Molly Bonamy celebrates 105th birthday
When Molly Bonamy was born in January 1913 Australia’s population was less than five million, Canberra had not yet been officially named, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge did not exist.
Central Coast
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When Molly Bonamy was born in January 1913 Australia’s population was less than five million, Canberra had not yet been officially named the Sydney Harbour Bridge did not exist.
Mrs Bonamy is amazed she’s made it to her 105th birthday and if you ask her the secret of a long life, she’ll tell you she doesn’t really know.
She is a resident of Blue Wave Living at Woy Woy where she is the oldest resident, and thought to be the oldest woman on the Central Coast.
Mrs Bonamy is an active participant in activities, including an intergenerational playgroup run by Playgroup NSW each Friday which gives residents the opportunity to interact with small children for the benefit of both.
Mrs Bonamy was born Jean Mary Salier on 2 January 1913 at home in Summer Hill in Sydney.
Her father thought Jean was too grown up a name for a little baby and she has been known as Molly ever since. Her father died when she was four years old and she grew up with her mother, grandparents and brother, Geoff in Summer Hill
She attended Summer Hill school and later the domestic science school and left for secretarial college at fifteen.
Eventually she became a shorthand teacher at the same college, leaving some years later to pursue a career as a legal secretary.
As a young girl she enjoyed movies, ballroom dancing and singing and was an accomplished soprano and soloist in the local Congregational church choir. She also enjoyed amateur dramatics.
At twenty eight she married Geoff Bonamy, a young solicitor whose family had been friends of her family for many years. They moved to Ashfield where they raised their daughter. She was able to help him in his legal practice.
During World War 11 she worked part time as the secretary to a major based in Sydney and also made camouflage nets for the army.
Mrs Bonamy was always involved in secretarial work for charity both for the church and the Scottish Hospital in Paddington as well as several other organisations.
She, her husband and daughter moved to Dover Heights, Sydney in 1960 to be close to his parents and they became involved in the local church at Vaucluse
After her husband’s death in 1978 she remained in Dover Heights until 1999 when she moved to Umina Beach to be close to her daughter and grandson. At the age of 101 she moved to Blue Wave Living in Woy Woy.
Mrs Bonamy has a daughter, Sue, a grandson, Geoff and two beautiful great granddaughters, Sophie and Abigail who live close by.