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| Memories of Sarah (Sadie) Cowen nee Joachim 1884 - 1966 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Sadie, as she was known to family and friends died when I was still a young girl. Never-the–less, I still have vivid memories of her: they illustrate what a strong and definite character she was.They also present a picture of a home maker; a lady very skilled at running her home and very much involved with her family.
Gran, as she was known to my sister Jenny and I, kept a spotless and neat home, in a flat in The Avenue, Prahran. One of my earliest memories of Gran is to see her on her knees cleaning the fire place and setting the fire. I can see the necessary items, brass adorned, on the lefthand side, spare newspaper on the right and the screen ready to be put into place when the fire was established. This took place in the dining/lounge room. Gran had a number of beautiful tablecloths she had embroidered herself. A green cloth with matching serviettes embroidered with cross stitch flowers we still use. This was often on the table when we came for a special dinner, of course, these were the days when one served the treat of a roast of chicken.This was generally followed by trifle or a sherry jelly and of course, a cup of tea. Gran loved to entertain. Regularly she met with her friends to have an afternoon cards party, I think they played Bridge. A sumptuous afternoon tea was prepared the feature item was either Gran’s home made “Passionfruit Cake” or Patterson’s “Ribbon Cake” – nothing else would do. For these occasions Gran had also embroidered tea cloths, they still bear testimony to her wonderful skills. Gran seemed to have kept herself very busy during the day, when on her own. My Father, Harold often told us how she would every day visit the grave of Stella, her daughter. Stella is buried in the St.Kilda cemetery close to where the family lived. Gran would read the paper daily and often at night would play Patience. As well as her “standard’ embroidery she had mastered Richeleau work (the hardest of all where white fabric is stitched and large segments of linen cut out) and was always knitting white singlets for babies. The majority of my memories of Gran are set in her flat however, a few of her visits to our home stick out. Often, late Sunday afternoon she would be “missing”. Gran would be in the kitchen making scones for tea. She had memorized the recipe and to this day, I have not tasted a scone half as good as Gran’s. She was an excellent cook. An event celebrated at our home was Gran and Pa’s (her husband Joseph) Golden Wedding Anniversary. Mum rushed around for days to have the house perfect, we were bought new party dresses and of course, Pattersons supplied the cakes. I remember that Gran and Pa were especially thrilled that Rabbi Danglow, who had married them, attended the occasion. Yes, family meant everything to Gran. She was very close to her sisters. They all seemed to have had frequent supper parties where you walked round to their respective homes after dinner, sat and shared the news and enjoyed a home cooked supper. Of course Jo was the love of her life. When single, Jo lived the opposite side of the city. Before they married he would post a postcard to her every morning and every afternoon. When Gran moved to a nursing home Dad found a huge pile of these cards and unfortunately, threw them out. This love match was tested many times. Pa had a series of major strokes and it was left to Gran to run the house and keep the family fed and house rents or mortgages covered. How this was done I do not know but Gran must have been a very strong willed and competent woman. I know Dad always said she was very intelligent and a wiz at Mathematics, by the time she had run her finger down a column of figures she had added it up. Jo, my Grandfather loved to play jokes and tricks on people. I can remember Gran frequently calling him into line with “Jo, Jo…..) But, in spite of this and all the testing times they had, their total love of one another never waned. My Father also adored his Mother and everyday on his way home from work, would call in to see her. Sundays Gran shared Sunday Lunch with us. Often Dad would decide to take a drive to the country. I can remember Gran being mortified if Dad bought us hot chips wrapped in newspaper – this was unhygenic! However, the flat was really the hub of activities and memories. Gran always kept cubed sugar for your cup of tea. For a real treat, she would roll a piece of butter in sugar. I can also remember the fruiter, an ancient Chinaman, arriving up the back stairs with a huge basket of samples on his arm. Gran would question him thoroughly about the freshness and quality. He then would go to his horse and cart to compile Gran’s order. A frequent visitor to the flat was Harry Apple. He also used the back entrance and would all of a sudden appear. The first we would know would be Gran saying “Oh, here’s Harry Apple.” She would never call him just Harry and he always wore a grey hat. I also know that Gran adored Geoffery Joachim. When he had polio and was in an iron lung in hospital she regularly visited him and read him stories. As for Gran’s physical appearance, Dad said she was pretty, an ash blond and had the most shapely legs. Looking back, she must have not only been such a capable woman but so strong to have instilled such love and to have held the family together through some very sad and difficult times. She must have been a very special wife and mother. Jenny and I wish we had had more time to know our Grandmother. Katrina Cowen P.S - However could I forget Gran’s Shortbread – legendary! Not to mention “Blanchmange” and “Lemon Snow.” Katrina |