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When her father died, Connie stayed with her sisters, and later went to stay with her father’s sister Charlotte (and Adam) at Middle Swan.
Later Connie lived in Mount Barker with her sister, Lulu and her mother, working at the local store in the drapery section. It was during this time that she met Vaughan Greenslade, who had traveled from England in advance of his family, to look for suitable land to continue their farming occupation.
Vaughan Greenslade accompanied by his friend, Arthur Hunt, arrived in Australia as passengers on the ‘Orama’ in December 1911. They had been friends in Durstin, near Taunton, Somerset for some years. Arthur’s father having attended school with Vaughan‘s father.
They left England from Tilbury Docks, London on 10 November 1911. The ticket shows that they shared a two berth cabin and paid 21 pounds each for the voyage. Vaughan was 22 years of age, while Arthur was 22 years his junior.
Arrangements had been made by mail (with another friend of theirs a Burt Meacham), that they would secure employment on landing in Australia. They secured positions working for the Government on an experimental farm at Crawley and later digging potatoes at a Government farm near the Porongurups, Mount Barker. Very soon the pair had left their employers, and were in partnership leasing a property in the Porongurup ranges, for a period of three years. Here sheep and cattle were agisted under contract from the farmers who were short of feed owing to the drought. They were partners in the venture, both endeavouring to become independent and secure their own land. Are the hunt bought the property where he and his family still reside, 18 miles from Mount Barker first taking possession in February 1917.
Vaughan looked further a field the wheat belt and became a farm manager at Kununoppin
He married Esther Constance Isa Mitchell at All Saints Church Mount Baker on 31st December 1916. His brother, John Roy Nelder Greenslade, and Connie‘s mother, Mary Anne Mitchell being witnesses to the ceremony.
Constance and Vaughan, after the marriage at Mount Baker, moved to Kunnanoppin to live, as Vaughan was managing a property there. This was in the far wheatbelt a long way from things in life that Connie had been used to.
She learned what being away from town meant, how to make bread and generally live the life of an outback farmer. The house they lived in was no more than a “Mt. Lyle” mansion, that is, one of the wooden frame covered with used superphosphate bags, generally white washed to stiffen them. The dust storms used to sweep right through the house and the heat was unbearable. However the people were very nice and the wife of the owner of the property loaned her piano, so they were able to spend the evenings with music
When the owners son came back from the war there was no longer a job available for Vaughan,so they moved to Katanning to manage ‘Glenalbyn’ for time for the C.W. Ball estate. While at Glenalbyn, Vaughan developed a stud of sheep.
Their first child Kathleen was born she was a frail little girl so they bought a house in Katanning where they lived for a short time so as to be closer to medical facilities.
However, Vaughn became ill, and after a short holiday in Albany he recovered, and went to Perth looking for work. He secured a position managing a farm at Bogart, but as Connie was expecting her second child she lived in a rented flat in West Leederville awaiting her confinement. This was close to her sister, Edith
Isobel Doreen was born 13th August 1922 and weighed 10 1/2 pounds (6.1kg). She was very much admired by Dr. Carter. This doctor later assisted in the confinement when (their son) Frank Nelder was born on 3 October 1924 also weighing a similar weight. Vaughan had written down to say that he now had furniture for the small cottage, and as Isobel was then one month old, Edie Tattle (Connie’s older sister), arranged for her to be christened at Saint Albans Church in Mount Lawley. Edie was at that time living in North Perth with her children.
A cow provided milk and butter but their three month supply of groceries had to be bought from Perth. Flour and sugar was purchased by the bag and meat purchased on the farm at four pence per pound.
It was a lonely existence for Connie with Vaughan away all day, but it was a beautiful place in the spring time. Sometimes her sister Edie sent her three girls up for company when on holidays from school.
Her nearest neighbour was a contractor’s wife (with three children) three miles away, and they often walked to each other’s home on a Sunday. The nearest telephone was at the homestead five miles away, but there was always a riding horse available in case of emergencies
She had a pet kangaroo and two green parrots to keep her company when Vaughan was away.
Owing to the heat a cool room was built from bushes. The baby Isobel would sleep on a homemade crib made from branches and clean chaffbag with a damp sheet over it to keep her cool. However the children thrived on the life and Isobel took her first steps when she was 10 months old being a beautiful pink infant. On occasions, Vaughan’s sister Dorothy and brother Eddie would visit staying for some weeks, that relieving the monotony.
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