1895 – 1964
Family
Parents
William Henry Sullivan 16 June 1868 to 17 March 1922
Elizabeth Jane O’Sullivan 20 June 1869 to 30 October ????
Veronica was born at 224 Moray Street South Melbourne on 17 December 1895
Siblings
Lily Elizabeth 1898 to ????
Margaret Mary 20 March 1900 to 20 November 1929 (Margaret was known as Moya)
Kathleen Mary 21 October 1903 to 7 December 2004
Patricia Carmel 1908 to 30 March 2000
William David 30 July 1910 to 18 February 2004
Marriage
Richard Henry Leslie Liston 1 April 1891 to 16 June 1979
Les and Vera were married at St. Joseph’s Church Malvern on 3 February 1917.
Children of Leslie and Veronica
Richard Vincent 1918 to 1979
Kevin William 1921 to 1982
Paul Anthony 1924 to 1964
Carmel Margaret 1929 to 2004
Margaret 1936
Biography
Veronica, who later in life was known as Vera, was the eldest of six children. Vera was born at Moray Street South Melbourne. William David’s birthcertificate indicates that by 1919 the family had moved to 37 Victoria Avenue Albert Park and by 1917 the faily lived at “Carmel” Carroll Crescent Malvern, now Glen Iris. Vera enjoyed school, but at 14 was taken out of school to help her mother with the younger children. Later, Vera trained as a tailor, her marriage certificate indicates that at the date of her marriage she was a tailoress.
In 1917 Vera married Leslie Liston. Leslie and Veronica lived around the corner from each other in Malvern, Leslie in Tooronga Road and Veronica in Carroll Crescent. It is likely that they met through social activities associated with St Joseph’s Parish Malvern. In March 1917. The single-storey Edwardian dwelling at 49 (formerley 31) Carroll Crescent became the family home and remained in Leslie’s ownership until his death in 1979. This dwelling two doors west of Vera’s parent’s home.
Leslie and Veronica had five children. Their children went to primary school nearby at St Roch’s parish school in Burke Road Glen Iris. The boys then went on to De La Salle College in High Street Malvern and the girls to Kildara College next door. Carmel, Leslie & Veronica’s eldest daughter became a Brigidine Sister, their remaining children all married producing 19 much loved grandchildren They were known to their grandchildren as Nana & Pa. Veronica died on 5 July 1964 a few weeks before her youngest son Paul. Leslie lived for another 15 years, the last few years of his life he was cared for at Nazareth House in Camberwell.
Anecdotes and other stories
Vera’s father William played the violin and encouraged Vera to learn the piano. All her life she could entertain family and friends with her musical skill. She could play by ear, learning to play the popular songs of the time she heard on the radio.
Vera’s daughter Margaret remembers that her dad used the tease her mother by telling all and sundry that prior to marriage she used to sow flies on mens trousers and that her mum talked many times of sewing, starching and ironing of white frills on all the girls dresses as “Bigmum” liked to present them looking their best to the world, although she herself spent many hours working in the garden while Father spent long hours as a bootmaker.
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