Maureen Ena Sutherland

  General Notes:

Jason Crosskey is Maureen Sutherland's grandson.

He writes:
Nan (Maureen) often talked about hard times during the depression in Newcastle and the death her father. She was 14 when her father was killed in Newcastle. She also talked about the death being suspicious. She showed me the news paper clipping that showed the then premier Jack Lang was in attendance at her father Joseph's funeral. She lived at Nobby's camp at some stage, probably after the family being evicted from their house. It would have been tough times as there was no social security or compensation. I found online that workers compensation was introduced the year Joseph Sutherland died. Also a 44 hour working week was introduced.
1926
Forty-four Hours Week Act 1926 reduced the standard working week to 44 hours. Workmen's Compensation Act 1926 introduced NSW's first 'modern' compensation scheme for workers injured at work. Rural Workers' Accommodation Act 1926 replaced, modernised and extended the coverage of the Shearers' Accommodation Act 1901.
She also mentioned about an ancestor being the first white person to be born in Parkes who thanks to you I know a little more about it, but I can't work out the relation to my Nan. Was she an Aunty? Nan said Ena's father was an architect who designed government buildings in Parkes. That would explain the connection with sir Henry Parkes, if I'm correct.

  Noted events in her life were:

• connection.

Maureen married Frederick William Abraham in 1940 in Hamilton, Newcastle, NSW Australia. (Frederick William Abraham was born on 22 Feb 1912 in West Maitland, NSW Australia and died on 25 Aug 1995 in Sydney, NSW Australia.)