"Billee" Adeline Martha BREWER / SHEPHEARD
Born 1916 in Mount Lawley, Western Australia [43: OH2261/35]
Daughter of Charles Joseph Leslie BREWER and Florence Emily CLEAVER [14]
Resided with her parents at hotels in Moora, Kulin, Maylands and in Carnamah [43]
Educated at the Kulin State School, Carnamah State School and at Methodist Ladies College in the Perth suburb of Claremont [43]
Shifted to Carnamah with her parents in 1928 and resided with them at the Carnamah Hotel at 22 Macpherson Street [4] [43]
Student in grade IV at the Carnamah State School in 1928 [4: 13-Oct-1928]
As an "Early Victoria Posy" she was the best dressed girl over 11 years at Carnamah's 1928 Children's Fancy Dress Ball [4: 14-Jul-1928]
Won two second prizes for Writing and Sewing exhibited in the educational section of the 1928 Carnamah Show [4: 13-Oct-1928]
At the 1928 Carnamah Show she also won the 10-11 years girls running race and came second in the skipping race [4: 13-Oct-1928]
Runner-Up in the Fairy Queen Competition held in 1928 to raise funds for the Convent School in Three Springs [4: 1-Dec-1928]
Attended the 1929 Carnamah Children's Fancy Dress Ball dressed as a Gypsy Girl [4: 13-Jul-1929]
Attended the Plain and Fancy Dress Ball at the Carnamah Town Hall on Thursday 8 August 1929 as a "Spanish Dancer" [4: 17-Aug-1929]
Won the 11-13 years Girls Running Race at the Centenary Celebrations in Carnamah on 13 September 1929 [4: 21-Sep-1929]
Attended the Grand Ball following the Carnamah Show and opening of Centenary Park on 19 September 1929 [4: 28-Sep-1929]
Entrant in the Carnamah Popular Girl Competition in 1929 [4: 24-Aug-1929]
Attended the Ball in Carnamah in aid of the local Roman Catholic Church's building fund on Thursday 24 May 1930 [4: 31-May-1930]
Won 2nd prize for Sweet Peas at the Carnamah Agricultural Show at Centenary Park, Carnamah on Thursday 18 September 1930 [4]
Also won a 1st prize for Girls Handwork and a 2nd prize for Needlework at the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1930 [4: 27-Sep-1930]
Won the 12-14 years Running Race at the Sports Day & Picnic held at Centenary Park, Carnamah on 9 October 1930 [4: 18-Oct-1930]
In 1932 was Carnamah's entrant and the winner of the North Midlands Popular Girl Competition [5: 5-Aug-1932]
Herself and the other contestants raised £122/9/0 through their involvement in the competition [5: 5-Aug-1932]
The money was split between the Carnamah Rifle, Arrino Football, Carnamah Football and Mingenew Golf clubs [5: 5-Aug-1932]
The other two contestants were Miss Eunice COUSINS of Arrino and Miss Ivy OLIVER of Mingenew [5: 5-Aug-1932]
The competition was concluded at a Ball in Carnamah on 28 July 1932 to which she wore a gown of black satin and lace [5]
Following the death of her father in 1932 she assisted her mother with household and domestic duties at the Carnamah Hotel [43]
Used to look after their quarters at the hotel, waited on tables and did housework - much of it on hands and knees [43]
Attended the Carnamah Roman Catholic Church's Ball on 6 August 1932 in a gown of black satin and Spanish lace [5: 19-Aug-1932]
Attended the Show Ball following the Carnamah Show on 15 September 1932 in a gown of choral pink georgette [5: 23-Sep-1932]
Attended the Grand Show Ball following the Three Springs Agricultural Show on Thursday 22 September 1932 [5: 7-Oct-1932]
Shifted to Perth in 1933 [4: 4-Mar-1933
Attended the Hospital Appeal Grand Ball in Three Springs on 8 June 1933 in a dress of white lace trimmed with satin [5: 16-Jun-1933]
Returned to Perth during the second week of June 1933 after a visit to Carnamah [5: 16-Jun-1933]
In mid August 1933 she was again visiting Carnamah [5: 25-Aug-1933]
Attended the Ball following the Three Springs Show on 21 September 1933 in a dress of white radium lace with satin [5: 29-Sep-1933]
By October 1933 she had shifted back and was again living in Carnamah [5: 27-Oct-1933]
Attended the Three Springs Golf Club's Annual Ball in Three Springs on 12 October 1933 in white silk lace and satin [5: 20-Oct-1933]
Attended the House Party at Tom and Marjorie PARKIN's home in Carnamah on Friday 13 October 1933 [5: 20-Oct-1933]
Ran the Cool Drinks & Ices Stall at the Carnamah Presbyterian Church's Fete & Concert on Thursday 2 November 1933 [5: 10-Nov-1933]
She was among the 150 who attended the Carnamah Tennis Club's Dance at the Carnamah Hall on 9 December 1933 [5: 15-Dec-1933]
Attended the Carnamah Church of England's New Year Ball held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 30 December 1933 [5: 5-Jan-1934]
Attended the Surprise Party tendered to Mrs Eva and Miss Joyce COWDEROY in Carnamah on Friday 5 January 1934 [5: 12-Jan-1934]
Along with her sisters Phyllis, Lesley and Joy spent a holiday in Geraldton in January 1934 [5: 19-Jan-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Tennis Club's Flannel Dance held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 3 February 1934 [5: 9-Feb-1934]
Attended the Dance conducted by the Carnamah Toc H at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 24 February 1934 [5: 2-Mar-1934]
Along with Ina OGG, Jack MURRAY and John PASSMORE travelled to Moora on Thursday 1 March 1934 [5]
The four of them travelled from Carnamah to Moora to attend the Race Club Ball held in Moora that evening [5: 9-Mar-1934]
On the evening of Thursday 15 March 1934 attended the Carnamah Race Club's Annual Dance at the Carnamah Hall [5: 16-Mar-1934]
Attended the Carnamah Golf Club's Opening Season Dance at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 21 April 1934 [5: 27-Apr-1934]
Attended Emily H. TURNER's 21st Birthday at Karragee Farm in Carnamah on Tuesday 8 May 1934 [5: 11-May-1934]
On Saturday 12 May 1934 attended the Carnamah Football Club's Grand Opening Ball at the Carnamah Hall [5: 18-May-1934]
Wore a dress of "blue cerise marocain, with puff sleeves and effectively inverted godets of contrasting material" [5]
Attended the Roman Catholic Church's Ball in Carnamah on Saturday 26 May 1934 in a black satin frock [5: 1-Jun-1934]
Member of the Carnamah Repertory Club in 1934 [4: 7-Jul-1934]
Attended the Dance held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 30 June 1934 to raise funds for Church organ repairs [5: 6-Jul-1934]
Attended the Party held at the home of John and Doris MCLEAN in Carnamah on the night of Monday 9 July 1934 [5: 13-Jul-1934]
Attended the Inering School Dance at the Carnamah Hall on the evening of Saturday 21 July 1934 [5: 27-Jul-1934]
Attended the Repertory Social, of plays, community singing and dancing, held in Carnamah on 15 August 1934 [5: 17-Aug-1934]
Attended the Dance in aid of the Institute for the Blind held at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday evening 18 August 1934 [5: 24-Aug-1934]
Attended the Back to Childhood & Nursery Rhyme Ball held in Three Springs on 6 November 1934 as a "Tiny Tot" [5: 9-Nov-1934]
Member of Carnamah's Parkinson Tennis Club in 1934-35, and a Social Committee Member in 1935-36 [5: 23-Aug-1935] [56]
Travelled from Carnamah to Perth by train on Monday 25 February 1935 [5: 1-Mar-1935]
Left Carnamah on Friday 29 March 1935 and shifted to Albany where she worked at the Freemason's Hotel [5: 5-Apr-1935]
Reception Clerk at the Freemason's Hotel in Albany from April 1935 to July 1935 [5: 5-Apr-1935, 19-Jul-1935]
Left Albany and shifted back to Carnamah in July 1935 [5: 19-Jul-1935]
Attended the Ball after the Carnamah Agricultural Show in 1935 in a gown of English shot taffeta with hold trimming [5: 20-Sep-1935]
Member of the Carnamah Lodge of the Manchester Unity Oddfellows Friendly Society in 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the funeral of Miss "May" Mary L. LANG of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 26 November 1935 [5: 29-Nov-1935]
After spending a few days holiday in Perth returned to Carnamah on Friday 6 December 1935 [5: 13-Dec-1935]
Best Dressed Lady at the Masquerade Ball at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 7 December 1935 as a "Harem Lady" [5: 13-Dec-1935]
Described as being the most attractive girl in Carnamah and that she was "in a class of her own" and "very bright" [P324]
Competed in the Parkinson Tennis Club's New Year Tennis Tournament in Carnamah on Wednesday 1 January 1936 [5: 3-Jan-1936]
Attended the Wedding Social & Dance for Stuart and May FORD at Koolabba Farm in Carnamah on 25 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
Attended the Leap Year Ball in Carnamah on 29 February 1936 wearing blue shot marocain with silver velvet trimmings [5: 6-Mar-1936]
During March 1936 she spent a holiday in Perth and the South-West of Western Australia [5: 27-Mar-1936]
Played for the combined Carnamah-Parkinson tennis team against Winchester-Waddy-Coorow on Sunday 5 April 1936 [5: 3-Apr-1936]
Competed in the North Midlands Easter Tennis Tournament in Mingenew on 11th, 12th and 13th of April 1936 [5: 17-Apr-1936]
Herself and Eileen R. PERRY of Carnamah were runners-up in the Ladies Doubles Championship of the tournament [5]
Along with her mother and sisters received a Public Farewell at the Carnamah Hall on Friday night 5 June 1936 [5: 5 & 12-Jun-1936]
As a token of esteem she received presentations from Carnamah's Parkinson Tennis Club and the Carnamah Repertory Club [5]
At the end of the evening the gathering accompanied them to the Carnamah railway station for a "rousing departure" by train [5]
Travelled from Perth to Carnamah by car as a passenger with James K. FORRESTER on Monday 7 September 1936 [5: 11-Sep-1936]
Attended the Show Ball after the Carnamah Agricultural Show on 10 September 1936 dressed in scarlet ring velvet [5: 18-Sep-1936]
Managed the Mullewa Hotel in Mullewa for three months while the GODSON family were on holidays [43]
Worked at the Victoria Hotel in Geraldton - initially in the bar and later in charge of housekeeping [43]
Married "Len" Leonard Wisely SHEPHEARD in Geraldton in 1945 [43]
Herself and her husband renovated a hotel in Geraldton and called it "Shepheards" [43]
Her husband was very interested in horse racing and a horse of his won the Perth Cup in 1949 [43]
Leonard passed away at the age of 81 years on 2 May 1981 and was buried at the Utakarra Cemetery, Geraldton [26]
From The Geraldton Guardian newspaper, Friday 26 January 1990:
Mrs Billie Shepheard - 1990 Geraldton-Greenough Citizen of the Year
"In 1946 Mrs Shepheard arrived in Geraldton where she married her husband Len. For 35 years she was an outstanding hostess of Shepheards Hotel which many people recall. During this time, Mrs Shepheard won an Australia-wide menu competition and holds a courtesy document from the late Prime Minister Robert Menzies who was a guest at Shepheards Hotel. This experience had proved valuable as catering organiser for the Geraldton Bowling Club. She is also an active club member having played country week bowls for the past four years. Mrs Shepheard gives her time every month for the hospital auxiliary trolley and shop duty. She is also a volunteer driver with Meals on Wheels. Other organisations which benefit from Mrs Shepheard's efforts include the Red Cross, Caring hands, Telecross, Geraldton Inner Wheel and the Geraldton Regional Hospital Women's Auxiliary."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Adeline Martha Brewer / Shepheard' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/adeline-martha-brewer [reference list] |
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