Lyla Edwards recently celebrated her 100th birthday on Russell Island.
What an achievement and milestone!
To help her celebrate, heaps of islanders turned up, along with Redland LNP MP Rebecca Young.
Needless to say her life story is quite remarkable.
Starting life in August of 1925, Lyla was born on the banks of the MacIntyre River near the rural township of Ashford, NSW, moving from country inland to Moreton Bay as a toddler.
She grew up in Wynnum where her mother Mary Ann Mitchell ran a guest/boarding house near the convent in Pine Street. Lyla Edwards identifies as a proud Queenslander.
Despite the privation of the times, her recollections through the eras remain joyous.
Having outlived three husbands, the doting mother of four believes her secret to longevity is …”Don’t stress, be kind to others and a nip of Baileys with milk!”
Family visited to celebrate her centennial from as far a field as Townsville with invited guests spanning three generations.
A highlight of the day was her special visitor, State MP Rebecca Young whom awarded her a congratulatory certificate.
This cherished memento of the occasion will hang in her home studio alongside impressive cards from King Charles and Camilla, the Governor-General Hon. Sam Mostyn, the Prime Minister, QLD Premier David Crissafulli, Federal MP Henry Pike, QLD Governor Dr. Jeanette Young.
In addition to dozens of cards from friends and family, Lyla is planning her next event as she enjoys her retirement on Macleay Island.
Below is an excerpt of an historical account of bygone days delivered by her son, Barry Voevodin.
In 1925 as automobiles gained popularity, Australia’s total population was reaching 6 million and talking pictures at the cinema were still a few years away, times were far different to the luxuries taken for granted by us in today’s world.
As Lyla approached the tender age of 14 the world plunged into war.
In 1945 as a fresh faced 20-year-old singing along to the Andrew Sisters playing on the wireless (as the radio was then known) extolling the virtue of drinking “Rum and Coca-Cola”.
Households were still using ration tickets to buy food staples and using ice chests as refrigeration was still in the future.
Lyla has outlived 99.9 percent of those born in 1925.
When she was born, Brisbane phone numbers were only 3 digits preceded by the suburb because you were connected by an operator.
Commercial TV was still 34 years away.
Lyla remembers the annual wage was around 250 pounds; to purchase a house the cost was approximately 1000 pounds (or equivalent to 4 years wages).
In 1925, female teachers were not allowed to marry and still be employed!
It would still be 40 years before single women could open a bank account without a male’s signature! Women were not permitted to imbibe in the public bars of hotels!
So many changes, from horse drawn street deliveries of milk to uber eats; From listening to serials on the wireless to chilling with Netflix on a smart TV; From living without a personal computer for nearly 75 years of her life to a mobile phone with greater computing power than NASA had for Apollo II!
Transport changes from Model T Fords to driverless EV’s!
Having been immersed in fashion, having successfully operated many ventures, frock shops to boutiques, dressing brides for politician’s wives, from leopard print outfits to leopard print outfits - fashion has gone full circle.
Lyla has done and seen it all as she celebrates 100 journeys around the Sun.
