William Fursman – Born 18th March 1914, Died 28th September 1996.
Nancy (nee) Winn- Born 16th June 1913, married 9th December 1939 at Albert Street Methodist Church.
The words on this quilt panel “From the Good Earth” tells the story of their years as growers of the best of produce, beans, tomato and cauliflower along with cabbage, watermelon, cucumber and pumpkin in the rich fertile soil immediately below our local Enoggera Reservoir.
As they stand clutching two huge cauliflowers, we are reminded that each year at The West Moreton Horticultural exhibit at the R.N.A. (Ekka) the caulis on display were from their farm.
Bill arrived in The Gap with his family as a 3 year old from Cedar Creek and settled on Lot 822 containing 10 acres on the hill to the south and down to the Reservoir flats.
Educated at our local school, the sudden death of his Dad in 1921 saw him leave school at 14 and commence his farming life and by age 17, his farm was well on the way to becoming firmly established. Crops were rotated and rows laid out in a most orderly fashion.
Nancy Winn had arrived with her family from Bishop Auckland, County Durham aged 13 in 1927 and settled in Orchard Street (now Firhill Street) Ashgrove West. It is thought that Nancy was possibly the first “Billy Girl” in Australia as she assisted her Dad and Uncle with the dairy-farm work and milk deliveries. She spent time as a cook at “Granite House” to the Kennedy family and after courtship with Bill, they married on the 9th December, 1939 at The Albert Street Methodist Church. For the next 57 years, they worked side by side keeping the vegetables on a steady flow to the markets.
The Gap Historical Society is proud to have Nancy as our first Patron.
History Source: Nancy Fursman aged 89 (in 2002) carries on with her fancy work and is a member of The Gap Garden Club.
Panel Embroidery: Julie Rowe.
Panel Crochet: Nancy Fursman.