Frank Tippin Ballard in his diary written late in life (in the possession of Ralph Ballard) records that:
"Born at 45 Cope Street, Ladywood, England on 20 December 1902
Siblings - Edie, Rose (m. Howard Russell), William (Ted), Phyllis (m. Fred Taylor), Rene (m. Mr. Chapman), Daisy, Leslie, Marjorie, Joseph.
Michael is the son of Rene. He came to stay with Frank and Celia in Melbourne in 1957, then returned to Birmingham."
Before marrying Frank and emigrating to Australia, she was a lacemaker in Birmingham, England.
They lived for many years on a semi-rural block in Reservoir, Melbourne.
When Frank became sergeant of police at Heidelberg, they lived at the police station. Frank grew vegetables and milked Daisy the cow, while Celia cleaned the nearby Heidelberg Court House (now the Heidelberg Historical Museum).