By SCOTT HAMILTON
THE Toomuc Hall was an idyllic venue to host the recent Ramage Family Reunion.
The Ramage name is well known within the Toomuc Valley, Pakenham, Pakenham Upper and Gembrook communities having been involved in these communities for about 150 years.
The current Ramages are all descendants of James and Jane Ramage who immigrated to Australia from Scotland in 1853 aboard the sailing ship “Bankers Daughter”. Upon arrival they settled in the Western District before coming across to Gippsland and settling in South Gippsland and the Pakenham districts.
The day was a great opportunity for families to catch up. There were over 60 decendants in attendance and a great social luncheon was held in the grounds of the hall where lots of memories and catching up occurred.
Descendants had come from far and wide with family members coming from Warrnambool and Simpson in the West, Morwell and Moe in the East, Korumburra in the South as well as lots of local locations. Guests were treated to a fantastic display of local Toomuc Valley and Ramage Family history by local Toomuc Valley Historian John Waterhouse and Ramage Family historian Ken Unwin.
Copies of photos and original letters and documents were eagerly perused by family members on the day.
The day was organised by Pam Hamilton, daughter of the late Keith and Doris Ramage of Brierfield Orchard, Toomuc Valley, Ken and Betty Unwin of Simpson and well-known local Lyn Stephenson, daughter of the late Lorna Giles (nee Ramage).
The organisers look forward to a future family gathering in three years’ time where stories and history can be exchanged again by the Ramage clan.
