Standing Stones, Glen Innes. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Cgoodwin
Grandmother – Maternal mother’s line of Randall Family
Family Background
Ancestors of the Randall family came to Australia from Hanover, Scotland and England during the 19th century. Some of the surnames included in the family were Randall, Cowan, Smail, Mcleod and Cumming.
Ruby’s father, Edward Emanuel Randall, worked as a police officer at the following northern centres: Armidale; Emmaville; Guy Fawkes; Glen Innes; Grafton and Woodenberg as well as Uralla where he was in-charge for fifteen years.
Ruby Norma Randall was born on 2 June 1897 at Glen Innes, New South Wales. She was the third child of the marriage between Edward Emanuel Randall and Isabella Marion Cowan. Ruby had two brothers and three sisters. Her siblings in birth order were: Lionel Eric; Herbert Cyril; Vivien Doris; Mona Leola; and, Sybil Daphne.
Childhood to Early Adult Years
Her childhood was spent at Glen Innes and Emmaville, New South Wales, Australia.
Her father Edward was Sergeant of Police at Uralla and after leaving school Ruby Norma Randall was employed as a clerk at the local bank. It was through her work at the bank that she met the love of her life, Ralph Richmond Johnston, who was employed as a bank clerk at Tenterfield.
On the 30 April 1918 Ralph Richmond Johnston married Ruby Norma Randall at the Parsonage, Uralla, New South Wales.
Following their marriage Ruby had two children.
Her daughter Myee Maude Johnston was born at Tenterfield on 2 September 1920. At the time of Myee’s birth Ruby was living at Guyra, a town situated midway between Armidale and Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia.
Her Son, Ross Herbert Johnston was born five years later at Yenda on 19 December 1925.
Ruby Randall-Johnston with her children Myee and Ross at Griffith in the early 1930s
During the 1930’s depression Ralph and Ruby moved frequently. Ralph seemingly enjoyed change, and the family soon moved to Griffith where Ralph worked as an auctioneer and Ruby looked after the children. Their next venture took them to Kurri Kurri where, following the purchase of a cake and bakery shop in Barton Street, they became confectioners. After selling the bakery the family moved north to Frederickton, where Ross went to Primary school and Myee caught the bus to Kempsey High.
Ruby and Ralph then moved to Kempsey where they remained until the 1950’s. However the frequency of flooding in the Kempsey region caused them to move one last time to Westmead in Sydney.
Photo of Ruby and Ralph Johnston taken in 1967
The death of Ruby Norma Randall née Johnston happened at Wyena Road, Pendle Hill, New South Wales, Australia on the 17 April 1980. Ruby died from primary carcinoma of left lung (3 months); diabetes mellitus; and, peripheral vascular disease.. She was buried on 18 April 1980 at the Church of England Cemetery, Prospect.