SMALLACOMBE, Eliza Catherine Robson

Name – SMALLACOMBE, Eliza Catherine Robson
Born – 1876
Died – 28/04/1946
Location – No 12 Old Methodist Section
Mother – Eliza McKay
Father – John Tully

Notes – Eliza Catherine Robson Tully was born in 1876 to Eliza (nee McKay) and John Tully at Dimboola Lockhart Station, Victoria. To all her family she was known as Dolly because she was so small standing only 4 foot 11 inches.

She grew up at Lockhart Station where her father was the manager. Her husband’s family owned Lillimur Station. Dolly married Ernest Smallacombe in February 1903. Read here.  They lived and worked at Nhill and Netherby until they moved to Queensland with the Smallacombe family.

Dolly had five children , Gilbert, Mavis, Jean, John (Jack) and Jeff. They worked as farmers and Thomas had a butchers shop in Tara for years until they moved to Toowoomba (see Ernest’s story) and a brief time at Gympie.  But Tara called and they came back here.

Her census records are as follows 1907 to 1925 Lookout, 26 Mile, Tara, then 1925 to 1934 at Doddington, Glenvale, then 1934 to 1937 at Lagoon Pocket, Gympie. Then from 1943 to 1945 at Tara.

She was visiting her son Jeff and daughter-in-law Ella when she died at Monto. Again she wanted to come back to Tara be with Ernest. Dolly was like many other women of the era and was very talented in crafts and sewing.

Dolly shares a headstone with her husband Ernest that reads – In loving memory of Ernest Smallacombe Died 7th Aug 1943. Aged 70 years. Catherine Smallacombe Died 28th April 1946. Aged 70 years. At rest.

Newspaper Article – Read here.

War Service File  –

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.