Mary Alice Ward
Encyclopedia
Mary Alice Ward was a teacher and pastoralist born at Kooringa, Burra, South Australia
. She is best remembered for her legendary hospitality as owner and operator of Banka Banka Station
, a cattle station and World War II
supply camp. In fact, she was known as "The Missuss of Banka Banka." Her short stature and delicate appearance belied her strength of character and confidence.
in 1932.
's Rosewood station, 120 miles southeast of Wyndham. With Mary's brother Stuart, they joined the gold rush at Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
, in 1935. Prospecting at a mine site that they called Blue Moon, the family struck gold, reputedly worth about $150,000. In 1941, the Wards bought the cattle station Banka Banka, where Mary supervised the development of an extensive garden.
on the property. One of her cattle managers recalled that she spent money on the welfare of her Aboriginal staff – many of whom she trained in domestic and station duties – while economizing on repairs and improvements, and eschewing new management methods. She was known to have dismissed white employees because of their ill treatment of Aborigines
. She acquired five houses at Tennant Creek for her old retainers and, despite objections from the local town management board, arranged for construction in 1968 and 1969 of a large red-brick building to house former employees and their relatives. The "Mary Ward Hostel," as it was known in addition to the "Pink Palace," was later used for a range of community purposes.
employees. In the 1950s, a native affairs branch inspector wrote that "youngsters on this station look the picture of health, and this is entirely due to the unremitting personal care and attention given by Mrs. Ward." She did not agree with the policy of removing part-Aborigines from their mothers. They sent children to school at Alice Springs at their own expense until 1961, when due to her efforts a government school opened at Banka Banka.
, back in her native South Australia. She died on 27 July 1972, at her North Adelaide
home, and was buried with Catholic rites in Centennial Park Cemetery
.
Burra, South Australia
Burra is a pastoral centre and historic tourist town in the mid-north of South Australia. It lies east of the Clare Valley in the Bald Hills range, part of the northern Mount Lofty Ranges, and on Burra Creek. The town began as a single company mining township that, by 1851, was a set of townships ...
. She is best remembered for her legendary hospitality as owner and operator of Banka Banka Station
Banka Banka Station
Banka Banka Station is a location in the Northern Territory of Australia, 100 kilometres north of Tennant Creek along the Stuart Highway. The historic cattle station was the first operational pastoral lease in this region, and a supply camp during World War II, providing meat, eggs, fruits and...
, a cattle station and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
supply camp. In fact, she was known as "The Missuss of Banka Banka." Her short stature and delicate appearance belied her strength of character and confidence.
Early life
Ward was the eldest of eight children of John McEntyre, an engineer from Victor Harbor, and his wife Margaret Anne. By 1904, the family had moved to the Western Australian goldfields, living first at Kalgoorlie and then Coolgardie. Mary began teaching at Tunneys State School in June 1915, and gained her junior cadet training certificate in September of the next year. From 1918 to 1924 she taught at Kalgoorlie, Boulder and Carlisle. She was promoted to head teacher in 1924, and moved to Parkfield, Pingrup, Cottesloe, Wyering, Keysbrook and Latham before transferring to Wyndham, Western AustraliaWyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...
in 1932.
Married life
On 27 December 1932, Mary Alice married Philip "Ted" Ward, a stockman, at the office of the district registrar in Wyndham. For two years, the Wards lived at Jack KilfoyleJack Kilfoyle
John Augustus Charles Kilfoyle , known as Jack Kilfoyle, was a pastoralist born in Palmerston, Northern Territory, a suburb of Darwin...
's Rosewood station, 120 miles southeast of Wyndham. With Mary's brother Stuart, they joined the gold rush at Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, in 1935. Prospecting at a mine site that they called Blue Moon, the family struck gold, reputedly worth about $150,000. In 1941, the Wards bought the cattle station Banka Banka, where Mary supervised the development of an extensive garden.
Able widow
After her husband's death in 1959, Mary ably ran Banka Banka and the family's other stations. She also owned a butcher shop at Tennant Creek, supplying it from a slaughterhouseSlaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or abattoir is a facility where animals are killed for consumption as food products.Approximately 45-50% of the animal can be turned into edible products...
on the property. One of her cattle managers recalled that she spent money on the welfare of her Aboriginal staff – many of whom she trained in domestic and station duties – while economizing on repairs and improvements, and eschewing new management methods. She was known to have dismissed white employees because of their ill treatment of Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
. She acquired five houses at Tennant Creek for her old retainers and, despite objections from the local town management board, arranged for construction in 1968 and 1969 of a large red-brick building to house former employees and their relatives. The "Mary Ward Hostel," as it was known in addition to the "Pink Palace," was later used for a range of community purposes.
Motherly figure
Having no children of her own, Ward cared for the babies of her WarumunguWarumungu
The Warumungu are a group of Indigenous Australians, many of whom speak Kriol or the Pama–Nyungan language of Warumungu. They inhabit the region of Tennant Creek and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia as well as small towns to the South.- History :In the 1870s, early white...
employees. In the 1950s, a native affairs branch inspector wrote that "youngsters on this station look the picture of health, and this is entirely due to the unremitting personal care and attention given by Mrs. Ward." She did not agree with the policy of removing part-Aborigines from their mothers. They sent children to school at Alice Springs at their own expense until 1961, when due to her efforts a government school opened at Banka Banka.
Death
In 1970, suffering ill health, Mary Alice Ward sold Banka Banka and moved to AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, back in her native South Australia. She died on 27 July 1972, at her North Adelaide
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
home, and was buried with Catholic rites in Centennial Park Cemetery
Centennial Park Cemetery
Centennial Park Cemetery is a large, 40.5 hectare cemetery in the southern Adelaide suburb of Pasadena, located at along Goodwood Road. It is the largest cemetery in the southern suburbs and one of the largest in the Adelaide metropolitan area...
.