To quote "The Wind in the Willows" I took the prompt to be along the lines of "messing about in boats".
This is Beatrice Annie Nash, my 2nd great aunt - sister to my great grandfather.
She was born in Freshford, Somerset, England in mid 1887 (around July). Bet was the third child and eldest daughter of James William Nash and Matilda Whatley.
Now, I'm not too sure if this photo is legit. It certainly looks like she is sitting on the deck of a cruise ship (thankfully not the Titanic) enjoying the sun and a good book. But, it also looks like she may be sitting in front of a well drawn backdrop. Either way, she looks stunning in her puffy sleeves and big hair.
Bet would go on to marry Jack Hawkins in 1911 and have three children, two boys and a girl. Bet passed away at just 59 years of age in 1947.
This second picture is of my dad's cousin Kol as a toddler. With his grandmother Gean Nash (nee Bunston) in the passenger seat and a very happy pet dog on the shore of the mighty Murray River.
I have a feeling they didn't get very far down the river :)
After WWII Kol's parents (Cliff and Muriel Morris) moved to the Mildura area where he was born in the late 1940's. He is the eldest of four boys.
In 1951 Gean Nash (nee Bunston) on the right, travelled to England with her husband Percy Nash and some cousins. (I can't for the life of me remember which ones, even though I just saw a "bon voyage" photo last week! Don't know where it has gone now).
This was the first time Percy had been back to England since he served in Europe in WWI. He came to Australia in 1912, so 40 years later he visits his mother. It is also the first (and only) time Gean met her mother in law.
Below is the Strathmore, the ship on which they sailed.
Now, you may recognise this last picture - it's the one I posted
a couple of weeks ago. But it fits nicely with my "messing about in boats" - so once again, I give you my grandmother Elsie and great grandfather Sam Davenport.
Nan is ready to take the plunge while her dad steadies the ship.