Mary Priddle

  General Notes:

The Kyogle Examiner 1956.
Pioneer Woman Had Full Life: A nonogenarian who lived during the reign
of six British monarchs and was the last surviving member of her own
family died recently at the home of her daughter, Mrs. M. Powell, of
Geneva. As a girl she bought butter for 4d a pound (choicest) and for
3d a pound (second class). She was Mrs. Mary Auliff, who was born at
Broughton Vale, near Berry, on the south coast of N.S.W. on August 26,
1862, and died on July 26, aged 94. Mrs Auliff lived at South Kyogle
with her late husband for 11 years until 1926. Daughter of the late
Mr. and Mrs. George Priddle, Mrs Auliff married when she was 17 the
late Thomas Auliff at Wattamolla, where her parents then lived. As a
girl of 12, Mrs. Auliff made the family bread and churned the butter.
The milk was set in shallow tin dishes 3ft in diameter, and the cream
was later skimmed. Her Father was a Waggonette, and the homestead was
the meeting place for the settlement. All would move off in a party
with the butter on pack horses, carts or waggonette. Provisions for
the week would be bought home on the return journey. Fourpence per
pound was paid for the choicest butter, and threepence for second
class. Until the family moved to Beaumont, Mrs Auliff rode home each
week to help her Mother. She was a good horse woman and being always
ready to help, she often nursed sick neighbours. At Beaumont where
they worked her Father's section, they purchased one of the firdt
separators. it was horse operated. As well as clearing the land, her
husband also helped to build the road over the Camberwarra Mountains.
This is now a well known highway. In 1897, the family moved to the
other side of the mountain and there they had a small dairy farm which
the women worked while the men cleared the land. In 1907, Mrs.
Auliff's husband purchased cattle and bought them by boat to Ballina.
Because of the frequency of droughts on the south coast, the family
had decided to move to the north coast, where they rented a property
owned by her brother, Mr. George Priddle, Tintenbar. In 1915 they
purchased a property at South Kyogle and remained there until the
death of Mrs. Auliff's husband in 1926. Mrs. Auliff later built a
cottage at Evans Head and resided there almost until the time of her
death. In later years she spent some time with her daughters, Mrs. I.
Parrish, of Avondale Ave, Lismore, and Mrs. M. Powell, of Geneva. Her
eldest daughter, Elizabeth, died when she was 19. Her eldest son,
Herbert, was killed in action in the first world war. Her other
surviving children are Thomas, of Coffs Harbour, Margaret (Mrs. F
Carey) of Melbourne, and Marjory (Mrs. M Powell) of Kyogle. Mrs.
Auliff is also survived by 18 Grandchildren, and one great-great
grandchild. The Rector of Kyogle, the Rev. H.W. Carr, conducted the
funeral service in St. James Church of England. Mrs. Auliff was buried
in the Anglican portion of Kyogle Cemetry. Pall-bearers at the church
were a Son Thomas, a son-in-law, Mr. I. Parrish, and Messrs. G Sladen,
A Parrish, T. Harris and M. Powell (grandsons). (See original
clippings from the Kyogle Examiner in files also Northern star).

  Noted events in her life were:

• connection.

• connection.

Mary married Thomas Auliff, son of Thomas Auliff Snr and Jane Johnson, on 6 Feb 1879 in Shoalhaven, NSW Australia. (Thomas Auliff was born in 1843 in Sligo, Sligo County, Ireland UK, died on 19 Apr 1926 in Casino Rd, Kyogle, NSW Australia and was buried on 21 Apr 1926 in Church of England Cemetery Kyogle, NSW Australia.)