THE
BODYCOTT FAMILY
From Barb and Bob Bodycott
Hi Pattrick,
At long last you are getting a reply to your E-Mail. My
apologies for being tardy but I'm temporally winged so my typing is one
handed. That's my excuse anyhow.
Re the Bodycott family, in particular Robert [Bob] my better half. Born
23.10.1931 at Nimmitabel, eldest son of Althea and Tom Bodycott. Other
children were Elizabeth [Betty], Ronald, Noeline, Kae, Raymond, Leigh. [Ron,
Kae Ray, now deceased]
Bobs Mum lives in Goulburn NSW with Leigh and she turns 91
on 14.2.02.A grand old lady and a great mum-in-law.
Most of Bobs childhood was spent with his Grandparents Sam
and Elizabeth [Bessie] Wilson who owned 'Fern Hill' at Kybeyan, about 1 mile
north of ' Eblana'. Early schooling was at the little school in Dunning's
paddock or by correspondence, then a short time at Nimmitabel public before
going to Cooma High. At this time he boarded in Cooma. Bob was aged about
15-16 when both families sold their properties to Haslingtons? The Wilson's
went to Mittagong and the Bodycotts to the Camden area where Bob started his
apprenticeship as a Butcher. After 12 months he transferred to Mittagong to
live with his grandparents and that's where we both met.
Bob has wonderful memories of growing up in Kybeyan. Those early
days were without power and only tank water but there was lots of
fun and lots of hard work, never the less horse riding, shooting,
rabbiting, fishing, tennis and the weekly trip to Nimmitabel
for supplies, brought their rewards. Of course the
bi-monthly trip to Cooma was a much anticipated treat.
About the time we became engaged to be married, Bob and I
took a trip up to see these magical places he kept telling me about called
Nimmitabel and Kybeyan. We stayed in Cooma with his aunt and uncle [Hazel and
George King] then went to Nimmitabel, well that was O.K but,to get to Kybeyan
well !! The road was only a bullock track [so I thought], with tree roots,
huge! potholes and expecting our poor little car to shake to pieces in minutes,
I finally convinced Bob to turn around at Fern Hill and return to
civilization. We have since been back several times and I can now appreciate
the beauty of the area but most of all the wonderful people we have met. True
country hospitality and friendship.
Bobs grandmother Elizabeth [Bessie] was an Evans, one
of those great pioneer families of the area and I can only thank people
like Peter and Myrtle Evans for organising reunions of this family so
that Bob and I could become part of this great area again.
We now have another opportunity to meet more of the Kybeyan
people and we look forward to this with great expectation.
Regards to all.