BY JEM ANSHAW
This weekend is a very special one for the Andrews family from the Upper Hunter, as they celebrate 100 years of their beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother Aylsa.
Aylsa Andrews (nee Kelehear) was born on April 18, 1926, and is the eldest of four siblings beginning life at Carrabolla, at the top of the Patterson River.
Due to her mother having a difficult pregnancy with Aylsa’s brother, and there being no school close to home when she was young, as an infant she lived between her family home and being with her grandmother and aunty near Gresford.
When she was 13, Aylsa attended boarding school in Maitland where she has fond memories of her time there with 17 other girls.
“I took languages, but I wasn’t any good at that and I started piano lessons, but I wasn’t really interested in them, I loved music, I loved dancing though,” she recalled.
Aylsa’s mother was a great pianist, and her father played the accordion, which filled their house with music, precious memories that are cherished still.
As she grew up her time was spent between helping her mother with her two younger siblings and around the house, as well as helping her father with stock and other jobs on the property.
Along with her brother and a man who worked on the station her father managed, Aylsa attended many dances around the region, riding her horse to them as there was not car access over creeks near the home so they didn’t have a car.
“It was at one of those Boxing Night Balls that I rode over towards Singleton and that’s where I met my husband,” Aylsa shared with a smile.
There was a small amount of scandal to start their relationship, as the 19-year-old Aylsa had attended with another young man, so she refused Maurice Andrews’ offer to take her home. She had always been taught that the right thing to do is go home with the person you arrived with.
Maurice managed a property near Singleton, so their relationship grew through letters and horse rides through the countryside.
“We went on a horse ride with a few other people on our first ride over the hill to Eccleston, at the head of the Allyn River and we got lost coming home,” she recalled.
“The rest of them sat under the tree because they were lost, and they’d wait till the next morning, but my husband thought the first time he’d taken me out, he’d better get me home.”
The couple switched horses, and by some turn of fate found a way back to familiar landscapes and she made it home, via a path that after her father tracked it, was rather treacherous.
The couple married on July 12, 1947, at St Mary’s in Maitland, and they moved to St Clair. Maurice managed a property that is now covered by the lake, before they moved to land they brought on Rouchel Road.
In 1957 they welcomed their son Michael, and the family grew to include two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Maurice sadly passed some years ago, and around five years ago Aylsa made the move to Calvery in Muswellbrook where she has been enjoying making new friends and spending time in the garden and joining in with the group outings.
When discussing her upcoming milestone, Aylsa reflected that she would not change anything of her life and has some very simple advice when talking about what is important.
“Try and be happy, and laugh if you can, there’s not enough people who laugh today,” Aylsa shared.
On Saturday Aylsa will be enjoying a lunch out with her family, and then in coming weeks there will be further celebrations with her friends at Calvery to mark the occasion.
A very happy 100th birthday from all of is at The Hunter River Times!
