History Making

For the first time in its over-100 year history, Fairholme College can boast five generations of girls to wear the MacLaren tartan.

Ruby and Eva Newell are the fifth generation to walk Palm Drive, which began when their great-great-grandmother, Beryl Powell (formerly Kemp, nee Wonderley) attended Spreydon in 1914. Beryl’s two older sisters, Marjorie and May, also attended Spreydon.

The sisters were of the Wonderley family, of the well-known local firm, Wonderley and Hall, Solicitors in Toowoomba.

Beryl married James Kemp in 1925 and had one child, a daughter, who attended Fairholme. James died in 1946 and Beryl remarried in 1950 - to Ray Powell, of Powell House and Fairholme.

Beryl and James’ daughter, Margaret Webster (Kemp 1935-1938) attended Fairholme Prep School. Generations to follow are Julie Cornes (Webster 1961-1969), Natalie Newell (Cornes 1988-1993) and this year, Ruby (Year 11, 2023) and Eva Newell (Year 7 2023).

L to R: Ruby Newell (Year 11, 2023), her Mum Natalie Newell (Cornes 1988-1993), daughter Eva Newell (Year 7, 2023), Guy Newell – Natalie’s husband and father of Ruby and Eva.