904, aged6 months 7;• Stuart McEntyre, the only brother, on whom more below;• Antoinette ‘Toni’, born 1905 at Kanowna, WA, who married RhysGordon Barns, and lived at the Perth suburb of Guildford;• Jessie ‘Jess’, born about 1909, who first married Mr Steedmanand in about 1952 Maurice H. Pritchard;• Frances Joyce ‘Joy’, born about 1912, who married Ewen JackClark; both were teachers.

After schooling at Adelaide and some country areas, Mary gotto know the bush through spending time camping with her fatheron gouging trips. 8 By the time Mary was eight years old, thefamily had moved to the WA Goldfields. 9 Mary gained the C3Certificate in 1913, trained as a schoolteacher at Perth 1 SA Registrar of Births, Book 598, Page 182. Contrary falseinformation includes: Ward’s WA teacher’s service record whichhas 1 August 1896; Tuxworth (1990:308) has born 1895 inCoolgardie; Tuxworth (1978:50) has born in Perth; Mary Wardstated her age as 34 (sc. 36) and place of birth as Adelaide ather marriage; and her death certificate gave her place of birthas Town Not Known, WA.2 Tuxworth (1990:308) has William Harris McEntyre.3 Tuxworth (1990:308) ‘a bricklayer by trade, but preferred towork as a mine-gouger. He was possibly on the Leigh Creek fieldwhen coal was discovered.’4 Tuxworth (1990:308) has ‘née Walsh’.5 Her birth certificate shows informant ‘Ellen Kelleher. Aunt.Daughter of Mary Kelleher, Widow, Kooringa, Burra.’ There wasan Ellen Kelleher born 20/6/1882 at Kooringa, Burra to CorneliusKelleher and Mary Sullivan (SA Register of Births, Book 285,Page 157).6 SA Register of Births, Burra (Book 659, Page 305).7 WA Register of Births Reg. no. 828.8 Tuxworth (1990:308).9 WA Registry of Deaths records the death of a 6 month old babyin 1904, born at Kalgoorlie to John McEntyre and MargaretKelleher, and the Registry of Births records Antoniette[Antoinette?] McEntyre, born at Kanowna in 1905 to the sameparents.

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Teachers College and entered the WA teaching service on 28 June1915, first at Tunneys 10 school for almost two years where shegained her Junior Cadet Training Certificate, and theinspector’s comment “Inclined to do too much for her pupils. Anenthusiastic young teacher”. Then followed six years at variousschools in the WA Goldfields, then a promotion to Head Teacherfor a further eight years at schools nearer Perth. 11 She movedto Wyndham, in the east Kimberley, where she was the HeadTeacher for 1932 12. One of her pupils there was Sandy Cole, whobecame a principal of Gorey & Cole Drillers. 13 Sandy’s eldersister Ethel was a close friend of Mary’s.

At Wyndham Mary met and married Philip 14 (Ted) Ward, a 39-year old stockman, at Wyndham registry office, on 27 December1932. Philip Ward was born in Brisbane, the son of GraingerWard, a squatter, and Menner née Thompson. 15 The story 16 is thatthe couple met when Ward was serving a year’s sentence for hispart in stealing a hundred stud bulls from Wyndham meatworks, ina scheme instigated by Jack Kilfoyle. The gaol was adjacent tothe school, and Mick Walsh, the husband of Mary’s friend Ethel,was a good mate of Ward’s. Mary and Ethel made cakes andbiscuits which were delivered to the prisoners by Sandy Cole;and the Constable was well-disposed to the prisoners and gavethem the key for use only at night.

Upon their marriage, the Wards lived at ‘Rosewood’, JackKilfoyle’s Kimberley station. 17 On discovery of gold at TennantCreek in 1934, the Wards and Mary’s brother Stuart 18 McEntyrejoined the Tennant Creek gold rush in January 1935 19 in a Morris 10 Tunney is a village south-east of Kojonup on the Albany road.11 WA teacher’s service record.12 WA teacher’s service record, contra Tuxworth (1990:308), whohas 1920.13 Letter from Sandy Cole, quoted in Cole (1995:178)14 The marriage registration is signed ‘Philip Ward’. Tuxworth(1990:308) has ‘James Thomas (Ted) Ward, a stockman, in 1928.’Tuxworth (1978:50) has ‘Phillip (Ted) Ward’. Cole 1986,1995:78,190 has his aliasses as Ted Whelan and Jim Webb.“Phillip Ward was Ted’s right name but he didn’t like the nameof Phillip and preferred to be called Ted.” (Cole 1995:194).The alias Jim Webb was assumed in 1927 when he entered theNorthern Territory escaping arrest in Queensland for cattleduffing (Cole 1995:78), and Ted Whelan upon arrival at Hall’sCreek, similarly escaping arrest near Katherine (Cole 1995:85),whereafter he became head stockamn on ‘Lissadell’ station.15 Marriage Certificate, no. 8 of 1932, E Kimberley. Married byspecial licence. The name ‘Menner’ is hard to read and may beanother spelling.16 ‘Devil Looks After His Own’, Cole 1986; Cole (1995:190-5).17 Kilfoyle later sold ‘Rosewood’ to Vesteys (Cole 1995:191,196); one of the Duracks’ stations, according to Tuxworth(1978:50).18 Tuxworth (1990:308) has ‘Stuart’, which Leigh Steedman says iscorrect; Lockwood (1964:121) has ‘Stewart’.19 Tuxworth (1978:50) has ‘arrived in Tennant Creek in 1933 andsent a telegram of her safe arrival by Mr. George Ashton, thentelegraphist at the O.T.S.’. Ashton (1933-35) was not at Tennant


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one-ton flat-top truck. They called at Banka Banka station forbeef, little knowing they would come to own it. 20 They made atemporary camp at the Overland Telegraph Station. 21 Maryaccepted a contract to do the laundry for the men of No. 1Battery. During this time, the Wards got acquainted with aWarumungu family, grandmother, mother Topsy Nampijinpa, anddaughter Linda Napanangka. Linda (d. c1984) and husband FrankJuppurla (d. 1955) and later their children worked for the Wardsfor many years. 22

Stuart McEntyre gouged around north-east of the TennantCreek telegraph station and eventually decided on a site whichthe trio named the Blue Moon, in which each had a one-thirdinterest: the moon was blue on the night the decision was made. 23

The mine is about 15km south of east of the Tennant Creektelegraph station, one of the easternmost of the Tennant Creekmines of the period, and one of many on the 1892 AboriginalReserve which was revoked in 1934 to allow mining. According toone local legend, Frank, later known as ‘Blue Moon Frank’, hadbrought the ore to the attention of the Wards. 24

Creek before October 1933, and given the Banka Banka Journalentry the year must have been 1935. Ashton’s (1933-35) journaldoes not mention the Wards.20 Banka Banka journal 11/1/35: ‘Several men & a woman pass intruck going Tennant they get beef here.’ to which a note isadded in biro with red lines in the margin: ‘P. Ward. M. Ward.S. McEntyre E. Flannigan Max Holtz (Mary Ward).’21 Tuxworth (1990:308).22 Tuxworth 1990/1978 singles out Linda, saying Mary remainedfriends with Linda her “lifelong companion” the rest of herlife.23 Tuxworth (1990:308).24 Tuxworth (1978:50).


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Philip Ward, Mary Ward, Mrs Mick Walsh (with baby Kathleen), atBlue Moon Mine 1935 from National Trust of Aust (NT), Tennant

Creek branch(presumably photographed by Mick Walsh)

The mine was let on option three times before they returnedto work it and struck real gold, reputedly £80,000. 25 The mine

25 Tuxworth (1978:50).


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was one of the richest: in 1940 three crushings produced a totalof 11 100 ounces of gold. 26 Frank and his family lived therealong with the Wards. Linda became the housegirl, and kept agarden which supplied all needs at the Blue Moon camp. Tuxworth(1990:308) tells us that Mary created a home from meagrematerials and made the camp a model of neatness and cleanliness.

Tuxworth 1979

26 Jones (1987:202).


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‘Paddy Ambrose, owner Banka BankaStation 1938’ from National Trust ofAust (NT), Tennant Ck

In 1940 PaddyAmbrose put on themarket his stationBanka Banka, a 3600square kilometrescattle property100km north ofTennant Creek. Thegold was failing atthe Blue Moon, so inJanuary 1941 theWards bought thestation, for£17 000, includingits two bores and6000 head ofcattle. 27 They movedtheir possessionsthere by truck, andLinda and her familymoved with them.Her brother Stuartremained aroundTennant Creek, atleast through the1940s. 28

According toTuxworth (1979),Mary transformed theprimitive homesteadbuilding and theAmbroses style withfresh paint and newfurnishings.

It is the only homestead in the NT with a frontage on theStuart Highway, and over the years was a regular stop fortravellers. The station garden flourished under Mrs Ward’smanagement, as she taught horticulture to the Warumungu peopleemployed there, and supplied Tennant Creek shops withwatermelons, rock melons and potatoes. 29 In 1941 an Army stagingcamp30 was established across the highway, south-east of thehomestead, and until the end of World War II Banka Bankasupplied the military with fresh vegetables, eggs, and freshbeef under government contract 31, and the homestead was ‘openhouse’ to senior officers 32 (while the station was generally outof bounds to the military).

The legendary hospitality at Banka Banka was said to havenot discriminated as to rank: ‘a truck driver in a blue singlet

27 Tuxworth (1978:50).28 Pers. comm., Alf Chittock, Jack Ford, 23-24 May 200.29 Tuxworth (1990:308).30 Smith (1991:98), Tanner (1995:122ff).31 Numerous entries in Banka Banka journals.32 Tuxworth (1990:309).


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sat with an Administrator if the occasion arose.’ 33 The gardengrew in fame, and included a large range of vegetables, andfruit from strawberries to pawpaw and bananas, and all citrus.Gladioli from the garden once took a First in the annual TennantCreek Flower Show and Garden Competition. 34

In the 1940s Mary Ward “quite often went out for weeks at atime and cooked for” 35 her husband at stock camps, but later sheconfined her work to the homestead. Banka Banka under Mr Wardmade innovations, such as being the “first station to truck byroad” in 1945-6 36, and acquired an innovative private road train(fitted with passenger and horse compartments). 37 They triedpoll Herefords as a replacement for traditional Shorthorns. 38

Managers were Mr Ward’s nephew RA Christie, and from thelate 1940s DT (Don) Robertson. 39 James Henry (Jerry) Maloney(1904-1988) was bores manager from after World War II untilafter Mary Ward’s death, 40 and also looked after the buildings inTennant Creek.

The bounty of the ‘Blue Moon’ was shared with McEntyre andWard relations. For instance, in the 1940s Stuart McEntyrebought a farm in Spencer's Brook, near Northam WA, and Mary’ssister Joy and her husband ran it for a time. Some relationscame on extended visits to Banka Banka. Mary’s sister Jessieand her only child Leigh, then seven years old, visited BankaBanka for some months in 1947. Jessie died in April 1954; LeighSteedman later became a teacher in WA, and is now Mrs Ward’sonly living nephew or niece.

A Native Affairs Branch inspection report (1950?) highlightsthat living conditions at Banka Banka were superior to those onany other station (or mission):

p.6 "The quantity, quality and general suitabilityof the food supplied to employees cannot be faulted.The seventeen children are particularly well caredfor and receive all they can eat, spread over fivemeals a day. Youngsters on this station look thepicture of health, and this is entirely due to theunremitting personal care and attention given byMrs. Ward.The Station has its own Jersey cows, fowls, ducks,pigs, and two vegetable gardens, besides unlimitedquantities of beef. Fruit is purchased in quantityand issued freely."

33 Tuxworth (1990:309).34 Tuxworth (1978:50).35 ABC 1970.36 Hare (1985:149,21,59) quotes from an annual report for theyear ending 30 June 1946. Maddock (1988:35-36) says Len Kittlewas carting cattle for Ted Ward in 1946.37 Maddock (1988:35-36) has details of the vehicle and aphotograph.38 Hooker 1981. ABC 1970 says the herd is all Shorthorn ratherthan Hereford, but this may be a confusion.39 National Archives of Australia. CRS E155/20 item 1961/50.‘Banka Banka Station 1958-’.40 Hooker 1981, Richards 1996:214.


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"In general the ration position on this Station isfar superior to anything laid down in theRegulations.""Personal attention to illnesses, wounds etc. arethe responsibility of Mrs. Ward, and the health ofthe employees and their children is undoubtedly dueto the care given. Daily attention is required.

In the early 1950s 41 the Wards had acquired ‘Fermoy’ and‘Lilleyvale’ stations in western Queensland, and used them asfattening stations for the Queensland cattle market. The Wardsspent periods living at those stations.

Extra responsibilities came to Mrs Ward in her 62nd year.In March 1959, after following a drover taking stock to theQueensland properties, Mr Ward took ill at ‘Fermoy’ with aruptured appendix. Their manager Mr Christie (Mr Ward’s nephew)drove Mrs Ward to Mt Isa 42, and five days later on 17 March MrWard died at Longreach aged 64 and was buried in Longreachcemetery. 43

In September 1959 ‘Owing to a disagreement over theFinancial Policy of Banka Banka Pastoral Co Mr Christie decidedhe wouldn’t carry on’ and he and his wife left for Bundaberg,and Mrs Ward took over management of the station. 44 During the1960s Mary Ward’s fame spread. Oates (1958:19-20) had alreadyincluded a section ‘To Banka Banka’, 45 then Flynn (1964:204-205)mentions Elsie Ambrose, Mrs Ward, Don & Bess Robertson.Lockwood’s (1964:121) short account mentions that ‘Banka Bankasupports ten white people and sixty natives’.

Having no children of her own, Mrs Ward mothered theAboriginal babies, attending to their health and education. APatrol Officer reported in the late 1940s of two children that

‘Mr and Mrs Ward are paying the school fees of both... They don’t agree with the Department’s policy ofremoving part aboriginals from their mothers, so

41 ‘Lilleyvale’ journal dates from 1952, and ‘Fermoy’ from 1954.George Graham (p.c., January 2000) recalls seeing Mrs Warddriving into Winton in 1952.42 Banka Banka journal 12/3/59.43 Presbyterian portion of old cemetery, grave 1573. (p.c.25/1/00, Longreach Council, ph. (07)4658-4111) Probate wasgranted on 5 September 1961, realty of £3516 and personalty of£21,950, to the executors Mary Ward of Banka Banka Station andValmai Edwards (wife of Donald Leslie Edwards), the lawful widowand niece of the deceased. Queensland register of probates, perADB. This year falls within the period in which full recordswere destroyed by a fire at the Supreme Court. Valerie[?=Valmai] Edwards held the Banka Banka journals for 1962, and1964-1967 (letter to the author, 19/2/1992), and lived inBrisbane until her death about 1996 (pers. comm. Fryerlibrarian, Univ. of Queensland, March 2000).44 Banka Banka journal 30/9/59.45 Oates states of the station “owners Messrs Christie and Ward;managed by Mr Christie”, yet it seems Christie was not an owneruntil a beneficiary of Mr Ward’s estate.


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they have decided to send the children to school attheir own expense. I explained that if everyemployer sent the part aboriginal children to schoolthe Native Affairs Branch would not have to removethem. It was a job no one liked, but it gave thechildren an opportunity to lift themselves out oftheir environment.’ 46

A 1952 report states‘Pregnant women receive personal care and attentionfrom Mrs Ward prior to being sent to Tennant CreekHospital, if considered necessary, with gifts ofbaby clothes. The children are particularly wellcared for and Mrs. Ward desires to send all the partaboriginal children to school as they become ofage.’ 47

In the 1950s Mrs Ward arranged for eight Aboriginal children toattend the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (OLSH) convent in AliceSprings or college in Darwin. Mrs Ward paid for clothes, andwatched over the children’s welfare; they returned home everyholidays and when in Alice Springs Mrs Ward would visit thechildren or take them out.

About 1960 Mrs Ward started a government school at BankaBanka 48 The school’s motto was ‘Do it Well’, and the firstteacher was Margaret McClelland née Williams, and a successorwas Mrs Heather Whitaker, and 7 or 8 months in the late 1960sMary Ward’s youngest sister Joy and her husband Jack Clark (bothteachers from the Perth area).

46 National Archives of Australia. CRS F315 49/388, report 1November 1949 by Patrol Officer Les Penhall. Quoted by Long(1992:82)47 National Archives of Australia, NT. CRS F1 item 1952/721. JohnE Bray, 2 May 1950, page 14; with additional note on Ethel MayWindley, 12, Alice Springs convent/ Loretto Brisbane. ‘Nowattending Convent of Mercy, Mt Barker, South Aust.’48 ‘Margaret McClelland, formerly of Sea Lake, Victoria, ...teaches fourteen aboriginal children who understand only a fewwords of English.’ (Lockwood 1964:121)


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Tuxworth 1979:54back row: Jill Foster, Alice Lauder, †Mary Ward, †Sidney Lauder, †Hector

Morrison, †Ronny Johnson.middle row: Amy Lauder (little girl far left), Kay Johnson, Amy Lansen,

Annie Johnson, Kenny Williamsfront row: Elizabeth Johnson, Noelene Nelson


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School room Banka Banka 1966 from National Trust of Aust (NT),Tennant Creek branch

Daily routine included a nightly medical parade, as shown inthe ABC documentary (1970). Hooker (c1981) recalled that “everynight after tea there was always a medical roll up, all childrenand anyone that - around the place would have to come up and thehousekeeper was always an ex-sister, whenever possible, andshe'd look after them, sore eyes, cut fingers and so forth.”Although Mrs Ward is not remembered as pushing Christianity onpeople (for instance, grace was not said before meals), shewould make sure the Aborigines attended the visitingmissionary’s service or night-time meetings.

Mrs Ward owned the butcher shop in Tennant Creek, with DougBaxter the butcher. The beasts, the younger, lighter bullocks,were were killed at Banka Banka, at an abattoir run by ErnieHunter and Archie Allan. They used to kill twice a week, andthe station this way also supplied places such as Warrabri(Alekarenge).

In 1960s, Mrs Ward continued to run‘Fermoy’ as well as Banka Banka, and isrecalled travelling between the two,with her Warumungu women employees inthe back of her utility, heads in theirscarves against the wind. Her managersat ‘Fermoy’ included Ernie Williams 49

49 In 1961, as recalled by Mrs Joy Russell (p.c. January 2000).

Albert Hooker, 1970s


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and George Graham 50. In the late 1960s Mrs Ward sold ‘Fermoy’ toJed Moore, 51 and put Banka Banka on the market. From 1967 AlbertHooker was cattle manager at Banka Banka: he was recruited fromwestern Queensland through agents, including the requirementthat he be a teetotaller.

Hooker (c1981) recalled that when he arrived Banka Banka wasmanaged and run by Mrs Ward, who would relay instructionsthrough Jerry Maloney. Mrs Ward gave a high priority to theAboriginal people at the station, “treated them as her ownchildren”, and so the manager had no choice but to employ them.After Hooker had been there three months, through the wetseason, Mrs Ward slipped and hurt her back and was hospitalisedin Adelaide, and was away about three months. During thatperiod Hooker and Maloney established their way of working, andorganised the station their way, for instance by selling offextra cattle mustered from the scrub. On her return, Mrs Wardlet Hooker do things his own way during her final 18 months atBanka Banka. While she was in Adelaide Mrs Ward had found outthat she was a lot sicker than she thought, and put the place onthe market.

At the homestead Mrs Ward would keep the staff busy cleaningup and sweeping. Hooker (c1981) recalled that “she alwaysreckoned that idle hands were hands that got into mischief soshe liked to keep them all working”. Families of employees werefed and housed. This was in the period when pay for Aboriginalswas low, and no award applied. Hooker (c1981) says that “evenstockman at that time would be on a very low wage, say $15 or$20 a week, but they got everything found, their clothes, theirfood, accommodation”. Just before Mrs Ward sold out in 1970,was when full wages came in, so then Mrs Ward cut down onemployee numbers.

Hooker’s (c1981) perception was that Mrs Ward economised onrepairs to station equipment and improvements, but would favourspending on welfare of the Aborigines. Fences, yards, ortroughs would be patched up repeatedly rather than replaced withnew items. In his time Mrs Ward did not use newer managementmethods, such as trucking weaners after branding -- “in MrsWard’s day it was just brand and let go” (Hooker c1981). It wasafter her time that different paddocks were used to classifycattle, and a bulldozer was acquired to make firebreaks andprotect grass.

50 Mr Graham was manager at ‘Fermoy’ for about eighteen monthsfrom 1963 to 1964; p.c., January 2000.51 P.c. Joy Russell, January 2000.


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(†Sidney Lauder) Tuxworth 1979

Tuxworth 1979back row: Suzanne Nelson (holding baby Gladys), Judy Johnson, †Daisy

Napurula Morrison, †Mary Ward; in front of M. Ward is †Hilda Johnsonwith baby George Johnson; †Elsie Ambrose, behind her with head covered†Maisie Nambin Nugent, in front Hazel Lauder, Dorothy Williams,unidentified person with face blocked, †Ronny Johnson, unidentifiedgirl with head turned, †Hector Morrison, †Molly Lauder, †Sidney Lauder

front row of children: Annie Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson, Amy Lauder, KayJohnson, Kenny Williams, Noelene Nelson smallest girl, unidentifiedgirl with head turned holding Noelene.


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From 1963 52, Mary Ward acquired and renovated six houses inthe town into which she moved her old retainers from BankaBanka, the Warumungu families of Fitz, Frank, and Johnson. In1968-69 Mary had built on the northern edge of Tennant Creek alarge red brick hostel for her stockmen, at the cost of$58 000 53. She achieved this over the objections of the TennantCreek Advisory Board, who wanted the building away from the mainthoroughfare. 54 The ‘Mary Ward Hostel’ was used as a bunkhousefor Banka Banka people and their relatives, and within a fewyears for a range of community purposes, and has long beenreferred to as the Pink Palace. In about 1974 the propertieswere transferred from Mary Ward’s trust to the Warramunga PabuluHousing Association, and in turn in the 1980s to the JulalikariCouncil Aboriginal Corporation who now manage them.

Mary Ward was made MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of1968, with a citation for her care of Aboriginal families andchildren. 55

In failing health, Mrs Ward left Banka Banka in 1970, afterthe station was sold to the Texan silver speculator NelsonBunker Hunt for one million dollars, 56 Mrs Ward’s asking price.In almost thirty years of tenure the station had increased toinclude twelve bores and 11,000 head of cattle, on 1280 squaremiles. 57 At the time of the sale, Mary Ward owned 13/24 share inthe lease, the minor balance being held by relatives of Mr Ward.

52 P.c., Bill Fitz Jakamarra, Alice Springs, 21 June 2000.53 Tuxworth (1990:309).54 Alf Chittock, Tennant Creek, pers. comm., June 2000. MrChittock was then a member of the Board, and said that Mrs Wardused her contacts to go beyond the NT Administrator to Canberrato get the decision she wanted.55 Sydney Morning Herald 8 June 1968, p.6/9; Tuxworth (1990:309).56 Tuxworth (1990:309) says Mary Ward left after the station wassold: this presumably means an agreement was made at that time,though the transfer was not executed until 8 June 1972.57 Hooker 1981? discusses the number of cattle at the time of the1970 sale. Tuxworth (1978:50) has 12,000 head. Hooker 1981?says that the price was increased to $1.25m to include all thecattle. Laurie Henderson (pers. comm.) says that Mrs Wardwanted $1m after tax, and this amounted to $1.25m before tax.


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Probably photographed about 1978. Tuxworth 1979:28

‘Mary Ward was a charming, dignified, hard-working pioneerwoman.’ ‘Of delicate appearance, short and with a ready smile,Mary Ward had a strength of character that made her an astutebusiness woman, who was relentless in dealing out justice toanyone practising knavery’, according to Tuxworth (1990:309),who relates that once her men loaded a truck with cattle beforesunrise, so they would not be travelling in the heat of the dayon their trip to Queensland. Mrs Ward later found the truckparked at Three Ways, 75km south. She sought out the driver andasked why he was still there at midday. He pointed out that thecattle were now his and he could do as he liked. She replied “Iwill never sell any more cattle to you because of this crueltyto animals.”

Her self confidence is evident in the documentary with whichshe co-operated in 1968–9, where the lifestyle she had fosteredat Banka Banka comes across as the end of an era (full wages hadjust begun for Aboriginal employees). Mrs Ward stalwartlydefended local Aboriginal people as loyal employees, and trainedmany in domestic and station duties. More than once Mrs Warddismissed a white man from the staff because of his treatment ofblack colleagues. Over the quiet summer period when white stafftook a holiday she sometimes left the station in charge of ablack man. However she believed they were not suited tomanagement -- when interviewed in the late 1960s she put it thisway:

ABC: “Do you believe that some of Banka Banka shouldbe given back to the Aborigines?MW: No, I don't think so, because, if you were tojust give it back to them, ah - they'd use it asthey did in the early days and they wouldn't do thesame work or planning that we do. For after all, torun a station, there is a little to it you know,it's a - a business, you have to grow the cattle,you have to sell them, you have to study markets,bank balances, costs of running a place, and native


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people who haven't had even an elementary educationwould never be able to do that would they?ABC: Would some of the people be running on whatoriginally was their tribal land?MW: Yes, a lot of them, their grandparents were bornthere and they like being there.ABC: Well, people in the cities might think that ananswer such as you have just given is an excuse fornot letting them have their own land.MW: Yes well I think a lot of people do think thatbut we can't help that can we.” 58

Mary Ward died on 27 July 1972 59 at Barton House Flats 60, 127Barton Terrace, 61 her usual residence in North Adelaide, and wasburied from a private funeral parlor 62 on 31 July 63 in theCatholic section of Centennial Park cemetery, under a blackheadstone with epitaph ‘One who loved her fellowman.’ 64 She wassurvived by two sisters and her brother, who all attended herfuneral. 65

Mary Ward’s estate was valued for probate at $9366, 66 asmall sum because she had settled amounts on variousbeneficiaries before she died. Stuart had a farm at SpencersBrook, Northam, WA, and died about 1981 at Mundingburra, Qld, ofemphysema. Frances Joyce Clark died in the Perth area about1991; her granddaughter Danielle is the only great-grandchild ofMary Ward’s parents. Antoinette died about 1994 in a Perthnursing home.

AcknowledgementsNational Trust of Aust (NT), Tennant Creek branch, for use of

archival records, and to Alf Chittock, Mike Hester, Pam Perry,and Kate Young for assistance.

Kimberly Christen for investigating the identity of people inphotographs and providing captions.

Mrs Kathleen Fitz Nappanangka, Bill Fitz Jakamarra, PriscillaRenner, Jean McCarthy Nakamarra, Ruby Frank Narrurlu, Day DayFrank Jakamarra, Jimmy Frank Jakamarra, Archie Allen Jangala,and others for talking to me about memories of Banka Banka andthe Wards.

Jack Ford, Miriam Hagan, and Laurie Henderson for discussingtheir dealings with the Wards.

58 ABC 1970.59 Death certificate 172A/5469. Informant EA Warren, clerk, of193 Unley Rd, the address of the undertaker, Alfred Jones &Sons, Unley. Cause of death was carcinoma of the breast; ADB'spolicy is not to state a cause for people over the age of 70.60 Sands & McDougall's directory, 1971 (page S395) and 1972 (pageS406).61 Advertiser , Friday, July 28, 1972. Page 32.62 Advertiser , Monday, July 31, 1972. Page 22.63 Catholic section E, path 23, grave 479A (Centennial Park,Pasadena, ph. (08)8276-6011).64 Visited by the author, 7/4/2000.65 L. Henderson, pers. comm., 22/10/2000.66 SA Index to Probates no. 67850 (27 July 1972).


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References

Station journals. ms. notebooks, held variously:1. Fryer Memorial Library, University of Queensland. Hilda TuxworthCollection. Boxes 6 and 7. Banka Banka journals. 1929-30, 1934-36, 1941-1958, 1961. Excerpt 3/9/42-15/9/42 published in Tuxworth (1978:51-52).2. 3 volumes of Lilley Vale Station diaries (1952-54), 7 volumes ofFermoy Station diaries (1954-60), and 2 volumes of Banka Banka Stationdiaries (1960, 1963). National Trust Museum, Tennant Creek. Tuxworth-Fullwood Archives. See Platt 1989.3. Banka Banka 1962, 1964-1967 diaries were held by the late ValerieEdwards (d. c1996).

Platt, Matthew. 1989. Guide to the Tuxworth-Fullwood Archives. NationalTrust Museum, Tennant Creek. 30pp. photocopy.

p.12: Records of Banka Banka Pastoral Company, 1942-1963; 2 boxes.TF73: Station Diaries, 1952-63.TF74: Research Papers, c1942-c1980. 67

Ashton, George. 1933-35. Journal of George Ashton 12 October 1933 - 20August 1935. Postmaster, Tennant Creek, Northern Territory. Photocopyof typescript and manuscript. [ii]+190pp. [Copy held by Parks &Wildlife Commission of the NT, Tennant Creek (Attn. Peter Kennedy)]

Australian Broadcasting Commission. 1970. ‘Missus’ of Banka Banka . [motionpicture] Big Country series. 28 min. b&w. Recorded c1968. Soundrecordist John Bourn. Film editor Robert Care-Wickham. Interviewers RonIddon, Peter Kudsen. Directed by John Cooper. Executive Producer JohnSparkes.

Cole, Tom. 1986. Spears & smoke signals: exciting true tales by a buffalo &croc shooter . Artwork by Jolliffe & Jacko. Casuarina, N.T.: AdventurePublications.

Cole, Tom. 1995. Hell west and crooked . Angus & Robertson (HarperCollins).[First published by Collins Publishers 1988]

Flynn, F. The Living Heart . H. Clark Printing, Marrickville, 1964. Chapter‘Tennant Creek’. pp. 204-205 about Banka Banka.

Hare, W.T. 1985. The early history of animal industry in the NorthernTerritory . Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory.

Hooker, Albert. c1981. NTRS 226 Oral history interview TS 244. NTAS OralHistory Unit. Interviewed by Liz Evans. 148pp. ts. transcript. Copy inTuxworth-Fullwood Archives. Series TF 100, box E/1/3. National TrustMuseum, Tennant Creek.

Jones, Timothy G. 1987. Pegging the Northern Territory . Darwin: NTGovernment Printer.

Lockwood, Douglas. 1964 [1969]. Up The Track . Adelaide: Rigby Limited.(Seal Books, 1977). Chapter 6 ‘Fattening on the Fringes’, pp.118-143.

Long, Jeremy. 1992. The Go-Betweens. Patrol Officers in Aboriginal AffairsAdministration in the Northern Territory 1936-1974 . Darwin: NARU, ANU.

Maddock, John. 1988. A History of Road Trains in the Northern Territory1934-88 . Kangaroo Press.

Oates, H.G. [Horace G.] 1958 [1957]. They of the inland . A travel talk ofCentral Australia covering part of the area served by the Royal FlyingDoctor Service of Australia and the Australian Inland Mission. 1st ed.1957, 2nd. ed. 1958. Adelaide: Royal Flying Doctor Service, 1958.

Richards, Ann. 1996. James Henry Maloney, pp.213-214 in Northern TerritoryDictionary of Biography , Volume 3. Edited by David Carment & BarbaraJames. Darwin: NTU Press.

Smith, Alan. 1991. Convoys Up the Track. A history of 121st AustralianGeneral Transport Company (AIF) 1941-1946 . Adelaide: Alan C. Smith.ISBN 064606424

Tanner, Alex. 1995. The Long Road North . Adelaide: A. Tanner. 67 This item, TF74, is missing from the archive, and so I havenot been able to consult its contents.


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Tuxworth, Hilda. 1978. Tennant Creek Yesterday and Today . Tennant Creek:National Trust of Australia, Tennant Creek. * includes photographs

Tuxworth, Hilda. 1990. Mary Ward, pp.308-9 in Northern Territory Dictionaryof Biography , Volume 1, to 1945. Edited by David Carment & BarbaraJames. Darwin: NTU Press.

mary alice ward (1896-1972) david nash anu, aiatsis ... · 2 nash: mary alice ward (1896-1972) 22...

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