Ms Barbara HENDERSON

  General Notes:

BARBARA ROUNSEVELL - nee HENDERSON

I was born on 14th February 1926 at Clare SA. My parents had a farm, "Tallala" at Hill River, nine miles from Clare. I had a happy childhood with my two sisters, Isabel older and Margaret younger than me.

With no school close by we had correspondence lessons for several years, supervised
by Mother, then attended Clare Primary School, boarding in town Monday to Friday and home for weekends. In 1940 I won a scholarship to St Peter's Collegiate Girls' School and completed my education there. I lived with Granny van Senden for two years and was a boarder at school for the last two years. I was too young to commence the Diploma in Social Work so spent a year on the farm doing preliminary subjects and enjoyed being a "jillaroo".

After two years at Adelaide University, boarding in the Rounsevell household, where I met Jim, I completed Almoner training in Melbourne and then worked as a Medical Social Worker at the Repatriation Hospital at Dawes Road, Adelaide, for 18 months.

By this time my parents had sold the farm and were living in Adelaide. Music was my great interest and I started violin lessons during secondary school, following in Mother's footsteps. I really enjoyed playing in the Conservatorium and Junior Adelaide Symphony orchestras. More recently I was delighted when two grand-daughters played our violins in their school orchestras.

On 30th July 1949 I married James Conyton Rounsevell (Jim). An engineer with the Shell Company he had worked in Darwin for two years rebuilding the installation and company houses destroyed during the bombing. We spent our first year of married life in Darwin, a most interesting experience. We then had many interstate moves with Shell: Adelaide in 1950 where Suzanne was born; Melbourne 1951 where Jackie and Philip were born; Brisbane in 1955 (no babies); Sydney 1958 where Jane was born; Melbourne in 1960; Sydney again 1963 where Granny (Jim's mother with considerable health problems) joined the family; and finally a return to Melbourne in 1970 where we were happy to settle. With four children and Granny we needed a large house. We liked older houses and Jim had gained a reputation as a renovator (helped by me and the children). This house in Mont Albert Road Canterbury was the biggest challenge and was most successful. The "boys" even dug a cellar for our wine collection and used the spoil as filling for a tennis court (built by professionals) which was enjoyed by the children, and I kept my tennis group until we moved in 1987.

I had returned to work part time in Sydney with Granny to keep an eye on the children and joined the Royal Children's hospital staff in Melbourne in 1971, working in a unit for disabled children. We both retired in 1981.

The children are all practicing their professions. The three girls married and each have
three children, the six older ones also working in their professions. Philip has a global
job with an engineering firm so is away frequently but is happily based in Melbourne.

Jim and I had some wonderful overseas trips to England and Europe, and frequently
returned to Adelaide to see family and friends. Dad had died in 1968 but Mother lived
until 1987,aged 97 years 10 months. Music gave much enjoyment, through concerts,
operas and CDs.

Jim became ill in 1985. The family having left home we built a new house in 1987, not small but much easier to maintain. He died in 1997 after a long period of illness and disability. I was pleased to be able to care for him at home during that time.

I have remained in our home and love having big family gatherings here. Our family is my great joy but I have gradually extended my activities since Jim died and now have a full life with Church (including choir) and Probus involvement, tennis and subscriptions to many concerts, operas, plays etc. My garden is a joy. I have also become an avid traveller, joining tours to distant parts of Australia and many overseas countries.

January 2007

Postscript: Barbara passed away in 2023 after a very full life