Alfred Philip Gribble m. Marjorie Jean (private) 17 Nov 1933, Pingelly Western Australia
Alfred Philip, business prop./accountant b. Lawlers 17 May 1901, m. Marjorie Jean, Pingelly 17 Nov 1933, d. Merredin 9 Mar 1981
I know little about about my father Alfred and his life prior to 1955. For some two years aged 8-10 he lived in Melbourne with his Aunty Rita and her husband Ted Blair. When his mother was asked to adopt him out she decided at that time "to bring him back home quick smart". It would seem that Alfred felt he had two mothers for the rest of his life. One of the precious photos given to the author shortly before his fatal stroke was a picture of his Aunt Rita which he had kept for more than fifty years! Fragmentary documents show he was a commerce student at Perth Boys School. Running was a favourite sport and he became a keen "harrier". At some stage he commenced work with the Western Australian firms of Sandovers and then J W Bateman at which time he began part time accountancy studies. The Merredin Railway Museum has a photo of him as a director of the Merredin Flour Mills in the 1920s. Around the same time he was creating a chain of rural grocery stores with J W Bateman as his silent partner. These would contract dramatically with the onset of the 1930s depression and legislation to void rural debt to ease the pressure on farmers. Unfortunately rural businesses were not exempt from their debt. Alfred stated on a number of ocassions the period was one of great stress. The newspapers were said to have carried frequent reports on the suicide of desperate business proprietors.
On a positive note the 1930s brought marriage to Marjorie. Photographs of the time show both as serious participants in a variety of sports. With the location near Merredin of significant airforce and military facilities during World War 2 the district and Alf's business prospered. The post war years were particularly healthy with agricultural and mining booms. Alf's business expanded throughout the local wheat belt to the towns of Kellerberrin and Narrogin and as far afield as the mining districts of Southern Cross and Koolyanobbing and the coastal city of Perth. In the 1960s operational responsibility for the business began to rest increasingly on the shoulders of his eldest sons Gordon and John. After a long and fulfilling life Alf passed away in 1981 after a debilitating stroke.
Marjorie Jean (b 1909 at Chidlow outside Perth Western Australia) spent her early years on the Yilgarn goldfields at Westonia where her father was involved in the operation of the Edna Mae goldmine. This venture came to a premature end when an underground river flooded the mine and pumping equipment of the time was unable to cope with the load. The family then entered the hotel trade at Pingelly on the Great Southern Railway Line in Western Australia. From the age nine she spent her school years as a a boarder in Perth at Miss Parnells Girls High School. Apparently Marjorie met Alfred when visiting her inlaws (the Merredin Councillor and West Australian politician Tom Duff) who owned the Merredin Hotel. Married life with Alfred was said to be challenging and a full time occupation. After the birth of her six children and the onset of medical problems in the early 1950s, contract bridge and church life became her main interests. On the lingering death of Alfred who had suffered a massive stroke Marjorie seemed to focus on tying up the loose ends in her life. With everything virtually complete she passed away peacefully in 1986.
