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[Index]
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| Gilbert Robert MEARS (1892 - 1987) |
| Personal Notes: |
Gilbert was born at Stockwell near London. After leaving the Rutlish Science School, he worked in the engineering and boiler making firm of John Fraser and Son, Greenwich.
He travelled to work at 7am each day from his home in Morden to London, and also attended night-school two nights a week learning machine construction, practical drawing, plane and solid geometry, for which he gained a certificate. On school nights he did not arrive home until 11pm. He found this life very interesting, however, being keen on country life the family's decision to emigrate to Australia in 1910 pleased him.
He quickly settled into farm life on the property near Toogoolawah, purchased by his parents and named 'Morden'. After several years he did a short course at Gatton College and passed an examination for Milk and Cream Testing. In addition he took a correspondence course with Stott's College on Automobile Construction and thus gained another certificate. His principal hobbies at that time were fishing and swimming.
For most of his life he worked long hours on the property 'Morden', making a big contribution to the success of this family venture involving farming, dairying, stud cattle raising with successful show exhibiting. In later years, Gilbert was crippled with arthritis but still enjoyed the open-air country life at 'Morden'. After 'Morden' was sold in 1972, he, with his brother Stanley and sister Nellie, continued to live in the 'Morden' home. Gilbert died peacefully at the Esk Hospital. |