Kathleen Reay, 2000
I was born on the 5th July, 1924, at Narrandera, in Southern N.S.W.
I was the second child. My brother, Jock, named John Archibald, was born in 1922 but died of gastro-enteritis at the age of 9 months.
Dad was teaching at Narrandera after he was transferred from Yass where they lived after marrying in Glen Innes in 1921.
My parents, Jack and Dora Sheridan, were then moved in 1926 to the North Coast – my father became Headmaster of a 2 teacher school at Rous – not far from Lismore.
My brother, Dick, was born at Alstonville in 1927. He was christened Jack Richmond (the latter name being probably because the Richmond River was in the area). He was always called Dick.
My recollections of living at Rous are few – but I do remember being taken by Dad with Dick in the pram every afternoon across the road to the dairy farm and watching the cows being milked (probably to give Mum a break from us children). Also, Mum used to teach sewing at the school and each week I would go with her and take my little suitcase of hankies and lay them all out on the desk (queer child!).
I have always loved pretty handkerchiefs and even now have some I would never use because they are so pretty. (I remember one of the first Christmases with Jim, he gave me were a dozen hankies – 6 blowers and 6 showers! (I still have 2 showers in my box of special things).
I have another vivid memory of my time in Rous. I would have been four when I developed Diphtheria and was taken to Lismore Hospital. A day or so later, Mum also contracted the disease and she came in too. Poor Mum – they transferred me to a room with her and I am sure she got no rest!!
We had a dog – a fox terrier called Trixie – who was a very good watchdog. She alerted Mum one day by barking madly at a snake which was crawling up Dick’s pram which was in the back yard.
In 1929, Dad was transferred to Nimbin Public School, also not very far from Lismore. I have no strong memories of my time at Nimbin except being frightened of the Indian hawkers with their turbans who would call at the house with jams and goods to sell.
After 1 year of living there, we moved to Coraki, on the Richmond River where we lived for 3 years and where I started my schooling. My best friend there was Jessie Sheridan (no relation). She also had a brother called Dick who was Dick’s best friend.
During the 6 weeks holiday at Christmas time, we always went away in our Chevrolet car – the only one we ever owned – and spent the whole of the holidays visiting our relations spread around the State. Down to Glen Innes where Mum’s four sisters and a brother lived and where Dad was teaching when he met Mum and where they married in 1921. The first port of call was always the cemetery where Grandma Souter was buried. After spending some time visiting each of the families –three lived on farms and we loved that part of the holiday- it was off to visit Auntie Con at Cootamundra and finally finishing at Collector where Grandad Sheridan and family lived. He is the only grandparent I remember as Grandma Souter died just before Dick was born at Xmas 1926. The other two grandparents had died years before. We had lots of Sheridan cousins and second cousins living around Collector and it was always fun there – especially shearing time. There was plenty to see and watch.
At the beginning of 1933, we again moved – this time to Quirindi – about 40 miles south of Tamworth, on the Liverpool Plains. We lived in the School residence, next to the school. It was called a District Rural School, only going as far as the Intermediate Certificate. (I sat for that exam in Year 9). In 1936 a new school was built which housed Primary and High School classes while the Infants Department remained in the school next to our house. I have many happy memories of my years in Quirindi .I loved school and we had a great time. There were many trips away to other towns playing sport and having Athletic Carnivals. A big money- raising activity at school was our fortnightly Pie Days. Taylor’s Pies were the best pies I’ve ever tasted and cost threepence each. That was the only day I was allowed to buy my lunch and I always looked forward to it.
On other days I rode my bike home for lunch where Mum always cooked a hot meal. I cannot remember what we used to have for tea – probably a boiled egg or baked beans on toast etc. Mum was a great cook. She made beautiful pavlovas in the fuel stove – put them in the oven last thing at night when the fire was low and going out and leave them there until the morning.
During the Christmas holidays, I remember that we nearly always went to Manly for a fortnight or so. We always stopped at Ocean View Guest House (owned by a Miss Maggs) and it was situated on the Esplanade just near the Corso. Auntie Con and family also came down and we had a wonderful time with Marge and Ken. Manly was where we learned to swim and Dad took us around the pool each morning and we all dog paddled madly!
In 1940, having completed the Intermediate Certificate, I had to go to Tamworth High School to continue my schooling. I stayed in a Girl’s Hostel and travelled up by train on Monday mornings and came home most weekends on Friday afternoons. I didn’t enjoy the Hostel life very much – about 14 girls there and Sister, as we had to call her, certainly wasn’t like a Mum. I had my first kiss with a boy there- in the weather shed at school. Apart from the kisses we got playing Postman’s Knock and Kiss in the Ring at parties!! It was great being a teenager and having mixed birthday parties.
Dad was transferred again in 1940, and we moved to Sydney. He was teaching at Malabar Public School, and we were renting a house at Chatswood. After several months of renting, we bought the house there and I attended Hornsby Girls’ High School to finish my education. I certainly didn’t enjoy Hornsby as much as the other schools I attended, because I only came to the school in 5th Year, I found it hard to find a friend – all the others had been together for 5 years and because my subjects weren’t the same, I had a lot of free periods working by myself in the Library. I met Edna that year, but we didn’t become friends until we started work together in the same department in the A.M.P. And she was my best friend and still is after 60 years – we have never had one argument.
I had always wanted to be a schoolteacher and sat for a Scholarship to attend Teachers’ College. However, I also sat for an exam to start work in the A.M.P. Insurance Society and started work there in January, 1941. When the Teachers’ Scholarship was offered in February, I declined and stayed in the office .Dad was against me becoming a teacher as I would have had to leave home when I finished my training and because girls were being sent anywhere to teach.
However, in June, 1943, I left home anyway as I enlisted in the A.W.A.S. (Australian Womens’ Army Service). There were ten of us from the A.M.P. who joined on the same day – our Army numbers were consecutive numbers. I am sure that Edna and I had the dubious honour of probably being the only two girls whose fathers went with them that morning to Victoria Barracks – and carried their suitcases!
After initial training at Ingleburn, I was sent to an Anti-Aircraft Battery at Kensington and later at Brighton, where I became a Predictor Operator. The ten of us were scattered all over the place. Edna, with two others, went into Signals and we didn’t get together again until the war had finished and we had a few months at the Discharge Depot at the Showground. After doing a course in Aircraft Recognition, I was appointed to the staff of the L.H.Q. School of Artillery in the Aircraft Recognition department where I stayed until the war ended in August 1945. I attained the rank of Sergeant.
Not having many points to get an early discharge, I was sent to work at the Army Discharge Depot at the Sydney Showground and I lived at home in Chatswood. I was finally discharged in August 1946.
I returned to work at the A.M.P. Society, where I worked in the Accounts Department. I met Jim in early 1947. At the time he worked for Commercial Union Insurance. His brother, Gerry, worked in the A.M.P. We all played tennis at the Presbyterian Church courts in Chatswood. Jim also lived in Chatswood.
We became engaged in July, 1948 and were married at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Chatswood, in March 1949. We rented at flat at Manly at North Steyne, paying £1 per week rent (about $2.00). I continued to work at the A.M.P. three days a week and we stayed at Manly until Xmas when the rent was increased to £5 and we could not afford it.
We came back to Chatswood and lived with Mum and Dad while waiting to build a home at Lane Cove where we had purchased a block of land for £180. A two year wait for bricks before we could start building put the price beyond our means and we eventually sold the land for £200. I became pregnant and Geoffrey was born on 5th October, 1950 at the Sanitarium Hospital, Wahroonga.
Jim was now working at Alex Cowans (Paper Merchants) earning about £6 a week, and spent every weekend looking for a house which we could afford and which we liked. We eventually settled on one at North Ryde (about 18 months old) and with finance arranged by Ryde Council and we moved in June, 1952. There was no sewerage, no footpath, not even a tarred road and our only means of transport was Jim’s pushbike and walking. A grocer, fruitman, and butcher came and took orders and delivered, and a horse and cart delivered the bread. Milk came every morning and was placed in the tin billy we put outside. Jim made a special seat for Geoff on his bike and they often went shopping to Top Ryde at the weekend. (Probably was the start of Geoff’s passion for bikes!). By taking two buses, I could get to Chatswood to see Mum and Dad who always shouted me a taxi home.
In 1953 Alison was born at Ryde Hospital and that year was the start of my great friendship with Jean Buxton. They moved in opposite at No. 24 and David and Geoff soon became buddies. Morning teas together were a common occurrence and we had lots of fun. I could stand on the back porch and make signs to Jean on her front porch that the kettle was on!! A big outing was to go all the way to Eastwood to the Baby Health Clinic every fortnight. There were plenty of young children in the street so they were never short of company. Pat and Max Hilder lived 2 doors down and Jann was a good friend of Alison’s. Even though the Hilders moved away to Loftus before the girls started school we have still remained great friends.
Geoffrey started school in 1956, and that was when I first became involved with School tuckshops and Mothers’ Clubs – something which continued for the next 20 years. I can still remember making sweets for the school fetes – marshmallows, coconut ice, etc. and sewing aprons and doll’s clothes. One year, Jean and I made about 30 check gingham sunhats!
In 1956, the year Dick and Geraldine were married, we had another daughter who, unfortunately, didn’t survive very long after birth – a very sad time for all of us. .However, in 1958, Susan was born and our family was complete.
Jim had changed jobs by this time and was working as a fine paper representative at Tullis Hunter and that meant he had the use of a car which was great. We were able to use it for holidays and had many memorable trips away.
Forster was a favourite destination and we certainly enjoyed ourselves. Marge and Jack Britt and family often joined us and over the next 40 years the four of us had some marvellous trips together. The highlight of our touring together was the Bill Peach trip to the Northern Territory and W.A in about 1984. Everything was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Other memorable ones were to Port Douglas and North Queensland, Adelaide via the Ocean Road and numerous shorter ones. I was delegated Tour Director and the two men shared the driving. I’m not too sure what Marge’s job was!! But we always had lots of laughter and lots of fun.
Another wonderful trip was with them up to Townsville and Port Douglas – a nostalgic trip – we went to Cairns where Jack was stationed in the Navy during the War, Atherton Tablelands where Jim was in camp, and saw where Marge’s and my ancestors (Souter side) were buried in Port Douglas We did another long trip with them to Adelaide, via the Prince’s Highway, the Great Ocean Road, and home along the Murray. Great time and great memories.
Jim changed jobs again in the early seventies, and became Purchasing Officer at Envelope Manufactures (still part of the same group of Paper Houses) at Alexandria. At the same time, Edna and Bruce owned the news agency at Haberfield and I worked there 2-3 days a week until they sold it
Mum died in 1972 and Dad in 1975 so that almost finished any ties with Victor Street in Chatswood. Jim’s dad had passed away in 1960 but Mum Reay stayed in Chatswood until the early 80’s. She died in 1983.
Alison was married in 1974, about six months after Geoff started working at Qantas .She and Larry were married in the back yard under the jacaranda tree. It was a beautiful day and a lovely wedding. They went to New Zealand in 1975 and with Geoff living away from home, there were only the three of us left. We all went to New Zealand the next year and had a lovely time with them. We saw a lot of N.Z in the three weeks we were there and I have lots of memories of that trip – my first time overseas / O.S.
Susan completed her teaching course in 1979 and also went to New Zealand and was teaching at Hari Hari. That year I went to New Zealand again with Judy Harris (another friend from Elizabeth Street) and we spent a great fortnight touring around both islands with Sue. She came back after twelve months and eventually got a permanent position here. She and Paget were married in 1984.
Jim had retired in 1983 and not long after Sue was married we had our fabulous trip to England and the Continent – away for three months and enjoyed every minute of it. We found some memorable spots and always had grand ideas of going back to England in the future and revisiting them – unfortunately we never did.
I joined Ryde Bowling Club in 1976 when I had finished with all school activities and I had stopped working at the newsagency. I loved it and became very involved with the club. I had a turn in most positions in the club (except President and Secretary) and ended up being Treasurer for ten years. I enjoyed playing competition bowls and in those days we would travel miles for a game of bowls. I was fortunate to win a few, was runner-up in the State 4’s one year, and third in the State Carnival, just to name a couple. In the Club competitions, I won (or was in the winning team) for everything except the Major Singles.!! Jim and I enjoyed many a game of mixed bowls particularly at the weekends.
Our life became fuller when our wonderful grandchildren began to arrive. Julien was born in 1978 – No. 1 grandchild is always very special – and Lennon was born in 1981. Alison and Larry moved down south not long after but we were still able to see them frequently. Jack came along in 1984, the year Susan and Paget were married and Alison and Larry moved into their new home at Nowra –they still live there- a lovely position overlooking the Shoalhaven River.
In 1987 we had two beautiful granddaughters. Susan’s Laura was born in April and Alison’s Sheridan arrived in August. They have grown into lovely young ladies with a wonderful life full of opportunities ahead of them.
Susan completed her family then with James born in 1989 and David in 1993. Jim and I had 7grandchildren and loved them all – and still do!!
In 1992 Jim commenced his battle with bowel cancer which certainly sent our lives in a different direction. Any thoughts of moving were forgotten but we were still able to go for shorter trips to places we had enjoyed seeing.
Our last trip was to Kiama in March 1999 ( where we had honeymooned in 1949) to celebrate our Golden Wedding with Geoff, Alison and Susan- a lovely luncheon at the Brighton Hotel where we had been 50 years previously.
When we returned home, Jim decided he had had enough chemotherapy and he passed away 23rd September 1999.
Timeline since 2000
2003
• joined the War Widows Guild – monthly meetings and trips
2004
• July, 80th birthday party on a Sydney Harbour ferry
• November, 28 Nathan born
2005
• July, trip to Adelaide & Kangaroo Island with Al
2007
• trip to Singapore with Sue and Al to see Geoff and family
2008
• started making knitted squares for Wraps with Love & quilted patches for Stewart House
2009
• stopped driving
• June 20, Geoffrey’s marriage to Anik at Longreach
2010
• April 16, Logan born
2011
• January, trip to Jindabyne with Jean, Sue & Al
• March 19, Len and Meg wedding, at Hughes, ACT
2012
• October 27, Sheridan and Blair wedding at Longreach
2013
• June, trip to Darwin with Sue to see James & Anna
• November 8, Levi born
2014
• July, 90th birthday at Deckhouse, Hunter’s Hill
• September 30, Evelyn born
2015
• May 12, Madeleine born
2016
• September, trip to Blue Mountains and Oberon with Sue & Al
• December, trip to Quirindi and Tamworth with Al
2017
• May 18, Emily born
• October 15, Harper born
2018
• March, trip to Manly with Al
• September, James and Anna wedding in Darwin
2020
• November 7, Julien & Rebecca wedding at Longreach
2021
• April 26, Estelle born
Activities over the past few years
Lion King at Lyric Theatre with Sue & Al
My Fair Lady at Opera House with Sue & Al
Sound of Music with Sue & Al
Billy Elliot with Jean & Sue
War Horse in Brisbane with Al
Fortnightly Bolivia with Jean, Judy & Merrilyn
Stryder bus trips with Jean
Daily SMH crosswords and online jigsaw puzzles
Knitting squares for Wraps with Love
Checking emails and online banking
Kathleen Mary Reay 