William Aubrey Reid GLEN (Aub)

Aub was born on 13 May 1918 in Birchip. His parents were William Charles Glen and Annie Isabella Glen (nee Reid) and he had an older sister Doris Jean. Aub’s grandparents were Andrew Glen and Alice Presswood Glen (nee Coats) on the paternal side, and Moses Reid and Jane Richmond Reid (nee Bryan) on the maternal side.

Aub grew up on the family farm, Glenbower, located to Birchip’s west off the Warracknabeal Road.

Aub’s mother died in 1925 at the age of 32, from complications related to diabetes and measles. After Annie’s death, Aub lived for a short time with his uncle Will Reid’s family. Aub and his father moved into a house on Corack Road, and Aub attended Birchip West and Birchip Elementary Schools.

Tragedy struck again in 1934 when Doris died of pneumonia, contracted while working as a nurse in St Arnaud. Doris was just 19 years old.

Aub’s father William remarried Ada Beatrice Jackson (nee Read). Ada had been employed as a housekeeper for the Glen family after Aub’s mother died. Her first husband was killed during World War I, and she had moved to Australia to be with her sister, a war bride who was married to Frank Poyner from nearby Nullawil.

Aub left school after achieving his proficiency (year 9 level). He worked around Birchip lumping and carting bags of grain in his father’s truck, including for George Cartwright.

Aub enlisted with the Australian Army in 1939 and was sent overseas in 1941. He served in the Middle East, New Guinea and Borneo. He was discharged in January 1946 and returned to Birchip to work on the Glen family farm, Glenbower.

It was back in Birchip that Aub met and eventually married Margaret Reid. Margaret was visiting Aub’s parents, Will and Ada Glen, at their home 35 Duncan Street, Birchip.

Aub and Margaret married in Hopetoun in 1949 and made Glenbower their home. They had four children: Rod, Shelley, Debra and Leanne (Lana).

Aub was a great sportsman, playing football for Birchip and vice captaining the 1950 premiership side. He enjoyed a game of billiards and was a class boxer in his younger years.

Aub was a foundation member of Birchip Legacy when it was formed in 1959. He became a member of the Birchip RSL and was president in 1963 when the new sub-branch rooms were opened.

He farmed Glenbower until his death at 63 years of age in 1982.

Aub and Margaret Glen

Margaret met Aub when she was visiting his parents Will and Ada Glen, who lived at 35 Duncan Street, Birchip. Margaret had boarded with them while attending school in Birchip.

They married in Hopetoun on 12 October 1949 and honeymooned in Tasmania. The bridesmaids were Shirley and Jennifer Reid, and the groomsmen were Ian Poyner and Max Bolden.

Aub and Margaret took over the family farm, Glenbower, located on Glen Road, Warmur, Birchip.

Aub and Margaret had four children: Rodney, Shelley, Debra and Leanne (Lana).

Glenbower had an ‘open door’ policy. Over the years, it was a respite and home for people going through hard times. Aub and Margaret were both kind and considerate to those less fortunate than themselves.

Aub died suddenly in 1982. He passed away at Glenbower aged just 63, leaving Margaret a widow for the next 40 years. 

Margaret moved into Birchip in 1984 when Rod married Joan (nee Storey). Margaret’s choice of home was 35 Duncan Street where she had boarded as a school student and first met Aub. The house was built in 1925 by Aub’s uncle, Jack Glen.

In later years, when Duncan Street became too much for Margaret to manage, she moved into a unit on Morrison Street, Birchip.

Margaret died on 11 April 2020 after a three-week stay in Wirrim Lodge, Birchip.

Aub and Margaret’s legacy lives on through their four children, 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.