THE QUALTROUGH FAMILY

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EMMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA PAGE 10 OF 11

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Descendants of Rev Joseph Qualtrough and Agnes McCullock

- Henry (Jack) Qualtrough (Son of Alice)

By Henry's Daughter Lila Qualtrough (Fuller) April 2001

SeeChart 51 pdf- Descendants of Alice Jane Qualtrough of Wattle Glen, Victoria, Australia(see also chart 22 and 51 - Alice is a Grand-daughter of Joseph Qualtrough and Agnes McCullough)For further info see:Chart 25andChart 27

Early Bendigo (Australia) Days

Elsie and Henry in 1945 at 237 (now 44) Belle Vue Road Golden Square

We lived in McIvor Road next door to Mum's father, George Thomas Powell, and his second wife Alice Fitzpatrick. (The early 1920s)

Their property was on the corner of McIvor Road and Powell Road, Grassy Flat. One or two blocks closer to the city lived George's older brother Tom Powell and his wife - their orchard property was bounded by high black-berry hedges - where women wearing old-fashioned sun-bonnets - and atop quite high ladders would be busily employed filling billies (made from 7 pound Golden Syrup Tins) - the luscious ripe fruit - in cream.

Another brother Jim Powell had an orchard several blocks East in Powell Road (I think the road name was changed later).

Grandad had a lovely orchard - growing apples, pears, peaches, etc. and fodder for the animals - several cows (Jerseys I think) and Tommy - a little old horse whose task it was to pull the buggy back and forth to the city.

Grandad cut the grass with a scythe and it was fascinating to watch him sharpening the long blade with a large honing stone, and then see the grass parting.

Grandma set the milk in large shallow bowl on the stove - then skimmed off the beautiful clotted cream. In season ripe peaches and small tins of ice-cream 1/- (one shilling) were sold at Gundry's store next door to the Lyric Theatre in High Street.

Tommy's pace to the shops was quite sedate; but once homeward bound and atop the McIvor Road Hill - he'd have been a contender for the Melbourne Cup!

Beside Grandad's there was a vacant paddock, probably where the animals were grazed - then came our home. Of my life there, my memories are - of Jack (my oldest brother) and perhaps my other brother Will too - crying with tooth-ache and perhaps ear-ache - in front of an open fire in the evening.

We were playing in the paddock one afternoon - probably Jack, Will and I, and perhaps my sister Molly as well - there was a horse and gig at the front gate and someone, a man, walking towards the house which was set back some way from the road. There was a new baby - must have been Alan (born 1924) - and still in my mind I remember thinking the doctor must have brought that baby in the large shallow china bowl that babies were always bathed in!

Elsie and Henry in 1947

Memories of "Cocky" (Cockatoo)

He would follow as Dad planted beans or pea seeds - picking each one out again along the rows - persistently ignoring dire warnings of trouble. Once Dad picked up a green tomato and threw it - breaking Cocky's leg - and forever after the bird walked with a limp. One day mum was greeted at the front door by two irate old ladies. Driving sedately along McIvor Road, beneath a large Ironbark tree near the front gate they were affronted to be treated to some rather unprintable remarks from "Those renegade two boys - Jack and Will!" Of course the culprit was the "Cocky" whose vocabulary was rather remarkable.

The boys were well known to the wood-cutters and they often arrived home atop a dray-load of logs being horse-drawn to the city - having spent all day wandering in the forest in preference to going to school!

Mologa

I think the Forestry Commission probably already employed Dad. In about 1925 or 26 he was sent to Mologa to take charge of Terrick Terrick Forest. I think we started school at the old Central Mologa Site probably only a short while before the new school was built beside the railway line.

The Forestry Commission had built a home where we lived quite comfortably in-or rather right beside that lovely Terrick Terrick pine forest until about 1933 when Dad was moved back to Bendigo. (The family moved to 237 Belle Vue Road in Golden Square; the house, a large red-brick residence, on about an acre was formally a mine-manager's residence. The house was re-numbered to 44 about 1960)

Brother William died in 1922. He contracted blood-poisoning from a pulled tooth.

Lila and brother Alan Qualtrough in 1942

I had only three months at Golden Square State School - gained a merit certificate then left school to be a 'help mate' to Mum whose health was not good. I nursed her for three winters when she succumbed to severe bouts of bronchitis.

Dad became very ill with pneumonia in the early Bendigo years during a very bad flu epidemic - it was likened then to the 1919 epidemic known as the 'Bubonic Flu'. Poor Mum - we kids were all ill - Dad was admitted to the Bendigo Base Hospital with pneumonia and the doctors told her he wouldn't survive!

Lila Qualtrough (born 1920) was trained as a nurse at the Bendigo Base Hospital. She married George Fuller and they lived for many years in Leeton, NSW and then Melbourne and Adelaide.

God be praised - he did recover, and came home singing the praises of the "wonderful angels who looked after him in heaven." Yes those beautiful starched organized cap tails, we trained nurses were privileged to wear, were something to be proud of.

Early Years

See also the Victoia-Australia Section

In regards to Dad's childhood years I remember he would speak lovingly ofUncle Harry, Auntie Emilyand "The Old Doctor" Perhaps the latter owned the orchard that was talked of. Dad certainly knew a lot about growing both fruit and vegetables.

See alsoLydia's (His Grandmother) Death

He worked at cutting sleepers in along the Murray River - his much loved river where he lived in a tent - loved early morning swims, fishing and I think the company of other sleeper cutters. He'd say "A man would never starve so long as he had some potatoes, onions and a fishing line!"

Quite likely he was already employed at this time by the Forestry commission and left cutting sleepers to be placed in charge of some of the Forest Areas around Bendigo (Kimbolton Forest towards what is now Lake Eppalock). He certainly knew and loved the entire area - was keen on wood cutting competitions and was, I think well-known in that area. He certainly could "make the chips fly" with his specially sharpened axe.

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