Doll
1/12/1910
25/6/2002
Dorothy Gladys
(Doll) Prendergast (or Grandma as she was affectionately known by all and
sundry) was born a proud Cockney, in London on 1st December
1910.
Doll was the third
born of a family of 9 to Emily and Charles Knight. She was brought up in
times of adversity as many of her generation were and survived the two
world wars.
Doll married Tom
Prendergast of County Tipperary in London in 1941 they had 5 children born
in England, and in 1950 came to Australia to the small village of Butlers
Gorge in the Central Highlands of Tasmania. What a contrast this must have
been for Doll who was used to the big city of London.
Doll had two more
children, one of which (Eileen) died at 4 years of age.
She was a caring
and devoted mother who always put her children first and welcomed all
their friends, which were many and would always find an extra meal for
whoever happened to turn up.
She worked hard
all her life and for many years the only break away from home was when she
took the children with her when she went hop picking.
Doll came to
Hobart to live in 1969 and from that time she spent many years looking
after her grandchildren, who now number 18 and 15 great grandchildren with
another due in a few weeks.
Doll travelled
interstate regularly to spend time with her daughters, she made her last
plane trip at the grand old age of 89.
When Doll turned
90 she was surprised that her family threw a party to celebrate her 90th
birthday – in her own words she said "I didn’t know you made a
fuss of your 90th I thought it was only for your 21st"
Doll’s passing
is a great loss to all her family and friends, she will be sadly missed.
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