This is my story about Auntie Peg Kinlough and myself by Fay Scutter (nee Kinlough) My Auntie Peg met with Uncle Joe (Paddy) as she always referred to him during World War II. They married in 1946 and following their discharge moved to Adelaide. This is all very sketchy as I would have been around 10 years old. I remember this new wife of Uncle Joe’s meeting and joining the Kinlough family. How very daunting and brave. Uncle Joe had 2 sisters and 6 living brothers. All the Kinlough’s were married and welcomed Auntie Peg with open arms. My mother Win and father Jim, a younger brother of Joe seemed very close to the newly married couple. We also lived reasonably close to where Auntie Peg and Uncle Joe had purchased a lovely little maisonette in Croydon, Adelaide alongside the railway line and we would ride our bikes of an evening to visit. Another significant memory is when I was in Grade 6 and 7, my 2 friends, Maureen, Barbara and myself always called into Auntie Peg’s after we had been to cooking classes at the High School in Croydon. This was some distance from our Primary School, but something every Thursday we looked forward to. As well as sharing whatever we had baked, we became besotted with Auntie Peg’s famous rock buns. They were remarkable. I’ve never tasted any others like them. It was of great disappointment to her when she moved to Beulah Road here in Maitland and purchased a new fan forced oven. She couldn’t, she said, ever have the same success she had with her old oven. This, mind you, was probably after about 40 or more years of never had, what she called, a failure. During World War II while my father was serving in the A.I.F. my mother was continually unwell. Auntie Peg and Uncle Joe were instrumental in making arrangements to find out what was wrong when they came to Adelaide. Regrettably it was terminal. Auntie Peg, from then on, became a tower of strength for myself and my father. She was also given a lot of help from Auntie Jessie, the youngest Kinlough girl. By then it was late 1940’s, I recall Auntie Peg and Uncle Joe bought into the fruit and veg shop on Anzac Highway at Glenelg. Uncle Joe also became Coach of the West Torrens Football Club and as a family we were all involved. They were good and bad years for Dad and I. My mother passed away when I was 15 in 1951. Following that, Auntie Peg played an important role in my teenage years for which I commend her, as I was very determined and headstrong. Fortunately, we never had a cross word. Not long after Mums passing, Auntie Peg and Uncle Joe planned my “Coming Out Debut” at the R.S.L. in Angas Street, Adelaide and I was presented to the Governor and his wife at the Palais Royal. They were very proud on that night. I think it was probably 3 years before I married Bob, they took over the Pt Neil Hotel, a long distance in those days. Auntie made sure though she was at our Wedding in 1959. We then went on to have our family and Dad would visit Pt Neil and bring back updates. It was nicer when they moved to the Maitland Hotel, distance was a bit easier. When they retired they had time to pursue the things they loved most, holidays to see family in NSW, and other holiday destinations, bowls, R.S.L. and Auntie Peg’s love of bridge. When Uncle Joe passed away we became closer again. Communication over the phone and coming over to take her out to lunch became something very special. Mind you, those days had to revolve around her bridge days. She also did lovely things with all her friends here in Maitland. Anzac Day and Remembrance Day were 2 most important days in her year. We know she worked tirelessly for Red Cross and the Children’s Hospital Auxiliary and volunteered for as many years as was able, to do the meals put on by the bowls ladies. The independence and determination shown at all times by Auntie Peg always left Bob and I in awe of her. I remember very much into her latter years, around 90, when she rang Bob and said she would consider relinquishing her drivers license. I thought, I hope we can both be as sensible as she was and know when the time was right. I had always felt a need to be able to show my gratitude and love for what she had done for me all those years ago. The last 12 months gave Bob and myself that opportunity. We would have a laugh and say, well isn’t this a turnaround and reminisce about the years gone by. Bob and I loved here dearly. Bob has been our champion in the latter months. Auntie Peg’s War History is wonderful. Her Great Niece, Susan Campbell-Wright, is here today from Victoria with family and has generously spent many hours collating information from letters of talks that Auntie Peg gave after the War. As Susan said, Auntie Peg left out a lot more than she wrote but she didn’t ever talk about the terrible side of this time. Our daughter Mandy also managed to procure information and photos on the 25th Australian General Hospital Association. To them both “thankyou for your help”. The information will be for guests to have a browse in the church hall where afternoon tea will be served. We wish to thank all who have shared their lives with her. All her family in NSW &.Victoria, to her helpers and her carers over the years. There were many more. You know who you are and we are most grateful. To Chappel Wing staff and everybody connected to the Maitland Hospital. Auntie Peg and Uncle Joe decided to retire in Maitland because of all of you special people who became part of their lives. I pray the next chapter in her life will be an amazing journey reuniting her with her beloved “Paddy”. Sweet memories and love to Auntie Peg from all of us.

Aunty Peg was my father’s youngest sister. Dad always talked very fondly of Peg and said she was good fun. My memory of Aunty Peg when I was young is of a smiling friendly Aunt who visited my family infrequently due to her busy life in South Australia with her husband, our Uncle Paddy. As I grew up and had family of my own I soon found Aunty Peg was a wonderfully positive, practical and helpful person. Comes to mind when I had 2 small children Aunty Peg and Uncle Paddy visited my home. She found a basket of ironing that wasn’t done, I couldn’t have hidden it very well, so out rolled the ironing board and iron and it was done in no time. Aunty Peg and I have kept in touch more regularly since Uncle Paddy passed away and my visits to Maitland to stay have provided me with lovely memories. Aunty Peg up until very recent times would always have home baked cakes and biscuits, stewed apricots, plums etc. picked from her trees and good food stocked up in the refrigerator and pantry when I arrived. The car would have been serviced and spotlessly clean ready for our regular outings which we both enjoyed. Aunty Peg loved cooking and sharing the enjoyment of food. Being with Aunty Peg was a constant reminder of her mother, my grandma. That’s how it was with her too. Aunty Peg also loved her garden and besides the practical fruit and veges there were always flowers in bloom. When I look at Pansies I think of her. When I look at roses I think of her. When I look at Gladioli I think of her. When I see Silver Beet I think of her. When I see Rock Cakes I think of her. When I hang the washing on the line I think of her. Now, this is getting silly, but it’s true, she has had a good and positive influence on my life and her memory will live on as long as I am alive. Tuesday 11th May 2010 Cecily Foster