a beautifully designed Art Deco style, with Spanish-inspired arches, and a glorious large garden with a tennis court. The residence was admired by all who visited.
Many balls and parties were held at the new home in the large ballroom, and Jaime was always a popular figure amongst the pretty, single girls. He had seen Ally only once since his return, and although it was a painful experience, he had moved on with his life when she married Angus. At one of the family garden parties, on a sultry, summer day in 1924, Jaime was introduced to a strikingly beautiful chestnut-haired girl, Alma May Lumsden, known by her nickname of Connie. She had come to the party with a friend of Lionel’s, and when they struck up a conversation, she reminded Jaime that they had met once before. Connie was a friend of Ally’s. For a moment Jaime froze, just hearing Ally’s name still hurt, but Connie’s animated conversation and her exquisite looks soon had him under her spell.
Very soon Jaime and Connie were courting. Nights at the theatre, intimate dinners, and social tennis parties followed. Unlike Jaime, Connie didn’t play tennis — she detested sports, much to his disappointment. He’d already taken an interest in golf and had recently begun lessons. He had hoped Connie would join him on the links, but that was never to be. Still, when they waltzed to the sound of Marion Harris singing, ‘It Had to Be You’, on the Melola phonograph, which Jaime had purchased in 1923, any regrets with her interest in sport just faded away. He was now besotted with the emerald-eyed beauty, who coyly, always had her own way.
On Saturday 29 May 1926, Jaime married Alma May Lumsden at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Kew. He was twenty-seven years old and Connie was twenty-four. Initially, they moved into a residence at 246 Dandenong Road, St. Kilda, and life was very happy for the honeymooners. Jaime had felt quite smug, when he learnt that Ally knew he had married her old friend; despite his love for Connie, Ally still tugged at his heartstrings, and he had never forgiven her for the letter debacle.
Life changed on 5 May 1927 when Connie’s 49-year-old mother died. She was devastated. The favourite daughter of four sisters, Connie was her mother’s pride and joy, and completely spoilt. She fell into a deep depression, spending days in bed. Jaime would arrive home from work, exhausted, to find his wife sobbing and still in bed with nothing prepared for dinner. He was at his wits end as to how he could help her. Eventually, things returned to normal, but Connie’s happy nature had all but disappeared, and their lovemaking was extremely erratic.
The Argus,
Friday, 6 May 1927
LUMSDEN
On the 5th May, Isabelle, dearly loved wife of Alfred George Lumsden, dearly loved mother of Vera (Mrs Marnell), Myra (Mrs Tompkins), Connie (Mrs San Miguel), and Edna, died at her home in Glenferrie. Dearly loved.
In April of 1929, Birdie San Miguel, aged sixty-five years, along with two of her daughters, Ines and Patricia, set sail on the Oronsay headed for Europe. They would spend over seven months abroad, a large number spent in Barcelona and Seville. On 23 May, the ship docked at Southampton and the trio began their holiday. Harrison, San Miguel & Mauri Bros. and Thomson had both continued to gain huge profits, and as Birdie had a large number of shares in the companies, she received a very healthy income, which continued for many years to come.
The Register News-Pictorial (Adelaide, S.A.) Tuesday, 31 December 1929
Elizabeth Leigh’s Pages For Women
SPAIN NOW MODERNISED
After twenty years absence from Spain, where she once lived, Mrs A San Miguel of Mont Albert recently visited Barcelona and Seville. She returned today by the Ormonde, accompanied by her daughters, Mrs Pat Henwood and Miss Ines San Miguel.
‘The progress of Spain has been wonderful,’ said Mrs San Miguel. ‘In Seville, old houses have given place to beautiful modern hotels like the Alfonso the Thirteenth, where all the smart people go for tea between five and six o’clock, and dance afterwards. Wherever you travel now in Spain you find someone who can speak both French and English. The accommodation is excellent, cheaper than in England, and is cheap as in the rest of Europe. Americans travel there in hundreds. Everything is modernised. The Spanish dance all the modern dances beautifully. If you want to see the old Moorish dances you have to go to special cafes, where they are now a feature. Education is spreading among the poor of Spain. Girls and young women have more freedom than they ever had. Yes, many of them today choose their own husbands.’
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash on 29 October 1929, and rapidly spread worldwide. As in other nations, Australia suffered years of high unemployment, low profits, deflation, and lost opportunities for economic growth. One of the casualties was the Ajax Tyre and Denby Motor Truck Agencies, including the Melbourne Suburban Bus Company. It affected Tony San Miguel very badly, causing him to have a complete nervous breakdown, and he was hospitalised for a number of weeks. He had lost everything he’d invested. Although Jaime also lost a portion, he hadn’t been a major player in the company, and immediately began looking for alternative employment.
In early December, Jaime was given some wonderful news: he and Connie were expecting a baby, so now he would have a family to take care of. He obtained a job at the Dunlop Rubber Company, covering the sales of Solid and Pneumatic Tyres, including areas of their general lines to the mechanical section. Jaime was a natural salesman and loved his new job.
On Friday 15 August 1930, Leon Jaime San Miguel was born, a beautiful, healthy baby boy. The couple were ecstatic, although throughout the pregnancy, Connie had been aloof and distant. Lovemaking had ceased altogether and six months after the birth, Jaime still hadn’t shared intimacy with his wife. He took his frustrations out by playing competitive tennis. He won a large number of trophies, and his golf games became more frequent. Having no interest in his hobbies, Connie would whinge and complain on his arrival home, hurting his feelings when she failed to congratulate him on winning a game. Heated arguments became a regular occurrence, and Connie’s depression again reared its ugly head. Despite all their problems, Jaime purchased a large property at 18 Stodart Street, Camberwell. The generous home with tennis court also included a self-contained flat above the garage. Not long after they moved in, Connie requested separate bedrooms.
Jaime kept his marriage problems from his family. His youngest sister, Patricia had married Leslie Felix Henwood in 1926, and already had two children, Brett and Judy. Just before the birth of Leon, Lionel wed his fiancé, Myra Bullivant, while Ines remained a spinster. The one person Jaime did confide in was his old friend from Xavier College, John Cooke. John listened patiently to his good friend, but could not sympathise completely.
‘Jaime,’ he said shortly. ‘You married Connie on the rebound from Ally and you both had nothing in common. But you have a son now, so you must be patient with her.’
Jaime tried, how very hard he tried, however, nothing he could say or do seemed to make Connie happy; indeed, not even their baby son could allay her misery.
Jaime threw himself into his work, and soon became Dunlop’s top salesman. His salary increased with the money he was earning from his commission. Saturday afternoons he would spend on the golf course, often with brother Lionel, another keen player. Jaime adored his little boy and played with him often, but life with Connie was becoming unbearable. Shortly after moving into Stodart Street, he began attending
