Contents |
Irene was born 23 July 1909 on Bruny Island as the eldest child of Edward Robert Smith and Nellie Somers or Clark. Through DNA testing, it has been proved that her father was actually a son of Alexander and Hannah Dawson nee Sutton who lived in Queenstown, Tasmania.[1]
Irene had 14 younger siblings born between 1910 and 1931. The family mainly lived in Hobart, Tasmania but from 1918-1921 spent some time in Scottsdale, Tasmania where her father was a sawyer.
In December 1918, Irene and her younger sister Madelene won prizes at the Scottsdale State School annual concert.[2]
In early 1932, Irene became pregnant and married William Alan Wyatt on 11 April, later giving birth to her only child Bob Wyatt in November 1932.
By late 1934, William (whose first Tasmanian wife had died in September 1931) had deserted Irene and baby Robert, and headed to unknown destination (later found in NSW married for a fourth time).
Irene worked as a cleaner and general housemaid at Heathorns Hotel then later the Albion Hotel. This involved living on the premises, so Robert was looked after by a foster mother for most of the time, Ellen Avery in Goulburn Street, Hobart.
Irene did not have much furniture in her little room but there was a small carved black table that is now owned by Robert (Bob). She also had an Hawaiian steel guitar under her bed and many songbooks that she collected throughout the war years.
It was while working at Heathorns that Irene met Ernie Bond who lived in a home in the Rasselas Valley near Adamsfield. Irene wrote a diary about her trip on horseback along the track to Adamsfield. This diary is held by her son Bob.
Irene sought a dissolution of her marriage in 1945 due to desertion. A decree nisi was granted on 21 March 1945. A decree absolute was granted in October 1945.[3]
In 1954, Irene married a second time to a Polish immigrant Mikolaj Hrydziuszko, who had arrived in Australia in 1948 after World War II.
Irene and Mike travelled to Japan on a cruise returning with lots of little mementoes. They are buried together at the cemetery in Pontville, Tasmania where many Polish graves can be found.
Irene died on 10 Jul 1988 in Hobart, Tasmania.
Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
https://suewyatt.edublogs.org/2020/12/29/irene-ellen-gertrude-smith/
Featured National Park champion connections: Irene is 23 degrees from Theodore Roosevelt, 22 degrees from Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger, 23 degrees from George Catlin, 25 degrees from Marjory Douglas, 30 degrees from Sueko Embrey, 24 degrees from George Grinnell, 31 degrees from Anton Kröller, 25 degrees from Stephen Mather, 19 degrees from Kara McKean, 27 degrees from John Muir, 20 degrees from Victoria Hanover and 34 degrees from Charles Young on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
S > Smith | H > Hrydziuszko > Irene Ellen Gertrude (Smith) Hrydziuszko
Categories: St Matthew's Catholic Church Cemetery, Brighton, Tasmania | Bruny Island, Tasmania