True story - The mystery of Granny's Grave

[Maureen K Clifford]

A true story and mystery that lies of the shore of Lady Bay in Victoria - anyone know anything more about it?????

This is the story of


Granny's Grave

I went to visit Granny’s grave down there at Warrnambool.
The day was cold and damp – the wind was bleak.
The ocean pounded into shore and flung its spume up high
so noisy that one could not bear to speak.


Her grave sat sad and desolate, no other graves were near
I thought how lonely this woman would be
entombed and isolated here amongst the shifting sands.
I wondered who might know her history.


Everyone called her Granny – but she was Granny to none
who were living, for she died long ago.
Her tombstone says that here lies a Mrs James Raddleston.
Her own name not displayed for none here know.


She’s acknowledged for being the first white woman to die
in Warrnambool in eighteen forty eight.
The settlement had not been established even a year
How did she die? Of What? What of her mate?


She rests o’erlooking Lady Bay and most days some folk pass.
Young surfers, joggers, folk walking a hound.
The Edinburgh Castles rotting hull lies on the sands nearby,
a wreck full of cement the sea had drowned.


Her husband fished for Cray in the wild waters of the bay
and home was just a humble canvas tent.
But none it seems have details of this lady on the shore.
Not who she was, or how her time was spent.


Perhaps she dreams of seeing Southern Right whales passing by,
and hears their singing from out in the deep.
Perhaps she walks the shores at night with other shipwrecked souls
whose bodies Lady Bay opted to keep.


Perhaps the ancient ones of the Gunditjmara people
have taken her with them to their dreamtime.
There are no answers evident or none that can be found.
I’ll take flowers to Granny in the meantime.



Maureen Clifford © 03/12

[Neville Briggs]

She probably hasn't even got any relatives left alive. I don't know the story either Maureen.

[Maureen K Clifford]

Have since discovered that her name was Agnes and since at the time there were no cemeteries in Warrnambool she was buried out on the cliffs - why she was never moved at a later date no one seems to know. Good a spot as any I suppose - but the whole story seems to be quite mysterious

Nice shots of the area on this clip http://www.visitwarrnambool.com.au/visi ... arnambool/

The picture I put with the poem is Granny's Grave - the boat my photoshop fiddle but probably how it would have looked in her day.

I love Aussie history - or rather I love exploring it.

Cheers

Maureen

[r.magnay]

...I reckon they might have panicked a bit still under full sail that close to the shore Maureen!...

[Maureen K Clifford]

No doubt - probably why there are 29 shipwrecks in that bay