James E Lyle, ‘Smithy’, and the stamp controversy

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (‘Smithy’) in his flying gear c1928. By Unknown – Image Library of State Library of NSW, Sydney., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6786312

This year, 2018, marks the 90th anniversary of the first trans-Tasman flight made by the intrepid Brisbane-born aviator, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (affectionately known as ‘Smithy’)#. This was only one momentous event for Smithy and his crews during 1928. He achieved much in his career including an impressive WWI war record and setting prodigious world aviation records. These were historic and exciting times!

It is hard to comprehend in the 21st century just how important and unique these achievements were. We are all used to planes coming and going, with millions of people flying thousands of miles every year. But, back in 1928, aviation was still relatively new. Long distance flying was in its infancy and extremely dangerous for those who took it on.

So, keeping this in mind, on 10 September, 1928, Smithy, accompanied by Charles Ulm, Harold Litchfield and Thomas McWilliams set off from Richmond near Sydney in their Fokker tri-motor named the Southern Cross. They touched down on 11 September at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, New Zealand after covering 2670 kilometres in 14 hours 25 minutes. Over 30,000 people turned up at the aerodrome to be part of this historic occasion. School children were given the day off and public servants were given time off until 11am. It was a monumental day in aviation history! If you would like to find out more, please see here. A flight from Sydney to Christchurch in 2018 takes about three hours! I think Smithy would be impressed.

Tasman Sea (vmf-guglielmomarconi.blogspot.com)

Earlier that year, on 31 May, Smithy, along with Charles Ulm and their American crewmen, James Warner and Harry Lyon broke the trans-Pacific record. They had flown approximately 11,566 kilometres in three legs, and were greeted by 26,000 people on their arrival at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm Airport. An amazing achievement! Flying time from Los Angeles to Brisbane is about 13 hours!

Also, in August that same year, Smithy completed the first non-stop flight across mainland Australia, from Point Cook, near Melbourne to Perth, Western Australia.

The Southern Cross arrives at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch, New Zealand following the First Trans-Tasman Flight, 11 September, 1928. Thanks to Maggy Wassilieff, ‘Southern Cross – A national icon’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/7481/southern-cross-monoplane (accessed 28 August 2018)

Move the clock forward to 1958. It was now 30 years since Smithy and Ulm had landed in Christchurch to the cheering crowd of 30,000. Much had happened in that time. There had been World War II, the Korean War and the Cold War was in full swing, and Sir Charles Kingsford Smith was gone. He and co-pilot John Thompson ‘Tommy’ Pethybridge were flying the Lady Southern Cross overnight from Allahabad, India, to Singapore, as part of their attempt to break the England-Australia speed record when they disappeared over the Andaman Sea in the early hours of 8 November 1935. Aviator Jimmy Melrose claimed to have seen the Lady Southern Cross fighting a storm 240 kilometres from shore and 70 metres over the sea with fire coming from its exhaust. Despite a search for 74 hours over the Bay of Bengal by test pilot Eric Stanley Greenwood, OBE, their bodies were never recovered. Aviation had come a long way since Kingsford Smith had broken the trans-Pacific and trans-Tasman records. It was time to commemorate his efforts.

The release of the Australian 8d* and New Zealand 6d* stamps marked the 30th anniversary of the First Air Crossing of the Tasman Sea 1928 – 1958. On 27 August, 1958, the first cover with the stamp was released celebrating 30 years since Smithy had crossed the Tasman Sea! James E Lyle (‘Jimmy’) was the designer of both stamps. The photos below will be of interest, especially to those who follow my posts regarding James E Lyle. The first one is addressed to my dear great-aunt, Elsie Morley (1896-1987), and is sent with “Compliments of the designer, James E Lyle”. It was signed by Jimmy with his highly recognizable signature. It was posted in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

First day souvenir cover commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the First Tasman Flight completed by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (‘Smithy’) 27 August 1958 sent from Brisbane, Australia. From my private collection.

The second first day souvenir cover is addressed to the designer, James E Lyle! I could be wrong, but the hand printing looks very much like Jimmy Lyle’s. What do you think? Note that it was sent from Auckland, New Zealand. I think both of these first covers are significant in their own ways and I am pleased they are in my possession.

First day souvenir cover commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the First Tasman Flight completed by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (‘Smithy’) 27 August 1958 sent from Auckland, New Zealand. From my private collection.

It all looks relatively straightforward. A designer designs the stamp, the stamp is printed, the stamp is released and circulated. Not too complicated? Not so. According to Melbourne’s The Herald, dated 6 September 1958, there were mixed reactions, although there was support for the stamp, “the stamp itself is very pleasing in its design and is a good likeness of “Smithy””. However, it was also pointed out there were some minor flaws and yet other flaws were ‘worthy of recording’. While there was a difference of opinion regarding the type of plane included in the design, it was generally agreed that the Southern Cross VH-USU was so closely associated with Smithy it should have been included. It was further agreed that it was a good likeness of Smithy. On reading the article, the flaws were stated in great detail but I will not include them all here. One of the main flaws was regarding the white flow in the left hand edge of the stamp between the wing of the Southern Cross and the large star. Difficult to judge with an untrained eye! Others stated there were issues with the actual sheets of stamps and the quality of the printing. Those of you who are philatelists, will no doubt understand the ramifications of these ‘flaws’. One critic, Mr C Rivett of Baulkham Hills, New South Wales noted flaws with the wing tip, broken wing tip, broken wing over port motor and problems with the printing of “RN” in the word “SOUTHERN”. I don’t believe any of the critics had issues with the design, per se, but the actual printing of the stamp. So, you see, it isn’t so simple after all. There was certainly some controversy surrounding these stamps.

There is still one important question I have. That is, how or why was Jimmy chosen as the designer of the stamp? He may have been living in Auckland at the time so that might have some bearing on the decision. Maybe his design of the Royal Flying Doctor stamp in 1957 was still in the mind of the decision makers. I am working on solving that mystery, so, watch this space…

James E Lyle was a prolific artist. He not only designed these stamps but also a number of Brisbane Telephone Directories. He worked in various mediums and created numerous public and private artworks. If you would like to know a little more about the art and life of James E Lyle, please see James E Lyle … a lost art, James E Lyle…the stamp of approval 60 years on and James E Lyle – an update.

Thanks for reading!

 

*8d = 8 penny/6d = 6 penny (approximately 7 cents/5 cents) with calculated value of approximately AUD$1.03 in 2017 (Total change in cost is 1438.8 per cent, over 59 years, at an average annual inflation rate of 4.7 per cent.)

#Charles Kingsford Smith was knighted in 1932

© 2018

 

James E Lyle – an update

Last year I wrote two posts about James E Lyle (see James E Lyle … a lost art and James E Lyle…the stamp of approval 60 years on) They documented my limited knowledge about the man and his accomplishments and the role my great-grandmother, Anna Maria Morley (nee Weinert) (1873-1958) played in Jimmy’s life. I am finally putting together the long promised update! I will never get to the end of this I know, so be prepared for further updates as information comes to light.

A few months ago, I received an email from Ralph Walker, who had stumbled across my blog. Ralph worked with Jim in 1980 at Tell Advertising, a Sydney based advertising agency with an office in Brisbane. The agency was located on the first floor of McFarlane House, a three story building on the corner of George and Charlotte Streets. The building still stands today and was renovated in 2016.

Ralph has been able to fill in a few gaps for me for which I am very grateful.  He thinks his boss may have given Jim free rent and an art board where he could do his drawings and paintings. Evidently, all the staff loved having Jim around. He had a wealth of stories, which Ralph believes were mainly true!

He also remembered Jim did a lot of watercolours and recalled that a picture of his appeared on the front of the Brisbane White Pages phone book in the 1960s. Which is true. I know Jimmy completed a number of phone book covers from the 1960s to the 1980s. A story I came across in my research at the State Library of Queensland (SLQ), stated that Jimmy went to great lengths to get the setting just right for one of the phone book covers.  It included asking if he could enter a building which overlooked King George Square in order to get to the roof so he could get a better view to do some sketches. In addition, Ralph believes the “elegant logo” used in Stefan’s project, the restaurant Jo-Jo’s, which occupied the same site in the Brisbane CBD for 37 years was the creation of Jim. This well-known eatery moved to another location in 2017. It certainly stood the test of time! Ralph suspects that Jim also designed Stefan’s famous logo as well, as they were great mates. I can’t verify that, so, if you know whether that is true, I would love to hear from you. By the way, Stefan is a well-known Brisbane businessman who started his career as a hairdresser. I believe he still owns a number of salons around the country.

James E Lyle autograph. Courtesy of Ralph Walker.

Jim signed a birthday card for Ralph during their time in the same office. Very clever, don’t you think?

During my research at the SLQ I came across an article by Molly Elliott (New Zealand journalist) that indicated that Jim received a medal for climbing the Matterhorn. He was the first Australian to do so. It was a two day climb and Jim reached the summit on 28 June 1953. Quite an achievement! Ralph also confirmed that Jim had indeed climbed the Matterhorn during his travels in Europe in the early 1950s. So, those little bits of rock under the house at Kangaroo Point were really from the Matterhorn! I tried twice to contact the Swiss Alpine Club to confirm that Jim had received a medal for climbing the mountain, but to date, have not received a response. It would be great if we had some concrete evidence, so if you know something, please let me know in the Comments Section. According to Ralph, by 1980 though, Jim could barely walk and needed walking sticks.

Matterhorn, Switzerland. Photo courtesy of Funky Stock Photos

I have recently received comments on my blog posts from Sharmaine McBain, a great niece of Jimmy’s who also confirmed that not only was Jimmy the first Australian to climb the Matterhorn but also the first to paint it! Wow! So many firsts! What a character.

My family story is that the Lyle family lived nearby in Kangaroo Point and Granny (Anna Morley) recognised that Jimmy had an artistic bent. My understanding is that Granny encouraged his art and helped to pay for art lessons when Jimmy was a boy.
After Granny passed away in 1958, Jimmy continued to have contact with my great aunts, Elsie and Vera Morley. Their home at 40 Connor Street Kangaroo Point had a number of paintings and drawings by Jimmy and I grew up knowing the story. I have some of Jimmy’s paintings from when he was quite young.

I have also located some of Jimmy’s family via Ancestry.com and Gaile Davis, his niece, has been very helpful in providing information. Gaile advised that her elder sister who is four years her senior remembered meeting my great aunts when she was a child. She visited them with Uncle Jimmy at their home in Connor Street. She remembers being told by their father (Jimmy’s twin brother, Tommy) that when the twins were young they would be fed sandwiches by Granny. They were very poor and always hungry so Gaile is certain her kindness to them was remembered for the rest of their lives. Gaile further added, that their Uncle Jimmy was a big part of their lives so she has a lot of anecdotes to share. I look forward to hearing more from Gaile and her family and hopefully more photos!

Another reader, Jeff Hofmann, contacted me to let me know that his parents were friends with Jim and he was the best man at the their wedding. Jeff advised that Jim had painted the wedding group and that the family still had the painting. I received the photos from Jeanette Hofmann. I wish to acknowledge the kindness of the family in allowing me to use these photos below. The wedding was held at the Albert Street Methodist (now Uniting) Church, on 11 May 1946. The Groom was Clive Hofmann; Bride was Morva Hofmann (nee Harris); Bridesmaid Vivienne Thompson (nee Hofmann);  James Lyle was Best Man.

The Hoffman – Harris Wedding 1946. Photo courtesy of the Hoffman family collection.

The following photo, also kindly provided by the Hoffman family, is similar to the one I grew up with at the Kangaroo Point house of my great-grandmother and great aunts. The difference is that Jimmy was wearing a peaked cap and dress uniform.

James E Lyle during his World War II army service. Photo courtesy of the Hoffman family collection.

 

If anyone has or knows where some of Jimmy’s art work is located, I would love to hear from you. Jimmy was a prolific artist so someone must know where they are. My research has turned up a few photocopies of his work (below)  courtesy of State Library of Queensland. There are more and they will appear in the next update. Hopefully, these will jog someone’s memory!

 

 

Photo courtesy of GS-21, James E Lyle Photograph Album, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of GS-21, James E Lyle Photograph Album, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of GS-21, James E Lyle Photograph Album, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of GS-21, James E Lyle Photograph Album, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Photo courtesy of GS-21, James E Lyle Photograph Album, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

In addition, I came across a list of paintings for sale at an exhibition during the 1970s. I am unsure of the date and the venue but I think it could be Guv’s Restaurant which was located near Government House in Fernberg Road, Paddington. So, if you recognise these paintings, please let me know.

• Evening, Cabbage Tree Creek
• The Old Saw Mill
• The Outgoing Tide
• The Solemn Land Beetota
• Misty Morning, Wyberra
• McMasters’ Boatyard – NFS from the collection of Mr Harvey Blair
• Edge of Town – Birdsville
• Wear and Tear
• February Morning
• Rural Gothic
• Abandoned – NFS from the collection of Mr and Mrs R Tritton
• Mud Flats, Wellington Point
• Jimboomba Gums
• Stricklands’ Place – Mt Tamborine
• Christmas Creek
• Astrid and the Butterfly
• Quiet Evening – Mr Barney
• Johnsons’ Place – NFS from the collection of Lieut-Col and Mrs Morel
• The Silo, Capalaba
• Boy with Dinghy
• Ryans’ Place – Scone, New South Wales

Just to finish up, I found this postcard amongst family papers that may be of interest to you. This postcard was produced from the original watercolour, Gone to a Safe Anchorage by James Lyle. I particularly like the notes on the reverse of the postcard! Enjoy!

Postcard, “Gone to a Safe Anchorage” (reproduced from original watercolour) by James Lyle. From the author’s private collection.

Reverse of postcard, “Gone to a Safe Anchorage” (reproduced from original watercolour) by James Lyle. From the author’s private collection.

I trust you have enjoyed this update. Next time I will explore Jim’s time in New Zealand and his many and varied interests.

Thanks for reading!

© 2018

Mona May Holbeck… a life lived

While sorting through boxes of family memorabilia, I came across some things that reminded me of my paternal grandmother, Mona May Shipstone (nee Holbeck). There were photos, an assortment of Birthday, Christmas and Sympathy cards and even some old 78 rpm records! There were items with no real meaning for anyone anymore… except for me. They are a connection to the past, my past. So, dear reader, I’ll tell you what I know, and think I know about Mona and hope you gain a glimpse of this woman and the times in which she lived.

Mona was born on Sunday 30 October 1904 in Clarendon, a rural locality in the Somerset Region located approximately 40kms north west of Ipswich in South East Queensland. Mona was known as ‘Nannie’ to my sister and myself. And, I must admit, it feels strange referring to her by her first name.

Before we go any further, I want to provide some background on Mona’s family in order to help make sense of her life and who she became. Her father, James Louis Holbeck (1866-1946) married Annie Sixsmith (1868-1938) on 6 February 1889 in Gympie, Queensland. Annie was an Irish immigrant who left Castlecomer, County Kilkenny just three years prior. It was interesting that James’ mother (Mona’s grandmother), Jane Ruddy (1841-1916) was also an Irish immigrant who left her home in County Armargh some 25 years before. Anyway, James (Mona’s father) worked for the railways and my grandmother (the eighth of ten children) was born while he was working in the area. I understand the family were living in a railway house at Clarendon at the time. By at least 1910, the family was living in Newstead, a suburb of Brisbane. The Electoral Rolls for 1913 show that Annie and James were registered as living in Maud Street Newstead and their occupations were shopkeepers. Things had changed dramatically as James’ occupation was no longer ‘Lengthsman’ as noted in the 1903 Electoral Rolls.

At the time of Mona’s birth in 1904, it was at the dawn of the 20th century. Although King Edward VII was the reigning monarch, Australia had recently become a Federation, known as The Commonwealth of Australia. The First World War was still ten years away. The Wright brothers continued to work on powered flight after their successful flight the year before on 17 December 1903. 1904 also saw the arrival of the first Ford car in Australia. The automobile would soon become commonplace on the roads.

As Mona was growing up, she faced many sad and difficult times. Nothing has changed, I know. Most of us face our fair share of pain as we grow older. It is often these times that define us and shape us into who we become. It was no different for Mona. At the age of six, her sister Emily Agnes (known as Emma) aged 11 years and 10 months came home from school one afternoon and within a few days she had passed away. It was an event that affected the whole family for the rest of their lives. If you are interested in reading more about Emma, please see my post from 2016 A Life Not Lived … I think as a result, Mona and her remaining sister, Katherine Lilian (Aunty Kate) remained close all their lives. (Mona was devastated when Kate passed away in 1973.) Then, in 1914, when Mona was 10 years old, her mother Annie gave birth to her tenth child, Arthur Edward, who survived only three days. Another distressing event. Also in 1914, World War I broke out. One of her older brothers, Charles Alfred enlisted in 1915 and saw service in France. Thankfully, he returned home, married and raised a family.  So, from a young age, Mona knew about grief and loss.

Mona May Holbeck circa 1920. From the author’s collection.

 

On the 26 April 1930, Mona married John William Shipstone (better known as Jack), right in the middle of the Great Depression. They had four sons between 1931 and 1942. My father, William John (better known as Bill) (1931-2011) was the eldest. Graham James followed in 1935, with Donald Henry (1938-2014) and Colin Lionel in 1942. My mother, Jean, always said that Nannie would have liked to have had a daughter but that was not to be. My mother and Nannie always got on well and in some sense was the daughter she never had.

John (Jack) William Shipstone and Mona May Holbeck on their wedding day 26 April 1930. Photo courtesy of Barbara Horsburgh

 

A similar wedding photo of the one above hung in the lounge room at my grandparents home in Newmarket the entire time they lived there (from 1930) and was still there until my Uncle Don’s passing in 2014. So, I grew up with this image. I always loved her dress with its handkerchief hem and the beautiful shoes… and that huge bouquet of flowers.

Before her marriage to my grandfather, Jack, Mona worked as a shorthand typist. There is a family story that Mona, during a lunch break, came across a speed typing competition being held on the street, so Mona competed and came second. Unfortunately, I have no evidence of that. However, I have included below a photo of Mona’s Certificate for Shorthand awarded from Stott & Hoare’s Business College in Brisbane in 1920.

Certificate of Shorthand awarded to Mona Holbeck on 9th December 1920. From the author’s collection.

When her children were older, Mona went back to work, in the office of the department store of T C Beirne, located in Duncan Street, Fortitude Valley. Her typing career did not end when she retired from T C Beirne either. Her youngest son, Col, completed his panel beating apprenticeship in the mid 1960s and later started his own business. So, in the early 1970s, there was my grandmother happily(?) typing (on a manual typewriter, of course) invoices and quotes for her son’s business. Just as an aside, when Nannie was no longer able to assist with the typing, I was recruited to help Col with this task. I must say he paid very well!

Mona was fortunate to have music lessons and according to The Telegraph, dated 25 October 1919, the music exam results for the London School of Music showed Mona achieved a mark of 66 in the Junior section. While I was researching, I noticed there was a Ruby Walker in the list of results. I remember my father telling me he had singing lessons with a Miss Ruby when he was a young lad. I wonder if this Miss Ruby was the same one. Evidently, Dad only attended for a few weeks then just went to town and spent the money each week – bad boy! He was in so much trouble when his mother found out!

Mona’s father, my great-grandfather, James Holbeck lost a leg in a shunting accident during his time as a railway employee. These life-changing events were not uncommon at the time. My father remembered his grandfather had a wooden leg as a result of the accident and, for a small boy, he found it quite intimidating. Evidently, Grandfather sat in a Captain’s chair by the wood stove in the kitchen of their home in Newstead. That same chair is now at my house and is very much the worse for wear. It has been repaired and repainted so many times over the years that it barely resembles the original item! My plan is to restore it as near to original as possible. Although, that may prove to be difficult, as it is a bit like the story of the man with the axe that had been in the family for generations. Except that the handle and the axe blade had been replaced several times, it was an original family heirloom!

This Captain’s chair belonged to my great-grandfather, James Louis Holbeck. In much need of repair! Photo from the author’s collection.

I don’t have many photos of Mona so the few I have are very precious. The ones below were taken in the backyard of Jack and Mona’s home in Newmarket in April 1972 with the four generations of the Shipstone family: My grandparents, Jack and Mona, my father, Bill, myself and my son, Brent aged five months. I remember that day very well. We all knew it was significant… having us altogether. You can see Nannie and Pa look very happy.

Mona and Jack, Margo, Bill and Brent taken April 1972. Author’s private collection.

Mona and Jack Shipstone. April 1972. Author’s private collection.

Margo, Jack, Mona, Bill and Brent. April 1972. Author’s private collection.

 

Mona had lived through three quarters of the 20th century! Just like many others, she lived through the two world wars as well the Korean and Vietnam wars. During the Second World War, a United States army base was established in Brisbane. However, there was a certain amount of animosity between the Australian and American servicemen even though they were allies. There was no love lost for a variety of reasons. One of the issues that disturbed Brisbane residents and the Australian servicemen was that while they were on strict rations, the US servicemen had access to a variety of food, beverages and other items forbidden to the locals. Tensions boiled over and during 26 and 27 November 1942 violence erupted in what became known as the Battle of Brisbane. The melee led to the death of one Australian serviceman and hundreds of Australian and US servicemen being injured. The news of this ‘battle’ was suppressed and many people still don’t know about it. My father told me about going to the US Army Camp with other boys and picking through the rubbish the ‘Yanks’ had thrown out. He often went home with ham and other delicacies not seen in Brisbane for many a day! So, it was there if you were prepared to go through the rubbish!

Mona saw aeroplanes and flight become common place as well as automobiles and the phasing out of horse drawn transport. She saw the transformation of Brisbane from a cholera-ridden town with little sewerage and infrastructure to a vibrant city with freeways and skyscrapers, and… sewerage. The 20th century was an amazing time for all those who lived through it.

We are all influenced by those around us, particularly as children. When I think of Mona, I recall her quietness, patience and dignity. In her own way Mona achieved much and hopefully I learned something from her. She experienced joy and pain. She was the best daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend she could be. I admired her because she was a working woman when many women were staying at home. She cared for her family in the face of adversity. She was proud of her sons’ achievements and was much loved. Still sadly missed…

James E Lyle…the stamp of approval 60 years on

60 years ago today, the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia 7d* (penny) stamp was released. “So what?”, I hear you say. “Stamps are released every other day. What is so special about this one?” Well, this stamp, or should I say the designer of this stamp, had a close association with my maternal great-grandmother and her family. The designer of this stamp (as well as others) was James E Lyle (Jimmy). Regular readers will recognise the name as I have posted about the work and life of this Brisbane-born artist and his connection to our family. If you don’t know what I am talking about, have a look at James E Lyle … a lost art.

To provide some background, particularly for my international readers, the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) was founded by the Reverend John Flynn OBE, DD (1880-1951) who was an Australian Presbyterian minister. Through his work with the Australian Inland Mission which provided spiritual and practical assistance for those in the “Outback” of Australia, he saw first hand the hardships endured by them. Over time, Dr Flynn saw that one of the major needs was for medical assistance for the scattered population. Dr Flynn was a visionary and in 1928 the beginning of what was to become the RFDS was launched.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service is one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations in the world, providing extensive primary health care and 24-hour emergency service to people over an area of 7.3 million square kilometres.”    RFDS Website 2017

For more detailed information on Dr Flynn and the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia please see RFDS Website.

On a personal note, I have an official first day issue addressed to my great aunt, Elsie Morley, date stamped Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on 21 August, 1957 (below). While the cover is a little worse for wear, the stamp depicts the map of Australia with the Caduceus and in its shadow, that of an aeroplane covering Outback Australia. The Caduceus, often seen as a symbol of medicine, is a symmetrical staff with wings with two snakes intertwined. This official first day cover came with the compliments of the artist, James E Lyle (lower left corner).

From the author’s private collection.

While the RFDS did not receive any revenue for the stamp, they did receive much needed publicity. On the other hand, I understand that the RFDS received revenue for the Official First Day of Issue which I would imagine was very welcome.

Another first day cover provided by Jimmy’s niece, Gaile Davis, appears below. The following description was provided when she purchased it a few years ago:

• 1957 Australia First Day Cover The Royal Flying Doctor Service
• Designer: James E Lyle with modifications by B Stewart – Engraver: Donald Cameron – Printer: W C G McCracken
• Design shows a map of Australia overshadowed by the Caduceus, this stamp was released as a definitive and available for all purposes, but primarily to cover the postage and internal air mail rate.
• Issued 21 August with perforation 14¼ x 14
• First Day Cover 7d Blue Caduceus over Australia.

From the Gaile Davis Collection.

In the process of researching Jimmy Lyle’s life and art, I came across an article in an RFDS Magazine from May 1999. It provides a perspective of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and its connection with Jimmy. It seems that a past patient of the RFDS, Reg Ferguson, a former Troop Sergeant at Tobruk during World War II, conceived of the stamp after he was introduced to philately while convalescing after a number of operations. This new-found hobby led him to think about the design of a stamp to bring attention to the RFDS.  He believed that the publicity the RFDS would receive would go some way to repaying his debt to the ‘Flying Doctor’. This was in 1946. He later enlisted the aid of another ex-serviceman, the artist, James E Lyle to design the stamp. Following some discussions with the grateful patient, Jimmy went about designing the stamp. At this time, Jimmy had never designed a stamp. After many years of lobbying the Post Master General of Australia, the stamp was finally released on 21 August 1957. For the full article, please see RFDS Magazine May 1999.

Interestingly, I also came across an article by Molly Elliott of the Auckland Star, written in the 1960s, where it documents Jimmy’s travels through Europe, Arabia, India and Australia. On arriving back in Australia from Europe and beyond, Jimmy landed in Adelaide. It was the mid 1950s and according to the article, Jimmy wanted to see more of Australia and embarked on a 3-4 month journey north to Darwin. Along the way he encountered the work of the RFDS and wanted to show his appreciation for their inspiring work and started gathering material for a stamp that would provide publicity for the organisation. So, this is probably after initial contact with Reg Ferguson around 1946. As with many things, the exact story is lost in the mists of time. However, the facts remain, that the stamp was indeed designed by Jimmy Lyle and approximately 66,000,000 stamps were sold during the period 1957 to 1959, before the postage price went up. (Some things never change!)

On another note, I saw a copy of a receipt for £100** from the RFDS. This is the same amount Jimmy received in payment by the Commonwealth of Australia for the design of the stamp. Jimmy donated the whole amount to the RFDS. I understand Jimmy had a long relationship with the ‘Flying Doctor’.

A photo and a few documents regarding Jimmy’s connection with the RFDS appear below. Apologies for the poor quality of the photos. The State Library of Queensland is not conducive to good photography! Regardless, I am sure you will get the gist of it. If you take the time to read the fine print in the article, it states that Jimmy was a temporary resident of New Zealand. He lived and worked in Auckland for a number of years during the 1950s.

Assortment of RFDS documents from James E Lyle Scrapbook, OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service display including the 7d stamp c 1957. OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

Another of Jimmy’s artwork included a mural, measuring 17 feet x 6 feet (5.1 metres x 1.8 metres), which was located in the Brisbane General Post Office Boardroom in 1961. It depicts not only various stamps, including the RFDS 7d stamp, but also an assortment of postal department equipment and apparatus.

Mural, Brisbane GPO Boardroom 1961. OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

In the photo of the initial viewing of the mural (below), Jimmy appears on the left. The other well dressed gentlemen may be some of the “several prominent businessmen” who, according to the invitation from the Post Master General to Jimmy, had also been invited. (I think Jimmy looks quite dapper in his dinner suit!)

James E Lyle (left) at the initial viewing of the mural located at the Brisbane GPO Boardroom in 1961. OM93-13, James Lyle Clippings, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.

I understand that the RFDS 7d stamp is in the private collection of Queen Elizabeth II, a keen philatelist.

The 60th anniversary of the release of this stamp has given me the opportunity to not only highlight the work of the RFDS but also to recognise just one more of Jimmy Lyle’s remarkable accomplishments, of which there were many. James E Lyle was a complex and multi-faceted character who achieved much in his life both personally and through his art. I trust you enjoyed this short tribute to this remarkable and versatile artist, James E Lyle and the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia 7d stamp.

 

Notes:

* The pre-decimal 7d (penny) = approximately 90cents in today’s money.

** Approximately $3,040 in today’s money.

 

 

House of Cards

My grandmother, Marjorie Park was born in 1905, the sixth of seven children born to Anna Morley (nee Weinert) and her husband Edward Morley. When Marjorie died in 1960 aged 55, her sisters, my great-aunts, Elsie and Vera, stepped into her role somewhat. (Stepping into various roles was not an unusual thing to do in this family but I will keep those stories for another time). Both our parents worked during the week and on many weekends they spent working for Aunty Chris and Uncle Joe in their catering business. Consequently, my sister and I spent quite a bit of time with our great-aunts during our childhood. At one time living with them for several months when our parents separated.

I recall feeling quite bored sometimes especially as I got older. However, for the most part, it was good to visit and the dear great-aunts were always pleased to see us. It was such an integral part of our lives that we didn’t give it a lot of thought. We just went to Aunty Elsie’s and Aunty Vera’s house.

Elsie Morley was born in 1896, which we thought was pretty amazing. Fancy being born in another century! (Now my grandchildren marvel that their grandparents were born last century!) Vera Morley was born in 1907. The sisters had always lived together. Their early years were spent in Stafford Street, East Brisbane. By about 1914, though, Anna and Edward Morley had decided that their large family would move to Kangaroo Point. So, Anna, a very strong and capable woman, purchased the piece of land at 40 Connor Street Kangaroo Point and organised for the building of the house which still stands today. I have no photos of the Stafford Street property as it was always referred to as ‘Stafford Street’, with no street number.

40 Connor Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 2014. Photo courtesy of realestate.com.au

Left to Right Aunty Elsie and Aunty Vera. At the other window is Mrs Moar (family friend and boarder) 40 Connor Street, Kangaroo Point (circa 1963)

Aunty Elsie was clever and wanted to be a teacher but it was the early 1900s and her father would not allow it as it meant she would have had to do her ‘Western Service’, as it was known. That is, after finishing her teaching course, she would have to teach in a country school for at least a year before returning to teach at a city school. That was just not going to happen. So, Elsie eventually joined the General Post Office (GPO) in Brisbane where she stayed for 46 years commencing in 1915 when she was 18 years old. Elsie was able to progress through the ranks at the GPO as she never married. Women who married had to leave the Public Service. This law was in place until 1966 when the ‘marriage bar’ was lifted. Elsie received the Imperial Service Medal for her services to the GPO and a letter from the Queen congratulating her on her long and loyal service.

In her younger days, Aunty Vera worked as a factory assistant and later a sales assistant in a jewellery store. However, as it often was during those times, she never married and for most of her life she cared for others when they were sick and/or aged. She cared for her father, her brother, her aunt, her mother and later, her sister Elsie. To supplement her funds, Vera took in ironing and went out to clean other people’s houses. She was an expert ironer and was much in demand for her meticulous work. She was also a great cook, and unnecessarily critical of her cooking. Even now, when I complain about a dish that hasn’t quite worked out the way I would want, my family call me “Aunty Vera”. A wonderful, selfless woman, but at the end of her life, sadly, there was no one left to care for her. She passed away in a nursing home. Rather ironic, really.

However, I digress. I want to talk about playing cards in the House of Cards, at 40 Connor Street. This activity was paramount to our visits to the great-aunts. They did not have a television until the 1980s. They just never saw any reason to have one. Their only concession to the ‘modern world’, was the radio. I remember not being too impressed with their choice of radio station, especially as I grew older. So, without playing cards there would have been many very long evenings (except for books) – I loved to read then, as now. But, it was the cards. Elsie, especially, played cards throughout her life. From memory she played Whist, Bridge, Poker, Cribbage, Canasta, Euchre, 500 and on and on. I think, too, it was what people did before movies, radio, television and all the other devices of the present day. I think the world may have been a little quieter. Although, probably not. The noises would have just been different.

Playing cards was fun but we had to play cards strictly by the rules. There were no concessions given for youth. If you played cards, it had to be correctly. If we deigned to touch the cards before they were all dealt, Aunty Elsie would say, “you would be kicked out of the poker school if you did that”. Really? Funnily enough, I use those same words with my grandchildren today because Aunty Elsie was right. If you are going to play, it better be correctly.

Cards have pervaded my life. Not only did we play at the Aunties but also during my childhood family holidays. Later, when we went on holidays with our children, we tried to keep the television to a minimum. When we weren’t at the beach, we were often playing cards. Any game would do, from Old Maid, Snap (Grab) and Go Fish when they were younger to Euchre, 500 and Poker as the children grew older. We also played Patience or Solitaire in various forms when there was no one to play with. I have to admit, even now I play different forms of Solitaire on my various devices.

Now, we play cards with our grandchildren whether on caravan holidays or on their visits to our house. The card games have changed slightly, as we now play Uno and Skip Bo. Although Snap and Go Fish get a pretty good run as well. My son has taught his nine year old daughter to play Euchre which she has mastered and is about to move on to 500. My husband played a lot of cards during his working life too. He worked in telecommunications and so was on the road much of the time. He is a very good card player and unlike me, has a poker face. I think all the grandchildren take after me – no poker faces there either.

So, through the generations, cards have played a significant role in the recreational activities of our family. We have always derived a lot pleasure from our card playing and have many great memories of times shared together. Thankfully this tradition is continuing with the youngest generation and maybe, just maybe the next generation will have as much fun as we have had over the years… playing cards.

Have you had similar experiences with a House of Cards? I would love to hear about them. Once again, thanks for reading!

(If you are interested in reading a little more about the maternal side of my family, see Influenced by a Family Matriarch? and James E Lyle … a lost art)

 

Mr Cook: an enigma

While growing up in Rocklea, during the 1950s and 1960s, I had the pleasure and privilege of having the influence of a kind yet unusual gentleman who lived two doors down from us. He was Mr Bernard Cook and to me, he was somewhat of an enigma. A simple man living a simple life, who also was an artist and musician.

I believe he would have been aged in his mid fifties, although I can’t be sure. I do know that he was living an alternative lifestyle. That is, it was much different from all the other ‘normal’ people in our street. He built his low set fibro house himself and had no electricity or town water. He relied on his tank water for drinking and washing. He did his washing by hand and from memory wore mainly khaki working clothes.

He kept his meat on a plate covered by a dampened, muslin or calico cloth bag which was suspended from the ceiling. His cheese and butter were kept in ceramic dishes. He cooked on a large open fireplace with three steel bars as a grate that held a large blackened kettle which was always on the boil, ready for a cup of tea – made with tea leaves. There were equally blackened pots and pans from use on the open fire. On the brick surrounds of the fireplace, he had painted scenes of sheep and cows and other farm animals.

The deck was added much later after Mr Cook passed away. The stairs were directly in front of the door which was not glass in his time. The gardens are gone but the water tank remains and the fibro house is much as it was in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of realestate.com.au

His lighting consisted of glass kerosene lamps which, when I think back, were very beautiful and the house took on an other-worldly glow when the lamps were lit. We always felt we were stepping back in time when we visited him, especially in the late afternoon or early evening.

He didn’t worry about cupboards for storing his food. He kept his meagre groceries in the centre of his sizeable kitchen table. There were the staples of his life: flour, sugar, tea, bread, butter, jam, salt and pepper and a bottle of hot sauce. He bought perishables such as milk, butter and cheese from the corner shop and meat from the butcher two streets away on the main road. His table also made room for a number books and newspapers. There were often tubes of paint scattered around as well. Two glass kerosene lamps also took up room on that table. It was quite cluttered, but interesting.

He grew most of his fruit and vegetables. In fact, most of his back yard was covered in raised garden beds with paths to walk between. He always had far too much for his needs and either sold or gave away any surplus. His strawberries were probably the best I ever tasted. I remember he tried to interest us in gardening and many other things but he didn’t have many takers from the kids in our neighbourhood.

He welcomed all the kids to his house. Amazing when you consider he really liked to keep to himself. It was not unusual for him to host ten children in his home after school. He gave us ideas for play. In one game we had to pretend to be photographers and we had ‘pretend’ cameras. We had nothing except our hands and our imagination! We took turns in posing on a ladder, on the floor, on chairs and outside. It certainly got our imaginations going as we thought up different poses and settings for our subjects. I guess we were easily amused back then. Oh, and he never had any problems shooing us out when it was time for tea.

He painted, mainly in oils, and played the violin. He built himself a soundproof music room which was not much bigger than a linen cupboard but it allowed him to practise his beloved violin at any time of the day or night without disturbing the neighbours. He was a considerate man.

Mr Cook had a brother who lived nearby. I don’t recall his name but he used to visit with his horse and cart. My sister reminded me of this fact when we were discussing the ‘old days’. While we both visited him along with all the other neighbourhood kids, our memories often differ which is not surprising. I think his brother lived much like our Mr Cook. He always looked like he was from a different era as well. The horse and cart were a bit of a giveaway. Mr Cook’s form of transport was an old bicycle which seemed to suffice for his needs. I don’t know if he ever went far afield as we only saw him after school and weekends. He loved his little house and garden.

One of his few concessions to living in the modern world of the 1960s, was a small transistor radio. Mr Cook liked to follow the horse races. My father, a salesman at the time, arranged for the purchase of the radio. Every Saturday morning, Mr Cook would carefully remove the radio from the original packaging and place the batteries in the radio. He would have it on during the day and in the evening would once again remove the batteries and carefully place the radio in the packaging and put it away in his bedroom until the next Saturday.

I recall that we badgered him to be able to stay in his backyard overnight in a tent we discovered he had. After some discussions with our parents, we were allowed to ‘camp out’. He went to all the trouble of setting up the tent and even putting in a light for us. We lasted until about 8pm before we all wanted to go home. What a bunch of sooks we were! What a patient and kind man he was to do this and not complain.

Mr Cook tried to give me art lessons and violin lessons but sadly, I just didn’t get it then. Or even now.  I am not artistic or musical. I just enjoy them. Mr Cook would have been pleased and disappointed I think. Pleased that I enjoy these things. Disappointed that I couldn’t understand how to do these things. I was not only uncoordinated but also unable to translate the notes on the page to the instrument. Art is much the same for me. I understand the techniques the artist uses to draw, paint and so on but I can’t transfer my thoughts into anything that resembles, well, anything. I probably should have persevered. I guess I will stick to writing. I may not be spectacularly good but I understand it better, and it suits me.

When I was about ten years old, my parents sold our house in Rocklea and moved ‘upmarket’ to Coopers Plains. We only saw Mr Cook a few times after we moved away. We found out that he died about ten years later. It was a sad day.  I am forever grateful for the added dimension that he provided to my young life and the others in our street.

I am not sure whether Mr Cook was behind the times or ahead of his time. What I do know though, is that he lived his life on his terms and he was happy with his life, his house, his garden, his violin and his art. What more could you ask for?

Have you had wonderful, interesting people like Mr Cook in your life? If so, I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!

Growing up … an awakening

As we travel along the path to adulthood, we have many ‘awakenings’. What we believe to be normal in our world, is challenged or called into question through our varied experiences. It is all part of growing up. So, I want to share an example from my childhood where my perspective was changed in the process of… growing up. It wasn’t an earth shattering experience. Just the same, I believe growing up is full of moments, big and small, which contribute to shaping us into the adults we become.

Among my first memories of my world has to do with where we lived. Rocklea is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, located about nine kilometres south of the CBD. It was mainly an industrial area and not in any way, salubrious (one of my father’s favourite words). It was a microcosm of 1960s Brisbane with a mixture of ‘gerry built’ houses, Housing Commission homes, dirt roads, big yards and few fences. There were migrant families, poor families, big families, low income families and middle class families (not many). Most of all, it was a place where cheap land was available and people who didn’t have much, had the opportunity to buy a home (the Great Australian Dream). A place where all the kids knew each other and seamlessly moved between each others houses. We had a corner shop and a telephone box at the end of our street and a bus stop nearby and not much else. However, that was my ‘normal’. I didn’t give any of that much thought until I was about eight years old.

In those days, television shows were often televised ‘live’. One such show was a children’s afternoon show, the Happy Hour starring Jill Edwards and a lanky comedian named Beanpole, aka Dick McCann, who dressed as a school boy (private school?) and provided comic relief to the show. Essentially, the show interacted with the audience and introduced a variety of TV series’ and cartoons. So, one day in the early 1960s we found out that we were going to be part of the ‘live audience’ on the Happy Hour. Each afternoon a great big coach would arrive in a suburb or neighbourhood to pick up the children to transport them to Mt Coot-tha where the television studios were located. It was with awe and trepidation that we climbed aboard the coach to travel up the mountain to meet our TV idols and be part of the show. Just going on the coach (I stress it was a coach and not just a bus). I traveled to school everyday on a bus. This was not a bus. It had plush seats and I think, carpet on the floor and curtains on the windows. This was not just a bus! It was definitely a coach.

As I have mentioned, Rocklea was not too flash. It was situated on a floodplain and whenever it rained, even a small amount, there was two inches of water in the yard. We had no curb and channel and a dirt road. We caught tadpoles in the ditch out the front of our house. There was bushland at the end of the street where we spent a great deal of time. Naturally, we had the obligatory back yard toilet or outhouse, colloquially known as the ‘dunny’. This was common throughout 1960s Brisbane. (Thank you, thank you Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones (1961 to 1975) who had a vision to rid the landscape of the outside dunnies!) Are you getting the picture? However, for all of that, we were relatively happy – we didn’t know anything else.

Rows of backyard dunnies that were the norm in suburban Brisbane prior to the Jones administration. (Courtesy of Your Brisbane: Past and Present)

So, there we are. All these kids from Rocklea piled on to the bus for our big adventure. We had watched Jill and Beanpole each afternoon after school so we knew what we were in for – or we thought we did. The time passed quickly as we were all so excited. When we arrived at BTQ 7 studios I remember the sense of awe that we were in a TV station. When we walked in there were large photos of the station’s ‘stars’ on the walls and there was a collective sense of anticipation of what was to come. We were ushered into the studio and we sat on the tiered seats. Then we saw Jill and Beanpole. It was very exciting. As part of the show (or the warm up), we were asked where we were from. We all called out (proudly) ROCKLEA!! At that point, I distinctly recall the look on the faces of the people in the studio. It was that OMG, you’re from where? Did I mention Rocklea was not a salubrious place? It was at that point I realised that somehow, I was inferior. Well, at least where I lived was. The rest of the show went on but how I thought about my world had been altered by that reaction. Beanpole didn’t seem as funny as he was on the TV screen and somehow the studio seemed tacky and small from behind the scenes.

Mount Coot-tha Transmission Towers (Courtesy of World Radio Map)

The Mt Coot-tha transmission towers. An unmissable sight in Brisbane (Courtesy of Towers and masts of Australia SkyscraperCity)

Mount Coot-tha Lookout: Brisbane city skyline

In some sense, I wish I had never gone in that fancy coach to the lofty heights of Mt Coot-tha. I felt that my peers and myself, without fully realising it, had somehow been robbed of our sense of pride in ourselves and where we came from. Not sure whether the others thought the same. I never spoke of it. What I learned was, not everyone views you and your surroundings in the same light as you do. For some time I was embarrassed about where I came from. People’s reactions can impact on others without you even being fully aware of it.

As an adult, I am proud of where I came from and my working class roots. Afterall, it contributed in shaping me into the person I am today. Life is full of ‘awakenings’. This was just one along my road to adulthood. Oh, and I am still having them!

Please leave a comment about your experiences ‘growing up’. I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading my post!

Another Buccleuch?

This is a postscript to an earlier post, Buccleuch who?, regarding Henry Buccleuch Shipstone, my 1st cousin x 1 removed. In that post I mentioned that another baby was born aboard the Duke of Buccleuch on an 1883 voyage to Australia. This baby was also given a middle name which paid tribute to her birth at sea. Her name was Alice Buccleuch Lake, and she was born on 15 October 1883 during the voyage to Queensland. This was just four days before my great uncle, Samuel Buccleuch Shipstone, was born on 19 October 1883. As to her forename, Alice, I wonder if she was named after Alice Bray who was another passenger on board the Duke of Buccleuch who proved to be helpful following the birth of Samuel Buccleuch. Alice Bray would later become my great grandmother. I feel sure the respective families knew each other on board, given their shared experiences.

Having come across this in my research, I was intrigued to find out what became of Alice Buccleuch Lake and decided to investigate. To date, I have found that her parents, Edward Lake and Mary Ann (nee Willis) had another two daughters after arriving in Australia. Jane was born in 1891 but died within the year. Lilly was born in 1892.

It appears that, prior to 1910, Alice sailed back to England. While there she married Joseph Edward Willetts about June 1910 at Aston, England. This took some researching as I could find no evidence for their marriage in Australia. I knew they had married because there was a reference to the Marriage Certificate in Alice’s correspondence with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) office, dated 4 march 1920.  On further investigation, I found Alice and Joseph sailed to Australia in 1911 aboard the SS Essex with their infant daughter, Lilian Buccleuch. Yes, another person with the ‘Buccleuch’ middle name!  Lilian was born in Aston, England in early 1911, just before leaving for Australia. Alas, Lilian passed away not long after arriving in Queensland in 1911. Another daughter, Alice Beatrice, was born in 1913. Sadly, she died in 1915, at just two years old. Then in 1915, Joseph and Alice welcomed Edward John. Unfortunately, Edward passed away in 1916. So much grief! Their fourth child, Hazel Elsie was born in 1916. I can happily report that Hazel grew to adulthood, married and had a family of her own.

The Great War had been going since 1914 when Joseph Willetts enlisted in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on the 20 May 1916 in the 22 Reinforcements (Rns) 9th Battalion. He was 33 years and 5 months old and his occupation was recorded as a Labourer. Before immigrating, Joseph had served for twelve years in the Worcestershire Regiment. As a Private in the AIF, Joseph embarked in Brisbane for England on the vessel HMAT Marathon on 27 October 1916. So, after five months training, he and his comrades were on their way to the ‘War’. Joseph had named Alice, his wife, as next of kin. He was leaving her with an infant daughter and the grief of recently losing their only son and the loss of two daughters in the previous few years. Alice was 33 years old and lived at Woodend Road, Ipswich, Queensland. (Incidentally, I, too, live in Ipswich which is about 30 kilometres west of Brisbane, Queensland.)

Courtesy of harrowercollection.com

Joseph Willetts trained as a First Class Signaller in England before arriving in Havre, France on 24 July 1917. His service record notes he was moved to Halfleur and on 5 August 1917 he committed two crimes: breaking out of camp and being out of bounds. Then, on the 8 August 1917 his battalion was marched out to Belgium. On the 4 November 1917, Private Joseph Edward Willetts was wounded in action. He died of his wounds later that day. He was buried at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery. Private Willetts was one of the 38,098 Australians who lost their lives during eight weeks of fighting defending the town of Ypres. He left behind a wife and young daughter.

Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in the 1920s before the wooden markers were replaced by headstones (Courtesy of ww1cemeteries.com)

Ypres Reservoir Cemetery 2014 (Courtesy ww1battlefields.co.uk)

Following the death of Joseph, Alice received a pension of £2 per fortnight and £1 per fortnight for her daughter Hazel. For the living, life goes on. By September 1918, Alice had married Benjamin Ramsbottom. Much of the correspondence on Private Willetts’ war service file is addressed to Mrs Ramsbottom and annotated that Alice had remarried. The last date of correspondence to Alice regarding Joseph’s war service was 18 July 1924, almost seven years after Joseph’s death. Did Joseph’s death hang like a spectre over her second marriage to Benjamin? We will never know, but you can’t help but wonder.

It appears that Alice lived in Ipswich most of her life. A newspaper article dated 27 January 1939 cites her as a witness in a court case which has her address as Wyndham Street, North Ipswich.

Alice Buccleuch Ramsbottom (nee Lake, formerly Willetts) died on 12 August 1953, aged 69 years. According to the Funeral Notice, Alice was a wife (twice), a mother, a mother-in-law and grandmother. At the time of her death, Alice was living in Jackson Estate on Cribb Island. This was a suburb of Brisbane which was resumed in the late 1970s to extend the Brisbane Airport. It was never a prosperous area and began life as a a collection of fishing shacks which grew into a small suburb. Its most famous residents were the Gibb brothers who later became the BeeGees.

It is a puzzle why Alice was living on Cribb Island which was quite some distance from Ipswich. Perhaps she was living with family? We might find out one day.

Real Estate Development Advertisement 1916 (Courtesy bonzle.com)

Fishing shacks on the foreshore at Cribb Island 1926. (File:StateLibQld 1 118720)

I wonder whether the passengers who made that momentous voyage from England to Australia on board the Duke of Buccleuch in 1883 kept in contact over the years. Likewise, did the passengers keep in touch following the 1911 voyage on the Essex when Alice and Joseph migrated with their baby daughter Lilian Buccleuch Willetts. Maybe, they did and maybe they didn’t. It is interesting to consider how life’s events shape our lives. Alice Buccleuch had a unique start to her life and she faced more difficulties and pain than most during her life. There was so much grief, you wonder how she endured it all. She must have been a strong, resilient woman.

If you have any further information about Alice Buccleuch, I would be interested in hearing from you.

Thanks for reading!

James E Lyle … a lost art

Last week I gave an insight into my Granny Morley (that is my great grandmother, Anna Maria Morley (1873-1958)) and how she influenced her immediate family as well as the legacy she passed on to her descendants. I mentioned that she was the type of person who saw a need and did her best to meet that need. That wasn’t confined to her family alone. One of the ‘needs’ that Granny came across was in the person of James (Jimmy) E Lyle. Jimmy was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1921. As a child he lived with his family in and around South Brisbane and Wooloongabba. Granny got to know the family when they came to live in her street, Connor Street, Kangaroo Point.

The story goes that, as a child Jimmy had shown an artistic talent which Granny identified at an early stage. Granny felt so strongly that this talent should be nurtured, she paid for Jimmy to go to art school. Jimmy had a career in art for the rest of his life. He first studied art at the Central Technical College in Brisbane from 1937–39. He then studied at the Press Art School in London from 1952 to 1953 and The Julien Perren Art Academy in Paris in 1953. Jimmy traveled extensively in Europe and England and lived and worked in New Zealand but eventually settled back in his home town, Brisbane. His exhibitions include the Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane in 1948, the Auckland Art Gallery in 1958, and the International Art Gallery in Brisbane in 1973.

Jimmy also won a number of awards for his paintings, including the Warana Art Award, City of Ipswich 1981, and the Cultural Centre Queensland Award in 1982. He worked as a painter, portraitist, commercial artist and graphic designer. During 1957 and 1958, Jimmy designed three Australian stamps: the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Charles Kingsford Smith. In addition, he designed a Christmas greeting card series while working in New Zealand.

He kept in touch with the Morley family throughout his life and the family were very proud of his achievements. His photo and his paintings were proudly displayed and he was often talked about at family gatherings. Even as I was growing up there would be updates on what Jimmy Lyle was doing. He was family.

As far as I know, Jimmy didn’t marry. By the 1960s, though, he was living in Moorooka, Brisbane, with two family members, Edna and Robert Lyle. This is where he had his studio for many years. As I was researching him I found that he lived on a road, that as a child, our family frequently used. I attended Moorooka State School during my primary school years which was about 2 kilometres away, on that road. In all that time we never realised (at least, I didn’t but my parents may have) we were driving right past Jimmy’s house – to visit Aunty Elsie and Aunty Vera at Kangaroo Point. I have to admit that I never met Jimmy personally, or if I did, I was too young to remember. Because he was spoken of so often and affectionately, especially by my great aunts, I felt I knew him. There was a photo of a young Jimmy in military uniform that took pride of place in the Morley family home. Sadly, that photo has been lost. Probably for all time. He looked very handsome and had a neatly trimmed moustache. For me, he will always be that young man.

I remember that under Granny’s (Aunty Elsie’s and Auntie Vera’s) house, there were some bits of rock in a container. They were very hard and sharp. We were told that Jimmy had climbed the Matterhorn in Switzerland, and chipped off pieces and brought them home to Australia. Not sure whether it is true but it certainly makes a great story, especially to a child.

I am fortunate to now own some of Jimmy’s paintings from when he was quite young (c1934-1938). These pieces and others were proudly hung in the Morley house at Kangaroo Point until the death of my great aunts Elsie and Vera in the late 1980s. Unfortunately, I do not know what happened to the other art works – some still life paintings, the Matterhorn and pen and ink drawings. Hopefully, they are being enjoyed by other families. Although Jimmy Lyle was a well regarded Brisbane artist, it is difficult to find any reference to him or his art. If you have one of Jimmy Lyle’s paintings or drawings, please let me know. I would love to hear about it.

It just goes to show that you never know what might come of your actions down the track. I don’t know what Granny thought would happen to the little boy with the budding talent. She just felt he should have some art lessons. Whatever she thought, her actions changed Jimmy’s life forever.

Untitled, James E Lyle circa 1935. Oil on canvas

Untitled, James E Lyle circa 1935. Oil on canvas

Lion and Lioness, James E Lyle circa 1936. Oil on canvas with palette knife, no brush work. Completed when artist was 14 years old.

Influenced by a Family Matriarch?

While rummaging through old photographs left by mother, I came across some that included my great grandmother. It got me thinking about her and my maternal side of the family, and in particular the influence she had on her own children and the ones that came after. So, hopefully my readers will indulge me as I explore (well, ramble really) about what helped to influence me along my life’s journey.

My great grandmother Anna Maria Morley (nee Weinert), was a strong woman with an innate ability to not only see a need but also to meet that need. My personal experience is very limited as I was only four years old when Anna Morley passed away in 1958 at the age of 85. However, some of my memories belie the life she lived. By the time I was born, she was already a very old lady who sat in her red-painted rocking chair and used her walking stick to harass small children. Or so it seemed to me. I recall veering out of range of that walking stick. I am sure she was only trying to attract our attention but to a small child that can be quite scary. As is often the case, people make assumptions about a person’s life based on their limited personal experience. As I grow older I have come to appreciate that what you see at the end of a person’s life can often  bear little resemblance of the life they actually lived. Hence, with more knowledge and understanding I want to share a little of the life of a good but strict woman, Granny Morley.

Granny Morley aged 83 in 1956 with Margo Jane aged 2 and baby Jennifer Leigh 6 months.

Anna Maria Weinert was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1873, the third child and second daughter of Carl August Weinert and Christina Catherine Wittmann, both German immigrants. She was 18 when she married 31 year old Edward George Morley on Christmas Eve 1891. Edward was born in Goole, Yorkshire in 1859. He joined the Royal Navy at aged 18 on 3 April 1878 as an Ordinary Seaman and served on several ships during his 10 years service. He left the Royal Navy with the rank of Able Seaman and according to his official record, his character was ‘very good’. In 1889, at the age of 29 he departed England to start a new life in a new land. Edward would never return to England. Anna and Edward were married for 53 years and had seven children.

According to the 1905 electoral rolls, Anna and Edward were living at Stafford Street in East Brisbane with their growing family. They were later to move to 40 Connor Street, Kangaroo Point. Edward’s occupation is recorded as Mariner and he would continue in this employment for the rest of his working life.

Edward worked away at sea for most of their married life and therefore Granny was left to bring up their seven children almost single handedly. I understand that she managed the purchase of the land at Kangaroo Point and the building of the house which still stands today. Granny was not a woman to be messed with. Even though Granny had a large family and a home to run, my mother told me that she was a talented needlewoman and sewed many of the uniforms of her husband’s mariner colleagues. In addition, she was well known in the community for her care of neighbours, friends and family – anyone in need, really. Granny was known for her generosity and hospitality. She was always feeding people. This is something that has been passed down through the generations as my sister and I are also laughingly referred to as “always having enough food to feed the 5th Army!” It is a trait I am proud to have inherited. My daughter-in-law has said that if the local supermarket ran out of food, they could always raid my freezer and pantry. There is always plenty of food in the house!

The Morleys had their share of troubles too. For instance, their 19 year old son, Arthur (Jack) had just passed his teaching exams in 1918 and was about to embark on his career when his appendix burst and he died shortly after. From all accounts he was very bright and had excellent results. Another young person who did not reach their potential.

While Granny was good to her family and neighbours, she was very strict with her children. Even into adulthood. My great aunt Elsie wanted to become a teacher about 1914 but was forbidden as it would have required her to teach in rural areas. An unaccompanied woman in Western Queensland in 1914 was not going to happen. Aunty Elsie went on to have a good job in the Post Master General’s Department where she worked for 47 years, receiving the Imperial Service Medal on her retirement in 1961. Elsie never married but I have been told she was very popular and may have been engaged at one time. Great Aunt Vera was Granny’s youngest child, born in 1907. Vera worked as a sales assistant in her youth but gave up work to nurse her uncle, father and mother in turn. She was wonderful with children. Vera didn’t marry either. The maiden sisters lived together their whole lives and died within a year of each other (Elsie in 1987 and Vera in 1988).

Interestingly, although the Morleys had seven children, only one child, my grandmother, Marjorie, had  three children. Another two of Granny’s children did marry but had no children. Granny’s three grand children were my Uncle Johnnie (1932-1957), my Mother, Jean (1934-2012) and my Aunty Betty (1936-). Marjorie married James Park who was 34 years her senior, in January 1932. James passed away in 1939 at the age of 68, leaving her to raise the children alone. Of course, Granny was there to support them in every way she could. The family visited Granny’s house regularly and she ensured that the family was well cared for. However, another tragedy was to befall the family. Uncle Johnnie had a very bad stutter and suffered ridicule his whole life. As he grew older he drank to help numb the pain. Sadly, aged just 24 in 1957, while on his way home, Johnnie fell out of the tram and was then run over by a truck. In less than a year, Granny, too, had passed away. My grandmother, Marjorie died in 1960 aged only 55. We believe the shock of losing not only her son but also her mother contributed to her early death.

Granny Morley, my mother Jean, Margo standing and baby Jennifer

With regard to helping out neighbours, Granny came across the Lyle family. One of their sons was a gifted artist and … well that is another post for another day.

Obviously, Granny and Grandfather Morley contributed significantly to our family and the community in which they lived. They worked hard and raised a family. Things were not always easy for them (this applies to most families in any era) but they left an enduring legacy which continues today through me and my children and grandchildren. In particular, I was influenced by a strong woman who overcame adversity and shouldered much of the responsibility in the family and in her pragmatic way helped many people. No one is perfect but when I think of Granny I like to think there is some of her nature in me, just as there is from both sides of my family. Not only that, I believe that I have been influenced by many others such as friends and colleagues. We are all a melting pot of the past, present and our hopes for the future. Please let me know who were and/or are your ‘influencers’. How have you been influenced by your ancestors and others? I would love to hear from you.

By the way, I am ready for when the 5th Army passes my door!

Thanks for reading!

Granny Morley front left sitting beside Grandfather Morley. Vera holding baby and Elsie standing at the end on right. Circa 1930s