Fran Rogers has been making care packages for Australian soldiers serving all over the world. To date, this Local Legend has sent over 3,000 biscuits around the globe. This Timeline was created to celebrate Fran's favourite memories and to showcase her famous Anzac biscuits.
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Join MemoriesFran was born on the 1st of August in the house where she grew up. The district nurse was there to assist at the time. Despite being born on the horse's birthday, Fran was frightened of them. The third child of four, Fran always wanted an older brother but instead had two older sisters, and one younger. She always wanted a brother, but sadly it ...
Mary Carr Fran used to go to The Entrance for school holidays with her grandparents. Back them, cows used to be allowed to wander in the streets. Boys used to say the cows were running and she’d panic and run into houses to escape.
Mary Carr Fran’s father would take her to the city on Saturdays when he was talking business in George Street. Fran remembers how the other gents would pat her on the head when she greeted them. Her father worked for railways before having his own business, Waratah Sheet Metal Works which made hot water systems.
Fran attended Arncliffe West School. Later she was invited to their 75th and then their 100th anniversary celebrations.
Fran met husband Keith and they went on to have 5 children and 13 grandchildren
When she was 20, Fran married her husband Keith. It was usual for girls to marry very young and they often had a glory box. Fran started one when she started going out with boys. One item she remembers having in it was a brandy balloon with a sailing ship on it which she still has. She put this on Layby and used to pay 2 shillings off each pay da...
Fran got a casual job at Woolies, and eventually became the liquor licencee for them for 25 years. Local customers still remember her today and know her by name.
One of Fran's favourite holidays Fran took a tip to Hong Kong.
Mary Carr "I try and make about 120 biscuits with each mixture though I sometimes am a bit heavy-handed with the Golden Syrup and they don't always come out the same size." Each care package contains about 12 biscuits. She has baked more than 3000 biscuits altogether in this time and received many thank you letters from the grateful soldiers.
Mary Carr Fran bakes ANZAC biscuits for care packages for soldiers from her grandmother’s WW1 recipe, which was from a newspaper printed at the time. "I use my grandmother's recipe from World War I. I have a newspaper from the first Anzac Day in 1915 and it has a recipe for Anzac biscuits which is exactly the one that we used.
Mary Carr
Mary Carr Fran continues to make care packages with her now famous biscuits
Mary Carr Fran was awarded an Australia Day Medallion at Engadine RSL for her support to the ADF community. Her efforts in making care packages for soldiers around the world were commended. The care packages included her biscuits and Fran also made a number of traditional 2 Up Kits. Fran received an Australia Council Medallion and Certificate of Appreciation. "I was very embarrassed about getting the award when I consider all those poor people fighting the bushfires," Mrs Rogers said. Engadine Sub Branch president Shane Tymms in presenting the awards praised Mrs Rogers as an outstanding, patriotic Australian.