Person:Mary Bentley (49)

Mary Ruby Bentley who was known as Ruby, was born on 14th August 1892 at 164 Underwood St, Paddington, NSW, Australia to William Henry Bentley and Ellen Winifred (Nellie) Malone. Ruby was the eldest child, with six younger siblings, a step sister and five younger half siblings. Two weeks after her 12th birthday in 1904, Ruby’s mother died. After the death of his wife Ruby’s father met Mabel Celeste Harivel and they married in 1909 when Ruby was 17 years old. Ruby died a few days short of her 78th birthday on the 3rd August 1970.

Ruby got on the job training and worked as a cook in hotels for years and she wore blue hair nets a lot of the time when cooking. Some of her kitchenware is currently located at Myola and her food preserving boiler is still being used today.

In 1919 Ruby’s brother, William died of pneumonic influenza as an epidemic hit Sydney, hospitalising over 1,000 people. Letters from both Ruby’s father and Mick’s mother at the time reveal that Mick and Ruby were located in Temora, NSW where Mick was working with the railways and due to the distance and work constraints they could not get to the funeral.

1. ↑ Birth of Mary Ruby Bentley, in New South Wales, Australia. Registry of births, deaths & marriages. (Department of Justice, New South Wales Government)
   1892/028204, 14 Aug 1892.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Personal Recollections.