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The Gammon Family

Helen Ferguson
01.07.2001

Dear Pattrick,
Thank you so much for bringing back memories of what I believe to be a unique time in many peoples lives; in pure historical terms it tells us so much about Australia and farm life in the 50's and 60's; it was a period when farmers were prosperous and could afford the upkeep and to employ staff. Farms at that time had a homestead the boss and employers. Now it is so different, little or no extra staff members. The work is done by the boss and a bit of seasonal help. The homestead is kept functioning by the wife who often acts as secretary, housekeeper, teacher etc.

We were blessed to be part of such a microsm of country life. We all had to learn to live other, take the rough with the smooth. This is a great strength at that time, we learned to laugh and cry together and help each other along the way. I can remember mothers sharing stories about their children and the old wives tales were amazing, such as treatment for constipation and other childhood disorders, some of them tried and true. Many of the women at that time have access to a vehicle and those that did were used, to taxi people to and fro.

For me personally it was these things that shaped how I think, the values I have and the belief that to share and care is very important. Also for my family it was a time when two Aunts Robyn and Carol Keir, and sometimes Greg Keir worked at Kybeyan, along with my Dad ours was very much an extended family, so we experienced so much of the happenings of Kybeyan.

It is this exposure that gives me so many of the stories that have never left me:

Your father used to have his hair cut by my mother; my mother used to know when Ron was going to town because he used to send a message via Dad that could mum cut his hair. Mum used to joke that it was like cutting wire. He usually paid Mum ten shillings and this was usually tucked away until we went to town and that was a monthly occurrence. We were given ten shillings between us to spend on whatever we liked; we came home with a real good supply of junk to keep us amused.

Your mother was an amazing women, she always remembered every child on the Station's birthday. We usually received a book; she must have had a huge stack, as there were at the time a lot of children on the Station. The annual Christmas party was an extravaganza; Santa was of course the big attraction. I can remember climbing on Santa's knee for my Christmas cuddle and to give Santa my list of what was wanted for Christmas, pulling Santa's beard down to expose his identity and finding it was Morris Scarlett, I want the real Santa. I received a short sharp clout from my mother and was told to be quiet because he was called in to be one of Santa's helpers. We really never missed out anything due to her generosity.

Do you remember the garden Party when my father mixed the red cordial with gin, which was meant for the ladies, with the red cordial for the children? Well the children were totally plastered; sick as dogs for days, while the ladies were a modicum of total sobriety. Dad never lived that down, Mum always gave him heaps about it.

We used to have great fun at shearing time and so did the men, drink seemed to flow freely around the station, the men used to play cards till al hours of the night and money seemed to disappear or appear, whoever was on a winning streak. My mother used to cook for John Schofield if he had the shearing contract. As children we knew all the shearers and kept in good with them because they were a soft touch for pocket money and we were a source of entertainment to them. I used to really love old Abbey the wool presser, on reflection I believe he must have been an alcoholic because Mum always bought the vanilla and lemon essence home, she never left it in the pantry at the shearers quarters. When the shed finished the shearers would give mum and dad beer, they always left these presents on the doorstep. A story I can always remember was a New Zealand shearer brought his son with him, he was a real horror, he fought with both Derrick and Michael, Mum's advice was not to fight but to think and outsmart the little horror. Well both derrick and Michael were asked to take the billy and afternoon tea basket back to mum, instead they waited on the ramp above the shearing Shed until this kid was underneath and emptied the tea leaves all over him, it certainly took the fight out of him and the shearers thought it was a great laugh.

My father had the reputation which I believe he held until his death, and that was the ability to remove white posts on the way home from town. You ask Henry Rose he will back me up.

Derrick and my brother Michael used to trap the reserve, they had to go in pairs - one was needed to open the jaws of the trap "Derrick" and the other to place the paper on he plate of the trap. I think they were born in Ireland not Australia. One day they caught a Magpie, I remember to small boys, pecked and screaming coming to get my Mum to get the Maggie out. My Mum was always called to rescue small boys.

Pattrick I have put together a list of the families I knew on the station. I have tried to identify the houses where they lived, this is only to the best of my knowledge, please see separate sheet. (I have put this together on the WebPages as the index for the biographies).

There are many more stories I will tell you as time goes but for the meanwhile I would like to go on record as saying this was a special time when people helped each other, learnt to live with each other, sharing what life chose to dish out. It is true that everything was not always sweetness and light, but for me it was a privilege, something that moulds us as people and instills values that no amount of worldliness will take away, the closest I have come to this type f life has been in a private estate in England and Naval married patchs. Thank your family for this privilege, you are from a wonderful family.

Sincerely

Helen Ferguson (Nee Gammon)

PS I hope you can understand my writing and are able to find humour in these stories.