Gloria Gavenor

My Mother, Margret Hills nee Jingles, came with her brothers Prince Escott, Mark Jingles, Stanley Chong, David Brookdale and sisters Margret and Phyllis from Burketown, her parents wanted her to bring them because she was the eldest so they could have an education.They went straight into dormitory until they were old enough to work. Once my Mum turned 18 my Mother went to work as a maid for Dr Harvey Sutton who worked for the Flying Doctors in Cloncurry and that’s where she met my Dad Albert Stewart who was working as a Black Tracker at the time who was from Normanton. My Dad died from appendix outside of Cloncurry during 1948 that the year when I was born. I was named Gloria and my second name was from my Aunt Freda After my Dad died we were left alone with Mum and so she decided to return to Mornington Island, as she knew she’d receive support from her family. My Sister Edna was 6 years old and I was a baby still in my Mother’s arms at the time. We went into the dormitory whilst Mum lived in the settlement and her Father, King Jimmy, arranged marriage through Paddy Marmie to find a suitable husband for she continued working as a cook for the missionary. She married Alec Hills and became Margret Hills. I stayed in the dormitory until I was sent to work at 16 on a Station called Blackmoor outside of Cloncurry. The dormitory system was shut down 1954 and children returned to parents – I returned home at the age of 20. The Rev Belcher and my uncles and aunties at the time tried to organise an arranged marriage with an older man. I refused and went back to the mainland to work at Richmond Downs Station outside of Richmond and so did my Sister who went to Karumba. I left Richmond with my son Ricky, who was a baby, to live on Mornington Island with my Mum and Dad and they helped me raise him. I met my husband, Eric Gavenor, who was a Lardil man from Elisabeth River, we got married at the old church – I went against my parents wishes. We had two sons Alvin and Ashley and later on Zac who was my youngest. I was a stay at home mum and raised my children. It was during this time I became involved with art center through my Mum who was making hats to sell and for dancers. She was my and my children’s example to follow in Dance Hat making and in painting. We continue to practice dance hat making.