Spence, Mary Gabrielle (Scarr)

MARY SPENCE © Sharon Poolier 2007 – All Rights Reserved.

Mary Gabrielle SPENCE was born in Longreach in 1919. Her father, William James Spence and Mary Agnes Elisabeth FAHEY had been married the previous year. Mary was the eldest of five children; Thomas, William, Peter (dec.’72) and Arthur.

William Spence owned “Culloden” and “Nargon” Stations, Muttaburra while Mary Fahey had previously co-owned the Australia Hotel, Muttaburra with her sister Helena (Queenie) Fahey. Mary Fahey was the daughter of Patrick and Beatrice Fahey. Patrick was a mounted policeman who died in the line of duty at an early age. Patrick and Bea are buried in the Muttaburra cemetery.

William Spence was the son of early pioneer graziers Thomas and Mary (nee EGAN) Spence of “Rosedale”, Longreach who had first arrived in the district in 1894.

Thomas Spence had earlier migrated from Ballymena, Co. Antrim, arriving in Fremantle WA on the 12th December 1863 aboard the steamer ‘Tartar’. He was sponsored by his cousin Jas. Bovell, a Bunbury policeman.

Thomas’ first job was working on the farm of, the explorer and later premier of WA, John Forrest’s aunt. He and Forrest were on friendly terms and even enjoyed a few wrestling matches, which apparently Thomas more often won.

Later, Thomas was employed by the WA police as a trooper and on one occasion found himself serving as a guard at the infamous Fremantle Goal, guarding convicts. One night, a wing of the goal caught fire and Thomas raised the alarm, thereby saving it for posterity. This incident has been recorded in the history of the goal, but no name was given of the person who raised the alarm. In retrospect, he was probably sorry he didn’t let it burn to ground, dismayed as he was by the prisoners’ harsh treatment. He soon left the police force and traveled to Victoria, so that his wife, Mary, could be closer to her relatives.

Thomas’ first business was selling much needed water to the gold field miners. Eventually, he took up tank sinking and worked his way to the Longreach district, where, with other family members, he took up residence at ‘Rosedale.’

Mary attended a few boarding schools in Charters Towers, and finished her education at St.Gabrielle’s, which she loved.

Prior to the war, she helped her parents on the property and was a fine horsewoman. She also attended numerous balls in the district with her many cousins and was considered a fine looking woman.

At one time, all was not well, and her life was saved by an emergency operation by the now-famous, Dr. Arratta at the Muttaburra hospital.

During WWII Mary was “lent” the US government as a WNEL (Women’s National Emergency League) staff car driver. She spent the war in Townsville driving, mainly American officers, but also Indonesian and other allied officers. She seems to have recalled driving Lyndon Baynes Johnson who was to become President of the United States.

Her brothers, William (Bill) and Tom also served in WWII, Bill in the Commandos and Tom in the RAAF.

She married a grazier from the Maxwelton districted, Alfred ‘Artie’ Charles SCARR of “Winchester” Downs, in Townsville in the late 1940s. Artie and her brother Tom had been partners in an earth moving business when they met. Their only child, Sharon, was born in Brisbane a few years later. They lived on ‘Denbigh’ Downs, Middleton, until 1955, when they purchased “Scotsburn” Maxwelton.

In 1968, Mary left the west to live in Brisbane. In 1995 she moved to her daughter’s home in Alice Springs because of declining health. She died at Old Timer’s Nursing Home in Alice Springs on 1997. Her ashes are interred in her father’s grave at the Longreach Pioneer cemetery. The grave is overlooked by her Spence grandparent’s monuments and other relatives.

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