Alma Gertrude Alchin - Great Aunt

Alma Gertrude Alchin – Great Aunt

by Garry Norman Smith

Alma Gertrude Alchin

Alma Gertrude Alchin was born at Gunning on 15 May 1909, the third-born daughter and eighth child of Edward Alchin (1863-1941) and Elizabeth Anne Alchin (nee Bailey) (1872-1964).

Edward Alchin's land at Gunning was on portions 37 & 49, just outside the Village and
 not far from the Gunning Permanent Common

Alma was 11 years old when most of her family moved away from Gunning to Glenorie near Sydney, where her father operated an orchard. Prior to this time Alma was raised at the Alchin property “Rockdale”. In 1916 Alma and her family farewelled Alma’s oldest brother, William Edward Thomas Alchin (1893-1918) as he went off to war during World War 1; William died on 14 March 1918 in Belgium.

Alma (right) with sisters (l-r) Ida, Marcella and Myra (seated)
in the Glenorie orchard

In 1928 Alma was bridesmaid for her sister Myra who married Albert Victor Watson. The following year, 20-year-old Alma married Stanley William (Jim) Stevens at Ryde on 30 March 1929. Stanley was born at Newtown, Sydney on 28 November 1904.

The Wedding of Alma & Jim (l-r) Gwen Stevens, Frank Stevens, Jim Stevens, Alma Stevens (nee Alchin), Hazel Alchin, Sid Lewis, Ida Alchin, Dawn Stevens

The wedding of Stanley and Alma was reported in The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Friday 26 April 1929, 9).

“She was attended by two bridesmaids, Miss Ida Alchin, sister of the bride, and Miss Gwen Stevens, sister of the groom. … Mr. F Stevens, Jnr, was the best man and Mr. Sid Lewis groomsman.”

The tragedy of Alma and Jim’s marriage was that it lasted so little time; Alma Stevens (nee Alchin) died 4 days after giving birth to her child, Noel Stanley Stevens on 22 September 1929. The official cause of death was acute yellow atrophy of liver (aka malignant jaundice), after 3 days illness. Alma was only 19 years old when she died on 26 September 1929.

My great aunt Alma is buried in the Church of England Cemetery, Field of Mars; her grave was unmarked and unremarkable until recently – her grandsons are planning a permanent marker for her.

The Plaque will be made permanent