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Les Penniment (1902-) - Mines Clerk and Cessnock resident. Recorded 11th February 1982. Part 1/2.
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SummaryLES PENNIMENT
Recorded 11th February 1982
Part 1/2
0:35
He was born in North Prentice (Vic.), 5th September 1902.
0:50
Reason for coming to Cessnock - it was close to Rutherglen. His father was working in a gold mine near North Prentice between Rutherglen and Albury. The family came in 1911.
1:49
Moved to Cessnock (Abermain), 1911.
1:54
Billy Goat Hill, Abermain.
2:15
Location of original Abermain school. They bought their water from a standpipe for 1/- a month.
2:29
William James Alexander Penniment (father)
2:40
Father prospected in Vic. goldfields and moved to Abermain when they closed down. 1910.
3:08
His mother's sister's family - John Campbell
3:33
Attended Abermain Public School where the present school is situated.
3:49
Recalls subway being built because the level crossing was dangerous.
4:18
Bill Keating - the station master was killed. It was a double track at the time.
5:35
Recollection of passenger trains - he could count 13 passenger trains a day and today there are none.
5:60
Attended Kurri Kurri Public School - he wasn't learning anything at Abermain.
6:36
Teachers, Abermain Public School. Horne was the headmaster and the teacher's name was Pieman (he was a well-known runner).
7:15
Recalls getting caned at school. There were 7 other children in his family.
8:10
Harry Macintosh from Abermain (brother-in-law).
8:54
Albert Sammil (engineer) went to Balmain
9:04
Jim Fallons was manager at No. 2, "Roo" Kendrick engine driver. The pit was right next to Balmain school.
9:43
His sister married a road construction worker who got badly "dusted". His youngest brother got infantile paralysis at 19 and went to a benevolent home at Cairns. "He became a drifter" - The second youngest brother was the Chief Statistician for the International Labour Organisation in Geneva for 30 years.
11:46
Annie Wilson married Les. She was the girl across the road.
11:54
Wilson's Corner
12:05
First worked Abermain No. 1, June 1916
12:14
John Jeffries, manager at the pit.
12:16
Josh Jeffries, superintendent
13:08
Bill Cobley, Chief Clerk and Les were the two clerks.
13:23
Worked as clerk at Abermain No. 1
13:27
Fred Millington had been transferred from No. 2.
14:06
Railway operated from Abermain No. 2
14:13
Bill Hawkins was one of the drivers
14:15
"Blue" Blanchard was a driver, Harold Blanchard might have been his father.
14:51
There were about 500 employees at Abermain No. 1
15:10
Miners worked on contract wages - it was never any mechanical work except by coal cutters. Jeffrey undercut using electricity using their own generators.
15:55
Abermain No. 1 had own generators - using steam boilers 8 boilers
16:27
Location of Abermain Colliery dam - they pumped the water from there to the power station
16:51
Location of Abermain Power station
17:37
Supplied power to railway and to the library at the School of Arts.
18:32
At the power station Molloy was in charge. The worked to an old age because there was no retirement pension. Bill Hawthorn was the electrician who married Toots Stewart. When their child Bill was born, she died and her sister came to keep house and he married her.
19:47
Clarrie Hawthorn was the child of Bill and the second sister. Ken Penniment - Les' brother.
20:47
Roger Steel - was on the weighbridge. Jack Steel
21:31
Harry McKellar - traffic officer on South Maitland.
21:39
Arch Farmer, shipping officer in Newcastle
21:49
Abermain No. 2 supplied their own power
22:33
Caledonian later supplied power.
23:30
Jack Huxley was the station master. He followed Bill Keating.
24:08
Location of original Abermain P.O. up on the old school hill. Run by the Patersons.
24:42
Mick Frame
24:50
Ira Frame (nee Storey), Bob Storey
25:10
Location where Prof. David found coal - 100 yards off from Paterson's Post Office out from Hebburn No 2.The area - about the size of a room was fenced off. There was a big dent in the ground.
26:13
Capper Gehrig worked for the Prof. as a labourer. Jack Gehrig, George Gehrig
27:06
Coal production/tonnage, Abermain No. 1 - producing 2,000 ton a day.
28:17
They had 60 or 70 "magnificent" pit horses, Abermain No. 1 - never stabled underground.
29:10
Abermain No. 3 begins production, started about 1920.
30:00
Recalls sinking Abermain No. 3 shaft. Les went down in the bucket to pay the men. It was big enough to hold 4 men.
31:13
Depth of Abermain No. 3 shaft was about 800 ft.
31:36
Joshua and Charlie Jefferies - Charlie was undermanager of the Staple Seam - a small sized seam.
32:32
The Holmeville Seam known as the Staple Seam
32:48
Tom Richardson, winder driver with a shaky hand - maybe Parkinsons Disease
33:26
Albert Sammerville went to Balmain followed by Jack Ross, engineer
34:00
Married, May 28, 1926 - no family.
34:29
Transferred to Abermain No. 2. Commenced work at Abermain, Sept 1923
34:44
Bellbird Disaster, September 9, 1923
34:54
Recollection of Bellbird disaster
35:50
Recalls playing social tennis at Abermain.
37:13
Manager's residence built by Stronach during the First World War.
38:10
Location of Price's store, Abermain in John Street
38:25
Location of Hopes' store, Abermain - Hope bought Price out.
39:04
Ditton & Hill Bus Company
39:27
Joe Doyle's buses operated from from Cessnock station
40:06
Recollection of early Kurri priest who lived in the Presbytery. He was riding the mare Topsy who got into a bit of trouble with the harness. Bill "Yummy" Dickson was riding his bike and he tried to help. There is a mix up of the words reins and brains.
41:24
Recalls Denman Hotel being built with bricks being carted from Abermain station by dray.
41:47
Location of Hill's brickyard, Neath signal box. Neath pub was built from
these bricks too.
43:12
Wilson Barrett. Early brick yard at Kurri near the current railway.
45:09
Travelled from Charles Street, Abermain by bicycle
45:31
Tape duration
SubjectPenniment, Leslie William, 1902-Abermain No. 1 Colliery (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 2 Colliery (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 3 Colliery (N.S.W.)Education -- New South Wales -- Cessnock RegionCessnock (N.S.W.)Abermain (N.S.W.)Railroads -- New South WalesDenman Hotel (Abermain, N.S.W.)PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJack GehrigA.J. "Mick" FrameWilson BarrettCreatorPenniment, Leslie William, 1902-Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010PlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created11th February 1982Location[1] Denman Hotel, Abermain, NSW[2] Abermain No. 1 Colliery, NSW[3] Abermain No. 2 Colliery, NSW[4] Abermain No. 3 Colliery, NSW[5] Cessnock, NSWIdentifier213A
Recorded 11th February 1982
Part 1/2
0:35
He was born in North Prentice (Vic.), 5th September 1902.
0:50
Reason for coming to Cessnock - it was close to Rutherglen. His father was working in a gold mine near North Prentice between Rutherglen and Albury. The family came in 1911.
1:49
Moved to Cessnock (Abermain), 1911.
1:54
Billy Goat Hill, Abermain.
2:15
Location of original Abermain school. They bought their water from a standpipe for 1/- a month.
2:29
William James Alexander Penniment (father)
2:40
Father prospected in Vic. goldfields and moved to Abermain when they closed down. 1910.
3:08
His mother's sister's family - John Campbell
3:33
Attended Abermain Public School where the present school is situated.
3:49
Recalls subway being built because the level crossing was dangerous.
4:18
Bill Keating - the station master was killed. It was a double track at the time.
5:35
Recollection of passenger trains - he could count 13 passenger trains a day and today there are none.
5:60
Attended Kurri Kurri Public School - he wasn't learning anything at Abermain.
6:36
Teachers, Abermain Public School. Horne was the headmaster and the teacher's name was Pieman (he was a well-known runner).
7:15
Recalls getting caned at school. There were 7 other children in his family.
8:10
Harry Macintosh from Abermain (brother-in-law).
8:54
Albert Sammil (engineer) went to Balmain
9:04
Jim Fallons was manager at No. 2, "Roo" Kendrick engine driver. The pit was right next to Balmain school.
9:43
His sister married a road construction worker who got badly "dusted". His youngest brother got infantile paralysis at 19 and went to a benevolent home at Cairns. "He became a drifter" - The second youngest brother was the Chief Statistician for the International Labour Organisation in Geneva for 30 years.
11:46
Annie Wilson married Les. She was the girl across the road.
11:54
Wilson's Corner
12:05
First worked Abermain No. 1, June 1916
12:14
John Jeffries, manager at the pit.
12:16
Josh Jeffries, superintendent
13:08
Bill Cobley, Chief Clerk and Les were the two clerks.
13:23
Worked as clerk at Abermain No. 1
13:27
Fred Millington had been transferred from No. 2.
14:06
Railway operated from Abermain No. 2
14:13
Bill Hawkins was one of the drivers
14:15
"Blue" Blanchard was a driver, Harold Blanchard might have been his father.
14:51
There were about 500 employees at Abermain No. 1
15:10
Miners worked on contract wages - it was never any mechanical work except by coal cutters. Jeffrey undercut using electricity using their own generators.
15:55
Abermain No. 1 had own generators - using steam boilers 8 boilers
16:27
Location of Abermain Colliery dam - they pumped the water from there to the power station
16:51
Location of Abermain Power station
17:37
Supplied power to railway and to the library at the School of Arts.
18:32
At the power station Molloy was in charge. The worked to an old age because there was no retirement pension. Bill Hawthorn was the electrician who married Toots Stewart. When their child Bill was born, she died and her sister came to keep house and he married her.
19:47
Clarrie Hawthorn was the child of Bill and the second sister. Ken Penniment - Les' brother.
20:47
Roger Steel - was on the weighbridge. Jack Steel
21:31
Harry McKellar - traffic officer on South Maitland.
21:39
Arch Farmer, shipping officer in Newcastle
21:49
Abermain No. 2 supplied their own power
22:33
Caledonian later supplied power.
23:30
Jack Huxley was the station master. He followed Bill Keating.
24:08
Location of original Abermain P.O. up on the old school hill. Run by the Patersons.
24:42
Mick Frame
24:50
Ira Frame (nee Storey), Bob Storey
25:10
Location where Prof. David found coal - 100 yards off from Paterson's Post Office out from Hebburn No 2.The area - about the size of a room was fenced off. There was a big dent in the ground.
26:13
Capper Gehrig worked for the Prof. as a labourer. Jack Gehrig, George Gehrig
27:06
Coal production/tonnage, Abermain No. 1 - producing 2,000 ton a day.
28:17
They had 60 or 70 "magnificent" pit horses, Abermain No. 1 - never stabled underground.
29:10
Abermain No. 3 begins production, started about 1920.
30:00
Recalls sinking Abermain No. 3 shaft. Les went down in the bucket to pay the men. It was big enough to hold 4 men.
31:13
Depth of Abermain No. 3 shaft was about 800 ft.
31:36
Joshua and Charlie Jefferies - Charlie was undermanager of the Staple Seam - a small sized seam.
32:32
The Holmeville Seam known as the Staple Seam
32:48
Tom Richardson, winder driver with a shaky hand - maybe Parkinsons Disease
33:26
Albert Sammerville went to Balmain followed by Jack Ross, engineer
34:00
Married, May 28, 1926 - no family.
34:29
Transferred to Abermain No. 2. Commenced work at Abermain, Sept 1923
34:44
Bellbird Disaster, September 9, 1923
34:54
Recollection of Bellbird disaster
35:50
Recalls playing social tennis at Abermain.
37:13
Manager's residence built by Stronach during the First World War.
38:10
Location of Price's store, Abermain in John Street
38:25
Location of Hopes' store, Abermain - Hope bought Price out.
39:04
Ditton & Hill Bus Company
39:27
Joe Doyle's buses operated from from Cessnock station
40:06
Recollection of early Kurri priest who lived in the Presbytery. He was riding the mare Topsy who got into a bit of trouble with the harness. Bill "Yummy" Dickson was riding his bike and he tried to help. There is a mix up of the words reins and brains.
41:24
Recalls Denman Hotel being built with bricks being carted from Abermain station by dray.
41:47
Location of Hill's brickyard, Neath signal box. Neath pub was built from
these bricks too.
43:12
Wilson Barrett. Early brick yard at Kurri near the current railway.
45:09
Travelled from Charles Street, Abermain by bicycle
45:31
Tape duration
SubjectPenniment, Leslie William, 1902-Abermain No. 1 Colliery (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 2 Colliery (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 3 Colliery (N.S.W.)Education -- New South Wales -- Cessnock RegionCessnock (N.S.W.)Abermain (N.S.W.)Railroads -- New South WalesDenman Hotel (Abermain, N.S.W.)PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJack GehrigA.J. "Mick" FrameWilson BarrettCreatorPenniment, Leslie William, 1902-Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010PlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created11th February 1982Location[1] Denman Hotel, Abermain, NSW[2] Abermain No. 1 Colliery, NSW[3] Abermain No. 2 Colliery, NSW[4] Abermain No. 3 Colliery, NSW[5] Cessnock, NSWIdentifier213Aloading google map....
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Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Les Penniment (1902-) - Mines Clerk and Cessnock resident. Recorded 11th February 1982. Part 1/2., [213A]. Living Histories, accessed 07/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55843