HOME > HISTORIES > Muriel NIELD

MEMORIES

by Muriel Nield
(28 April 1910 - 15 August 1990)

I know little of my grandparents, nothing at all on my father's side and little on my mothers. Mother's father was a musician - he transposed music for the instruments of orchestras. His three sons, my uncles Will, Simon and Ernie Fellows all played different instruments in Sydney Orchestras. During the Great Depression years the uncles had a very lean time, even playing in groups in Sydney streets. I remember walking in my lunch hour to hear them play. Uncle Will was a part-time tailor and as children we loved to visit Uncle Will and Aunty Edna. I remember us collecting dandelion flowers in hundreds and threading a chain to decorate the front of their house at Carlton. We looped chains from verandah post to post and thought it lovely.

My father had a sister, Manie, living in Hunter Street Newcastle and married to a jeweller, Frank Pearce. Dad was retired but had been a Railway employee and each year was granted a railway pass and as a special treat we travelled to Newcastle to visit Aunty Manie. The residence was over the shops. The balcony on the front of the residence overlooked Hunter Street traffic. We thought it marvellous to have a balcony! And to slide down the banister on the stairs!! Aunt Manie's daughter Silvia coked lunch and she made spicy apple cake that has been a family favourite ever since.

My father John Roscoe Neild was a widower when he and mother married, with three children, Elizabeth, Roscoe and John. He was in his fifties, mother in her twenties. They married at Cobar in N.S.W. where my father worked as a railway Pay-master for the northern line was centred.
Father had the use of a Railway cottage but had arranged with my mothers father and stepmother and their family to share the house and care for him. The romance with my parents was the outcome of this arrangement.

After the marriage they moved to Bourke where father was station master. At Bourke my sister Mary was born. Their next home was at Helensburgh on the South Coast where I was born and my younger sister Leila.

My father retired from Helensburgh and with financial help from Aunt Marie was able to purchase the house at 8 Hamden Street, Lakemba where he lived until he died in 1923 at the age of 71. Father was born in Lancashire England but I don't know anything about his move to Australia.

I remember him as a kindly grey haired and bearded man. He had his fads. For breakfast he enjoyed fine ground oatmeal porridge and coffee which was brewed in a grey enamel coffee pot on the fuel stove at Lakemba.

Also, he refused to wear a necktie as can be seen from his portrait and I can remember him as an irate parent when I was caned at school for getting a sum wrong. He went to the school and complained.

My mother never had an easy life. Her mother died when she was young. She spent some time with an aunt in Ipswich Queensland but was with her father and step-mother in Cobar when she met and married my father. She was left a widow when we three girls were still at school. Fathers Railway pension died with him and Mother struggled to survive on the widows pension, but was determined that her children should have a reasonable education. She worked hard growing vegetables and fruit trees keeping fowls and living a very quiet life. She taught us all to be thrifty- to plan to make money stretch as far as possible and I pay tribute for the way she coped.

I had one step sister and two step brothers as well as two sisters, one older and one younger. The step sister Bessie, lived with us all her life as she never married, but the brothers married and had their own homes. Roscoe Blair had suffered polio as a child and had an iron frame on his leg. That made it difficult to change clothes. He was one of the first of our family to own a car. A Buick. He and his family would visit us in Lakemba. Leila his wife (not my sister) were very much in love. Her parents were against it as he was a polio victim. So she got pregnant so they would have to get married. He was a draftsman in the Lands Department, was always cheerful and kindly.

John Roscoe studied Law, eventually became a District Court Judge and later a justice of the Supreme Court. Bessie has studied the piano and taught music to earn a living. She shared the household chores but really lived a very simple life. Mary, Leila and I grew up at Lakemba where Mary still lives.
I was born at Helensburgh on 28.4.1910. My father was station Master and we lived in a Railway cottage adjacent to the station and I understand we liked to watch through the paling fence as the trains went by. Helensburgh is a mining town and was quite small in those days. I was only about three years old when we moved to Lakemba.

The Lakemba house has many memories- gas for lighting with pretty coloured glass light shades. A gas iron replaced the old flat irons that were heated on the fuel stove. Winter nights when we were bathed in a tub on the kitchen floor with a lovely warm fire burning and nice warm towels to dry us.
Cutting up jam melons for melon and lemon jam and slipping seeds on the floor. Luscious peaches from the house garden, and mum preserving them and what a hot job it was! The peaches were lightly stewed in a large pan, then packed into open glass jars, covered with hot syrup and sealed with a rubber band and glass lids.

The old porcelain sink and wooden draining board. The large Dining table in the room that is now the lounge room. A red plush cloth with a deep patterned braid and fringe around the edge. The piano in the corner of the room where Bessie's pupils had their lessons. We three girls learned to play, but none of use became brilliant pianists!! Mary used to play for a sing song on Sunday nights. Before the days of Radio or Television, entertainment was a family affair and we enjoyed singing. Our father taught us all to play cards. I remember Patience, Eucha and Cribbage especially.

A friend of Mothers, Miss Nellie Foste, was a dressmaker and when she came to stay we had new frocks made. The machine near the back door worked overtime. (The same sewing machine is now at Ann Lucas house as a show piece.) Thinking of the sewing machine, a wet weather occupation was patching sheets-a lost art now-a-days, but lots of our sheets were all patches.

No sewerage in those days. We had an outside toilet and the "night cart" came once a week to replace the pans.

The waste water from the house ran into a square pit in the yard. This pit had to be emptied regularly. How we hated the job! I will never forget the smell and the grey soapy froth on the top of the water. When it became known that sewerage would eventually be connected in our street, the cost involved seemed prohibitive to us. As we girls were then working, mother suggested we have a :sewer Money Box" and each pay day we each put in 2/- in the box. When eventually the sewerage was connected (and it was compulsory to have the house connected) we were one of the few who had the money ready to pay for it. An example of our mothers thrift. That was when the small back verandah was extended to the end of the house and the toilet connected at the end where it is to this day. What luxury it was, particularly in wet weather or at night not having to venture out down the yard. People use to say "those Neild's are better off than we thought.

Our house was one of the first to be built in the street. Across the road was a plant nursery. After the nursery was sold for housing. We walked to a local dairy with a billy can to collect the milk each day.

Before we had the ice chest we kept food cool in the summer by putting it in a basin covered with wet cloths and standing it in the draught under the house. The basin stood in a large soup plate and a small plate covered the basin, and the cloths draped over the side into water in the soup plate. Jellies were set in this way and the butter kept from melting. When we advanced to an ice chest it was a great thrill.

Ice blocks were delivered- we wrapped them in newspaper to keep them longer. The ice man split the large blocks to the size required. We liked to collect the chips of ice to suck!

When brother John went to World War I a room was built in the back yard to store his furniture. After the war this room had a variety of uses. A storage shed- our clothes mangle was kept there and on washing day the sheets, towels etc. were pressed in the mangle. It became a play room too, a gardening shed and a junk room.

As more houses were built in the street we had more playmates.

Our earliest play mate was Freddie Brack who lived in Lakemba Street, just around the corner from Hamden Road. Fred had suffered the dread disease polio and one leg was deformed so he could not keep up with the strenuous games of other boys. We had great fun in the barn at the back of their house. I think it was a storage place for horse feed, fowl feed, etc. We played among the sacks scrambling up and over them, hiding etc. Later when Freddie married he and Betty built a brick house next door and they remained life time friends.

The Southwells moved into one of the houses built on the opposite side of the road. They were special pals as both families attended the same Anglican church. Originally all services and functions were held in the weather board building at the side of the present brick St. Andrews Church. A lot of our growing up years were spent there- a tennis court provided recreation- Sunday school concerts, tea meetings, fetes, girls friendly society etc.

We decorated the building for special services, Harvest festivals as well as the Festivals of Christmas and Easter. I commenced arranging Church flowers in the old building and have had great pleasure all my life from the arranging of Gods wonderful creation of flowers to adorn his house of worship.
As we three girls grew up we all taught in the Sunday School and it was as a fellow Sunday School teacher that I met Karl Luders.

But back to school days. All primary education was at Lakemba School in Wiley's Avenue. We walked up Lakemba Street meeting friends on the way. Rain, hail or shine made little difference.

In winter a fuel fire was lit in the classroom, but did little to improve the temperature in such a large space. For sport I played Vigoro and we had inter school competitions. School colours were red and green.

At Lakemba I was awarded a gold medal for "Application to Studies", but the gold was sold many years later with other family treasures when mother needed extra money to pay the bills and meet the costs of bringing up a family on a very small income.

After Lakemba School I attended Canterbury Domestic Science School for three years. We travelled by train. In the final year we learned shorthand and typing and this helped me to obtain work after leaving school. Mother bought a second hand typewriter so that I could get more experience.

While I was still at Primary school father died. He was a patient in Prince Alfred Hospital with a kidney complaint. On the day he died I was travelling by train with our mother to visit him. When we reached the ward and saw his bed empty mother asked if he had been moved and was taken to the sister who gave her the news. Telephones were not in universal use, messages of importance were passed on by the police but we had left home before receiving the message. The trip home was a sad one.

Tonsils had to be removed at the children's hospital in the city. Dad, Mum and I went by train in the morning. After the terrible ordeal we came home the same day. Travelled by horse drawn cab from the hospital to Central Railway Station and home again by train, dad having to carry me all the way.

At the end of World War I a serious form of influenza raged round Sydney. We had to wear cotton masks aver our nose and mouth, held in place by a tape round our ears. Brother John arriving back at Hamden Street at the end of the war and was highly amused to see us wearing masks.

The grocery store at the corner of Hamden Street and Lakemba Street was a great interest-biscuits were packed in square tins and carefully weighed out into paper bags. "Brocken biscuits" could be bought at reduced prices. Lots of things sold in bulk-honey, kerosene etc. We had kerosene lamps and had to buy wicks and glass chimneys as well as the kerosene. The glass chimney had to be cleaned and polished regularly to ensure the maximum light. We had a monthly account and when the account was paid (when dad's Railway pension arrived) we were given some boiled lollies in paper twisted into a cone.

There were strikes from time to time. Once when there was a bread strike we had to queue at the shop when each was rationed to one loaf. People were not orderly and we had to struggle to keep our position, but when we eventually arrived home with the treasured loaf there was much rejoicing.

Special treats in the summer school holidays were trips to the beach at Manly and Cronulla and picnics in the Botanical Gardens. The preparations took a lot of time - cooking, packing food, towels etc in baskets and bags which had to be carried to the train and later from the train to the beach. Fun made hard work! We came home tired and sunburnt. The Manly Ferry was always a very great treat, and also an occasional trip to Taronga Park Zoo. Looking back I marvel that mother was able to cope with all the work involved to give us a pleasant and memorable outings.

The Great Depression was a very worrying time. Work was scarce.

My first "job" in 1926 was in the office of Sargood Gardners Warehouse in York Street where I commenced work with the hugh "pay" of 15/- per week. That was soon replaced by the efforts of Aunty Dooly who in her younger days had worked for Wholesale Jewellers, Kleemo & Co.in Clarence Street. She was able to obtain a position for me at the greatly increased wage of 25/- weekly. I was there over 7 years until I married in 1934. Mother bought me a quarterly railway ticket when I commenced work and told me I must put aside the money to replace it when the time came. The jewellery trade suffered greatly in the depression years, being luxury items they were the first that people cut out. At one time staff worked two weeks and then had one week off. We were fortunate to remain in a job.

During this period brother Ross died. I rang Mr Frank Kleemo to report that I would not be in the day of the funeral as staff were so reduced and received a telegram telling me not to come back! What a blow. Looking for work was very depressing but eventually I was employed in a retail jewellers, Sam Lands in Liverpool Street. Here all stock had selling price marked in code and we were expected to ask more if we thought it a possibility. I hated it.

One day Kleemo's traveller, Harry Keerne, called and saw me there and reported to Frank Kleemo what I was doing. As a result he said "We cant have the girl working THERE" and offered me my job back. I would have dearly liked to tell him to keep his job, but one had to live so I accepted.

When I eventually resigned to be married Frank Kleemo gave me the mantle chime clock which I still have (now at Allyson Luders home), the first gift he had given an employee in the years I was there. The staff gave me a set of cutlery, also still in use. They were happy years but the work rather hard. The office staff worked back at night along with the Sales staff to pack orders to go to the country. We received 2/- tea money.

While I was there I had my first ride in an aeroplane, remarkably. One of the "lads" in the firm was a pilot and he took each of the staff for a short trip after work from Bankstown Airport. We travelled from the city in his car to Bankstown, and afterwards he dropped me off at the corner of Hamden Road and Punchbowl Road. Mother was anxiously waiting at the gate for my safe return from such a wild excursion!

St. Andrews Anglican church featured largely in out growing up years. The weatherboard church we attended was replaced by the present brick in ?. Mother was an Anglican, father Presbyterian. I had been baptised by a Presbyterian clergyman in Helensburgh in the home I understand. At Lakemba the Anglican church was much closer and we all attended there, and Bessie (who had been Presbyterian) was confirmed there. The Presbyterian church was some distance away on Canterbury Road. We, all three, attended Sunday School and later on taught, we were all confirmed in St. Andrews Cathedral, Sydney. Also attended the Girl's Friendly Society and took part in all their functions. One was a pageant held in the city and depicted the various countries throughout the world where there were branches.

Sunday School picnics were one of the highlights of the year. Sometimes we travelled to Fenwicks paddock on trucks. Sometimes by train to the National park. There were foot races and novelty races-sack races, egg and spoon teachers races etc.

Teachers, too, had a picnic and we did much more daring things like hiring rowing boats.

The Friendly Girls Society held concerts in the church hall at the rear of the weatherboard church. We also had exercise groups, embroidery groups and took part in Diocesan competitions for G.F.S. Branched.

Hats were worn always- fancy fashionable things. My mother arranged for me to attend Millinery classes at a Milliners shop in Halden street. About six pupils assembled. We learned to cut shapes from buckram- a corse open weave fabric- sew wire on the edges of the brim to bend them into shape, cover them with different clothes and attach the brim to a shaped crown, put in a head band and then trim the creation. I still remember a black velvet hat I made for myself. The crown was six gores and the under brim was lined with shirred pink georgettes. Wow! If I remember rightly, each of the family had one of my masterpieces but that was as far as my millinery efforts went.

Talking of hats, there was a time when Karl and I wear "courting" that I had a Mulberry coloured woollen dress and bought a black felt hat to go with it. For some reason Karl didn't like this hat and he bought me a substitute. It was quite an achievement as he first discussed sizes with Leila, then braved going into a Milliners in George Street Sydney on his way home from work and arranged for a hat to be made. It was a fawn shade of felt with brown trimming. The brim was in scallops and a design punched in the scallops and underlined with brown ribbon. I was not impressed really, as I felt the colours did nothing for my Mulberry frock, but wore it to please the giver in appreciation of his mighty effort, and I suppose for his regard for my appearance.

I attended a "Business Girls Bible Class" one evening a week, held in the hall at St Phillips Church hall. It was conducted by Mrs Begbie and three others and we went straight from work, had a sandwich tea then a session for study and prayer. Prayer requests were written i duplicate and put in a box, then one copy given to the leader and one to someone to lead the prayer. I was TERRIBLY nervous if asked to say a prayer.

A group from St. Andrews, Lakemba attended a monthly Bible Study group at the C.M.S. rooms in Sydney. It was returning from one of these groups that Karl did not alight at Belmore Station but came on to Lakemba and walked home with me. The beginning of a courtship which ended in our marriage several years later. At that time he was an apprentice Electrical Engineer with a firm in Druit Street, O'Donnell & Griffens. Our main outings were excursions on public holidays travelling by train, picnicking, walking. Money was scarce and entertainments were rather simple when compared with today's appliances.

After he completed his apprenticeship he decided to enter the Anglican Ministry and went to Moore Theological College for four years. In his last year he was appointed Senior Student. Was ordained Deacon in 1932 and Priest in 1933. During his term in College he worked as a Catechist, mostly at week-ends at Campsie, Canterbury, Port Kembla, Cooks River and Ultimo, and after his Ordination as curate at St. Matthew's, Manly. So you see, our courtship was not an average one when the two parties are able to spend more time together.

Our marriage took place at St. Andrews, Lakemba at 3.30pm on Saturday 8th December 1934. Two clergy took part in the service. Revd. William Kingstone, Rector of the parish and Revd. Tom Terry with whom Karl had worked at Port Kembla when he served as a Catechist there. Karl and Tom became very good friends and kept in touch. Toms first wife died and he moved up to Sydney, remarried the day before our marriage and he asked Karl to be his Best Man at the Service in St. Phillips, Sydney. His second wife Faith, was one of the well known Begbie family and I met her again when we came to live in retirement at the Anglican Village. Karl's Best Man was Perc Sevyer a chemist from Manly and my Bridesmaid, my sister Leila. The Wedding bouquets were made by a former friend of Karl's from his Catechist days in Canterbury. After the ceremony we had a small reception at home at 8 Hamben Street with close relatives and a few fiends, and then travelled by train to Leura for a week's honeymoon in a rented cottage of a friend.

Returned to make preparations to travel to Kinton Point, Port Lincoln, S.A. where Karl was to serve as a Missioner for the Bush Church Aid Society. After much packing up of personal belongings and wedding gifts we finally left by ship, S.S. Westralia, leaving Sydney on a fine Saturday afternoon in January and farewelled by lots of relatives and friends. All was bliss until a storm struck on the Sunday morning and the waves became mountains and one by one the passengers were overcome by sea sickness. Karl could not face the stuffiness of the cabin and sat on deck and got thoughally soaked through. When we reached Melbourne, feeling more dead than alive, we went ashore and the pavements seemed to be moving about and it was an effort to walk!! However, it had to be done, as we had to find a Dry Cleaner who would clean up Karl's suit of clothes. This was accomplished and then we had to face the rest of the trip to Adelaide which proved to be much better as the storm had abated.

Travelled from Adelaide by train to Gladstone to be interviewed by the Bishop of Willochra (we thought!) However, the Bishop happened to be in Adelaide! And his housekeeper opened Karl's telegram which was signed "Luders B.C.A.". She not understanding "B.C.A." thought it probably meant "Bishops Court Adelaide" and as the Bishop of Willochra was a guest at the Bishop's Court Adelaide, she imagined all would be well. So, she was amazed when we turned up on the doorstep! As there was no train back to Adelaide that night we stayed at the Bishops House and the next day had the delayed interview with Bishop Richard Thomas. The folks at Kinton Point, Port Lincoln were expecting us and had arranged a "Welcome " for the Thursday night, not knowing of our gadding around S.A. To reach there in time we had to travel by train to Moonta then on to Port Hughes and catch the ship "Moonta" across the gulf to Port Lincoln. However, it was accomplished and the welcome was very sincere and the beginning of five very happy years living at Kinton Point, Port Lincoln, and the services held in the Mission to Seamen Hall. The congregation was known as St. Nicholas, Kinton Point.

A little history of how St Nicholas, Kinton Point came into being should perhaps be recorded. The parish church at Port Lincoln is St Thomas. One Rector there introduced practices into church life which the congregation objected to. The main trouble as I remember it, was insisting that communicists attend confession before receiving Holy Communion. Feelings ran high, and people began to look more seriously at what Christianity meant to them, to study their Bibles more conscientiously and to question the meaning and significance of Ritual. Eventually a group of people started meeting independently for worship, and as a group they travelled to Tumby Bay to make their communion. After some time the Bishop of Willochra agreed to recognise them as a congregation and to appoint an ordained man to minister to them, and the parish of Port Lincoln was divided and two country centres (Lake Wangery and Coulta on the west coast) included in the parish of Kinton Point.

Unfortunately the young single man appointed wasn't able to cope with the stress and strain of the dicensions and strong feelings in the whole area. Some families were divided in their loyalties. I remember one family of three single sisters where one remained at St Thomas and two attended St Nicholas. So, he left, and for many years the Kinton Point congregation conducted their own services. Four laymen took the services, and at least one studied and qualified for T.H.A. We came ino the picture when B.C.A. was approached to supply a Priest to St Nicholas, Kinton Point. We didn't know all the history of the place till after we arrived and it was indeed a difficult situation. We were inexperienced too, but had to learn fast. The people were really marvellous, most helped in every way.

This was our first introduction to county life and we loved it. Travelling around the country, staying in farm houses, was a wonderful experience AND the people appreciated what was being done for them. It was not without problems of course, but we learned to cope.

We lived in"Box Flat" for a few months as there was no Rectory. We postponed buying furniture until a cottage was found and in the meantime different parishioners lent us bits and pieces and we made a cupboard from boxes hence the name "Box Flat"

Eventually a cottage became available only a few doors from the Mission to Seamen Hall where our services were held. We then drove round to Adelaide to purchase some essential furniture and also bought some things second hand in Port Lincoln. We were given a pup and he kept Karl company on many of his journeys. From our front verandah we looked over Boston Bay (the harbour of Port Lincoln) and saw the shipping coming and going. These included sailing ships which loaded wheat to take overseas. A great cause of interest for everyone.

At this time the Bush Church Aid Society had missioners stationed at Minnipa and Ceduna on the west coast of South Australia. Also a hospital at Ceduna and staff travelled from Adelaide to Port Lincoln by ship which arrived early in the morning, and then by train to Ceduna. We use to meet these girls at the ship, give them breakfast and then put them on the train. When they returned the train arrived in the late afternoon, tea with us and then to the ship which departed 7pm for Adelaide.

Our first son was born at Port Lincoln hospital. A great welcome for the parish baby!! We had become quite friendly with Mrs Talbot Morgan, a widow from Coulta and often stayed with her on the farm. When Bill was born, she came and stayed with us, kept house for Karl while I was in hospital and "mothered" me when I came home. Soon after this Archbishop Mowll from Sydney came on a visit to B.C.A. Centres and he stayed overnight with us following an evening service. So we took the opportunity to arrange Bill's baptism. Quite an occasion in many ways as we had the tree godparents and their partners to dinner. (I was young and energetic in those days!)

Karl was chaplain of the Mission to Seamen and visited all ships. A great occasion was when we, as well as others of the Mission Committee, were invited to dine on board the "Commodore Johnson" and were given the picture of the ship that had been admired by many people over the years.
After five years we were moved to Rappville in Grafton Diocese N.S.W. Can you imagine the packing up for such a long move? Furniture travelled by ship to Sydney, then goods train to Rappville which is between Grafton and Casino. Further complication as I was pregnant again and also Karl was asked to relieve for three months at Minnipa between finishing at Kinton Point and moving to Rappville. So, I left early, taking Bill and travelled to Adelaide by ship, then by air to Sydney. Stayed overnight with the Mission to Seamen Chaplain in Port Lincoln, Harry Cuthbertson and his wife Esme who put us on the plane the next morning.

I stayed at Lakemba and Brian was born in a small Maternity Hospital in Belmore. When Karl returned we all travelled to Rappville.

Rappville parish was a group of 8 or 10 small centres in dairying country, vastly different from the wheat and wool district in S.A. I didn't travel much as it was rather difficult with two small sons, but I met a lot of the folk there as parish Council Meetings were held in the Rectory Grounds when wives all came for a "social" visit and we had wonderful lunches with farm food provided. Meetings had to be in the day time between milking's! We were there about two years.

The next move was also a long one. To Wilcannia in Riverina Diocese. Again lots of packing and our goods moved by train to Ivanhoe and then road to Wilcannia. Again a very different life. Large sheep stations, dry and very hot conditions. The parish included the towns of Wilcannia, Menindee, Ivanhoe, White Cliffs and Tibooburra. Churches were stone buildings and quite solid but rather neglected so there was much to see to. Also at Wilcannia, a Boarding Hostel for outback children to attend Primary School, and the Motel was also run by B.C.A. It was one of Karl's headaches. Our "boys" enjoyed playing with the Hotel children, and I sometimes helped with cooking and darning and sorting socks. There seemed to be hundreds of them.

The Rectory was Fibro, with large verandahs, and in summer we slept in a gauzed verandah. When dust storms raged (and this happened often in draught conditions) the sheets would be covered with red dust overnight with a white patch where we lay! I guess we were coated with red dust.

The Darling River was the salvation of the district, sometimes running a banker and in draught years a succession of water holes. Water from the river was laid on to the houses, but we also had two large rain water tanks. I have walked across the dry river bed, and also seen "the Fresh" come down following great rains in the catchment areas. Have also seen the river overflow its banks and spread for miles on the flat country.

Shopping was fairly good as suppliers came from Adelaide which was closer than Sydney. We, and lots of other people, had a weekly order for fruit and vegetables sent out by truck from Brocken Hill. The cost 10/-!!! The thrill of Saturday morning was unpacking the box to see what goodies we had. What was sent varied with the seasons, and the greengrocer did a mighty job, and included some little luxury every week. We also grew a few vegetables when the seasons permitted.

Summer was HOT, but winter nights very cold. Often taps were frozen overnight. We always had to fill kettles overnight to ensure a supply of water in the morning. Cooking was by fuel stove in all the country places we lived. This had good and bad points.

These were war years. Petrol was rationed as were certain foods- butter, sugar, tea. We fared well as the boys also had their ration, and weren't old enough to have developed enormous appetites.

Karl did fortnightly trips to Menindee travelling along each side of the river and visiting properties on the way. He also did long trips to the North West corner of the state and often away three weeks at a time. I "held the fort" and cared for the family. Once, following a trip to Menindee when we all went, the boys caught whooping cough which was raging in Menindee unknown to us. This meant isolation as it had not reached Wilcannia. Regular visits to the hospital for injections. The local doctor had a surgery at the hospital, and we had to time our visit when all other patients had left to avoid any contacts. No one else contracted the cough. The local Methodist Minister was very helpful with transport when Karl was away on trips and when the boys were finally out of isolation, he took them to the local Cafe for Ice Cream to celebrate.

Another health problem was sore eyes-Sandy Blight caused by dust and flies. It was extremely painful and we all suffered with it at times.
When I realised I was pregnant another trip had to be arranged to Sydney as Karl was away such a lot and I had no one to care for Bill and Brian when the time came to go to hospital. So, all three set off. While we were at Lakemba Bill started school. The one I had attended as a child. David was born at Belmore, the same hospital where Brian was born. Our very good neighbours, Fred and Betty Brack, were most helpful with transport whenever we were in Lakemba.

When the time came to return to Wilcannia with three small sons it was quite an undertaking. We left Central Railway Station in the evening, the boys settled in pyjamas for the night. The baby had to be fed etc. Arrived Parkes in the morning where Karl was to meet us and help with Breakfast and then travel by Silver City Comet train to Ivanhoe. Karl had travelled to Parkes the day before and stayed overnight at a hotel. There was a delay over his breakfast at the hotel and he was not at the station when our train pulled in. PANIC!! I sent Bill (aged five) out onto the platform to keep a look out for him while I struggled to feed the baby, David, do the packing etc. Eventually the train guard came and asked me how much longer I would be before alighting as the train was due to be shunted out of the platform! More panic, but fortunately Karl arrived and so we proceeded to the Railway Refreshment Rooms for breakfast for Bill, Brian and myself.

But the problems were not over. Arrived at Ivanhoe Station to discover there had been so much rain overnight that the road to Wilcannia was impassable. The kindly station master and his wife offered to make up beds on the floor for our family and we stayed there overnight. Getting to their house was also a problem as the roads were awash. Karl had to carry me nursing the baby from the station to the house!! Next day we were able to travel to Wilcannia.

Holidays were mostly to Sydney to visit parents and friends, but one year we travelled by road back to Port Lincoln and stayed in the B.C.A. Hostel for school children as it was school holiday time. It was marvellous to see old friends and the boys enjoyed the beach and the water.

The first boys bicycle was bought in Brocken Hill while we were at Wilcannia. Bill soon learned to ride but for Brian it was a problem as his legs were not long enough to reach the pedals but he persevered. Of course no traffic problems to complicate the learning program.

When it was time to think of High School for the family, Karl decided he must resign from B.C.A. after serving for 12 years. The Bishop of Riverina asked him if he would stay in the Diocese rather than return to Sydney Diocese and this was agreed. More packing and travelling to Culcain to care for the Culcain/Henty Parish. Albury High School was accessible by Rail Motor and all three sons completed five years there.

This parish was not an easy one either as the towns of Henty and Culcain were about the same size and needed identical services. The distance between towns was ten miles, so much travelling again. We were made very welcome and settled in happily for twelve years. The family grew from small boys to young men enjoying a healthy country climate and good farm food.

The "growing up" period brought the usual round of school functions, outings, sport, church youth groups, confirmations and sicknesses. Dr Geoff Middleton was our Resident G.P. and we became good friends. He operated on Brian for appendicitis, Bill for Tonsils, attended Karl when he had Carbuncles, me (and later on David) for Scarlet Fever. I had to spend several weeks in Albury Isolation Ward, and Mum came down from Sydney and stayed part of the time.

The favourite meeting place for school children was the Billabong Creek Swimming Hole. Often we had a "family outing" at a farm gathering fire wood and picnicking. We drove out in the parish car, brought the wood back in a farm truck, then the truck returned and the car brought home.

When Bill left school he went out to Wentworth as a Jackeroo, Brian went to Melbourne and was apprenticed with the Commonwealth Aircraft Corp. David had one year to complete when we left Culcain for Crystal Brook and as Bill and June were then married and living at Howlong he boarded with them to complete his High school term, travelling into Albury each day by bus.

The years at Culcain were busy and happy and many permanent friendships were made. I had always enjoyed gardening, but at Culcain we all took an interest in the District Show. I started entering flowers, mostly in arrangements and met with moderate success. Karl acted as a steward in cakes of all things, and we all as a family shared in the Church Youth Group venture of running a sweets stall to make money for the club They were not home-made sweets. We placed an order for commercial lines and also sold drinks and ice creams. It became quite a hectic day and the counting of sticky money at the end of the day was a mixed blessing.

Another memorable function was Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Day. The town organised a procession and our Church Youth Group (Comrades of St George) entered a float depicting the actual Coronation ceremony. Robes had to be prepared of the participating Arch Bishops, a throne for Her Majesty, Crown, Orb and Sceptre. Amazing skills were uncovered among the local inhabitants and the result was outstanding. The float was a horse drawn dray suitably decorated. "Jimmy" the horse caused a commotion on the morning of the event. He managed to escape from the paddock when he was to have spent the night and returned to the farm. Consternation. He had also rolled on the ground and his carefully groomed coat all messed up. Bought back to town, re-groomed, decorated and looked utterly miserable!! But it was a glorious day, and our float awarded second prize!

The church guilds did a lot of catering for social functions, we ran Debutant Balls, Daffodil s afternoons etc. Because of my need to travel to Henty for some functions I had to learn to drive the car. My "lessons" Karl gave me at the Culcain Race Course!! Will never forget my feelings of awe when the motor sprang to life when I switched on, and the sense of responsibility for guiding the vehicle. But the experience I gained has been most useful for the rest of my life.

Culcain days were busy, full of interest, and the family all together for the last time. When we eventually left there to go back to S.A. to work in Crystal Brook only Karl and I made the move.

So, we went back to Willocra Diocese at the request of the new Bishop, Tom Jones, who had been organising missioner of B.C.A. when Karl worked with them. We had attended his consecration in St. Andrews Cathedral, Sydney, and after the service he asked us to meet him at the B.C.A. office. He asked Karl to "help him out" as the Diocese he was to serve was very under staffed, with large districts, and much travelling involved. This was the sort of life we were use to by now and still young enough to cope with. The parish had several centres and I often went with Karl as no real ties at home. Each district has its own different features. E.G. At Gladstone there was a Prison and Karl visited there. Rather depressing.

A parish hall was partially built and this was completed. We continued our interest in town agriculture shows and both worked as stewards. I attended lessons in floral art at Port Piere and joined a club at Laura, and later was able to give some instruction in Crystal Brook. Also became much involved with the Mothers Union and served nine years as Diocesan President. During this time I was a Delegate to the World Conference in London. Fares were generously paid by the Mothers Union in the various branches in the Diocese, and when I returned I visited all districts and gave reports and showed slides. Karl held the fort at home so my stay in England was not prolonged. I did, however, visit various branches, travelling north as far as Newcastle on Tyne and West to ?

Part of the time I was billeted with Sir John and Lady Baker, and Hilary Baker introduced me to many people I would not otherwise have met.

During the time in Crystal Brook, Neil and Allyson were born, Brian and Betty married and Tania born. David was at Sydney University studying Agricultural Science. The "family" had grown up and taken their place in the districts where they lived and occasionally were able to come "home" and these were special occasions.

The saddest part of the Crystal Brook years was when Karl was involved in a serious accident. He suffered a fractured leg and head injuries and I don't think he ever fully recovered. Country kindness was marvellous and folk did all they could to help. I pay tribute to our faithful friend from Port Lincoln days, Gladys Todd, who came up and stayed. The shock of the accident put me in hospital for a few days, and Glad coped with everything.

Time went on and we reached the age to retire. Where to live? Much thought went into the planning and eventually we accepted the offer of Revd. Bruce Schultz (a Culcain "boy") to have the use of his holiday house at Tuross Head and so look around the south coast. We fell in love with Tuross, and eventually bought the first home of our own. This was done a couple of years before retirement and we made several trips across to the coast. The agent, Harry Overguard, let the house for short periods to acceptable holiday makers and when the time came to actually move in it was really wonderful.

Life in Tuross was full of different interests. Karl was able to set up a workshop and enjoyed wood turning, I indulged my love of the garden and we attended and worked for the little local church. Also formed a Floral Art and Garden Club and travelled about to various country Agricultural Shows. Harry and Jess Overguard became very good friends along with many others. This happy state continued for 8 years. Family visits were quite regular and the district provided them with various interests.

But gradually Karl's health began to fail and eventually and regretfully we felt it time to move back to Sydney to the Anglican Retirement Village at Castle Hill. But there are always compensations. The villages are superb places to be in the evening of life, the care is marvellous, people so friendly, plenty of suitable activities.

After only nine months Karl's health deteriated and he died in May 1980. This meant the greatest change in my life-style. No longer anyone else to consider, no REAL responsibilities, and a big emptiness. Thanks to Revd. Allan and Mabs Setchell I was introduced to something quite new. I stayed with them in Pearl Beach for a week or so after Karl's death and they took me to a display of spinning and weaving which appealed to me as something I could learn to do and enjoy. So, back to the villages to the Mowll Craft Room to learn to spin. It has been a wonderful and useful hobby and a great lot of friendships have developed through it.

The way to overcome loneliness is to keep busy, so I became involved in the craft if spinning and making up the wool and other yarn.

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