Trained in dressmaking and in millinery and also a a cook. She leftVictoria when she was approximately 20 - 21 years of age and went toWestern Australia with 5 other girls one of whom included the woman sheworked under as a cook in Victoria. She ended up as a cook in a hotel atYundermindera which was a small town (gold mining) 60 klms east ofLeonora. It is now only a station, but during it's hey day boasted 6Hotels. there she met James Gray who was the local butcher. they weremarried at Boulder on the 9th November 1909. their daughter Thelma May,was born at Leonora on the 21st May 1910. Presumeably she may have beenpremature, because she was a very small baby. Mary also was very ill, andwithin a short period of time James sold his Butchery business andbrought Mary and Thelma to Perth for more expert care. After about 2years Mary finally recovered and they then moved to Westonia where Jamesworked as a miner for quite afew years and then applied for land for afarm, where here mained until just before his death in 1951. Mary thenmoved to Perth and later died at Kalamunda on the 13th June 1972 and sheis buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, James is also buriedthere. She was given away at her marriage by John (Jackas he was calledin WA) perhaps because her father was in Victoria or cutting timber withBill and Tom. Mary married James at the Presbyterian Church Boulder onthe 9th Novembet 1909, the witnesses were Arthur James Steel and EdithMary Steel and John Hovey (brother) next to the groom. Her home at thetime was Yundamundera. John Hovey the father of Mary was a woodcutter atthe time.