Elizabeth Mabel Lakin

Elizabeth Mabel Marshall was born on September 24, 1896, in Bordertown, South Australia, her father, Henry, was 29 and her mother, Annie, was 23. She prefered to be called by her middle name Mabel and was also known as Aunty May to all her nieces & nephews. Mabel worked most of her life commencing as the Cook for her father’s Shearing Gang with whom she travelled to various Sheep Stations with 3 of her brothers all of whom were Shearers. Mabel met Ernest Harry Lakin whilst working at the hotel in Kimba on the West Coast of South Australia they were married on February 13, 1924, in Tumby Bay, South Australia. They had two children during their marriage son Mervyn Ernest and daughter Maxine Moira. On returning to Adelaide she worked as a housekeeper in Unley and later employed by the prestigious ‘Queen Adelaide Club’ on North Terrace in Adelaide before retiring and living with her daughter’s family. Mabel died on July 4, 1974, in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, aged of 77 as a direct result of suffering multiple Strokes. A true Australian Pioneer, hard working, loyal and loving with the true gift of being able to bake just about anything to perfection – she was indeed my Nana – Rest in Peace.