A face from the past: family discovers great-uncle's photograph at Grenfell Museum

Travelling from Brisbane and Sydney, brother and sister Joseph (Joe) McReynold and Anne made the trip to Grenfell this ANZAC Day to honour two of their great-uncles who served in the First World War, Joseph Alphonsus Kearins and William John Kearins. While they expected the visit to be a chance to reconnect with their family's history, they received an unexpected surprise when they called into the Grenfell Museum. Museum historian Hugh Moffitt suggested there might be a photograph of their great-uncle Joseph among the museum's collection. And luckily enough, there was. For Joe, it was the first time he had ever seen what his mother's uncle looked like. "It was really lovely to see his face for the first time," he said. The photograph, an original postcard-sized image, had been preserved at the museum, giving the family an opportunity to finally put a face to a name they had known through family stories and military history. Joe said the discovery was completely unexpected and made an already meaningful visit to his mother's hometown even more memorable. The siblings had travelled to Grenfell to take part in the ANZAC Day commemorations, with Joe wearing his great-uncle Joseph's service medals during the march, while his sister wore those belonging to William, Joseph's brother. While neither had previously marched on ANZAC Day, the idea had been something his sister had wanted to do for some time. Initially hesitant about travelling to a town where they no longer had close family connections, Joe said they were warmly welcomed by the Grenfell community. "I thought, 'Who's going to know us? We don't know anybody there anymore'," he said. "But we found that everyone was very welcoming and it was really nice." Joseph Alphonsus Kearins died in France on 16 April, 1918, aged just 23, and his remains were never recovered. His final resting place remains unknown, with a wooden cross at Grenfell Cemetery marking his place beside the family graves, despite his remains not being buried there. His name is also commemorated on the district's war memorial, on the panel honouring those who made the supreme sacrifice. His brother, William John Kearins, also served in the war but survived and returned home to Australia, later passing away in Brisbane in 1947. The brothers are also remembered together on a board in the Grenfell Museum. Joe said his mother had passed the brothers' medals on to him when he was a child, knowing he would appreciate and look after them. He has treasured the medals ever since. Joe's mother grew up in the Grenfell district before leaving as a young woman in search of employment opportunities. She later worked as a governess before becoming a nurse, where she met Joe's father. The family eventually settled in Young. One of 10 children, Joe said his older siblings had visited Grenfell more regularly when their aunties were still living in Kemp Street, but his own memories of the town were limited to childhood visits. Many of the family's relatives are buried in the Grenfell Cemetery, with connections to local families including the Reeves. His sister, who had been researching more of the family's military history, encouraged him to make the ANZAC Day trip and march in honour of their great-uncles. Joe said the experience gave him a new appreciation for his mother's hometown. "I was really proud of my mother's town," he said. "I thought it was really, really nice. It's a beautiful town, all the old buildings and everything." The discovery of Joseph's photograph added another layer to the visit, bringing a family story from more than a century ago into the present. For Joe and his sister the trip was about remembering two family members, honouring their service and making a connection with a part of their family's history that had been waiting to be rediscovered. Joseph Alphonsus Kearins Lance Corporal, 4th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1 William John Kearins Private, 19th Infantry Battalion, AIF WW1