Family of Alice Evans and Robert Gibson Birt

Jean Birt

JEAN BIRT - born 25th May, 1909 at Port Augusta, married Archibald Bruce Butler on the 16th May, 1934 at Broken Hill, New South Wales. They lived at Olive Downs, via Tibooburra, New South Wales; Gnalta Station, via Broken Hill, and Thurlga.

Bruce proposed to Jean out at a windmill. Jean accompanied him one night when Bruce had to go out to attend a windmill. "We took a billy, tea and biscuits. It was a balmy night, We boiled the billy for our supper, and while sitting in front of the campfire he asked me to marry him - I'm recalling this because it was very romatic and unusual setting". "We were married after shearing six weeks later in Broken Hill. There was no time for a honeymoon as we had to return to Gnalta to do all the necessary things when shearing was finished. We had our honeymoon 25 years later".

Bruce died in 1983 and Jean moved to Somerton Park to live.

Whilst Jean was living at Somerton Park she wrote her memoirs Station Life 1927 - 1975. She had decided on a nursing career, but while waiting for a call to start, she went to Murnpeowie Station which was being managed by her brother-in-law and sister (Jim & Alice Mortimer). When the call for Jean to start nursing, she turned it down. Her husband to be, was there, working as a Jackaroo.

Jean and Bruce had one son and one daughter.

She died at Port Augusta in 2001, where she had moved to be closer to her son.

Parents