A celebration of the "creation of Albury" kicked off on Sunday, October 15, as more than 100 descendants from three founding families gathered to remember and celebrate the past.
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One hundred and twenty-seven people linked to the Keamy sisters who settled in Albury in the late 1800s and early 1900s broke bread in what was described as "the first and probably the last time" it would happen.
Organiser Yvette Nesire-McNeil said everyone present at the SS&A Albury event had a heartfelt connection with Saleemy, Marion and Kathrina Keamy.
Lebanese families including the Nesires, Farrahs, Doumanis, Mannerings, Abikhairs, Metrys, Batrouneys, Mellicks, Assads and Dihoods are direct descendants of the Keamy pioneers.
![A crowd of 127, all linked to founding families of Albury, at the SS&A Club on Olive Street on Sunday, October 15. Picture supplied A crowd of 127, all linked to founding families of Albury, at the SS&A Club on Olive Street on Sunday, October 15. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/f4a17525-9b89-46d7-b5b6-5250e2cd714e.jpg/r0_869_4032_3028_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"They all came together, and that's part of the journey," she said referring to the sisters. "The women travelled across the oceans alone and once in Albury went on to support each other as they established their businesses and families.
"So it's quite a interesting story of courage and resilience arriving in Port Melbourne so long ago and then ending up here in Albury."
Mrs Nesire-McNeil said many people strolling the streets of Albury would be familiar with the Abikhair name which is closely tied to the Keamys.
"These people in the early days of Albury really did build the town, they built a commerce area and they really did make a decent contribution."
![Jeff Dihood, Yvette Nesire-McNeil and Sandy Banaszczyk, descendants of three sisters who moved to Albury from Lebanon - one in 1896, one in 1899 and the last one in 1910 - at the reunion. Picture by Tara Trewhella Jeff Dihood, Yvette Nesire-McNeil and Sandy Banaszczyk, descendants of three sisters who moved to Albury from Lebanon - one in 1896, one in 1899 and the last one in 1910 - at the reunion. Picture by Tara Trewhella](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/c2a27ff8-c53a-4b29-be8b-9328ecbadadd.jpg/r0_282_5512_3393_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The three sisters departed the disintegrating Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century before all settled in Albury by 1910.
"Despite language difficulties, the White Australia policy, the Federation Drought and the 1917 Townsend Street floods, the three Keamy sisters embodied perseverance and initiative, opening businesses in Albury," she said.
"Establishing their first vegetable and drapery stores in the 400 block of Dean Street, they contributed to Albury's growing commercial centre. Today their families' names still adorn these historic buildings.
"Saleemy's descendants, the Nesires and Farrahs, provided high end fashion premises for the women and men of Albury and Wodonga until the 1990s."
![Michel and Lorna Metry Michel and Lorna Metry](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/d05e7d88-bbb8-4a2a-90cf-f3c2d409d50c.jpg/r0_0_1080_1440_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She said Marion in the early 1900s was a successful hawker which was "an unusual feat for a woman".
"She began drapery stores with daughters Effie and Jamilie and their husbands Antonia Abikhair and Neif Assad," she said.
![Tim Farrah, Jeff Dihood, Yvette Nesire-McNeil Tim Farrah, Jeff Dihood, Yvette Nesire-McNeil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/c6bd448b-f813-44c1-b5c9-96e7b2500824.jpg/r0_101_1080_708_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Above their shops the women sewed clothing to stock their businesses and to supply the hawkers who serviced remote farming families.
"Kathrina and her husband Joseph Dihood returned to Albury in 1924, after running successful drapery stores in Mansfield, Yea and Kilmore.
"They built the Ritz Palace (now the Bended Elbow) which became the place for Albury's New Year's Eve parties, balls, weddings and engagements."
Jeff Dihood, who is a descendent of Kathrina Keamy, said the day was a special celebration.
"This is the first time this has happened and it will probably never happen again," Mr Dihood said.
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Guests at Sunday's get together travelled from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane, with many cousins in attendance living in the Border region.
Mrs Nesire-McNeil said the event took about a year to organise.
"I said to a few cousins, I think we'll have a reunion and they said, oh, that's a good idea - and here we all are," she said. "That was about 12 months ago - it's just been a wonderful day."
Mrs Nesire-McNeil said she hoped the "inspiring stories of our great grandmothers are known by our descendants and recognised in the history books of Albury. Saleemy, Marion and Kathrina generated a rich legacy for this city."
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