Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls:1922-2023

 

Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls was born on 2 November 1922 in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England to Ernest Reynolds Gimson and Gladys Hilda Wakefield. She was the fourth child of five children born in this family. At the age of 3 she and her family sailed on the "SS Berrima" from England to Western Australia where she settled and grew up for the next seventeen years. Ernie, Muriel, Phyllis, Eva and her parents.

They lived in Guilford, Konnongorring, and Bindi Bindi before settling in Babakin in 1931 where her father bought a store called The Trading and Agency Co., which he renamed to E. R. Gimson, Babakin Trading and Agency Co., General Merchants store. 

Here she grew up and did her part to support her family and attend school. They lived in walking distance from the school and learned multiple things and how to grow fruits and vegetable as well as helping in the store. Her older and only living brother Ernie, joined the RAF and before he finished his training WWII broke out. Unfortunately he did not return from an air raid flight in 1941. In 1944 she moved with her family to New South Wales where she remained the rest of her life.

She went on to become a registered nurse and married in 1949 to John Benjamin Nicholls and lived in Blacktown, N.S.W. Together they raised a son, Colin John Nicholls, who unexpectedly passed away in 1974. 

John liked to play lawn balls and Phyllis enjoyed painting ceramics. She was an excellent painter of many designs on plates, cups and sauces, she even had a kiln in her home. She would share her work with stores in the area for sale but would also give some away to members of her family. 

Phyllis and John, her husband, along with Eva, her sister and James, Eva's husband moved into the Mayflower Villas, Westmead, N.S.W. Here she stayed through the loss of James in 1998 and John in 2000. Her and Eva would do shopping together and attend family gatherings along with church together. They were always together until April, 2015 when Eva passed away. 

While she could still get around and was somewhat healthy, she resettled into the Melrose Village, Pendle Hill, N.S.W., where she could be comfortable and should she need assistance of any kind, they would provide it. It was here that she would turn 100 years old on 2 November 2022, and have quite the celebration. 

Before turning 100, she fell a couple of times and became very frail. On 27 June, 2023, she passed away and has been laid to rest with her husband and son at Pinegrove Memorial Gardens in Minchinbury, N.S.W., Australia. She will be dearly missed by many who knew her over the years.

Phyllis Barbara Gimson Nicholls:  2 Nov 1922-27 June 2023

Gladys Hilda Wakefield: 1893-1983

 

Gladys Hilda Wakefield was born 10 July 1893, in Sawston, Cambridgeshire, England, the first of six children born to William Wakefield and Eliza Stubbings Chapman. At 17 she is listed in the 1911 England census as a domestic in London, England. 

Gladys married Ernest Reynolds Gimson on 30 September 1915 in Sawston, and settled in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England. An opportunity for a land grant brought Gladys, Ernest and their five children to settle in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1927, on the ship "Berrima". They carved a life for themselves, and built a general store. 

After their son, Ernest William Gimson, was reported Missing in Action off Malta in 1941, they eventually sold the store in 1944 and moved to Pendle Hills, New South Wales (NSW) where they shared poultry farming with Robert Gimson, his brother until 1958 when they purchased their own home in Guildford, NSW. Her husband passed away on 2 August 1961. She moved to the Mayflower Village in Westmead in 1980, and lived there till her passing on 3 December 1983 at the age of 90. 

She celebrated her 90th birthday, 10 July 1983, at this authors' home, in Tregear, NSW and blew out all 90 candles! She shared her contentment with her life. While there were some deep sorrows over the loss of two children, resettling in Western Australia and then in NSW, she stated she had a wonderful husband and a great family. We all miss her charm, wit, experience, and her love for the little ones as they were born. As of 2020, she has many direct descendants living in Australia and the U.S., an amazing legacy. This author married her first grandson. Her remains are located in Rookwood Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Rookwood, NSW. 

Gladys Hilda [Wakefield] Gimson: 10 July 1893-3 December 1983

Claire (*)

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Eva Irene Gimson: 1925-2015

When Eva Irene was born on 16 October 1925 in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England, the country was in recovery mode from World War 1, she was the last of five children in her family. Her father, Ernest Reynolds Gimson, was quite the entrepreneur and he tackled everything in life with a 'can do' philosophy which he passed onto all of his children. Her mother, Gladys Hilda Wakefield was also an amazing woman as she strived to create a loving home for her growing family.

When Eva was about 16 months old, her whole family sailed on the S.S. Berrima to Fremantle, Western Australia where they settled in Babakin. She went to school and helped her father out in the General Store. The shell of this building still stands today.

When World War II broke out, her oldest brother Ernie joined the Royal Air Force; unfortunately, he was reported "Missing in Action" shortly before the war ended. The strain of this loss in her family caused her father to leave Western Australia and join his brother, Robert who had a farm in Pendle Hill, NSW. They travelled by train as it was on the other side of Australia. 

It is in NSW where Eva met James Watt Robertson Banks and married on 4 June 1949 in a double wedding ceremony with her sister. Eventually, Eva and Jim had three children and lived in Guildford, NSW.

Once the children were married, they moved to a small community called Mayflower Villas, which later became known as Mayflower Village, where she spent the rest of her life. It was small but ample room for them and visiting family members. Her sister and her husband lived there too, and after the passing of both husbands they were a great support for one another.

I married one of her sons and found her to be the best possible mother-in-law, although she always considered me to be another daughter. Mum was supportive of all we did as a family and loved all the grandchildren and great grandchildren that came along. Mum was delighted in hearing about their lives and cherished the many pictures, phone calls and visits over the years and was so excited that a great great grandchild was due early in August, 2015.

Towards the end of last year, 2014, Eva became ill and slipped away on 13 April 2015, had she made it to today she would have been 90.

Mum is dearly missed by her family and descendants and left an amazing legacy of her love for the Lord, service to and always thinking of others, we look forward to the day when we will be reunited in eternity.

Eva Irene (Gimson) Banks: 16 October 1925-13 April 2015

Claire (*)

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