Reunion held for Price family descendants

The descendants of the Price family held a family reunion on the June long weekend in Narrabri.

Ronald and Elsie Price were married in Nyngan in 1921 and they had 10 children. Triplets George, Stan and Milton arrived six weeks early on December 20, 1921. George was raised by aunties and grandparents as Elsie was unable to cope with the three children.

Peter was born in 1923, Mary 1925, Dot 1927, Garnet 1930, Bill 1934 and twins Kevin and John 1937.

Ronald was on the family farm at Trangie, however, the family moved to Wee Waa and the property ‘Nyora’ Yarrie Lake in 1932 where the children grew up on the farm.

Ronald served in France in WWI and suffered with what we now know as PTSD and had frequent nightmares.

The farm was 6000 acres consisting of wheat and sheep.

All of the three triplets enlisted in WWII with Milton not passing the medical.

By their 21st birthday Stan and George had seen war service and this lasted until 1945.

Ronald lived to see war end and his boys home – which was a great consolation. He passed away on December 19, 1945.

Elsie lived on ‘Nyora’ and passed away in 1987, aged 89.

After the children grew up, Peter and John lived in Narrabri.

John’s twin brother Kevin, passed away as a child.

Milton, Garnet, Dot and Bill ran the family farm and Mary married and also lived in Wee Waa.

Garnet had Prices General Store in Wee Waa and Bill ran Bilary Nursery at Yarrie Lake.

George had a farm in Croppa Creek and Stan lived in Sydney and had a floor covering business.

Ronald Price was a descendent of two early convict settlers – Matthew Lock (arrived on the Suprize in 1790) and Eupham Graham who (arrived on the Pitt in 1792).

They were unable to marry as they were convicts.

The Price ancestors William and Matilda Price arrived as free settlers in 1852. Like Elsie and Ronald, they had 10 children.

Multiple births have been well present in the family of Ronald and Elsie.

Elsie had twin brothers who were born and died in 1895.

Elsie had triplets and twins.

Christine Mazenauer had twins Andrew and Patrick who were present at the reunion.

Robyn Newsome had twins, Olivia and Taylor.

Sarah Mazenauer/Royle had triplets Hannah, Caleb and Elsie (the girls were present at the reunion).

Kim Price had twins Courtney and Tisarnna. Jenny Kerr (Russell) had twin daughters – Blossom and Rose and Kyle Mcllick has twins Jovi and Yemaya.

The reunion was the first time many of these families have been together en masse except for funerals.

Cathy Price, wife of John of Narrabri, is the sole survivor of that generation.

The last time a get-together was attempted was in the 1960s in Narrabri.

As well as the Narrabri reunion, a memorial service was held at the Wee Waa Cemetery on the Sunday morning.

Eighty six people attended, some travelled from Canberra, Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Queensland. Those who travelled the furthest were Sarah Mazenauer/Royle and Hannah and Elsie who travelled from Saudi Arabia.