Searching for Sam Foo, an elusive branch of the family tree

Sam Foo, my husband’s grandfather, was an obscure figure even during his lifetime. He left a trail of confusing often contradictory and unexpected clues about his date of birth, his marriages, and occupation. The only solid information I had was that Sam came from somewhere near Canton, China, that he was the town baker in Surat, Queensland in the early 20th Century, and that he had produced four children, one of them my husband’s mother Pauline. The family had no documents concerning Sam, no photographs of him; most family members who had known Sam during his lifetime had passed away, and younger generations had only indistinct childhood memories to relate. Until I found out more about Sam Foo (if more could be found) the family tree would remain decidedly lopsided. When and why had Sam come to Australia? What did he do when he got here? How did he meet Kate, his partner of more than 35 years?

Working Systematically

Before the commercial firms of Birds Eye or Mr Heinz invented the present-day facility of selecting legumes from refrigerator freezers, home-makers spent many hours each year on this small, but much appreciated task.

Systematic work was the only way to produce the food in edible form.

Roy Lines - a Battler

My father was really two men. Before his serious illness in 1942, I can remember how he used to be. (I was only about 9 years old then). He was always bright and happy and full of fun. I remember how he used to sit with me on the verandah of our home at 348 Albert Street, Maryborough, and tell me stories of his own childhood years and life with his father in the many bush towns where they lived. He used to sing me songs. He was always full of energy and I remember him as almost a young man. He would have been about 36 at the time but seemed a bit younger in retrospect, in sharp contrast with the way he was after his illness.