Andrew James 'Mick' Frame O.A.M.

Andrew James ‘Mick’ Frame, was born in Weston, New South Wales 5 Feb 1911. The midwife who brought Mick into the world was Mrs. Ray. Mick’s Aunty Ethel told him he was born in Second Street Weston. He was baptised in the Abermain Catholic Church 19 Mar 1911; his sponsor was Mary Monaghan.  The family lived in Station Street Weston at one time and Mick remembered getting a bicycle for Christmas and riding it around inside the house. 

Mick attended Weston School, and recalled the day in 1918, when he was just seven years of age, walking to school from his home in Fifth Street Weston. As he climbed the creek bank near the school, someone called out to him, ‘There’s no school today! The War is over!’ Everyone was celebrating the end of World War I. 

As a youngster, Mick could remember people living in bag humpies around the area, particularly the miners, as Hebburn No.1 had opened in 1903/4. Mick’s family however, were fortunate enough to have been able to live in cottages, moving on a number of occasions within the town and finally settling into a brand new house at 21 Eighth Street Weston. 

In 1924, when he was just 13 years old, Mick came home from school one day and said to his uncle Alex Frame who lived nearby and worked at Hebburn No.2 Colliery: ‘How about getting me a job Unc?’  Sure enough, a couple of days later Uncle Alex returned to Mick’s house and said ‘Come on, get your boots on, we’re going to see the Under Manager.’  Alex and Mick walked up to the town to see Mr Joe Middleby who was the Under Manager at Hebburn No.2 at the time. Joe Middleby came to the front gate, reached over to squeeze Mick’s arm and said, ‘You’ll do for a trapper. Start tomorrow!’  That was how Mick joined the workforce – as a trapper at Hebburn No.2 Colliery. In later life, Mick and Joe Middleby served on the Board of Kurri Kurri District Hospital together.  Joe Middleby also lived across the road from my parent’s shop in Second Street, Weston.

Like his father Edward, Mick had an interest in greyhound dogs and later became an owner. He followed the races for quite a long time with his younger brother Mervyn also becoming involved. As a young man, Mick enjoyed spending time with the Bowling family, particularly Arthur ‘Googans’ Bowling and his father. Old Mr Bowling was a miner who loved the bush, and used to write short stories and poetry. Mick and Googans often went out to the bush with Mr Bowling; usually they travelled by horse and sulky and their regular destination was Lambs Valley. A large corn bag would be attached under the sulky for their provisions. They would also take dry pants, billycans, blankets and of course, a tent. When they were passing through Bishop’s Bridge, Mr Bowling would stop at the wine shop and pick up a demi-john of wine (just over 2 litres, or half a gallon on the old scale!). Mick and Googans would buy a bottle of lemonade for threepence (2c). When they reached Lambs Valley, Mick and Googans would go fishing and shooting, and most of Mr Bowling’s time was spent writing poems and stories. Some of these were published in the Cessnock Eagle and Kurri Times, winning ten shillings ($1) prize money for Mr Bowling, when they were used. Mick cherished his copy of a book containing Mr Bowling’s work.  

It was during a trip to Lambs Valley in 1926 that Mick lost his right eye in a shooting accident. And he emphasised, 'It was just an accident, just a simple accident, there was no ‘tomfoolery’ or anything going on!'  It was Easter 1926, and Bert Delaney, who drove a large, open Buick taxi, took four or five of the group to Lambs Valley. Others travelled there by horse and sulky. The Bowlings and Jim Hadfield were also in the holiday party. When the accident happened, Jim Hadfield was with Mick, as only a couple in the group had guns. They had been right over the range on the left side of the valley and had shot sufficient rabbits for their requirements. Jim spotted a waterfall where he was convinced there would be trout. Mick knew otherwise, because he had already checked it out with Googans previously. Nevertheless, when Jim went to investigate, Mick joined him.  The two were sitting on a ledge only about a metre high, above the waterfall; Mick’s gun was resting against his leg. The gun was a double-barrel shotgun, which had belonged to his uncle, Joe Wilks, who later sold it to another uncle, Joe Barker. Somehow, the gun slipped and exploded and Mick was shot in the face and leg. Mick was, at first, totally blinded, and Jim led him to a pool of icy cold water where he splashed his face and prised his left eye open. He was pleased and relieved to be able to see the clouds, but knew there was a serious problem with his right eye. Mick and Jim had to walk about three miles (nearly 5kms.) back to camp. It was quite some time before an ambulance from Maitland Hospital was able to reach the group and transport Mick to hospital for treatment. At that time, Mick’s mother Catherine and his sister Dulcie were attending the matinee at the Weston picture theatre. A sign was flashed onto the screen asking them to leave the theatre where they were then advised of Mick’s accident. On Easter Saturday 1926, Mick’s right eye was removed and he was unable to go to work for quite some time. Mick carried shot from the gun in his head and body for the rest of his life. 

‘Black Thursday’, 24 Oct 1929, heralded the start of the Great Depression. The early part of that year saw share prices on the American stock market soar out of control to unsustainable heights, then the market collapsed and shares were worth almost nothing. On ‘Black Thursday’, thirteen million shares were sold and thousands of investors ruined. The Great Depression spread quickly throughout the world and Australia of course, was severely affected. Work at the coalmines became intermittent. The miners had to listen for the pit whistle to indicate whether there was work available, or not. Mick, Mervyn and their father Edward, would sometimes work only two or three days per week. On a couple of occasions, Hebburn No.2 was closed down. Like his brother Mervyn, when work ceased altogether, Mick ‘jumped the rattler’ (i.e. they hid on a train to avoid paying fare). Mick said that despite the desperate plight families suffered, the whole community pulled together during the Depression. Groups were formed to go rabbiting and fishing, others set up soup kitchens. Concerts and dances were held to raise funds to help feed people. Vegetable crops were purchased from farmers and free vegetables distributed throughout the community.  The Weston Town Band went away busking to other country towns. The band would set up and perform outside pubs and hotels. After the performance, they would pass a hat around for donations, and this money was taken back to Weston to go into the community fund to provide relief for those in need.  

The 16 Dec 1929 saw Mick much more successful at dodging bullets. This time, he and his brother Mervyn were caught up at the infamous Rothbury Riots. Hunter Valley colliery owners were trying to force a 12.5 per cent pay cut on miners, which they emphatically rejected. This brought about a 15-month lockout at the mines of the Northern Coalfields, with 10,000 miners out of work and struggling to feed their families. This bitter dispute culminated in a gathering of miners at the Rothbury Colliery to demonstrate against the introduction of scab labour.  Many of the area’s miners had arrived the night before to support their mining cohorts in the long-running battle. Mick and Mervyn travelled out to Rothbury on George Fehrenbach’s truck, but many others had walked all night from villages around the area. The atmosphere was quite jovial at first, with a lot of singing around campfires and card playing etc. By about 5.00am that morning some 6000 miners had gathered at the site, some arriving just before dawn marching to the tune of a local pipe band. One journalist described it at the time as resembling nothing more than a large picnic crowd. However, by 5.30am, things began to get out of hand when miners jeered a local MP who was addressing the crowd. At the urging of a more militant associate, a group decided to enter the mine compound. By 5.45am, the police started shooting and a number of men were hit. Norman Brown, who was playing cards approximately 100-150 metres from that group, was hit by a stray bullet and later died from his wounds. See Who killed Norman Brown.  When the police started firing, Mick and brother Mervyn dived behind a log as the bullets started whistling past them. Afterwards, the shocked miners were unsure what to do next and gradually dispersed. Mick and Mervyn walked all the way back to Weston – about 12 miles (20 kms.)  Police ‘basher groups’ conducted sorties around the  Coalfield’s towns after the Rothbury affair. On one occasion, Mick was the victim of an attack near Neath. As a result of being pummelled with fists and boots, he suffered cuts to the head and bruised ribs. Those were troubled times in the Coalfields.

Mick joined the Weston Town Band where he played the tenor horn. As a band member, he played at a lot of functions that were held around the area, as well as at the hospital and also funerals. Mick played in the band the day of Norman Brown’s funeral. They led a huge funeral procession, and then played at the graveside. In those days, people standing on the footpath as a funeral procession passed by, always took their hats off as a mark of respect.  The old Olympia Theatre in Weston was a popular venue for the band. The theatre used to have a balcony that extended out over the footpath. The band played there regularly, entertaining large crowds. Band members were allowed free admission into the theatre. Mick said that even with hardship, those days were lived at a slower pace and it was a good life.

In 1933, Mick met his future wife, Iris Rachel Irene Storey, the daughter of Robert and Bertha Storey of Abermain. It was very interesting to discover how Iris acquired her given names! After she was born, Iris’s father Robert Storey was on his way to register Iris as ‘Iris Eileen Storey’ – however, during the trip to the office he was mulling things over in his mind and ingeniously deduced that if he registered Iris as ‘Iris Rachel Irene Storey’ – her initials ( I.R.I.S.) would spell her name. For someone who had been celebrating, Mr Storey was still a very clear thinker! Mick and Iris met at a dance being held at the School of Arts in Abermain. Mick courted Iris for three years before they eventually married. Their wedding ceremony was held in St. Francis Xavier Church Abermain on 8 Feb 1936. The couple lived with Iris’s parents at Old School Hill Abermain for some time before settling into their own home in Harle Street Abermain. Mick and Iris had two daughters: Lois and Janice.  During Christmas holidays, Mick and Iris took their daughters camping to Arcadia. Sometimes other members of Mick’s family joined them at the Lake. Janice fondly recalled the fun that was had by all of them in those days even though they had to shower under cold water! They often played cricket and she said she took many a tumble backwards into the duck pond when she was trying to catch the ball! New Year’s Eve was always a time of great celebration at Arcadia.  

In 1940, whilst still employed at Hebburn No.2 Colliery, Mick joined the St. John’s Ambulance Corps and the Government Mines Corps. He served 42 years continuous service in St. John’s Ambulance Corps in administration, teaching, judging competitions, and fieldwork. In 1966, he received special thanks from the President and Executive Committee of the NSW St. John’s Ambulance Association for distinguished service in the furtherance of the work of the Order. Mick was appointed a Life Member of the Association- and an ‘A’ Class Instructor. He also had 43 years continuous involvement with the Northern NSW First Aid Competition organised by the NSW Mineral Council (formerly NSW Coal Association), at first as a competitor and later as a trainer and examiner. 

During World War II, Mick worked as a warden with the National Emergency Service (N.E.S.) Duties included identifying aircraft and enforcing compulsory blackouts. Mick had to ride his bicycle to Vera Street in Abermain to turn the town’s lights off when necessary. He trained in bomb disposal and passed his exam with honours. When Newcastle was shelled, Mick was out patrolling all night! 

Mick Frame had an extraordinary lifetime of volunteer work dedicated to the betterment of his community. During the latter part of World War II, Mick left Hebburn No.2 and moved to Abermain No.1 Colliery where he was Treasurer of the Abermain No.1 Miners’ Lodge from 1943 until 1955.  In 1947, he joined the Abermain Eisteddfod Committee, taking on both the positions of Treasurer and Assistant Secretary at various times. Mick remained on the Committee for 16 years until 1963 when he resigned due to the pressure of other civic duties. However, for many years following his resignation, Mick still attended the annual Eisteddfod to lend a helping hand.  In 1955, Mick resigned from Abermain No.1 Colliery to take up a new position as First Aid Officer at Hebburn No.1 mine.

Mick was elected to the Board of Kurri Kurri District Hospital in 1956 and remained for 22 years until he announced his retirement in September 1978. During his time on the Board, Mick served as Vice-President for 8 years and Chairman for his final 10 years. Mick believed the establishment of the hospital’s Rehabilitation Centre was one of the most satisfying projects completed during his term on the Board. Mick actively pursued funding under the Regional Employment Development (R.E.D.) Scheme to build the Centre, and said that it not only provided jobs, but also showed how a public institution and the Federal Government could work together. R.E.D. Scheme funding was paid by the Federal Government to regional areas with severe unemployment. It was conditional that councils and institutions only used the funds to employ workers. Materials used in R.E.D. Scheme projects had to be supplied by the applicants.  Mick recalled a more humorous aspect of life on the Board in the early years. At that time, Joe Middleby was Treasurer. Mick and a few of the other Board members wanted to replace the old grey hospital truck. They felt they should sell it and buy a new Holden. Joe Middleby said, ‘It can’t be done, we haven’t got enough money!’ Joe went away on holidays soon after, and while he was away, the others on the Board purchased the new truck. Some time after that, Mick and his brother Mervyn were going to the races in Newcastle. They thought it would be a good idea to call in and pick up Joe Middleby, and take him as well. Mick raised his eyebrows in astonishment when Joe informed them of just how much trouble he had gone to, to convince the Board to buy the new hospital truck!

In 1959, Mick was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace. During the 1960-1970s, along with his other commitments, he was actively involved with the youth of the area. He held the position of Secretary of the Abermain Community Youth Centre for many years.  After Hebburn No.1 Colliery closed down, Mick moved on to work at the much more modern Newvale Colliery where he was employed as First Aid Officer. Mick remained at Newvale until his retirement in 1971, ending 47 years of continuous work in the coal mines.  December 1962 saw Mick elected as an Alderman on Greater Cessnock City Council. During his term of office, he served on many Committees, and was Deputy Mayor of the City in 1969, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. He resigned from the position 14 Mar 1979, and from Council in 1980.

In 1966, the Mineworkers’ Memorial Music Shell Committee was formed, and Mick was appointed the Foundation Secretary. The Music Shell at Freeman’s Waterholes was completed and officially opened in 1972. It is dedicated to the memory of mineworkers who lost their lives in the mining industry. Mick and his Committee also completed a Mining Museum at the site and added items of interest to the complex. Mick remained active with the venture until it was taken over by Lake Macquarie City Council and the collection transferred to other sites.  Mick Frame was Foundation President of the Kurri Kurri and District Meals on Wheels. He remained in that position from its inception until he resigned in 1993 due to ill health. During his time with the group, Mick was also actively involved with the delivery of meals.  When the Kurri-Maitland Hospital Contributions Fund was established, Mick was President from its inception and held that position for many years.

During the 1970’s, Mick initiated action to save the Kitchener Poppet Head from demolition, as well as the flywheel that was restored and now stands in Turner Park, Cessnock.  Mick was also instrumental in saving Richmond Main Colliery from demolition when he became Foundation Chairman of the Richmond Main Colliery Museum Board of Management. Through his advocacy, he was able to secure funding from the Joint Coal Board, Miners’ Federation, NSW Coal Association and various other organisations for a major study to assess its tourist potential. It was Mick’s initiative to invite a group of railway enthusiasts to a meeting at the site; hence, the Richmond Vale Preservation Co-operative Society was formed and now operates at the site.

Mick Frame was also responsible for the creation of the museum at the site that was established to preserve and display mining artefacts. The entry building at the Richmond complex is named: 'The A.J. (Mick) Frame Entry Building’ in Mick’s honour. Close friend, and then Minister for Land Transport in the Federal Government, Mr. R.J. ‘Bob’ Brown officially opened the building on Saturday 2 Nov 1991. 

The Richmond Main site was also the ‘retirement home’ for the last remaining pit ponies in the area. The New Idea magazine’s Tracey Mair reported their story on 14 Jul 1984: 

Last of the Pit Ponies

…how green is their valley now!

In its heyday, 100 pit ponies worked underground at the Richmond Main coal mine. These days just four of them graze idly among the remains of the colliery near Newcastle, which closed in 1967. Tim, Murphy, Silver and King worked underground at the nearby Stockrington Mine until they were retired at the end of last year and sold at auction to a knackery at Bourke. 

A story in a local Newcastle paper revealed that the last of the famous pit ponies in New South Wales coal mines were to be killed. An appeal was launched, raising more than $5000, including a large donation from the Joint Coal Board, to save the ponies. The RSPCA launched the rescue operation and placed the appeal funds in trust to provide veterinary care for the ponies for the rest of their days. The contented four are now living in peaceful retirement at Richmond Main, which is being turned into a historical mining park.

Mick Frame, chairman of the committee overseeing the restoration of the colliery, worked side by side with pit ponies for 47 years. 'They would adapt very quickly to the work in the pits and they were trained to be quick-witted,' he recalls. 'There is a story about a big fall in one of the mines which created a blast and closed the mine for 12 days. After all that time they found a pony alive. It had sustained itself by licking drops of water which fell from the roof onto its leg.'

In recent years at Stockrington Mine, which is now fully mechanised, most of the ponies’ work was above ground, hauling timber and metal struts. 'Silver has a tendency to bite the other horses, but down in the pit he only ever bit two people – one was a union delegate, the other was a practical joker,' says Greg Norden, who is Mick’s grandson.

In 1986, Mick Frame organised centenary celebrations at Richmond Main to commemorate the discovery of the Greta Coal Seam. It was his idea to invite Joan Williams, wife of the late Gordon Williams to re-commission the restored steam locomotive Marjorie on that occasion. Mrs Williams’ father had been one of Marjorie’s drivers.

Sadly, Mick's wife Iris passed away the following year on 4 Sep 1987 at Kurri Kurri. Mick and his family sorely missed Iris. When Mick was kept busy with community commitments, Iris was always there for her family. Mick and Iris were deeply devoted to one another and he took wonderful care of her during her illnesses. Iris never once resented the time Mick gave to the community. To the contrary, she was his most loyal supporter, encouraging Mick every step of the way. Her passing left a huge void in Mick's life. 

For many years, Mick campaigned and sought funding to build a retirement village in the Kurri Kurri area and became the inaugural Chairman of the Kurri Kurri Retirement Village Steering Committee. His dream finally came to fruition on 18 May 1996 when the Freemasons Benevolent Institution officially opened the Masonic Village in the grounds of Kurri Kurri Hospital. The Masonic Village was named the ‘A.J. (Mick) Frame Hostel, in his honour. The first three residents didn’t wait for the official opening. They moved into the Village 29 Aug 1995 and Mick was one of them! Being a resident at the hostel didn’t stop Mick from campaigning for further extensions, though, he wanted to see self-care units on the site. 

Mick Frame’s outstanding efforts have not gone unrecognised. His awards included:

• Life Membership of the Australian Labor Party 

• The NSW Premier’s Award for Services to the Aged 

• In 1979, he was awarded the O.A.M. – An Order of Australia Medal for distinguished services to the community. 

• In 1987, Mick received the Kurri Kurri Apex Club’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ Award. 

• Frame Drive in Abermain was named in Mick’s honour as recognition for his outstanding community service. 

• In November 1996 Mick was conferred the ultimate honour of being made ‘Freeman of the City of Cessnock’ at a Civic Reception in Cessnock Town Hall. 

Rebecca Berry of the Maitland Mercury wrote in the 2nd December 1996 edition:

Just Reward for Freeman

'The people of the Coalfields are my people and I love them.”

With those few words, 85-year old Andrew James (Mick) Frame accepted his Freeman of the City honour from Cessnock City Council.

He and his brother Coogan Frame have made history as the only two brothers honoured with the title.

Freeman of the City is an honour of distinction dating back to the 13th Century. It is given to citizens with an outstanding sense of duty and is recognition by a city. Few Australians carry such an honour.

There would be few people in the history of the Hunter, or indeed the State whose record of community work and great achievement would match that of Mr Frame OAM.

One of nature’s gentlemen, Mr Frame worked 47 years in the coal mining industry and spent his spare time working tirelessly for his community and on the local council.

Addressing an emotional crowd at Cessnock Town Hall at the presentation, Mr Frame said he accepted the honour with pride and humility.

He said he has met some beautiful people through his community work and had the great fortune to work with them.

Mr Frame is highly regarded in all sectors of the community, from local families through to Federal members of Parliament.

Mr Frame is known for his “never give up” mentality. Many politicians knew that once Mr Frame arrived in their office he would not leave until he got what he came for.

Affectionately called Mick by his friends, Mr Frame was described by his mate and Hunter Catchment Management Trust chairman Harold Sternbeck as “a great achiever, a man with the capacity to look beyond today and into the future.”

Mr Frame was married to Iris who encouraged and supported her husband despite her ill health. Iris died in 1987. They have two daughters, [six] grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

After several letters of congratulations were read out at the presentation ceremony, Mr Frame was presented with a painting of coal mining scenes, created by his niece Catherine [Turner].

Mr Frame was born on February 5, 1911 at Weston. He lived at Weston and Abermain all his life until recently when he moved into the Masonic Village at Kurri, which he pursued for the area.

Mr Frame never rests, and continues working today in any way he can at the village where he lives.'

In February 2001, Mick celebrated his 90th birthday at Kurri Kurri Bowling Club. It was a momentous occasion for the large gathering of family and friends. Mick amazed everyone with his razor sharp memory. His knowledge of the history of the area, particularly the coalmines, and the townships of Weston and Abermain, was truly astonishing.

Always an advocate of walking to keep fit, Mick thought nothing of walking many kilometres on his favourite bush track on a regular basis. When he was in his 80’s, he competed in the City to Cellars Fun Run from Cessnock to the Pokolbin Vineyards. He was the oldest competitor to enter and finished every event he participated in. Even with severely impaired eyesight, Mick kept up his bush walks until it became too dangerous for him, but then continued to rise early and go for walks around the hospital grounds, counting his steps as his eyesight was almost completely gone.

With his indomitable spirit, it was not surprising that all of Mick’s friends and family were expecting to celebrate his 100th birthday in 2011. However, fate dealt different cards. Andrew James ‘ Mick’ Frame O.A.M. passed away 17 Jan 2004 at Kurri Kurri Hospital. Right to the end, his mind was as sharp as a tack; it was his body that let him down. One thing though, that family and friends agreed on: when Mick went knocking on the ‘Pearly Gates’ - St. Peter better have had his house in order, otherwise Mick would have committees set up to improve conditions for the residents in no time at all! 

Janice Mary Frame Norden, the youngest daughter of Mick and Iris Frame, died 12 Jan 2016. Her sister Lois died 18 Sep 2018.