It felt like I'd met a long lost relative...

A funny thing happened at a Cancer Council Morning Tea. A fellow parishioner, Colleen, and I got talking about family history. As I explained my Kerr tree to her she said "I used to know some Kerrs". Instead of pursing her old Kerr neighbours she recalled knowing a man Jimmy who was a colleague her father's at the railways and who lived at Neutral Bay.  As a child they used to go there for Hogmanay (Scottish New Year). I finished her sentence. "His wife's name was Lavinia and his kids were Alf and Billie".

It turns out her sisters and parents spent a lot of time holidaying and socialising with my grandparents. My Nanny generously gave them a money gift for New Year. My Uncle Bill remembered the rowdy Hogmanay New Years parties he longed to be away from and the holidays to the Woy Woy on the Central Coast as the railways families took advantage of their holiday railway passes.

June and Colleen c 1948

 Sadly I had known her mother Peggy too but never knew of this link with my grandparents history.
Colleen and I agreed to get together to share memories and and help me identify some  photos if possible.

My Nanny Lavinia with Margaret (Peggy) Campbell and little 

Colleen

She had photos of my Grandfather James and we identified photos of the holidaying Campbell Family including little Colleen.

I felt I had grasped a little more of my family story and that she was like a a long lost relative.

Hugh Campbell with Colleen and June  and James "Jimmy"Kerr right

A bit of a mystery woman, I had been channelling my Nanny who died when I was 4 for weeks. -revisiting her Church, Convent workplace and her home.  Well done Nanny- could you please send me some hints about your mother?