Carnie Lillias 'Lila' Williams
Image: Margaret Pell
FatherRichard Cornelius Williams b. 29 Apr 1871, d. 30 Mar 1932
MotherAnna Caroline Larsen b. 4 Nov 1871, d. 28 Sep 1954
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Carnie Lillias Williams was born in 1901 in Tallygaroopna, Victoria.1 
She married William Howard Hehir in 1925 in Tallygaroopna, Victoria.2,3 
She died on 28 December 1986 in Shepparton, Victoria.3 

Family

William Howard Hehir b. 1901, d. 1973
Children
ChartsLarsen, Laust, descendant chart
Williams, John, descendant chart

Story

Carnie Lillias Williams was born in Tallygaroopna where she grew up in a house built by her father on her grandparents' property.

Known as Lila, at age 13 she moved with the family to a property in Marionvale.1,4
 
Freda, Lila, Thelma & May Williams, c. 1906
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips, Sue-Ellen Mountney
Williams Family: Back: May, Freda, Richard, Anna, Roy, Thelma, Lila; Front: Rita & Frank, probably Marionvale, c. 1916
Image: Sue Mountney
Marionvale State School
Most of the Williams children went to Marionvale state school at some stage. Only eldest Roy might have left school before the family moved to Marionvale.5
Marionvale State school no. 2515 was a weatherboard one room school situated on Jubilee Road, Parish of Congupna; it opened Jun 1882
Image: Katandra & District History Group
A 1917 article describes a successful fete in which the Williams family was well represented. Thirteen year old Thelma and 14 yo May had a total of thirteen placements in the events. Events included the Girls' potato race (May 1st, Thelma 3rd), Small boys' race, no. 2 (6 yo Frank 1st), Girls' Siamese race (May and partner 1st, Thelma and partner 2nd), Small girls' race, no. 2 (4 yo Rita 1st), Girls' egg and spoon race (Thelma 1st, May 3rd), Small boys' race no. 3 (Frank 2nd), Skipping (May 1st, Thelma 2nd), Girls' foot race (Thelma 1st), Small boys' race (Frank 3rd), Needle race (Thelma and partner 1st, May and partner 2nd), and Girls' foot race, no. 2 (May 2nd, Thelma 3rd).

The children's favourite Rooster race was won by sixteen year old Lila; here's the newspaper description:
The principal item of the day, from the children's point of view, then took place, viz., the picnic, when racing, skipping, and other games were indulged in, including a single young ladies race after a live rooster. This event caused a great amount of merriment. 10 ladies started, the winner being Miss Lila Williams, the prize being the rooster himself (minus a few feathers obtained by several competitors in their desperate attempt to capture the prize).

The parents took part too with their forty-six year old father Richard claiming the Married gent's race:
Mr R Williams proved the best in the old buffers' race.


Richard also did well the following Friday night at a euchre party and dance fundraiser for the British Red Cross funds when he was the gents winner. At the same event, a cake given and raffled by 17 year old Freda raised 18 shillings (equivalent to about $85 a century later).5
 
Sewing Mistress
A staff list for Tallygaroopna school 3067 shows Lila Williams as sewing mistress for 1923.6
 
Marriage and Family
Lila Williams and William Hehir married in Tallygaroopna in 1925. They had two children, Lola and Yvonne.2,3
 
Shepparton CWA
Lila Hehir was an active member of the Shepparton branch of the Country Women's Association through the 1940s (including the was years) and 1950s. She served as vice president, secretary and also as 'godmother' to the Younger Set.7,8,9,10,11
Image: Weekly Times
Anna Caroline Williams died of acute pulmonary oedema at Sorrento private hospital in Oakleigh on 28 September 1954, aged 82. She had been ill for at least the previous twelve months with congestive heart failure and arteriosclerosis. She was buried at Mooroopna cemetery on 29 September 1954.12
Mooroopna cemetery
Image: BillionGraves
Mother's Death 
Anna made a will on 9 October 1946. To daughter Rita she leaves £100 and a presentation teapot of Richard's. To daughter-in-law Annie Williams she leaves £20. To son Frank she leaves the Echuca Rd house and property. An advance of £50 to daughter Lila is deemed paid. The balance of the estate is to be distributed to the five daughters.13
 
Back to Mooroopna
The 'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations were a great opportunity for ex-Mooroopna people to catch up with those who stayed, and the Easter 1963 'Back to' was very popular with the O'Connell, Williams and related families.
'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations, Apr 1963
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips
'Back to Mooroopna' celebrations, Apr 1963
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips
Bob Bazley, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Thelma Johnson (Williams), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow), Mag O'Connell (Noonan), Nell Bazley (O'Connell), Bill Hehir, Mick O'Connell, Rita Johnson (Williams), 'Back to Mooroopna', 97 Main St, Apr 1963
Image: Val Williams
Nell Bazley (O'Connell), Karen & Peter Phillips, 'Back To Mooroopna', Main St, Mooroopna, Apr 1963
Image: Val Williams
Bill Hehir, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Rita Johnson (Williams, front), Mag O'Connell (Noonan, standing), Thelma Jamieson (Williams, seated), Mick O'Connell (standing), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow, seated), Nell (O'Connell) & Bob Bazley (front), 'Back To Mooroopna', 97 Main St, Apr 1963
Image: Val Williams
Standing: Bill Hehir, Annie Williams (O'Connell), Mag O'Connell, Mick O'Connell; Seated: Karen & Peter Phillips, Rita Johnson (Williams), Thelma Jamieson (Williams, on chair), Nell Bazley (O'Connell, front), Myra O'Connell (Tatlow), Bob Bazley (front); 'Back to Mooroopna', Main St, Mooroopna, Apr 1963
Image: Val Williams
Bob & Thelma Jamieson (Williams), Bill & Lila (Carnie Lillias Williams) Hehir
Image: Laurie & Lorraine Phillips

Citations

  1. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Carney Lilias' Williams entry, birth registration no. 14767, 1901.
  2. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Wm Howard' Hehir and Carnie Lillias Williams, marriage registration no. 7198, 1925.
  3. [S13] Carnie Lillias Hehir, death certificate no. 00612, 1986.
  4. [S425] 'Extensive land & stock transactions', Numurkah Leader, 1895-1948, newspaper, 22 May 1914, p. 2, viewed 9 September 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/132750036
  5. [S260] 'Marionvale', Goulburn Valley Stock and Property Journal, 1910-1963, newspaper, Horan & Simpson, 11 July 1917, p. 3, viewed 6 December 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219831427
  6. [S17] Tallygaroopna and District Times and Tales: Published to mark the occasion of the centenary of Tallygaroopna primary school 3067, 1890-1990, Tallygaroopna school council, 1991, p. 65.
  7. [S201] 'From Patricia's diary', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 6 June 1941, p. 2, viewed 24 June 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/175190882
  8. [S201] 'Meetings', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 28 October 1940, p. 4, viewed 5 July 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/174617845
  9. [S429] 'Shepparton's CWA war effort', Weekly Times, 1869-1954, newspaper, 25 March 1942, p. 24, viewed 13 December 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/225565576
  10. [S201] 'Shepparton CWA', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 17 June 1949, p. 2, viewed 13 December 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188082135
  11. [S201] 'Shepparton CWA', Shepparton Advertiser, 1914-1953, newspaper, Thomas Pettit and William Callender, 17 November 1944, p. 6, viewed 13 December 2018, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/171822035
  12. [S407] Anna Caroline Williams, death registration no. 11216, 28 September 1954.
  13. [S493] 'Anna Caroline Williams', VPRS 7591 Wills, 484/687, will, 9 October 1946.