Boyle Holden: Last of the bullockies
In 1959 Andrew “Boyle” Holden drove a team of bullocks across the newly opened Forster-Tuncurry Bridge. Not only was Boyle one of the last bullockies of the Mid North Coast…
Driving Miss Maisie…Philp
Maisie started work on the Forster-Tuncurry-Taree bus service owned by Brien Ivens as the conductress in 1941…
The trials of getting to school
Boats, horses, bicycles and a big red bus just to get to school…
The remarkable life of Lloyd Haig Moule
Lloyd Haig Moule was captured just west of Tobruk in 1941 and was interned in the POW Camp No 57 Grupignano, Italy…
Dee, Me and Three
I was born after WWII. We lived in a reasonably modern home at Shalimar built by my father. We bathed in a tub in front of the fuel stove…
Leslie Hopetoun Osmond-Dreyer (1901-1959)
Leslie Hopetoun Osmond was born in 1901 in Marrickville. At the age of 10 years he was orphaned and, with his sister, was taken in by Mr and Mrs Dreyer at Koribar (Dyer’s Crossing)…
Gold Freemason’s pin
A tiny article of jewellery passed down through my family is a gold pin. On one side is a Freemason’s sign and on the other the Lord’s prayer – so tiny you can hardly make out the words…
Gunner Forwood on HMS Endeavour
Stephen Forwood, born abt 1737, was the Gunner on Captain James Cook’s HMS Endeavour during its epic journey of discovery…
Bessie Irene Bastin
Bessie Irene Bastin was an attractive young lady who married John Thomas Forwood after he returned from fighting in WWI…
A forgotten pewter plate
An intriguing lost family story is that of my seven times great grandparents Sarah Batt and James Gaite who married 6 September 1767 in Flax-Bourton, Somerset, England…