Weston NSW

My grandfather, Louis Andrew Falk (nicknamed Joe), brought his young family to settle in Weston, NSW in 1924.  However, Louis spent his younger life in the Glen Innes area of NSW and thus I will first share what I know of his time there. Louis was born 16 October 1890  near Yarraford, about 10km northeast of Glen Innes. As mentioned on the "Glen Innes NSW' page, he was the second child and only son born to Hans Edward Falk and Theresa Magdalena Schwenke. My grandfather's childhood was infinitely different from mine.  Louis had to walk about 9km each way through the bush to and from Yarraford School, quite often barefooted. If children of those times were lucky enough to own shoes, they were usually kept for ‘Sunday best’. Louis carried a shotgun over his shoulder, never knowing when he might need it for protection. This was a common practice; pupils stored their guns on a rack in the school cloakroom while in class.  Imagine that scenario in today’s culture! Louis was a confident young lad, willingly performing on stage at a concert held at Yarraford School in 1900 to help raise money for the Patriotic Fund. He was just nine years of age at the time. Following is an extract from the Glen Innes Examiner dated 13 April 1900: 

‘...Master Louis Falk gave a capital rendering of the locally written tribute to our boys “God Bless ‘Em” and so well did the little elocutionist deliver the lines that at the conclusion, Mr Holmes announced that a special prize in commemoration of the occasion, would be presented to the reciter...’ 

On his way to school, Louis would set rabbit traps and snares, collecting them again on the way home. Whatever he caught, he sold for pocket money. One time when Louis was walking home a kangaroo came straight at him on the bush track. Fearing it was going to attack and not having time to take aim properly, Louis swung the shotgun at the animal as hard as he could and scared it off. He struck the kangaroo with such force that he actually broke the shotgun butt and had to repair it! 

As a teenager, Louis became quite the young man about town, often arriving home late at night. Instead of waking his family, he sometimes slept on the sofa out on the back verandah. One particular morning, his mother, Theresa, received quite a shock. Throughout the previous evening, a cold front had moved into the district; temperatures plummeted and then it snowed. When Theresa came out to wake Louis for breakfast, all she could see was a snow-covered mound. Fearing the worst, she ran over, pushed off the snow, grabbed the blanket covering Louis and shook him. He woke up spluttering from a deep, sound sleep and was quite astonished that his mother had panicked - he had been warm and snug and very well insulated under his blanket and snow covering! 

As a young bachelor, Louis had some memorable escapades. One, in particular, was downright inglorious! This happened when he and his mate had their eyes on a couple of attractive young ladies in town. The lads were very anxious to chat to them and had high hopes of inviting them out. However, the girls informed Louis and his friend that they would have to meet at church. 

Undeterred, the boys arrived at church and as it was the Catholic Church, Louis’s mate blessed himself with holy water as he entered and then splashed some on Louis. As the pair walked down the aisle, Louis heard some giggles and thinking it was their potential girlfriends, turned to see where they were sitting. Unfortunately, Louis did not realise his friend in front had stopped walking to genuflect in the aisle before taking his seat. The unsuspecting Louis kept walking as he looked for the girls and consequently ended up falling right over the top of his mate and clumsily landed sprawled on the floor in the aisle. It is not known whether the girls ever agreed to date the mortified young men after their spectacular introduction to the Catholic congregation! 

Louis served his apprenticeship as a wheelwright and coachbuilder with Cobb & Co. Coaches who operated a weigh station in Glen Innes. He was also a talented musician and played a euphonium with the Glen Innes Municipal Band (see image above). As an enthusiastic band member, Louis was sometimes required to travel away. When invited to go to Sydney for a band competition, his boss at Cobb & Co. warned him that if he went, there would be no job waiting for him on his return. Despite this, Louis decided to take the opportunity and made the trip regardless. When he arrived back in Glen Innes and consequently found himself among the ranks of the unemployed, Louis discovered that jobs were available in the coalmines around Newcastle. Thus, at nineteen years of age, he packed his belongings and travelled south, finding casual work in some of the smaller collieries of the Hunter Valley. 

Music inadvertently brought Louis and Sarah together. Louis was playing in a band at Wallsend when he met the young Sarah Ethel Llewellyn. Sarah was the first daughter and second of the nine children born to Alfred and Ada Llewellyn. She was born in Murnin Street Wallsend on 22 May 1893.

Louis and Sarah began keeping company so Louis decided to stay in the Newcastle district and that was to be a life-changing decision for him. Obviously, the young couple appreciated what they saw in one another and were clearly smitten; they knew their love would endure. Twenty year old Louis and seventeen-year-old Sarah married on 27th October 1910  in Wallsend; their union lasting until Louis’s death 55-years later. 

The newly-weds settled into a rented house at Brookstown, Wallsend and Louis secured permanent employment working the night shift at the Wallsend Coke Ovens.  They had eight children:

• Albert Edward 'Ned' Falk b. 12 April 1911 in Wallsend. He married Dorothea Avaun Eveleigh.

• George Alfred Falk b. 20 July 1912 in Wallsend. He married (1) Bessie Constance Jackson (2) Jean Deamer.

• Frederick Arthur Falk b. 28 March 1914 in Wallsend. He married Beryl Mildred Butcher.

• Jack Falk b. 4 February 1917 in Wallsend. He married Phyllis Mary Charlton.

• Leonard Falk b. 19 September 1919 in Wallsend. He married Molly Hindman.

• Ethel Falk b. 5 March 1924 in Wallsend. She married Thomas Naylor. 

• Joseph Charles Falk b. 14 July 1927 in Weston. He married Margaret 'Barbara' Scott.

• Leslie Falk b. 1 Sep 1931. He married Faye Pryde. 

Louis and Sarah’s family at Wallsend also included an extraordinary little cocker spaniel. The dog usually stayed contentedly at home in the yard each day until the whistle blew signalling the end of shift at the coke ovens where Louis worked. He then trotted up the hill to meet his master as he walked home. Louis would place the handle of his crib can into the dog's mouth for it to carry home. The dog's reward was a dried up left over jam sandwich.  To this faithful little pet, roast beef would not have tasted any better! 

My late uncle, Joe Falk, sixth son and seventh child of Louis and Sarah, recalled hearing that this dog used to take a message, attached to its collar, to Sarah's mother, Ada Llewellyn, in Murnin Street Wallsend. Ada used to read the message and send a reply back to Sarah the same way. Uncle Joe said that the dog would also carry a basket with a note and money to the butcher for Sarah if she were too busy to go herself. More miraculously, he would actually bring the meat home! Occasionally, the family played quoits on the side of the creek. The little dog would lie watching intently and if one of the metal quoits landed in the water, he would immediately jump in to retrieve it. Obviously, Louis and Sarah's little cocker spaniel was a remarkable and much loved member of their household. However, the memory of his deeds has lasted longer than his name! 

Louis Falk had a fervent and lifelong love of horses. While the family lived at Wallsend, he trained racehorses for a man named Charlie Bennett. When Louis felt that a horse was ready to race, he would harness it to a cart and take it to Rutherford, Newcastle, Wallsend, or any of the other racetracks throughout the district. One day, he noticed that a horse just in from the paddock was a little frisky. Louis decided he would load it up with sandbags and run it around the ring in the yard until it was tired. He then put the saddle on and jumped on its back. The protesting horse snorted, bucked, pigrooted and carried on a treat, doing whatever it could to dislodge Louis. When she heard all the commotion outside, Mrs Bennett came running out and told Louis that he should not be riding that particular horse, he should think of his wife and all his little kiddies! Nevertheless, Louis asked Mrs Bennett to open the gate for him and off he went. After he had galloped the horse for a while, it quietened down and Louis turned for home. He had not travelled far when he encountered a very concerned Charlie Bennett coming towards him along the road with a horse and sulky. Mrs Bennett had informed her husband of Louis’s actions, so with great trepidation, Charlie had set out to search for Louis. The two men pulled up alongside each other and Louis informed Charlie that he now had the horse well and truly under control. What the sheepish Charlie had forgotten to tell Louis, was that he had intended having the horse broken in before Louis took over training it! 

Once Louis and Charlie felt the horse was ready to race they decided to enter him at the Newcastle Races. They arranged for one of the top jockeys to ride him and plans progressed smoothly. Charlie Bennett had ₤40 ($80.00) to put on his horse, which was a considerable sum of money in the 1920s. Race day finally arrived and when Louis was giving the jockey a leg up into the saddle and was about to give him his instructions, the jockey turned and told Louis that his horse was not going to win that day; horse No.7 would be the winner! Feeling shocked and outraged, Louis raced over to inform Charlie of the jockey's revelation. Charlie had already placed a ₤20 ($40) wager on his horse, so he calmly decided he might as well put the other ₤20 on No.7. That way, he surmised, he would at least have backed a winner! When the jockey returned to the enclosure and was dismounting, he told Charlie and Louis just how good their horse was- saying it nearly broke his arms holding it back.  With a nudge and a wink, the devious jockey told them that if he were given the mount next time, they would all do well! Feeling rather peeved, Louis asked Charlie what he thought about this dubious proposition and Charlie replied that at least the jockey had been honest with them.  The pair decided to give the jockey his chance to make good at the following race meeting, and true to his word, their horse won. Oh dear! In those days, the poor unfortunate racehorse had to pull the cart to the racetrack, perhaps run in more than one race and then pull the cart home again: a vastly different scenario to the glorious, pampered equines of today! 

In the early 1920s, Louis and Sarah purchased some land in Ninth Street Weston, on the Cessnock Coalfields. Here, Louis built their family home on a one-acre block (see image above). The land was originally six blocks on one title, for which they paid £20 (approx. $40.00). Mr Jim Elsley later bought two of the blocks for £20 to build his home and tennis court. The other spare blocks sold for £66 ($132.00). In those days, land was worth very little- hardly justifying the costs incurred for Council rates. How times have changed! 

For a long time during construction of the house, Louis travelled between Wallsend and Weston. At first he built the laundry in the backyard, camping in this while he built the main house. He fenced the entire block with only an axe, a pair of splitting wedges and a hammer for tools. He split the posts, mortised them, then made the rails and adzed the ends to fit the posts. Finally, he split the leftover waste into palings to complete the fence. Louis also made furniture and was a skilled carpenter, but did not enjoy the trade. 

In 1924 when the new home was completed and their daughter Ethel was just one month old, Sarah and Louis packed up their family and belongings and moved from Wallsend to Weston where the youngest two children were born.

Louis obtained work at Hebburn No.2 Colliery as a carpenter/shaftsman. He played his part in coalmining history by being involved with sinking the main shaft at the Hebburn No.2 mine. He tended to all the ropes, changing them when necessary, as well as the guide rails down the shaft. He also had to change shoes on the cages and anneal all the chains. After a set period, chains would be removed from cages, put through a furnace that was brought up to 900 degrees, held there for and hour or so and then gradually cooled down. This process re-strengthened the chains. Louis virtually had to go to work in the middle of the night to ensure the cages were ready to transport men down the mine early next morning. Louis’s son Jack worked alongside him as a shaftsman at Hebburn No.2 in later years. 

Having been introduced to a shotgun as a young child, Louis was an expert marksman. He occasionally went shooting with Simon Andrews of Mulbring who was every bit as capable. Louis kept ferrets in cages along the back fence and when he went shooting, took a ferret with him. They would put the ferret down a rabbit burrow then wait for it to chase out the rabbits which were picked off as they tried to escape. Louis was infuriated one day though, when his shotgun repeatedly jammed. In the end, he threw the weapon into the river in frustration, saying it was the best place for it as it was far too dangerous! Louis’s sons were good shots as well, although their first weapons were shanghais. They had plenty of practice with these homemade catapults by shooting tin cans off the fence posts in their backyard! 

Horses remained part of everyday life for the Falk family even after the move to Weston. Many of the townsfolk recognised Louis’s blacksmithing skills and asked him to shoe their horses. Son Leslie said his father would sometimes sit him up on a horse as he shod it and then lead it back to its owner with Leslie still on its back. Daughter Ethel's favourite horse was Billy- he was quiet and very obedient when pulling the cart or with the youngsters riding him. However, the family also had a black horse  who was not so amenable. During the winter, or whenever the miners were on strike, Louis and his sons would harness the back horse and visit the Wilson’s Stroud Road property. A tickle with the whip was usually required to get old fellow moving, but the minute they packed up to head for home, he would trot all the way back to Weston without stopping. He could not get back home quickly enough! This poor old horse lost his life following an encounter with a snake in Harold McKinnon's paddock at Sawyer’s Gully. 

The Falk family survived the Great Depression and war years with grit and determination. By 1932, mines, factories and shops throughout the country began to close and farms were abandoned; one in three workers was unemployed. The older boys tried to pick up odd jobs to help out, but opportunities were rare. Fred was an apprentice Fitter and Turner during some of this period, so his wage certainly helped the family endure. Ned had to leave home and fend for himself in a tent near Swansea. He fished to supplement the food he obtained from coupons. Jack had no luck finding work either and spent much of his time ‘on the track’ far from home. The government could do little to restore the economy. State governments paid small wages for relief work, or a weekly dole called ‘Susso’. If Louis and Ned were away at the same time, George took over as head of the household. The grim times eased by 1934, but five years later families began a renewed struggle that lasted for six years during WWII. Basic everyday necessities like sugar and butter were rationed; people had to survive on food coupons; schools ran ‘soup kitchens’. On Wednesdays all school children, including young Leslie, took a plate and cup to school and were provided with a meal. The hardship the Falk family faced was not unique, it was repeated everywhere. Nevertheless, the Falks were resourceful and came through the other side of that bleak era all the stronger for it. After World War II, jobs were plentiful for everyone willing to work. 

The skills my grandfather learned as an apprentice wheelwright with Cobb & Co. Coaches came in handy with his first motorcar which had wooden spoke wheels. One of the spokes developed dry rot so Louis dismantled the wheel, made a new spoke, fitted it and then put the wheel back together again. It was as good as new! Grandfather's second car was a 1926 black Oldsmobile that became an icon to all the family.  It had bucket seats in the front with a self-starter in between and a single door. The front windscreen wound up and down, presumably the air conditioning! Louis taught his sons to drive it but when it came to daughter Ethel’s turn there was a slight mishap. Louis surprised Ethel one day by picking her up at the bus stop after work. He said to his daughter, ‘Come on, you’re thinking of going for your licence, hop in and have a go.’ 

Taken aback, Ethel replied, ‘But I’ve never driven a car before!’

Nonetheless, Falk spirit to the fore, Ethel decided to try. It all went without a hitch until she attempted to turn into their driveway at Ninth Street and collected the gatepost with a shuddering thump! Louis could only sit shaking his head, all the while lamenting, ‘I forgot to tell you to pump the brakes!’  It was a simple, though costly oversight for teacher and pupil alike. Louis had a car to repair, but Ethel probably had to cope with quite a lot of harassment from her brothers following that incident! 

Without doubt, had Louis been able to wave a magic wand, he would have had all of his descendants blessed with large families. He was a true patriarch, dearly loved and respected by all his children and grandchildren. Sarah was a typical nurturing mother and grandmother. She was always toiling away in the background, energetically cooking, cleaning, polishing floors, washing and ironing. She carried out the countless mundane household chores that were necessary to provide a comfortable and secure home life for her family. Between them, Louis and Sarah instilled in their children true family values: work hard, be resourceful, stick together and always love and care for one another. In later years, if Louis were to hear somebody nostalgically lamenting how much better life was in the past, he was always quick to respond with, ‘Nonsense! There was no such thing as the good old days – life was always tough.’ He believed in making the most of each day as it dawned, no matter what it presented. Despite all the usual day-to-day struggles, Louis and Sarah ensured their family was well fed and clothed, and able to enjoy most of life’s simple pleasures. 

As Louis and Sarah’s children grew older and married, they continued to come home to Ninth Street for Sunday lunches, bringing their young children with them. In summer, Louis would always have a watermelon cooling in the shade under a wet bag ready for the family to enjoy. When family numbers increased to such an extent that Sarah could not seat and feed them all together, they took turn about. My sister Elaine enjoyed these get-togethers immensely as Nanna Falk used to save her copies of the Women’s Weekly for Elaine to read and cut out the pin-ups. Cards and dominoes were frequently played after the meal was finished and the dishes cleared away. 

Holidays were also enjoyed as a combined family affair. Harrington on the north coast was the holiday Mecca each Christmas for the extended Falk family. Year after year, the seduction of sunshine, white sand, surf, and fishing- lots of fishing- drew them all back. The Oldsmobile was the means of transport used by Louis and Sarah and some of their family to make the journey. Initially they all camped in tents, but when daughter Ethel and some of the daughters-in-law started to have babies, Louis, Sarah and the rest of the clan rented cottages. Son Len joked that when Louis was packing the Oldsmobile for Harrington, he always put Sarah in the vehicle first and then loaded everything else in around her! Louis packed the old car to the hilt, inside and out, and it took them all day to reach their destination. Other family members caught buses and trains. Three generations of Falks had unforgettable memories of those Harrington holidays. 

Anyone who knows me knows that I have always had a sense of humour and sometimes it shows itself unfiltered! I recall a time when Grandfather Falk did not think I was funny at all. I was riding with him in the car one day and said, ‘Grandfather, this car is a Rolls Canardly’. Grandfather looked rather pleased for a moment until I elaborated, ‘It rolls down hill and can 'ardly get up 'em again!’ Grandfather Falk was not at all amused! 

The 1926 Oldsmobile faithfully transported Grandfather and his family until the end of his driving days. After he retired from Hebburn No.2, he took me out to Bishops Bridge to teach me the finer points of snaring birds and trapping rabbits- basic skills that most young men enjoyed. This was this special time with Grandfather Falk that I will treasure for the rest of my days. 

Grandfather Louis retired from Hebburn No.2 Colliery in about 1949 but always led an active life afterwards. He never ceased to keep a ‘weather eye’ on his family even after his children were married with offspring of their own. He was the ‘Chief of the tribe’ and nobody ever disputed that fact. This was evident the day he discovered that I had purchased a motorbike. Having gained a plumbing apprenticeship, I needed transport to work and the motorcycle was affordable. Fearing for my safety, Grandfather drove to our home in Kurri Kurri and thoroughly castigated my father Ned for allowing me to buy the bike.  He said, ‘I can’t understand why you allowed John to buy a motorbike. They are far too dangerous. Besides, none of my sons ever had one!’  Duly reprimanded, and in no doubt of his father’s opinion on the matter, all my father  could offer was, ‘But John’s earning his own money now. I couldn’t do anything about it!’ 

On 27 October 1960, my grandparents, Louis and Sarah celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. To honour their fifty years of marriage, the family organised a party at Louis and Sarah’s home in Ninth Street. This significant milestone was reported in the local newspaper: 

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 

Mr and Mrs L. A. Falk of Ninth Street Weston were entertained by their family at their home to mark their golden wedding anniversary. 

Mr and Mrs Falk were married at Wallsend and have lived at Weston for [36] years. Mr Falk, 70, was employed at Hebburn Colliery before he retired. 

Mrs Falk is 67. They have seven sons and a daughter, eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

The couple received gifts. They left by air on Saturday for the Melbourne Cup carnival. 

~~~~!

Louis and Sarah’s trip to Melbourne was a gift from their family. Everyone contributed to make it possible, including nephew Neville Stibbard of Melbourne. Neville was the son of Louis’s sister Florence who also lived in Melbourne. Neville met his aunt and uncle at the airport and then took care of them during their stay. 

Sadly, my grandfather, Louis Andrew Falk, passed away on 5 May 1965 in Kurri Kurri Hospital after suffering a coronary occlusion; he was 74. Louis left behind a broken-hearted family who felt lost without their patriarch. He had been a tower of strength - a proud, strong individual who left his mark on all of his descendants. 

The Cessnock Advertiser published the following bereavement notice: 

BEREAVEMENTS 

FALK, Louis Andrew (Joe). 5th May 1965. 6 Ninth Street Weston. Husband of Sarah Ethel, and loving father of Albert, George, Fred, Jack, Len, Ethel (Mrs T Naylor), Joe and Les, and loving grandfather and great-grandfather of their children. Brother of Florence (Mrs F Stibbard, Melbourne) and Edna (Mrs L Beswick ( New Zealand), Brother-in-law of Mrs G Smith (Wallsend), Mr and Mrs F Llewellyn (Wallsend), Mr and Mrs J McLure (Wallsend), Mr and Mrs W Llewellyn (Wallsend). Aged 74 years. Resting peacefully in God’s Care. 

~~~~~

Following Louis’s death, Sarah moved to nearby Abermain to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Ethel and Tom Naylor. Sarah remained with Ethel and Tom for many years until she required care that was more specialized. She then moved into the Allandale Nursing Home at Cessnock. Ethel said her mother was very contented in her new environment. Whenever she took Sarah out shopping, or to the hairdressers, she was always happy to return to her familiar nursing home community. Sarah Ethel Llewellyn Falk passed away at Cessnock on 13 March 1984 at the grand old age of 90 years. Sarah’s longevity could perhaps be attributed to her practice of having a small glass of port to relax in the evening before going to bed. That could be a sound tip for all of us aspiring to a nice long life! The final resting place of Louis and Sarah is Loggia Court 2, No. J59 and J60 at Beresfield Crematorium. 

Louis and Sarah’s legacy to all of us was their genuine expression of the true meaning of Family. They raised eight happy and healthy young children through some extraordinarily lean times. Through their hard work and ingenuity, there was always fresh food on the table and warm clothing to wear. The children had plenty of spirit and survived many adventures and misadventures, particularly the boys! They sailed fearlessly down flooding creeks in dubious-looking homemade canoes and learnt how to snare, trap, shoot and ride horses. The boys played high-grade soccer and all of the children, including Ethel, played tennis. If they broke something, they were taught how to fix it. If they wanted something they could not afford, they improvised or tried to make it. Louis and Sarah’s children were given all the necessary practical skills to equip them for adulthood and also the freedom to play, explore and have fun. As their children married and moved into their own houses, somehow Louis and Sarah’s place was still Home to all. Their warmth and love continued to spread, as their family grew, to encompass all their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The youngsters all gravitated towards Louis and Sarah knowing they could expect a hug, a homemade or home-grown treat, an old magazine kept especially for them, an occasional adventure or just a nice cosy chat. How fortunate the younger generations were, to be welcomed into this secure fold. Louis and Sarah were a fine example to all of us. They were ordinary, hard-working folk with no pretensions. Their material possessions were not grand, yet they enriched the lives of their offspring and descendants in an extraordinary and unforgettable way. In today’s frenetic, cynical, and sometimes unpredictable world, it is not difficult to let one’s mind wander back wistfully to those times of simple lives and simple pleasures. The enticing aroma of freshly baked food, fruit and vegies picked straight from the garden, the tinkle of a teaspoon in a teacup as harmonious conversation buzzed around the room, the sounds of cards and dominoes shuffled on the table, children chattering and laughing...Oh yes, Grandfather  — those really were the ‘good old days’ !