Objects of Substance - A modest abode for an illustrious alu

Mooroolbark in 2023

https://www.realestate.com.au/property/36-pine-rd-mooroolbark-vic-3138

While the origins of our photograph remain a mystery and Grace might be almost forgotten by the rest of Queensland, this once-overlooked item in the Grammar Archive is a rare treasure. How did we acquire it? Was it through her relatives or family friend such as Kaye Vidgeon? Sadly, to date all investigative avenues have been exhausted. We may never know. However, it is a timely reminder that even the most unassuming objects can represent a profound and significant history. The photograph is a treasured memento of a Grammar girl who, at a time when women were grossly underestimated, made a difference. That image of the woman standing in front of a modest but much-loved home and garden reveals but a glimpse of her caring nature and belies the assured and dynamic nurse who faced and overcame the most parlous of circumstances for the benefit of others. What an inspiration she set for generations to come.

Jenny Davis

Sesquicentenary Research Officer