25 January 1869 Launceston Tasmania Australia Ferdinand William Reisz Lawrence Ruth (Laurie)

Margaret Alice Sleightholm, known as Alice, was born on 25 Jan 1869, the sixth of twelve children of Robert Alexander Sleightholm (1831-1905) and his wife Jessie Laidlaw (1839-1906). Robert was a stonemason from Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. Robert and Jessie were married in the Presbyterian Manse, Rosevears, on 6 May 1858 and had ten daughters and two sons.

Alice was one of the first nurses to be trained at the Launceston General Hospital by Miss Jeanetta Milne at her recently established School for Nurses. She commenced her studies on 1 Feb 1890 and received an efficiency medal on 27 May 1892 and a certificate with credit in Jul 1892. She was transferred to the female ward in Feb 1893 and resigned as a Sister on 1 Nov 1894. It was there that she nursed her future husband Ferdinand Reisz through an illness. In Oct 1893 Alice was a witness at her sister Ada's wedding. Ferdinand is also in this Album.

Alice later moved to Brisbane where she married Ferdinand at St Paul's Presbyterian Manse, Spring Hill, on 25 Oct 1899. Alice resumed her career as Matron of the Children's Hospital at Charters Towers, discreetly using her maiden name. In 1900 they returned to Brisbane, where their only child Lawrence Ruth (Laurie) was born at New Farm on 20 Jan 1901. Laurie was an early medical graduate from Sydney University in 1925. She married Brucklay Forbes, a senior resident at the Brisbane General Hospital, in Mar 1933. Alice died at Coorparoo, Brisbane, on 21 Sep 1932.

Marion Sargent Aug 2006 & John Forbes Feb 2008