Maureen and Joan’s early years

Maureen Sykes, second child of Selina Wilkes and EJ sykes, was born 1905. She was educated at the Wentworth convent school …being delicate, she ran the school, rather than the school run her. (Des spoke ironically of her ‘delicacy’, because Maureen was very extroverted). She was quite a person, our Maureen. She could be all things to all people. She was a great person.

Joan (born Edna Joan Sykes in 1917) was born about 14 years after Maureen.

They attended the St. Ignatius primary school (now restored) in Cadell Street Wentworth.

In 1919, when Maureen was 14 years old, and Joan two, their great grandmother, 'Gran' Minogue (age 84) and maternal grandfather, Frederick William Wilkes (aged 71) died.

Maureen was given a camera, and took photos of Joan (aged five) and Barn Loomes (Maisie's oldest son, on a visit to Wentworth, aged five) with Gran (Christina) Wilkes. Maureen also took photos of her school friends at Mary's Mount, Loreto Convent, in Ballarat, where she was a boarder.

Maureen and Joan's mother, Selina, died in 1925, when Maureen was 20 years old and Joan eight.