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The Kingshott-Cassidy Poetry Award

I have recently been made aware of an award issued by the University of Queensland, called the Kingshott-Cassidy Poetry Award. Needless to say, with a title like that I could not pass up the opportunity to know a little bit about the award, and about the branch of the family that contributed to its name.

Having contacted the University of Queensland I learned that the award was instigated by a lady called Sue Cassidy and was first awarded in 2011. Ruth Hanlon, of the University of Queensland, replied and said:-

 

"Miss Dorothy Susan (Sue) Cassidy was an alumnus of the University of Queensland, earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1980 and a Master of Arts in 1986. She was a writer, poet, and a painter. Sue was born in 1935. About five years before she died, Sue approached the University with the idea of establishing a testamentary trust that would provide an annual scholarship in perpetuity to an undergraduate student with a demonstrated interest in poetry, who is deemed to be in financial need. She wished for the scholarship to be named the "Kingshott Cassidy Poetry Award" as a tribute to her mother, father and brother."

 

So how did Sue fit into the Kingshott family?  The clue is in the above paragraph and it is clear from this that her mother was a Kingshott family member. Having done some research, I have managed to find that her mother was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia as Catherine Phyllis Kingshott, though she was known as Phyllis. Her parents, in turn, were John & Elizabeth Kingshott. John was a Blacksmith and Phyllis was the last of nine children born in this family. John Kingshott was the grandson of John Kingshott of Greatham, Hampshire, England, who was transported to Australia in 1831.

Photograph of Dorothy Susan (Sue) Cassidy

Catherine Phyllis Kingshott married a chap called Beaumont Cassidy. They had two children, Sue and her brother Rod. I know that Sue did not marry, but I do not know what happened to Rod, so if anyone knows I would love to hear from you.

 

You can read a lovely, personal, biography of Sue here. It is all the more poignant as it is written by her family, who clearly loved her very much.

 

Sue was my 7th cousin once removed.

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