Historical Information

Born in 1913 as the second child of Ida and Thomas Dalton. At that time the family were living in boarding houses in St Kilda. As the family grew, they moved to Carnegie. One story was that Ida had grown tired of Tom going out drinking with mates after work. One of her brothers was a real estate agent and found a house for them to buy in Neerim Road, Carnegie. Tom didn’t want to move – Ida told him that she and the children were moving to Neerim Road and he would find them there if he wanted to live with them. Obviously he moved.
Ida entered an apprenticeship as a milliner, an industry notorious for workers working
in very humid conditions as hats were steamed into shape and various chemicals were used to ensure they maintained shape and to hold the trimmings in place. She  contracted tuberculosis, a contagious bacterial disease spread through the air that
especially affects the lungs. In the 1930s, it was the leading cause of death for women. In the absence of antibiotics, not discovered until the 1940s, treatment primarily involved sanatorium care, emphasising bed rest, fresh air, and nutritious diets.
Ronnie was sent away to a sanatorium in the Dandenongs however when ‘treatment’
proved to be ineffective, she returned to the house in Neerim Road. A ‘sleep out’ was built attached to, but separate from, the house for Ronnie. And the other children were only allowed to stand in the doorway to speak with Ronnie for fear of contracting the infection. In spite of every effort being made to nurse Ronnie to health, she died at age 20 in 1934.
The doctor told Nana Dalton that at least one other of her children would contract
tuberculosis. In the face of this advice, Ida did everything in her power to ensure this
would not happen, including insisting that the children would not go to mass if the
weather was inclement. Her efforts payed off!
Undoubtedly Ronnie was much mourned by her parents and those of her siblings that were old enough to know her well before her illness removed her from their immediate circle – Kath (23), Myra (18), Jim (16) and Noel (14). Definitely a life cut too short.

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Joan Connor