Grandparents; Edna Olive Pond (nee Jessep, Brown) and William Jessep

Grandfather Clements (back) and his wife  Elizabeth (nee Cameron) (far right). It is possible that the lady in the centre is Elizabeth's mother.

BROWN

Grandfather on my Father's side was born at Durham, England in 1855 and he died in 1946.  He had very little Schooling but taught himself to read and write and he read profusely.  At nine years of age he was working in the mines in England.  He came out to Australia on a sailing ship which took six months.  He had no birth certificate, only a Medical Vaccination Certificate which stated; "Cuthbert Brown, aged 7 months, child of Christopher Brown, residing at Byers Green in the Parish of St. Andrews, 20th March, 1856, County of Durham"  He married Elizabeth McMullen  in 1885 from Branxton NSW.  She died in 1944.

They lived in a small house in south Street, Granville, NSW next to the Railway Station.  he was employed by the Department of Railways to pump water from the water tanks to the steam engines.

They had three children;

James William 1886-1964

Lilian May 1889-1957

Nellie 1892-1968

William married Olive Clements.  They had two children;

Edna Olive 1913-2004

Frank Clements 1916-1989

Lillian married Charles Edgar Davis.  They had three children;

Isabel May 1907

Eris Cuthbert 1909-1977

Jack Henry 1913-1989

Nellie married John Stanley Ratcliffe in 1946.

The family attended the primitive Methodist Church in Sydney Road, Granville and later at the Church in Carlton Street, Granville.  Cuthbert became a Lay Preacher and often took service in some of the Hills District Churches.  Only months before he died at 91 years, he gave a sermon.  Will, Lily and Nellie all had musical interests.  All played the piano and organ and sang in the choir and other musical events.

A lot of these notes on Cuthbert and family have been encased in a brick in the new Granville Uniting Church 1983.

My brother Frank arrived two years and eight months later. He didn't have good health, suffering from asthma, which worried my mother until he was seven. He had very fair hair and dark brown eyes, totally different from me. My father had auburn hair and dark brown eyes. Each year, we had holidays at Katoomba, where my mother hoped the mountain air would improve Frank's asthma. However, when he was about three, he took a bad turn and had to be rushed home, nearly dying. Later, the doctor suggested sea air might be better, so we started going to Cronulla and Wollongong, where my mother took him into the surf every day. One day, a man offered to take him out beyond the breakers, and he did this the entire holiday. The sea agreed with him, and over the years he became stronger. By age fourteen, he had greatly improved, though he always had to watch himself if he caught a cold. As he got older, he began to smoke and drink, eventually ending up with emphysema, which ultimately took his life.

We had a happy childhood. Both my parents were very involved with the Methodist Church and had nice voices; my dad was the choir master and also belonged to the Choral Society. At one time, he even had his own dance band that practiced at home. Looking back, I realize how clever he was; he could convert music for the piano to suit various instruments in the band. He played the piano, organ, drums, oboe, and saxophone. His trade was as a machinist on the railway, working at Eveleigh Workshops from age fourteen until he retired. I believe his real calling was music, as well as secretarial work and math. He served as treasurer and secretary for several societies and enjoyed it. He had a good baritone voice and was often asked to sing at different events. In his youth, he was in the Lancers at Parramatta Barracks and looked very handsome in his uniform.

My mother also played the piano well and had a lovely soprano voice. When she was in her early teens, a singer from London wanted her to return with her for voice training, a marvelous opportunity, but my grandmother wouldn’t allow it. Both my mother and her sister, Aunty Milly, were good at painting. My mother had a lovely disposition and was well-liked by everyone.

After my parents married, my dad bought two blocks of land in Hewlett Street, Granville. He gave one to his parents and built his home on the other. My mother’s parents lived in the Station Master’s Residence opposite Granville Station, where Woolworths stands today. It was a big house set back from the road, with large pine trees in front. I remember, in winter, my parents would take us home after visiting Grandma and Grandpa in a handsome cab. I can recall the driver sitting on top and the brass lights on either side, though I wasn’t very old at the time.

I remember the day I started school.  I would have been about five.  Our home was only around the corner from the school.  Dad, Lily and Nellie had also gone to this school.  During our school years we always came home for lunch.  Quite often we would have a large plate of custard of blanc-mange with jam.  We really liked it, as a matter of fact I still do.  Sometimes it would be hot Jonny Cakes with golden syrup or pancakes with sugar and lemon, or bread and dripping with salt and pepper, or perhaps bread and milk.  I can't imagine the children these days liking them but we did.

I had to wear glasses from an early age and I hated them.  They were not like they are these days, either gold or silver frames.  I usually got called "four eyes" or "specs" or some other name.  One day  I was looking through the fence at the boy next door,  I was probably about seven, he jabbed an oyster opener through the fence.  It went in just near by eye.  I was very lucky.  Another time later, I was in a hurry to get back to school at lunch times and we had sausages this day.  I ate them too quickly and half a sausage went down my throat and the skin still attached to another piece and it was choking me.    We couldn't move it.  I remember falling off the chair.  I don't know how Mum did it but she dragged me to the back steps and held me up by my legs and shook me.  I was able to pull it out.  I never forgot that.  Poor Mum, she had a few scares from us both.  Another time we were going to the city.  Our front veranda had posts, also a blind.  Frank was inside the house and we heard this funny noise.  Mum sent me to see what it was.  Frank had slipped and the cord was around his throat.  Only for the fact that his toes were touching the ground, he would have hung himself.  He was about 2 and a half years.  He nearly died.  Grandpa Brown, who was an ambulance man came in and told Mum; "It's no use, he is dead", but she wouldn't give up.  He finally came around but he had the mark of the rope on his neck for a while.

In those days we had everyone call to the house, such as the pie man, with his lovely home made pies of all kinds.  He would drive around calling out; "Fresh cakes and pies".  He wasn't the only one.  There was the rabbiter, fisho, butcher who called to collect your order and delivered it in the afternoon, the clothes propman (there were no rotary lines then).  Also the haberdashery man.  He came every Monday on his bike with such thins as needles, cottons, laces, elastic and other things always needed.  the fruit and veg. man, iceman, mostly ice chests (no fridges like we have now).  All the children would wait for him and rush out for broken bits of ice and hang on the back of his cart for a ride.  The ice blocks were wrapped in newspaper to save them from melting too quickly.There was also the baker, with lovely fresh bread.  There was always a rush to see who would get the crusty plait on the top of the loaf and the milkman with his giant cans on his cart.  he would dip his measure in and pour it into your billycan.  On Saturdays a special cake man with his trays of homemade cakes.  There was also the woodman.  He would leave a load which was always left at the gate and we would have to carry it to the woodshed, chop it up and stack in the shed.  Nearly everyone had a fuel stove and open fireplace.  The coal and coke man also called, also the chimney sweeps.  There was also a man who came and sharpened your knives and scissors.  The Manchester man also called with sheets, blankets and such things and last but not least each fortnight you were able to buy dresses, shirts and other items of clothing.    You could also buy your groceries from the corner Store and pay for them each week.  You then received a bag of  boiled lollies.  Biscuits came in big tins to the grocer and you bought them by the pound, no packets like today.  The broken biscuits in the tin could be bought also, quite a large bag for 3d. or 2c.  You could also get lovely milkshakes, full containers with malt and nutmeg on the top for 4 pence=4 cents.

On Saturday afternoon we could go to the pictures for 6d, or 5c today.  It was usually all children who followed the serials, but also a newsreel, two full length pictures and a cartoon.  It was usually very noisy.  The kids cheering the good guys and booing the baddies.

When Frank was about eleven he joined the Scouts.  He had Mum's personality and made friends easily.  He was very good looking with his dark eyes and wavy hair.  I remember when he got his first long pants, he though he was very smart.  Mum had told him to change his clothes after being out, but of course he didn't.  Instead he was showing his friends how good he was walking the planks over the sewerage trenches.  Needless to say he fell in.  His pants were full of mud and water which didn't do them any good.

Our street had quite a number of children and it was the usual things that we had Caster Oil each Saturday.  All the kids hated it and the mothers couldn't get them to take it, so they sent them to Mum.  We all had to line up and have a tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt on our tongue to take it's oily taste away.  Another thing I didn't like was the sulphur and treacle which was good for your blood.  We had that also each week.  This was extra good for pimples or hickeys as we called them.

Whenever there was sickness in the home, such as measles, Mum would put sulphur on a spade, light it and walk through the rooms to disinfect the house.  We also had Senna Tea and Cascara as laxatives.  Both were terrible.

On Sundays, we could hear the bells from St. Johns in Parramatta.  We spent most of Sunday at Church (Methodist).  First there was Christian Endeavour then morning service, home for lunch, aft, afternoon Sunday School, then evening service a t 7pm.  Dad was organist for quite a long while, also Choir Master.  Our anniversaries were held in November.  A tiered platform was erected.  It was a very special day and we girls always had a new dress.  The b oys would get tired of being up there sometimes, so while prayers were on they would climb out  of the windows or get under the stand for a  while, then come back before the service was over.  Of course, this was only some of them.

I also belonged to the Comrades, a girls' group, and was a Sunday School teacher.

On Christmas Eve, we would all go on a truck with a small organ and leave about 11pm.  WE would travel around the district singing carols, returning to the church for supper and a bit of fun.  We all enjoyed these nights.  Our picnic each year was also a great event, usually held in Parramatta Park.  The river was nice in those days, even sharks would go up the river.  There used to be a section of the river for swimming.  It was netted against  any sharks.  We used to have a great day.  There also was a ferry that went down the river.  The wharf was at the end of George Street, Parramatta.  A tram also went to the wharf.

After finishing at Central School, I went to Parramatta Intermediate High School.  Frank went to Granville Technical College.  I left school at fifteen and attended a business college in Parramatta to learn shorthand and typing.  I was only there for a few months before going to Scott and Hores Business College in the city. Here besides shorthand and typing, I also learnt the adding machines, calculator, comptometer and book keeping machines.  These were new machines being used in offices.  I continued at this college until I was ready to take an office position.  I also learnt the piano for some years.  I am sorry now that I didn't continue.  By this time, the depression was well on the way and things were looking very black.  The firm I started with was not going well and before long, like many other firms, it had to close.  although I had all this knowledge, I couldn't find another position.  I would follow the adds in the paper, go into the city each day and join many others all looking for work.  This went on for some time.  Everyone was finding it very hard to cope.  Dad was becoming impatient with me because I wasn't working and he had to provide money and everything else for me.  I guess you couldn't blame him.  He had spent a lot of money having me educated and I had got nowhere.

I decided one day to take a job doing house work.  Business people were employing girls to help in their homes.  I will never forget mother's distress.  She didn't want me to go.  As I look back now, I should have waited and still kept on trying for an office job but things weren't improving but getting worse.  I took this job at Eastwood, a young couple with two children, also at Epping, I was there for a while.  From there I went to another place at Rose Bay.  It was hard work and little money, washing, ironing, cooking and all the work involved in keeping a large home clean.  I forgot how long I stayed there.  Later on, I went to another place at Double Bay, a a three story home overlooking the sea.  This time it was eight adults to look after, a little more money each week, 10/-or $1 weekly, and one afternoon off a week.  They  were nice people and I fitted in well.  I had a lot to do.  The mother had Bridge parties each week and entertained a lot.  I did all the cooking for these events.  The children, really teenagers, belonged to the Sailing Club and were always going to some event and expected plenty of cakes, biscuits and other food ready for them to take out.  While here the parents took a trip to New Zealand and while they were away the eldest boy, who was a Wool Classer, committed suicide by jumping  from the top window. He was about twenty-nine years old.  I remember finding him on the path unconscious.  He died.

It was while I was here that I met Ellen Pigg.  She was also working with a family.  We have been friends ever since.  When I look back and think just how much work we did, washing ironing, cooking and cleaning, it was a lot for $1 a week.  It was a lovely home and I had a nice bedroom.

One day I met a young man.  He had vivid blue eyes and fair hair and a happy disposition.  He lived at Bondi Junction with his parents and three brothers.  We became friendly.  He had been in the Australian navy as a stoker but like everyone else he was out of work.  His name was William Frederick Jessep.  He was the eldest of the family.  Alex was the next one, then Harry and Jack.  When I had my Sunday afternoon off I would go to their home and have tea.  I remember his mother always had hot jam tarts with cream.  the other boys also had their friends stay for tea, so there was usually quite a few. 

 Everyone called Mr. and Mrs. Jessep "Ma and Pop".  they had a piano in the front room and after tea the young people would gather round the piano and have a sing along which we all enjoyed.  Ma and Pop were very fond of playing cards and listening to the races.  Saturday afternoon was the highlight of the week for them as they spent it backing the horses and playing cards.  Aunty Milly "Mother's sister" lived at Bronte and we, Billy and I, would sometimes go to their place after going to the beach.  If Ma was short of money, she would take the boys' clothes, or anything else worthwhile to the pawn shop and leave the card for them to get them out if they had the money.  Of course, many times we couldn't go anywhere because of this.  After some time we decided to get married.  WE had absolutely nothing but we though we could manage.  I* was sick of looking after the big house and the eight adults.  Now I look back, I must have been mad.  We thought if we pooled what money we were getting, we could manage. Mum and Dad were very upset.  They didn't want me to get married only because we had nothing and certainly not a bright future.  They also thought at first that there was another reason for us wanting to marry, but there wasn't.  My parents gave me a lovely wedding and beautiful frock and two bridesmaids and wedding breakfast. I was married in the Methodist Church, Granville, and had our honeymoon at Katoomba.  We married on 9th June, 1934.  I had a nice long flannel nightgown with a frill at the neck and long sleeves.

We started our married life by getting a furnished room in Bondi Junction.  It was a two story place.  Each room was let to a couple, one bathroom was shared by all.  The room contained a small stove, table and two chairs, bed, dressing table and cupboard.  Billy's brother, Harry, also had married and he and his wife Rita were in the next room.  I still went to work for a while, but they wanted me to live in, so I had to leave.  We were then on the dole, with ration tickets for everything.  You had to be careful to make them last till you got the next lot.  If you didn't you couldn't get any more food.  Billy got one week's work in five.  That money went for the rent.  He got his clothes for work from the issues supplied by the government.  You had to join a queue for these.  It was really bad at this time.  Then I found out I was pregnant.  We didn't want a family so quick, especially the ways things were, but it happened.  I was really very sick and as each month went by I was no better.  Finally the doctor told mum unless I had some care and attention he wouldn't like to think how things would go with us both.

Mum had come out to see me and found me lying on the bed really sick.  She took me to the doctor.  Well, she took us home with her and gave me all the love and care she could.

She also saw my uncle, who was by now Superintendent of Rail and asked him if he could get Billy work on the railway.  Eventually he got him on as a fettler.  We found a little house not far from Mum and Dad's place in Milton Street, Granville, and moved in just before our baby was born.  I had booked into a private hospital in The Avenue, Granville.  I thought it would be close to home.  A couple of weeks before I was due to go, a friend of mine had her baby but she died from septicaemia.  As you can guess I wasn't too keen to go there then but as it was all arranged I went along with it.  My baby arrived after twenty-four hours labour.  It was left in a room on my own.  they came every now and then to see how I was going.  It was an instrumental birth and I had quite a lot of trouble after.  He was a lovely baby.  9.5 pounds and quite long.  We called him Earl Frederick.  He wasn't as pink as other babies and his nails and lips had a bluish tinge.  They said he was alright.  He cried a  lot.  I took him to our doctor, while there he informed me I wouldn't be able to have any more children owing to the trouble I had in giving birth.  It wasn't long before I realized that things were not alright with Earl.  He started having attacks of crying and going blue which I learned were heart attacks.  I took him to another doctor at Bondi Junction, who gave me a letter to take him to Randwick Children's Hospital.  They admitted Earl and I stayed with him as I was feeding him.   They explained that a valve in his heart hadn't closed at birth, as it usually does. (These days they can fix it). He was the first baby in that hospital  to go into an oxygen tent.  He finally passed away at the age of three months.  I felt the bottom had dropped out of my world.  How could I go on without my baby!  To this day, I can still see him in his little blue coffin.  They had parted his hair on the side.  He looked much older than he was.  I had asked God to take him home, rather than see him in so much pain.  Oh, how unhappy I was!  I had looked forward so much to having my very own baby and now I had none and the doctor had assured me I was unable to have any more.

On returning home after the funeral, it was so hard to see the pram, cot and other things I had and to know they wouldn't be used.  The house was empty.

One day about four months later, I thought if I can't have any more children, why not adopt one?  I did not know what Billy would think of the idea but finally asked him and he did not reply for a while, but said he would think it over.  It was easier to adopt children then, as not many people did.  Of course everyone thought we were very silly, we didn't have anything behind us but we went into town and found out how to go about it.  the authorities checked into our background, health, job and what home we had, since Billy had got his chance on the railway, we were holding our own, he was only getting the basic wage, which wasn't a fortune.  I think three pounds five shillings ($7 a week).  Out of that we were paying 15/- rent, food and paying some furniture off.  They gave us the names of different hospitals to go and see babies who were up for adoption.  We decided we would like a girl.  I felt that Earl would still have his special place this way and the    little girl we hoped to get would have her special place and all the love I was capable of giving.  We found non at the hospitals that I felt was the special one.  They then gave us some private house and finally we came upon a lovely baby girl of five months old.  She had hazel eyes and fair curly hair.  As soon as I saw her I loved wanted  her for our own.  (She had dirty clothes on and a runny nose but it didn't matter).  We couldn't take her that day.  We had to return to the authorities and tell them, then wait till blood tests were taken and the papers for a legal adoption drawn up.  I couldn't wait.  We finally were told we could go and get her and we called her Berice.

Berice had been born eighteen days after Earl.  I felt that God had led me to this baby who was the same age as our son would have been.  I had bought new clothes for her and she looked lovely after a bath and her new things on.  all the neighbours came to see her.  It wasn't long before I found out she had rickets in her ribs and knees, also some bowel trouble.

  I took her to the hospital to have treatment.  My cousin Fred Clements was a doctor and doing research on rickets, so he took a particular interest in her and with his guidance I eventually overcame the rickets for her.  I continued to give her plenty of butter, oranges, sun and fish oil.  WE shifted from the Milton Street and went to Archibald Street.  I had not been feeling very well, so went to the doctor and to my surprise and joy he told me I was pregnant.  I couldn't believe it but it was true.  I was to have another baby!  Berice had grown into a lovely little girl.  She was about two years.  This time, I thought, no more private hospitals for me  so I booked into Paddington Women's Hospital.  On 1st June I had another son, whom we called Trevor Warren.  He was a lovely baby 8.5 lb.  I was so excited that not only was I able to have more children but also that God had given us another son.  I felt that we had everything to give us a happy future.  Billy had work and we had a little place of our own and two lovely children.  We decided that it would be lovely to live in the country so Billy asked for a transfer to Dubbo.  In the meantime Alex Jessep had married Phyllis Mansell and Harry had married Rita Bratten.  The transfer came through, so Mum minded the children while we went to Dubbo to see about renting a house and also  have a look at the town.  We found a house and arranged for us to move our things up in a week as Billy had to start straight away.  This meant he had to go on ahead of me.  He was to have Dubbo as headquarters and as he was a fettler would work at various places.

On returning home, we packed his things and I went into Central Station to see him off.  I hated him going on his own but it would only be a week or so before we would be up there also.  As the train pulled we waved until I couldn't see him.  I was excited about going, but would have liked to have gone together but I had to arrange for our things out and I would never see him again.

We were having an exceptionally hot summer and as soon as he arrived at Dubbo he was sent to Nyngan where it was even hotter.  He was working in the heat all day, he got heat exhaustion and was taken to Bourke Hospital in a bad way.  Of course I didn't know this till alter.  He had only been gone a few days.  I had given notice for the house we were living in and intended to move out in a week and notified the railway as they were to move us.  the first thing I knew that something was wrong was when I received a telegram from the Matron of Bourke Hospital in a bad way.  Of course, I didn't know this till later.  He had only been gone a few days.  I had given notice for the house we were living in and intended to move out in a week and notified the railway as they were to move us.  The first thing I knew that something was wrong was when I received a telegram from the Matron of Bourke Hospital to say my husband was very ill and advised me to come at once.  I was very upset.  He hadne't been gone very long and was only twenty-eight years old and in good health.  I couldn't believe it.  I range the railway to get a pass to go on that night's train but before I could get it, I received another telegram saying he had passed away.  I will never forget that day.  Only a few days earlier I had waved good-bye to him at Central Station and now I was  never to see him again.  I still intended to go up for the funeral.  It was a very hot summer and when I spoke to the Matron, she said the funeral was to be straight away as they couldn't keep the body due to the heat and it was better that I didn't come, so I didn't go.  There was no point in going.  Billy has gone and he had to be buried before I would get there.  I couldn't believe I wouldn't see him again.  For quite a long while I expected him to walk in or hear from him.

I left the house in Archerfield Street, Granville and went back home to Mum and Dad.  They stored the small amount of things I had.  I had no money so was unable to pay rent, or any goods that we had bought, such as furniture and other things, so I went and saw the manager of the firm.  He agreed to wait till I got settled.  I applied for the Widow's Pension but of course this took some time to come through.  The Union took Billy's case up and fought to get some compensation  for me.  I certainly wouldn't have got anything without them.  The Railway tried to et out of it by saying it was an "Act of God".  The Union won and I received eight hundred pounds ($1,600).  I received half and Berice and Trevor one quarter each.  I decided to put the money into a house.  First I had to pay the firms we owed money to and other expenses and with the balance I bought a house in 19 Enid Avenue, Granville, opposite the swimming pool and near the station.  It was a new estate and only a few homes were there.  I bought the land for one hundred and fifteen pounds ($230), if I remember rightly and had the house built.  I gave good thought about doing this.  It wasn't working out well at home. It was only fair that I should stand on my own feet and rear my children.  Mum and Dad had been so good and I felt they should be on their own.  I finally moved into our home in 1939 just after Christmas, I think.  Mrs Brien lived next door.  She had only been there a short while.  She had a son, George.  He was about the same age as Trev.  The other side of our home was a vacant lot, also at the back.  It's funny, looking back, little did I think that I would be living here.  When I was a child there used to be an open air picture theatyre right where the house is.  I can remember going to the pictures there.  It was pulled down later on and the land remained empty for some years.  When I was living in Archerfield Street, I used to take the children in the stroller and push them across this paddock to go to Mum's place which was nearly every second day.  I would have liked to have lived in another suburb but as I was on my own I thought it would be nice to be near Mum and Dad.  The swimming pool hadn't been built long and we were certainly close to the station and shopping centre.  It's a nice weather-board home.  I could have had a full brick one for an extra one hundred pounds ($200) but of course it was impossible to raise that kind of money in those days.  The house had two large bedrooms, lounge, centre bathroom, dining room and kitchenette, front veranda and  back veranda, the end of which was the laundry.  In the dining room it had a fuel stove. It wasn't long before I was sorry that I had it.  

I forgot how long I was here before Jack Byrnes started to build his home next door.  He used to belong to a bike club before he was married so did y cousin Jack and Eric Davis.  He used to go to parties they had, so I knew hiim but not really well.  They finally moved in with their two boys, Ron and Jack.  They finally had eight children and Mrs Brien five.  I was finding it difficult as time went by to pay the water rates, council rates fire insurance and clothe the two children.  The pension was not a lot. l You were allowed to earn a little so I went to various homes and did their washing, ironing and cleaning, 4/- for a morning's work.  One house had eight adults, so involved a lot of washing.  Of course, 4/- seems very little now, but 12/- per week extra made a difference.

Some time later, I received a letter from my friend Dora from Grafton, asking if she could come and stay with me, as she would like to get work in Sydney.  Dora at the age of eleven contracted polio which was a dreaded disease.  She was bedridden for some years.  Her parents followed the Sister Kenny treatment and after a lot of massage and determination she was able to walk with crutches.  She went to Collee and learnt typing and decided to try and go to work although she found it difficult to get around, especially on public transport.  She had a lovely personality and a was a great writer of letters, to quite a number of pen friends.  She came and we got along very well and she finally got a job with the Red Cross in the City.  This was during the war years.  The war had started in 1939 and Dora corresponded with some of the soldiers, Australian and American.  It was during this period that accommodation was very short the the airforce boys who were doing courses at the Technical College in Granville, so I took two boarders who stayed for about six months and then another two.  It was this way that I met Lloyd Wallis, who was the means of my meeting Harry.  He, Lloyd, came from Brisbane and had grown up with Harry who was now an engineer in the merchant navy.  One night we had a house party and Lloyd brought Harry with him.  This was about 1943.

He had come to Sydney to rejoin his ship afteer being on leave, so Lloyd invited him to the party.  It was a good ngiht but Harry missed the last train so had to stay that night.  He left after breakfast.  His ship was the "Narbada" operated by the British Ministry of War Transport.  

About a week later, Dora and I went to a restaurant near Wynyard for tea and Harry was there having his and before he left we had arranged to go to the cinema one night.  As he had about three weeks before he sailed, we had  a few outings.  He sailed for England and it was about twelve months before he returned.  During that time we corresponded quite frequently.  We decided to get married when he returned.  Most of our courtship was done by letters.  We were married on 12th August, 1944 in the Presbyterian Church, Granville.  I remember I had a royal blue dress.  My bridesmaid Joan was in army uniform.  The best man was Bill Robertson and Harry in naval uniform.  We had the breakfast at the family house in 26 Hewlett Street.  It was a  lovely day with about forty guests.  For our honeymoon we went to Newcastle and stayed at a hotel as Harry had to rejoin his ship the next day.  It was rather funny really.  The ship had left Sydney for Newcastle and was to arrive there at 6am but due to a submarine scare they didn't berth till 9.30am and he missed the train to Sydney.  He sent a telegram to say he would be late as he had to get the next train.  Bye the time he did get to the church I was already there and waiting to walk down the isle.  Everyone was beginning to wonder if he was coming but he arrived just on time.  Trevor was seven and Berice nine.

We decided to stay at 19 Enid Avenue as it was such a convenient spot and Harry got a transfer toe the "Kow Rai", a ship which sailed between Melbourne and Tasmania so I decided to close the house and go to Melbourne.  I lived there for a while.  We were there about two months, staying at St Kilda in a flat in Wellington Street.  Trev and Berice went to school at Prahan.  We enjoyed our stay there, then we decided to go to Strachan in Tasmania which is on the west coast.  It meant Harry would have more leave there than Melbourne.  As I had never traveled very far in my life it was very exciting.  We got a ship to Launceston.  As the War was still on the portholes were all closed so no light could be seen.  The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  They were not sick but I was.  We arrived in the morning and then by train to Burnie.  Here we stayed the night.  It was about 8.30pm when we reached Burnie and I had no placed to stay so I went to the police and they took me to a friend of theirs to stay the night. 

Next day on to Zillhan and then onto Strachan by bus.  We finally arrived and stayed at a house which was quite close to Macquarie Harbour and the ocean.  It was only a small town and it rained almost constantly the whole time we were there.  At that time there was only about 500 population.  Cadbury had their big factory and I remember we used to eat big 1/2 pound blocks of chocolate for 2/- (20c).  Trev and Berice once again went to school there.  We were there about three months.  I was by now pregnant.  Macquarie Harbour is very difficult for ships to enter or leave by due to a very narrow passage called "Hell's Gate".  The water flows very fast and ships have to wait for the right time.  While in Strachan we went to Queenstown by the Rack Railway.  It's a very unusual place.  No trees anywhere, the sulphur fumes having killed all trees and grass.  We returned by bus.

I had to return to Sydney.  Mum wasn't well.  She had gall stones very badly and was thinking of having the operation.  I felt I wanted to get backing seeing I was expecting.  ON our return we went by Lake Clair to Hobart, stayed a couple of days then went by train to Launceston and ship to Melbourne and finally a train to Sydney.  Harry finally managed to transfer to a ship which went to Sydney but befoe this happened Mum decided to go into hopsital and was operated on for gall stones, so she would be well when the baby arrived.  She had the operation and all was going well but three days after she collapsed and died suddenly.  I can remember to this day the shock I received.  I was on my way to hospital to see her and missed the train so I went to the post office and rang to see how she was.  The sister came and said "You are too late. She's dead".  I couldn't believe it.  I was overcome.  We had been very close all my lie and now she was gone.  I wasn't even there with her.  Harry was still away.  Apart from the time I was in Melbourne and Tasmania, I think I had seen or been with her every day.  Oh how I missed her.  

Harry was on the "Notoro" now.  I had not seen him since I left Tasmania which was quite a while.  I had booked into Paddington Hospital.  On the 24th August, David John was born .  He was three weeks premature.  I was lucky that I didn't lose him also.  The afterbirth came first and nearly smothered him.  It was a difficult birth and he was not a good colour and was born instrumentally.  Harry managed to get home and see him when he was about three days old.  Also the war was coming to an end.  Harry had some other work.

Nerida (Edna's daughter to Harry), continues the narrative.

Dad was offered a position at Murwillumbah but refused the position and took a position at the Sydney University as a Mechanical Engineering teacher.

Mum and Dad stayed at 19 Enid Avenue, Granville.

Mum worked when we went to school working at a milk bar at Granville.  Her friend, Leslie, owned the shop.  She also worked at David Co-op and Fosseys.

Mum went to the Baptist Church at Granville.  Dad didn't go, though he walked her to Church and then came home.

Extra Notes

We were taught to have respect for our elders, or parents and teachers and reminded constantly of our manners or lack of them, to be seen but not heard unless spoken to and not to forget please and thank you.  A look from your parent would let you know if you forgot.  You were also taught that as you reached an adult age, that gentlemen always walked on the gutter side when walking on the footpath with a lady.  Also a well mannered man offering his lady friend a cigarette (from a case) would light his own first to save her from getting too much nicotine.  If she didn't smoke he would ask her permission to smoke.  He would also pull his chair out for her to sit on, or open a door for her.  He would always offer his seat to a lady on a train or bus.  Men always let the ladies on the bus or train first.  Ladies before gentlemen was the rule.  It was good manners for children to wait until they were asked to have anything.  Men wore white gloves to prevent sweating hands soiling pretty dresses when dancing.

We would have singalongs at home for entertainment.  Our friends would gather together around the piano, bringing their favourites such as, "Show Me the Way to Go Home', "Lily of Laguna", "If you Were the Only Girl in the World".  Some would also bring their guitars.  Some of the group would be card players.  About 11pm we would get ready for supper.  Sometimes toast over the open fire or rice up to the shop for a baked rabbit or something like that.  They were good nights.  Usually Sunday night was the same but sometimes some had tea s well ending with hot jam tarts and cream for dessert.

Most travel was by steam train.  We always carried a sheet of brown paper to sit on as the seats were usually covered with soot dust if the windows were down.  A lot of carriages were box cars and quite often you could get a bit of ash in your eye.

We didn't have the fancy irons of today.  They were quite heavy and were heated on the top of the fuel stove, using one and another getting hot.  They were called Mr Patt's irons.  Quite a lot of our clothes were starched and then dampened down ready to iron.

Most of our grocery shopping was done at the corner shop, Flour, sugar and Many other things Came in Sacks and had to be weighed for whatever you wanted.  Even butter was in a box and biscuits came in tines.  There were always kerosene tins which were reused as buckets, pot plants.  In the  depression they used flattened kerosene tins for the walls of a shack.

In our days, things were different.  We were continually admonished to watch our manners, respect our elders, children should be seen but not heard.  We used to have a copper for washing and a copper stick for pushing the clothes in,  This was made of wood. A fire was lit under the copper and the clothes would be washed and sterilised in the boiling water, then the clothes lifted with the stick into the tubs.  WE also ha a wash board for the very dirty clothes.  Also the final rinse was in blue water to make them white.  Also the blue was good to rub on stings or bites.  Our pegs were called dolly pegs.  We didn't have the spring peg of today.  Of course also a lot of things had to be starched as well.  Then the ironing, no electric irons.  They were heavy irons that you put on the stove to get hot.  Another thing I remember is having a bath in a very big tub in front of the fuel stove in the kitchen.  After one, we progressed to a chip heater which you put in paper or chips of wood to heat the water.

I remember milkshakes 4 1/2 d. or 5c

Ice-creams 1d.

Trays of meat, sausages, chops, steak 10/- or $1.

Men wore hats and ladies hats and gloves.

William, Lily and Nellie all sang in the choir.  Lillian sang many times in the Church services and at concerts and took the leading contralto solos in many cantatas arranged by the choir.  Dad was also Choir Master later on in life.  Mother had a lovely soprano voice and was also in the choir and choral societies.

Isobel taught in the Sunday School and was secretary for a number of years of the Methodist Girls' Comradeship, (M. G. C.)  She also had a lovely voice and was a member of the choir until her marriage in 1937 to Lionel Edward Watson when they moved from the district.  They had three children.  Eric married Mary Margaret Rowe in December 1935.  They had one daughter Florence Beverly born in May 1939.  Jack married Hannah Margery Webb in April 1938.  They had two children, Judith Anne born December 1943 and Rhonda Christine born October 1948 who also attended Sunday School and after marriage moved from the district. These three people are my first cousins.  It's funny our parents, William, Lillian and Nellie all went to the same public school and church as their children Isabel, Erick, Jack, Frank and Edna.

Dad installed a bell from our house to Grandpa's house next door, so they could ring shen they needed us.  He was the head of the house.  I remember he used to wear a night shirt and a cap when he went to bed and if the lights didn't go off at a certai time, he would come out and wind the clocks up and if you didn't get the message he would turn the lights out.  Grandma Brown was a gentle lady with a lovely personality.  Auntie Nell lived at home with them and only married later in life.  Auntie Lily lived at the back of our place and each house had a gate connecting the three houses.

We used to have lots of pets, dogs, cats and birds, also a seagull called Meg.  Mum found her at the beach and she had hurt her wing so she took her home.  We had her for years.  She would peck the worms at your feet and loved to eat mice.

I always remember my first day at school.  I can't remember the teacher but one girl stood out.  She was pretty and always had lovely dresses.  Her name was Doris Pilgrim.  All the other girls in the class were the same and felt she was different.  It's funny how you remember something like that.  Probably we were envious.  I remember I had a fight with a irl later on at school. Her name was Edna too.  We had this disagreement on our way home from school.  We got over it.  I knew her for years after.  During my school years I really enjoyed biology, English and cooking.  I played vigaro, something like cricket.  Only girls played.

On Mother's Day we always gave Mum breakfast in bed on a tray with a white flower.  Not much by today's standard.

The Family of McMullen

Edna's grandparents

Cuthbert Brown married Elizabeth McMullen who was born at West Maitland, Australia, on 9th April, 1859 and died on 15th August, 1944 aged 85 years.  They were married at their home by Reverend Blankspray.

I haven't much on the McMullen family.

Edna's Great Grandparents

William McMullen.  Elizabeth's father was born County Fermanagh, Ireland, on 9th May, 1927.  He married at St. Mary's, West Maitland, Australia on 16th April, 1857 and died on 21st February, 1906, aged 79 years.

Margaret McMullen was born in County Armagh, Ireland on 16th April 1831 and died on 27th July, 1900 aged 73 years.

Annie born West Maitland, married on 4th April, 1880 and died in 1910 in Waverley, N.S.W aged fifty-three years.

Ellen Jane born 28th July 1861, West Maitland and died on 1st July, 1881.

George born 13th April, 1862, married at ST John Church on 22nd February, 1886.

William James born 2nd August 1863, and died on 6th June, 191

Above; A collage made by Nanna featuring herself and her family.