[Index]
John Henry (Jack) MADDEN (1895 - 1982)
Commercial agent
Children Self + Spouses Parents Grandparents Greatgrandparents
Living
Living
 John Henry (Jack) MADDEN (1895 - 1982)

+

Audrey Jane PERRY (1902 - 1986)
 Julian John Edward MADDEN (1869 - 1954) Henry St.John MADDEN (1840 - 1922) Henry St.John MADDEN (1810 - 1873)
Honorah AUSTIN (1818 - 1858)
Isabella Bowcher ELWORTHY (1842 - 1921) George ELWORTHY (1813 - 1878)
Emma BOWCHER (1810 - 1854)
Helen Mutch DIACK (1874 - 1946) John Craigen DIACK (1850 - 1929) James DIACK (1807 - 1855)
Helen MUTCH (1810 - 1881)
Margaret MUNRO (1845 - 1909) Hector MUNRO (1815 - 1877)
Ann Jean FRASER (1826 - 1883)
John Henry (Jack) MADDEN
John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN
John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN John Henry (Jack) MADDEN
Pic 2. aged 22

b. 14 Sep 1895 at Homestead, Queensland, Australia
m. 04 Jul 1925 Audrey Jane PERRY (1902 - 1986) at Queensland, Australia
d. 13 Nov 1982 at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia aged 87
Near Relatives of John Henry (Jack) MADDEN (1895 - 1982)
Relationship Person Born Birth Place Died Death Place Age
Grandfather Henry St.John MADDEN 30 Jun 1840 Rollands Plains, New South Wales, Australia 12 May 1922 Balfe's Creek, Queensland, Australia 81
Grandmother Isabella Bowcher ELWORTHY 20 Oct 1842 Exeter, Devon, England 16 Jul 1921 Auckland, New Zealand 78
Grandfather John Craigen DIACK 02 Feb 1850 New Pitsligo, Tyrie, Aberdeen, Scotland 12 Oct 1929 Queensland, Australia 79
Grandmother Margaret MUNRO 09 Oct 1845 Boleskine, Inverness-shire, Scotland 20 Feb 1909 Queensland, Australia 63

Father in Law James PERRY 1866 Australia 1956 90
Mother in Law Dorothy Dorothea (Dora) HANSEN 20 Apr 1877 Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark 04 Jan 1939 Queensland, Australia 61

Father Julian John Edward MADDEN 16 Jun 1869 Cape River, Queensland, Australia 25 Aug 1954 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 85
Mother Helen Mutch DIACK 28 Aug 1874 Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland 13 Nov 1946 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 72

Self John Henry (Jack) MADDEN 14 Sep 1895 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 13 Nov 1982 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 87

Wife Audrey Jane PERRY 06 Jun 1902 Queensland, Australia 17 Sep 1986 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 84

Daughter Living or Recently Deceased
Daughter Living or Recently Deceased

Sister Lillian Margaret Ann MADDEN 19 Mar 1894 Millchester, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 14 Nov 1977 Sandgate, Queensland, Australia 83
Sister Florence Helen MADDEN 21 Jul 1898 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 19 Feb 1951 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 52
Sister Helen Nell May MADDEN 20 Jul 1904 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 12 Mar 1974 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 69
Brother Edward MADDEN 08 Apr 1912 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 13 Apr 1912 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 0
Brother Julian George MADDEN 19 Apr 1915 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 11 Jan 2013 Buderim, Queensland, Australia 97

Son in Law Lloyd Percy PREWETT 1918 Rochester, Victoria, Australia
Son in Law Living or Recently Deceased

Grandson Living or Recently Deceased
Granddaughter Living or Recently Deceased
Grandson Living or Recently Deceased
Grandson Living or Recently Deceased
Grandson Living or Recently Deceased

Aunt Isabella Honora MADDEN 16 Jul 1860 Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia 05 Dec 1860 Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0
Uncle Henry St John MADDEN 12 Jun 1862 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 14 Apr 1863 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 0
Aunt Adelaide Louisa MADDEN 28 Apr 1864 West Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia 1864 West Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia 0
Aunt Alice Evelyn MADDEN 28 Dec 1866 Cape River, Queensland, Australia 05 Mar 1926 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 59
Uncle Peter Henry KOCH 28 Dec 1860 Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 23 Jan 1923 Winton, Queensland, Australia 62
Aunt Florence Amelia MADDEN 23 Mar 1873 Millchester, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 24 Oct 1929 Chilligoe, Queensland, Australia 56
Uncle Peter Martin Joachim Joakim Martinus JOHNSON AAS 05 Aug 1860 Trondhiem, Sor-Trondelag, Norway 26 Dec 1935 Jarvisfield, Queensland, Australia 75
Aunt Lillian May MADDEN 27 Sep 1875 Millchester, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 28 Apr 1889 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 13
Uncle Henry George MADDEN 09 Feb 1878 Millchester, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 03 Sep 1942 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 64
Aunt Agnes Theresa PANSKE 1878 Standesame, Schrotz, Germany 19 Feb 1924 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 46
Aunt Isabella Hannah GILL 1902 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Uncle James MADDEN 11 Sep 1880 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 16 Sep 1880 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 0
Uncle Ernest Charles MADDEN 29 Nov 1881 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 07 May 1928 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 46
Aunt Ida Eleana MADDEN 05 Dec 1883 Millchester, Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 14 Mar 1938 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 54
Uncle William James Bowden SMITH 14 Mar 1880 Ipswich, Queensland, Australia 10 Dec 1921 Queensland, Australia 41
Uncle Sydney Cyril Byron PRYCE 06 Sep 1903 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 19 Apr 1975 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 71
Aunt Eva (Ivy) Rosina MADDEN 10 Apr 1887 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 10 Nov 1927 Auckland, New Zealand 40
Uncle James Robert SMITH 09 Sep 1882 Bingara, New South Wales, Australia 14 Jul 1958 Auckland, New Zealand 75
Uncle George Adam DIACK 15 Apr 1882 Queensland, Australia 01 Feb 1940 Queensland, Australia 57
Aunt Ada SCOTT 1881 Queensland, Australia 05 Mar 1937 Queensland, Australia 56
Aunt Margeurite Maggie Ann Fleming DIACK 10 May 1884 Queensland, Australia 01 Nov 1906 Queensland, Australia 22
Uncle William Herbert PILKINGTON 17 Aug 1883 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 29 Aug 1954 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 71

Cousin Eveline Rose KOCH 29 Sep 1884 Winton, Queensland, Australia abt 02 Jan 1959 Winton, Queensland, Australia 74
Cousin Florence Isabel KOCH 13 Oct 1886 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 07 Dec 1985 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 99
Cousin Frederick Augusta KOCH 09 Oct 1888 Homestead, Queensland, Australia abt 1984 Gosford, New South Wales, Australia 96
Cousin Peter KOCH 07 Feb 1891 Balfe's Creek, Queensland, Australia 06 Jan 1975 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 83
Cousin Alice (Dinah) KOCH 30 Oct 1893 Balfe's Creek, Queensland, Australia 10 Sep 1963 Bowen, Queensland, Australia 69
Cousin Charles Henry KOCH 23 Jun 1896 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 06 Aug 1984 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 88
Cousin John (Jack) David KOCH 06 Aug 1898 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 02 Apr 1950 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 51
Cousin James Edward KOCH 09 Dec 1901 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 1988 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 87
Cousin Lina Lillian KOCH 14 Oct 1905 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 23 Feb 1994 East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 88
Cousin Robert St. John KOCH 23 Nov 1908 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 16 May 1978 Bowen, Queensland, Australia 69
Cousin Sydney Julian KOCH 18 Feb 1910 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 25 Jul 2002 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 92
Cousin Anna Matilda JOHNSON 11 Oct 1890 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 15 Aug 1985 Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia 94
Cousin Christian Martin (Ben) JOHNSON 25 May 1892 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 15 Nov 1916 Villers-Bretonneux, France 24
Cousin Alfred Julian JOHNSON 01 May 1894 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 12 Dec 1944 Childers, Queensland, Australia 50
Cousin Hilda Helen Isabella JOHNSON 03 Sep 1896 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 02 Mar 1994 Wynnum, Queensland, Australia 97
Cousin Oscar St.John JOHNSON 30 Jan 1899 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 14 Oct 1948 Queensland, Australia 49
Cousin Edmund Barton JOHNSON 02 Dec 1901 Homestead, Queensland, Australia 10 Jul 1910 Mt Elliott, Queensland, Australia 8
Cousin Harold Adolphus JOHNSON 25 Sep 1903 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 12 Jun 2000 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 96
Cousin Florence Alexandra JOHNSON 21 Jun 1905 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 01 May 1990 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 84
Cousin Leslie Allen JOHNSON 24 Feb 1907 Queensland, Australia 18 Aug 1964 Rochdale, Queensland, Australia 57
Cousin Inez Lillian Maud JOHNSON 17 Jan 1908 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 23 Jun 2000 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 92
Cousin Norman Selwyn JOHNSON 04 Oct 1909 Kuridala, Queensland, Australia 01 May 2001 Cannon Hill, Queensland, Australia 91
Cousin Edmund Bruce JOHNSON 12 Aug 1913 Kuridala, Queensland, Australia 13 Jun 1992 Norman Park, Queensland, Australia 78
Cousin Greta Edna JOHNSON 17 Aug 1916 Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia 19 Jan 2008 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 91
Cousin Annie Appolonia MADDEN 17 May 1899 Queensland, Australia Y
Cousin Bernard Clemens MADDEN 24 Feb 1901 Queensland, Australia 16 Jan 1964 Queensland, Australia 62
Cousin Agnes Isabelle MADDEN 23 Jul 1903 Queensland, Australia 31 Aug 1925 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 22
Cousin George Henry MADDEN 1906 Queensland, Australia 07 Jul 1957 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 51
Cousin Raymond Martin MADDEN abt Apr 1908 Queensland, Australia 29 Dec 1908 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 0
Cousin Julian Raymond Royal MADDEN 15 Jul 1912 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 25 Sep 1959 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 47
Cousin Grace Elaine SMITH 1902 Queensland, Australia 1940 38
Cousin Greville Henry SMITH 1906 Queensland, Australia 1967 61
Cousin Donald William SMITH 1911 Queensland, Australia 1971 60
Cousin Ida Isabella SMITH 1914 Queensland, Australia
Cousin Ronald Ernest SMITH 1917 Queensland, Australia 1977 60
Cousin Living or Recently Deceased
Cousin Living or Recently Deceased
Cousin Violet Lillian SMITH 07 May 1909 Auckland, New Zealand 15 Jul 1981 Auckland, New Zealand 72
Cousin Gladys Ivy SMITH 13 Dec 1917 New Zealand
Cousin Aubrey Ernest James SMITH 19 Sep 1922 Auckland, New Zealand
Cousin Living or Recently Deceased
Cousin Doris Vivian DIACK 25 Apr 1907 Queensland, Australia 1982 Beresfield, New South Wales, Australia 75
Cousin Stanley Archibald DIACK 1911 Queensland, Australia 10 Jun 1941 Queensland, Australia 30
Cousin Daisy May PILKINGTON 12 Jan 1905 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 23 Mar 1936 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 31

Niece Helen Dorothy ATKINSON 27 Nov 1913 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 11 Nov 1989 Mackay, Queensland, Australia 75
Niece Mavis Beatrice Florence ATKINSON 12 Jul 1916 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 17 Nov 2010 Strathpine, Queensland, Australia 94
Niece Gladys Lillian Maud Joy HURLEY 22 Sep 1921 Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia abt 2000 Queensland, Australia 79
Niece Joan Florence HURLEY 11 Jan 1924 Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia
Nephew Living or Recently Deceased
Niece Valerie Mary FERGUSON 17 Jun 1920 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 17 Aug 2004 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 84
Nephew John Edward (Jack) FERGUSON Jun 1922 Ayr, Queensland, Australia abt Sep 1923 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 1
Nephew Living or Recently Deceased
Niece Dulcie SHANNON 25 Aug 1931 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 02 Oct 2010 Caloundra, Queensland, Australia 79
Niece Living or Recently Deceased
Niece Living or Recently Deceased
Niece Living or Recently Deceased

Brother in Law Federal Spencer James PERRY 09 Jan 1901 Queensland, Australia 05 May 1906 Queensland, Australia 5
Sister in Law Edith Dorothy PERRY 19 Sep 1903 Queensland, Australia
Brother in Law Archibald Arthur PERRY 1904 Queensland, Australia 29 Sep 1904 Queensland, Australia 0
Sister in Law Juanita Ethel PERRY 04 Jun 1908 Queensland, Australia
Sister in Law Beryl Madeline PERRY 10 Sep 1910 Queensland, Australia
Sister in Law Margaret Sybil Ann PERRY 07 Jul 1912 Queensland, Australia
Sister in Law Edna Catherine PERRY 03 Jun 1915 Queensland, Australia 29 Nov 1919 Queensland, Australia 4
Brother in Law Irving Anthony (Bill) PERRY 24 Nov 1917 Queensland, Australia 06 Nov 1982 64
Brother in Law Harry Henry ATKINSON 25 Dec 1891 Railway reserve, Croydon, Queensland, Australia 12 May 1918 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 26
Brother in Law Francis James HURLEY 1890 Queensland, Australia 1966 Mackay, Queensland, Australia 76
Brother in Law William John FERGUSON 24 Oct 1892 Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia 09 Oct 1969 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 76
Brother in Law Thomas Francis SHANNON 15 Aug 1893 Townsville, Queensland, Australia 21 Feb 1951 Ayr, Queensland, Australia 57
Sister in Law Elizabeth Beth Ellen HUTTON 10 Apr 1919 Cairns, Queensland, Australia 19 Sep 2017 Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia 98
Events in John Henry (Jack) MADDEN (1895 - 1982)'s life
Date Age Event Place Notes Src
14 Sep 1895 John Henry (Jack) MADDEN was born Homestead, Queensland, Australia 1895/C006967
04 Jul 1925 29 Married Audrey Jane PERRY (aged 23) Queensland, Australia 1925/C2416
1934 39 Electoral Roll Townsville, Queensland, Australia Note 1
13 Nov 1946 51 Death of mother Helen Mutch DIACK (aged 72) Ayr, Queensland, Australia Certificate
1949 54 Electoral Roll Nundah, Queensland, Australia Electoral Roll, Gardner St
25 Aug 1954 58 Death of father Julian John Edward MADDEN (aged 85) Ayr, Queensland, Australia 1954/004382
13 Nov 1982 87 John Henry (Jack) MADDEN died Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 37
Burial Aspley, Queensland, Australia Pinaroo Lawn Cemetery
Note 1: Electoral roll, Cleveland St, Melton Hill
Personal Notes:
John Henry Jack MADDEN - 14 September 1895 to 13 November 1982
(These reminisces were written by him about 9 years before his death in response to a request by his grand-daughter, Emily Prewett, when she was at Secondary School. Emily later became a Doctor of Medicine.)

“Born in September, 1895 in the reign Queen Victoria, at a small township west of Charters Towers in North Queensland.

At that time the early settlers were timber-getters, cutting and hauling sleepers for the Charters Towers to Hughenden Railway. The sleepers were cut, split and trimmed with broad axes. No sawmills in those days.

Houses were built of materials at hand; rough bush timber, walls and roof of sheets of bark, lined inside with hessian or calico, ant-bed floors.

I was born in one of these.

When I was 18 months old my parents moved to Charters Towers where the gold mining was at its peak. My father worked underground. Miners’ phthysis caused by the dust underground was a serious hazard to health.

In 1901 my father moved back to the open country to timber getting. Demands for mining timber, pit-props etc had increased. Teams of 16 to 18 horses drew the big timber wagons.

Horse busses ran in Charters Towers streets and horse “cabs” did taxi work.

Poppet legs of mines dotted the landscape. Several crushing batteries set up a great din day and night, stopping only from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday. Miners worked the same shifts. Pay was £3 per week. From the batteries the sand coming away from the stampers washed across quick-silver plates leaving the heavy gold behind. It was cleaned at the end of the day.

I remember going to Charters Towers to see WORTHS CIRCUS. It was at its best with two rings operating at the same time under the “big top”. One star item was a man shot out of a cannon to be caught by a trapeze artist high up in the roof.

I have memories of my early years in Queen Victoria’s reign. One is a picture of the old Queen on the wall of our sitting room. Another was hearing a carriage full of people singing Boer War patriotic songs (“Goodbye Dolly, I must leave you”) (“It’s the Navy”). We were coming home on a picnic train which took us to see the new Steel Bridge across the Burdekin River. The first Steel Bridge in North Queensland.

There was a procession through Charters Towers streets to honour the Queen’s Jubilee and school children received souvenir medals.

My school at Homestead was built of galvanized iron; one large room on ground level with verandah all round. It was a “Provisional” School. That means the parents paid for the building and for the one teacher. Aboriginals had a camp in the creek nearby but none of their children attended the school.

The school-room was also used as a social centre. The desks and other furniture were moved out for the regular Saturday night dance. Bush accordions provided the music. Once the MONCRIEFF Travelling picture show came to town and their now-famous daughter GLADYS sang a few songs without accompaniment. The school had no piano. Our singing lesson was tuned with a “tuning fork”.

I had to help my father with his wagons and horses, rising at 4 a.m. to muster any which had strayed during the night. One early morn I saw HALLEY’S COMET approaching from the East – just visible at first; then each morning for a week it grew larger until its tail spread right across the horizon. Then it was gone – to return in 76 years.

In 1902 a Railway sawmill was built and it did away with splitting logs with maul wedges. All sleepers were adzed at both ends to provide level settings for the rails, and this meant a supply of “chips” which I collected for my mother’s wood stove. She baked all our bread. The yeast was simply made of flour, sugar and water. It was so powerful it would blow the cork to the roof and the children had to search for it.

A miraculous invention was the “talking machine”. A traveller stopped for a one-night show. He charged 3d. for a “listen” to a record on a cylinder. The sound came through a rubber tube placed in the ear. Later, we were the proud owners of a gramaphone. Cylinders were 6” and 8” and there were two speaking funnels, for small and loud volume. Harry Lauder was popular in those days. I did most of the changing of records and winding the machine. Lots of visitors came to listen and Mother would put on some supper. Occasionally, if she was short of milk I would sneak out to the goat-yard to milk a goat. The goats also provided us with mutton.

Our vegetables came from the Chinese gardener who went from house to house in his horse-drawn spring-cart.

Children’s clothes were all home-made. Girls’ dresses were half-way between knee and ankle. Boys’ trousers reached just below the knees. Boys went into long trousers about 14 years. Women’s frocks were ankle length and they “put their hair up” at 18 years.

When I was 16 years old, I came home one day from cutting hay in the bush (it was drought time) and was told that I could begin as a Lad Porter at the Railway station next day. This was a lucky change in my life as it lifted me out of the bush timber worker, to an interesting railway career for the next 6 years. I rose by promotion to Station Master.

The Station was also the Post Office with all its services. No telephone so contact with other Railway stations was by Morse code, which I soon learned. Public telegrams were sent and received. The electric power for this was developed by a series of 50 large glass cells into which were plunged copper plates, blue stone and magnesia.

Old age pensions came in about this time. They were 10/- per week.

Steam engines were not very powerful. 150 tons was the maximum weight for a train. Westinghouse Brakes were just being fitted to carriages. Previously “Hand brakes” worked by the Guard and the Fireman had to steady the trains down grades. Passenger carriages had oil lamps lowered into position through the roof. Some cars had removable seats so they could be used for freight if necessary. There was no rail connection with South Queensland. Rolling stock was shipped from Brisbane to Townsville.

The first motor car came our way during my latter school years. The roads were only tracks made by horse teams. 12-16 horses, two abreast and iron tyred wheels. No bridges across creeks and they all had deep sandy beds. The first Motor Car had to be pushed by us children to make the crossing.

The first aeroplane with its one pilot landed at Homestead and portion of its canvas-covered wings had to be stitched by the local women.

In 1914 I was transferred to Townsville Railway station. Military training was compulsory for 14 year-olds in the city, but I had, until then, lived outside the training area. The first call I got was to enter camp at Kissing Point Townsville on 14th August. World war I had started. The next week, a force comprised of all military trainees and civilian riflemen from all over the North joined the “S.S. Kanowna”. Then off to Thursday Island, stopping at Cairns to pick up more troops. Our mission at Thursday Island was to defend the cable station and man the fort there. A week after our arrival 500 of us volunteers continued with the Kanowna to Port Moresby to defend the Radio Station there.

In 6 week we were discharged and back in Townsville. With us was Captain QUINN, whose name is commemorated by QUINN’S POST on Gallipoli. He was one of the Anzacs who lost his life.

I studied Book-keeping by correspondence with Hemmingway and Robertson.

I worked with the North Queensland Railways until I resigned in 1919. The next few years were of mixed interests. I went sugar farming with my father in the Burdekin district. Then we all went to Sydney and lived for a year at Bondi, before returning to North Queensland. Before leaving Sydney I decided to start up as a Manufacturer’s agent, being inspired by the number of such agents in Sussex St. I put an advertisement in the “Herald” and got 72 replies. Not very attractive ones. From this poor start my business developed. That was 1923. I became a Commercial Traveller and covered all the territory from Mackay to Mosman and West thereof. Finally I travelled by ship and train and then by aeroplane. My first trip to Mackay was by ship because there was no rail link from Townsville. No harbour at Mackay so passengers were put off on to a launch to go up the Pioneer River. When the weather was rough (as it was for me) we were lowered in a sling to the deck of the launch by the ship’s crane.

I went on a small launch from Cairns to Cooktown and was horribly sea-sick all the way.

Many years later I met KINGSFORD SMITH and his brother at Atherton where they were “barn-storming” with the Southern Cross (the “old Bus”) trying to raise finance for another overseas flight, and I asked if I could go with them to Cairns the next morning. They agreed and I paid £1.10.0 for the flight over the Barron Falls down to the coast. The Southern Cross is now housed at Brisbane air-port.

Another plane flight I had was with Pilot Croucher when I was the only passenger on his first flight to Mt. Isa. He autographed my ticket. Later he joined QANTAS and I heard of him in London.

On one occasion I flew in a Flying Boat from Brisbane to Townsville. It was during the war and the seats were just forms, placed along the sides to carry troops.

In 1925 I married Audrey Perry. My wife was interested in Crossword Puzzles, a new craze at that time and still in vogue.

In 1932 we bought a radio and heard the opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge by de Groot.

A year or so later a cyclone hit Townsville and lifted the roof off our house, carrying the iron up over Melton Hill.

In 1937 my wife and 2 daughters came with me to England by ship via the Suez Canal and back via Canada and USA across the Pacific. We were a few days late for the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth but we saw them in street processions with the two little Princesses and we also saw the decorations in the city shops and street and in the Abby and St. Paul’s. We returned in 1938.

After World War I the population of North Queensland was increased by immigrants, especially Italians who bought sugar farms.

During the Second World War Townsville was a garrison town. Schools were closed. Complete black-out was enforced. Japanese planes bombed the Harbour on 4 nights. Air-raid shelters were built in backyards. The Strand was barb-wired. A machine gun post was manned on our lawn. Coupons were issued for clothing, petrol and some foodstuffs. Man-power was mobilised and I worked with the Allied Works Council in clerical duties. My own business of commercial travelling was at a standstill.

In 1944 we moved to Brisbane so that our daughters could attend University. We are proud that they both graduated.

In 1959 we bought a Television set when the first stations were established in Brisbane.

I worked in the Hardware business until I retired in 1963. We made frequent holiday visits to Sydney and Melbourne, once or twice to Hobart, and to Perth by sea and return.

SOCIAL CUSTOMS
“No smoking” signs were in all dining rooms and places where food was prepared. When women took up smoking things changed and ash-trays were provided on the tables.

No entertainment was allowed in hotels – now-a-days there are nightly cabarets.

Wives of Government officials were not allowed to take a job. Union rules kept the women out. World War I saw women enter the work force.

Short hair for women came into fashion and permanent waves. A popular song was “Shall I have it shingled or bobbed”.

Talkies came to Townsville in the Nineteen_Twenties. The first talkie we saw was Al Jolson in “My Mammy”. Previously we had enjoyed watching films in an open-air show, sitting in canvas chairs. A pianist played appropriate tunes on the piano.

Breakfast foods were introduced in the twenties such as Cornflakes, taking over from Rolled Oats in hotel dining tables.

In my school days all men wore moustaches, some wore beards. Then came clean-shaved faces. I have always been cleanshaven.


1897: Moved to Chaters Towers

1901: back to Homestead.

1911-1919: Railways - porter to station master

1923: Manufacturers agent

1944: moved to Brisbane.
Source References:
2. Type: Book, Abbr: Devon to Down Under, Title: Devon to Down Under, Auth: Bettie Elworthy, Publ: Bookbound, Date: 1997
- Reference = 154 (Name, Notes)
37. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Rob Perry Geni tree, Title: Rob Perry Geni.com tree, Auth: Rob Perry, Locn: geni.com
- Reference = (Death)
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