Dorothy Young (Brimblecombe) celebrates her 100th birthday
Dorothy Young (Brimblecombe) celebrated her 100th Birthday on the 17 December 2023 at Hervey Bay.
Dorothy's brother, Alan from Laidley was able to be present and officiate over the birthday celebration. Family and friends enjoyed a lovely morning together, with one granddaughter coming from America for the event. Dorothy interacted with everyone, especially with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. This was a delight to witness. We are in awe of Dorothy’s abilities to this date and admire her for her strength and determination each day.
Dorothy's daughter, Judi Toon has sent us the poem below, along with an article and photographs in honour of her mother.
Dorothy
Our Mother could write a whole book about her years growing up & we would want to read it from cover to cover,
But instead today I have written an interesting poem about our loving wonderful Mother
Born on the 17th December 1923 in Laidley to George & May,
The birth of this precious little girl made this loving couple's day.
An early Christmas gift, wrapped lightly and wearing cotton clothes,
As December in the Locker Valley the weather was very hot after the sun rose,
Dorothy was brought home from hospital in a horse drawn sulky a week after she was born.
She settled in quickly which was a blessing, as work on the farm always started around dawn.
For the first two years of her life, home was on a farm on Sandy Creek, Forest Hill, opposite her Dad's parents’ home
In those years there weren’t any phones so being so close to her grandparents was great as no one was ever alone.
In 1928 Dorothy’s little sister Enid was born, and in 1933 a brother called Alan joined the family tree.
It was a while before she could run and play with her sister and brother and be a close knit family of three.
A loaf of bread in those days just was just thruppenny and milk came straight from the cow.
I am sure children having breakfast today would not comprehend that now.
There was not doubt that Dorothy would become a great cook.
Because her mother taught her and now some of her recipes, we also have written up in our recipe book.
The Pineapple Turnover is one recipe I remember and it is the best,
I know because I have made it and have put it to the taste test.
The three children would play out side when chores weren’t being done and Dorothy says they always had a lot of fun,
Until her Mum called them for a meal when they would call back “Coming Mum” and came quickly and be on the run.
Gathering around the kitchen table with the wood stove burning
Homework was done and as Dorothy’s Mother, who had been a teacher herself, helped the children with extra learning.
Refrigeration for us is a must in our lives today,
Back when Dorothy was young making jelly in the winter months was the only way.
Dorothy’s father was looking for a place that he could call is own
So he chose an 80 acre farm on the Blenhelm Road near Forest Hill where also stood a sturdy home.
The Farm was named “Moira Farm” after the name of a railway siding he saw in Devon when visiting a cousin in the UK.
Not needing to remember the time he spent at war, this was a pleasant memory of being away.
The veranda was a wonderful playground out of the sun at Moira Farm,
Only that one day when Dorothy was riding her hobby horse fell on her arm.
Off to Laidley Hospital to be treated for a broken collar bone
She was treated gently, had her arm put in a sling and was sent back to her home.
Jobs to be done were milking, ploughing, planting picking onions, corn and mowing & raking hay.
Then as the sun went down & all the jobs had been done Dorothy’s Dad would call it a day.
A hot tub bath and a home cooked meal cooked on a wood stove the family would be served vegetables, gravy and meat
Then for dessert a wonderful rice custard or some home grown fruit would be a treat.
Big changes took place when Dorothy’s Dad parked the sulky up, under cover.
As a Pontiac car took its place for transporting the family to town and church, and also to visit her Dad's Father & Mother.
Christmas was a rewarding time for the whole family, for a long hard working year was done,
Off to Burleigh Heads for a fortnight holiday & even Dorothy’s Grandparents Brimblecombe would come.
Four adults and three children with luggage for all was packed into the Pontiac at long last,
Dorothy’s Dad drove carefully as there was no bitumen like today so it was out of the question to drive fast.
Dorothy’s Dad worked the farm while her Mother did the household chores, and together this made Moira Farm a success.
Milking the house cow and attending the local Methodist Church, and then the remainder of Sunday was a day of rest.
Each Sunday the whole family gathered at Grandparents Brimblecombe where dinner was served sometimes hot sometime cold.
Everyone bowed their heads, Granddad Brimblecombe said a thankful grace and the children would begin to eat when they were told.
Free range eggs, milk, meat and vegetables straight from the farm were used in meals every day.
This was a great start in life for children who soon would run and play and sometimes climb on the bales of hay.
Useful pet were a must on the farm to be let roam in the hay shed to catch mice and rats
So Dorothy remember the love she shared with a few tabby cats.
It wasn’t long before Dorothy went with her Dad to give a helping hand,
This is what happened when children lived in the county and on the land.
By the time Dorothy was 12 she would sit on the mechanical mower drawn by two horses
Her Dad was so proud when she learn so quickly and drove with precision, not like today didn’t have to
go to any courses.
Black Boy was Dorothy’s favourite of the Clydesdale Team which pulled the farm equipment including a dray.
Her Dad would couple up each horse to a farm implement so as to work around the farm each day.
Raking the hay was another task on the farm that Dorothy did to help her Dad out,
Sitting on a 15 hands high horse pulling the rake this young girl knows what she was about.
When she wanted the horse to more up, she gently pressed his sides with her knees,
And spoke to this horse to let him know who was boss and they would move forward with ease.
After planting corn, a good crop was determined by a good fall of rain,
Where as today, help of irrigation is used to water these alluvial plains.
There was no electricity at Moira Farm in these very early days.
But gas light in the home fuelled by carbide gave good lighting which shone good bright rays.
We have all seen the beautiful shells that Dorothy has collected over the years in her show case.
This hobby started as a little girl when collecting shells on the Burleigh Beach in a very special place.
Dorothy proved to be a scholar in her primary years being educated at Glen Cairns and Forest Hill State Schools
She was a very keen student, learning the three R’s and following all the school rules.
Dorothy mastered the art of playing the piano as an extra subject, commencing Practical and Theory at a very early age
Over the years she played at church and school to audiences, and accompanied singers and played the piano and organ on many a stage.
Practical and Theory, and archived her letters at an early age.
After Intermediate and the first years of high school in Gatton, Dorothy went away to Somerville House to complete her senior year where she worked so very hard and got her studies done.
Dorothy was quite clever as she received a scholarship to Brisbane Teachers College where she trained in 1941
Dorothy stayed with her Grandparents Reid at Hendra when she trained at Teacher's College.
Her Grandpa Reid was also a teacher so he was able to pass on to Dorothy his teaching knowledge.
On completion of this training, she was posted to Laidley Central State School where she taught for a year.
Being posted so near to her parents was wonderful for Dorothy as she started her teaching career.
Burncluith State School near Chinchilla was her next transfer as Principal where she taught for a few years.
It is said that Dorothy was so popular that when she had to move on, they all shed a few tears.
Teaching the children reading, writing and arithmetic Miss Brimblecombe did extremely well.
When the children took their report cards home it was easy to tell.
Not only did Miss Brimblecombe have to prepare lesson for music, sewing, cooking, art and sport.
Seeing that Miss Brimblecombe was a good living person, parents also asked for Scripture Lesson to be taught.
This happened on Wednesday afternoon after school at the end of the teaching day,
A scripture story with a message to learn and at the end they would join in and pray.
Somewhere in amongst this wonderful journey of growing up Dorothy met the man of her dreams.
From what I have been told she was about fourteen when they first met it seems,
Working at the YMCA Cafeteria is where Alex and Dorothy meet at the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds
But it wasn’t until the year of 1946 what she began looking at wedding gowns.
Dorothy speaks fondly of her memories of her life at “ Moira “ with her loving parents, sister and brother.
I am very sure that we five children realize that we have been blessed to have such a wonderful loving and talented mother.
By Judith Elizabeth Toon
On 14 August 1946 Dorothy married Alex Young in the Albert Street Methodist Church (now Uniting Church) . Alex was also a school teacher, who during World War II enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940, became a Catalina Navigator with the Royal Air Force Coastal Command, seeing service in Great Britain and India, finally with the rank of Flying Officer. On return from war service, Alex taught at Rainworth State School in Brisbane.
In 1950 Dorothy and Alex moved to Hodgson State school, in a cattle, sheep and wheat producing district west of Roma. In 1955 they transferred to Plainby, near Crows Nest north of Toowoomba. Three years later there was a transfer to Moonford, near Monto, a dairying district changing to beef cattle. While at Moonford, the Education Department requested Dorothy to return t teaching and fill the position of Assistant to her husband. This she accepted and after a while she transferred to the larger school at Monto. At each of the schools where Alex had so far been placed he was the Head Teacher, but as he had by now, by external studies, obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, his next move in 1970 was a Principal of Biggenden School, which included both the primary and secondary departments.
Involvement in community affairs was greater now that Dorothy and Alex lived in a town, and after a year, when Dorothy was Kindergarten Director, she was again appointed o the teaching staff of the School. In 1975 Alex was transferred to the Mossman State School in North Queensland, and in 1979 to Bribie Island State School. Each move gave them opportunities to increase their participation in church and community affairs, and in the church they held most positions of office. Other involvement over the years included office in Apex Clubs, swimming clubs, choral groups, Scouts, Brownies, Kindergarten and Rotary.
Dorothy and Alex retired to their private home at Jamboree Height, Brisbane after three years at Bribie Island. Retiring didn’t slow their days down as Church activities and joining the Horticulture Association certainly filled in hours when they were not working in their garden. Alex also had a hobby, designing train tracks for his 000 series train locomotives and tiny little villages.
Dorothy and Alex's five children were now living from Mossman to Brisbane, and as the years went by lovely grandchildren arrived so Alex and Dorothy had the great pleasure of looking after children in the Brisbane area and played school with some of them. Viewing sporting events and going to concerts was a real thrill. When visiting Townsville and Mossman, picnics and going fishing were enjoyed.
Dorothy and Alex went on two adventure to the UK and Europe on retirement. A visit to Tasmania was also taken to see their youngest daughter, who was working at Launceston and who was able to take them on scenic tours. Dorothy has a wonderful photo on her bedroom wall as a reminder of another trip. The photo shows Dorothy and her daughters when they went to Cambodia and Ankor Wat.
Alex had always been interested in the history of the Bible so made the decision to take himself to Auchenflower, to the Seminary so as to study for his Bachelor of Theology. This he achieved at the age of 76.
All of a sudden Alex and Dorothy decided to make inquiries about living in a Retirement Village and they chose AVEO at Durack. This village was very active and friendly so Alex and Dorothy were busy again with Church, Alex join bowls and Dorothy joined China Painting, Love Wraps and Garden Club. The garden area around their new home was initially not attractive, but within a few months it was something to be proud off. There were so many species of plants and Dorothy could name them immediately. The most cherished plants were from Far North Queensland. A vegetable garden also producing many kinds of vegetables for the table.
Sadness came to our family when Alex’s health deteriorated, and in 2003 he went to his Maker. Dorothy stayed for a few years at their unit, but then moved to a self-contained unit in AVEO until she turned 93. After much discussion it was then decided that Dorothy should move to Bolton Clarke at Hervey Bay, where her youngest daughter was practicing medicine.
Over the years Dorothy has had two knees and two hips replaced, but that hasn’t stopped her from being mobile, using a walker each day to get her from the Dining Room and to activities at the village. She only stopped driving at 90! Dorothy continues play the organ and piano, and go to activities. She loves going for a ride in a Maxi taxi to Bunnings to choose another orchid and have an ice-cream in a cone on the way back to the village.
To date, Dorothy has five children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.