“It’s the closest place to Heaven I know.” Such were the words of Rose Davis in describing Harden-Murrumburrah, her home for the last 5 and a half decades, when being interviewed for Local Legends.
Rose first met her future husband, Bede, at Gunning when she was only 9 or 10 years old. Bede’s sister, Pat, was governess for Rose and Rose’s sisters Julie (deceased) who went on to marry Tony Brown, and Mary (who became a nun).
Rose initially thought Bede was a bit of a smart alec. He complimented her on the nice little creek running through her family property. Rose put him straight, saying, “That’s not a creek. It’s the beginning of the Lachlan River.” Rose says she still likes to get the last word in.
Rose, on her way back from Mary’s 21st birthday celebrations in Griffith, called in at 8 Binalong Street, Harden, to stay the night with her former governess (by then the wife of a Harden-Murrumburrah policeman, John Feltis).
Rose went to a dance in Harden-Murrumburrah, met Bede again and that was the beginning of their future together. Rose and Bede kept in touch over the next 12 months and later became engaged.
Mrs Davis Senior believed in marriage in age order for her children – in the 1950s parental control was stronger compared to modern times. Rose and Bede (the youngest child in his family) married in 1959 which now makes them married for over 54 years.
Asked for her impressions of Harden-Murrumburrah, Rose reflected that when she first came to the town it was livelier than Gunning and very social. Family connections were extensive. Rose said that she was told if people “weren’t Browns then they were cousins of Browns.”
Rose and Bede went on to have 10 children, beginning with Bernadette in1961 and then Patrick, Andrew, Austin, Roseanne, Gerard, Sarah, Georgina, Michael and Elizabeth. Rose and Bede now have 27 grandchildren.
When Rose inherited her share of her father’s sheep those sheep came to Fairview (Rose and Bede’s Demondrille property). Rose and Bede began their Demondrille Merino Stud in 1983 with 2 rams, 1 each purchased from Merryville and Tulangi studs.
In 2001 Rose and Bede’s sons Andrew and Patrick took over the proprietorship of the stud.
Rose said that she has had a happy life in Harden-Murrumburrah, with her large family and many friends.
The full story was printed in the Twin Town Times Newspaper dated 15 January 2014.
