About Jean

Born in Glasgow in 1945, Jean Peel (nee White) was educated at Shawlands Academy until the 12th Grade. After leaving school, she worked for six years as a Tax Officer in the Inland Revenue in Glasgow and was one of the lucky few picked to greet Princess Margaret on the opening day of the first computerised Tax Office in East Kilbride.

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In 1969, at the age of 24, Jean emigrated to Australia paying the princely sum of 10 pounds. Given the option of sailing or flying, she chose to fly on the advice of her mother and recalls the flight was a milk-run which took over a day and a half. After a humorous stopover in New Delhi, where she watched groups of local women pick up cow dung off the runways, she arrived in Brisbane, Australia. Within a few weeks, she found a flat in Clayfield, and met her late husband, Bruce through the Presbyterian Drama Group.

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After spending many years in isolated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, the family finally returned to Brisbane in 1989. Jean was lucky to be appointed Deceased Estates Officer with Suncorp, and she was there for 11 years before moving into public service. After 10 years with Queensland Health, Jean was forced to retire on health grounds, and has spent most of her time since, focusing on her creative talents.

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Being an avid reader all her life, Jean has always been a casual writer, and only recently finished her ninth Aunt Sally manuscript. At the request of her sons, and perhaps for the benefit of her grandchildren, Jean is currently documenting her own memories and those of her mother; at least the ones that she can remember.

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Opening herself to the world of creativity, Jean has also become addicted to card making, and more recently painting with oils and acrylics. She continues to bring more of her Aunt Sally stories to life, whilst working on a novel she’s had sitting on her writing desk for some time; that is, when she’s not overcome with writer’s block.