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Voices of the Hunter

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Jack Delaney

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Bede Kelly (1907-1988) - Executive with the R.W. Miller Group. Recorded 7 December 1985. Part 2/3.

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SummaryTAPE 145B Bede Kelly
Recorded 7 December 1985.
Part 2 of 3.

0:05
Coal wagons at Ayrfield No 3, Hafey used to set up the wagons in Newcastle. Washery. Bede finished at Rothbury – 1970. Rhondda. The Millfield and Ayrfield trucks. Washery at Ayrfield No 1 – 1956 - Jig worked on the principle of working up and down – it was a type rather than a brand.

2:17
He retired in 1970. Rhondda belonged to Millers too. Wallsend and Bore Hole and Belmont. Millers were there to the finish. Open cut at Ayrfield No 6. It went for 12 – 18 months. Grade went from 1:4 to 1:6.

4:42
The transition from skips to mechanization at Rothbury. The slide bottom skip dropped down into the alligator then to the main heading. First road cartage in Australia was from this mine.

7:50
Athol Lightfoot was Jack Delaney’s early idol. Local Football history. Bede was involved in the first football teams. George Watt. McKinnon. Birdie Parsons.

12:34
He and his wife came to live in the Coalfields from Sydney in the 40’s. They had 3 sons.

14:14
Personalities of the mines. Dinny Durham – mines inspector. Billy Seward. The Drinkwaters. The Bluebells Virago team. Alf Goodsir “salt of the earth”. Tommy Cooper. (When he wanted to open a cheque account at the Commonwealth Bank, they wouldn’t serve him because he was dressed poorly – he went on to be a millionaire and he never banked with them.)

19:35
Waste in the mines. Recovering props from the mines. Running on a shoestring. Anecdote about The Millers – Robert and Roger. Marcus was involved in the brewery. Sons of R.W.

21:07
The first mines in the Four Mile Creek area – Teddy Hayler, The McKendrys, The Eales, the Morpeth Road.

22:41
No one seems to know where Prof. David first found the coal. Jack thinks it’s where the fan was at Abermain 1. Edward Pepper put a search shaft down there. Old pits have been levelled and there is no indication of tunnels and shafts.

26:44
History told through cemeteries, burial records and headstones. Family reunions. Grave listing. Historical societies. 21 cemeteries in the Greater Cessnock area.

29:25
Jim Comerford. Unions - the men formed it - NSW Colliery Employees – Whitburn in the Branxton area – R. Wyndham, son of George Wyndham had Leconfield mine.

33:04
In 1941 – Twin Bellis Morcombe generator caught fire during the war – bought from Merewether and supplying power to colliery houses. Power came from Whitburn before the Council took over then from the substation at Branxton using their own lines.

35:53
He was at Millfield in 1929. During the strikes at Rothbury.

39:18
Stan Parkes from Millfield. Frank Perkins. Alec Wardrop.

40:16
End Tape 145 Side B, Part 2 of 3 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

SubjectBranxton (N.S.W.).Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- Maitland.Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- Cessnock.Kelly, Bede Albert, 1907-1988 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToTed Hayler Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Stan Parkes Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorKelly, Bede, 1907-1988Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

PlaceCessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created7th December 1985Location^[1]Northern (Rhondda) Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[2]Leconfield Colliery, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[3]Durham, UK Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

^[4]Branxton, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Identifier145B Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Job Identifier145B

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