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David "Jack" Prout (1907-1987) - Bellbird Miners' Lodge Secretary, Recorded 5 December 1983. Part 2/2
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SummaryDavid “Jack” Henry Prout
Recorded 05 December 1983.
Part 2 of 2
0:03
If shot firers take ill they could use a deputy in their place, and if they could call on Jack, which they could. They gave him the job.
Enjoyed working at Buchanan, Athol Lightfoot told him he had work at Buchanan, since they asked him what he thought of Jack’s work. He didn’t have a car and was worried about getting there.
Worked with Eric Newham, Jack was the local check inspector as well as lodge secretary at Bellbird, he was well versed in the Coal Mines Regulations Act on safety matters. As local check inspector he would look at the gate inbox, the electrical switchboard, noticing someone had jammed a wedge in the make and break mechanism, there was an electrical fault, and because they had no time to fix it and rather than delay production someone could have been electrocuted. A production man, Bob Stansbury, asked what happened when the electricity stopped running everything once Jack switched it all off. He remained to guard the box until someone could fix it and to ensure no one tried to put another wedge in, if they did they would lose their ticket and Jack would report the issue.
5:59
Eric Newham was at the colliery that day and rang down to find out the issue, John Stansby was one of the men working on fixing it. Newham thanked Jack for protecting the men, three weeks later he was in his Chrysler about 18 feet long, eight cylinder and fins on the back could do about 150 miles an hour, and he crashed down near Wyong somewhere, his car was a write off and he was nearly a write off. He spent quite a while in hospital, six months later he came back to work but was never the same man.
8:43
In the days when Jack was secretary he dealt with Sir John Buttes who was the treasurer. When they were on strike for a safety issue he thinks for about a month, word was sent that Sir J. Buttes wants a meeting with the lodge executive, and Miners’ Federation heads at his office in Bridge Street Sydney. They went down to the conference room to discuss the industrial dispute. Jack Barrett was the check inspector at the time, George Neale was the miners' official he thinks. Jack was a starter of Bellbird Workers Club in 1949, he started the club himself, and was the first secretary. To get started they rented a shop which is where it still is today, at the time it was a barber shop.
Henry Bonomini was the publican. During the war years there were twenty of thirty ink berry bushes out the back of the hotel, whatever his quota of beer was he would black market quarts and send them out to Wollombi and get any old price for it, it was strong and Jack believes he used the ink berries to colour it. They got such a bad deal locally that he had no trouble getting people to join the club, and got their beer second hand from Cessnock Workers Club, Tom Duncan. Some of the members were worried about being picked up for illegally trading. They got a tip to trade in tokens instead of money, got a thousand or more tokens from Sydney, one token represented one middy. The tokens were about the size of a shilling. One morning a man came in asking who was in charge, Jack was though he had no licence for selling beer, but he pointed out no money was changing hands. Sargent Kempton of the Vice Squad at Newcastle. Jack got legal advice from Fred Hallam, who told them they could win at court since they had no proof, but it would cost a fortune.
17:26
Hallam told Jack to go see Bill Crook, who spoke with Kempton and tell him they would plead guilty as long as he made the fine as slight as he can, the club was fined 100 pound for being unlicensed. Crook advised they don’t trade for about a month, then gave them a note and instructions to speak with Inspector Kerry of the Cessnock Police. Told him they want to start up business again, as they had a promise of 1600 pound from the Miners' Federation at two percent interest, and also a promise from the coal board to give a thousand also, so 2,600 pound would get going nicely. Kerry told them that he could give them a guarantee they would not be picked up by his men, though not to repeat it cos he would deny it, and would let them know if he got work of Vice Squad coming through, but no guarantee they would not get picked up as sometimes they have no warning. Became licensed club in early 1950’s, the bulk of the customers came from West Cessnock and Cessnock, liked that they knew everyone.
21:43
Bellbird Colliery brickworks behind the houses on the colliery property. They never sold bricks, they were only used at the colliery. All hand made. They were used underground, they were not top class though, and they were sundried rather than fired, so they weathered quickly. Sawmill at Bellbird was near the pit top near the bathroom and boilers, the Schultz brothers operated sawmill. When Jack first came to the area it was lousy with birds of all description, he names a few. There was no farming in the area, but there was an orchard in Bellbird, owned by Brown he also worked at the pit. Cook also had a farm out at Wollombi somewhere. The principle in the early days were bread makers. There was a cooperative store. George Natrass.
24:47
Talking about roses. Jack Huxley on the railway used to grow roses. Effie McCallum was Jack’s wife.
28:23
End (Tape 226/Side B) part 2 of 2
Bellbird (N.S.W.)Coal mines and mining -- Law and legislation -- New South WalesLabor unions -- Miners -- New South Wales -- Hunter River RegionPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJack BarrettFred HallamHenry Bonomini (1903-1979) - Cessnock resident. Recording date unknown. Part 1/1.Location[1] Bellbird, NSW[2] Buchanan, NSWIdentifier226B
Recorded 05 December 1983.
Part 2 of 2
0:03
If shot firers take ill they could use a deputy in their place, and if they could call on Jack, which they could. They gave him the job.
Enjoyed working at Buchanan, Athol Lightfoot told him he had work at Buchanan, since they asked him what he thought of Jack’s work. He didn’t have a car and was worried about getting there.
Worked with Eric Newham, Jack was the local check inspector as well as lodge secretary at Bellbird, he was well versed in the Coal Mines Regulations Act on safety matters. As local check inspector he would look at the gate inbox, the electrical switchboard, noticing someone had jammed a wedge in the make and break mechanism, there was an electrical fault, and because they had no time to fix it and rather than delay production someone could have been electrocuted. A production man, Bob Stansbury, asked what happened when the electricity stopped running everything once Jack switched it all off. He remained to guard the box until someone could fix it and to ensure no one tried to put another wedge in, if they did they would lose their ticket and Jack would report the issue.
5:59
Eric Newham was at the colliery that day and rang down to find out the issue, John Stansby was one of the men working on fixing it. Newham thanked Jack for protecting the men, three weeks later he was in his Chrysler about 18 feet long, eight cylinder and fins on the back could do about 150 miles an hour, and he crashed down near Wyong somewhere, his car was a write off and he was nearly a write off. He spent quite a while in hospital, six months later he came back to work but was never the same man.
8:43
In the days when Jack was secretary he dealt with Sir John Buttes who was the treasurer. When they were on strike for a safety issue he thinks for about a month, word was sent that Sir J. Buttes wants a meeting with the lodge executive, and Miners’ Federation heads at his office in Bridge Street Sydney. They went down to the conference room to discuss the industrial dispute. Jack Barrett was the check inspector at the time, George Neale was the miners' official he thinks. Jack was a starter of Bellbird Workers Club in 1949, he started the club himself, and was the first secretary. To get started they rented a shop which is where it still is today, at the time it was a barber shop.
Henry Bonomini was the publican. During the war years there were twenty of thirty ink berry bushes out the back of the hotel, whatever his quota of beer was he would black market quarts and send them out to Wollombi and get any old price for it, it was strong and Jack believes he used the ink berries to colour it. They got such a bad deal locally that he had no trouble getting people to join the club, and got their beer second hand from Cessnock Workers Club, Tom Duncan. Some of the members were worried about being picked up for illegally trading. They got a tip to trade in tokens instead of money, got a thousand or more tokens from Sydney, one token represented one middy. The tokens were about the size of a shilling. One morning a man came in asking who was in charge, Jack was though he had no licence for selling beer, but he pointed out no money was changing hands. Sargent Kempton of the Vice Squad at Newcastle. Jack got legal advice from Fred Hallam, who told them they could win at court since they had no proof, but it would cost a fortune.
17:26
Hallam told Jack to go see Bill Crook, who spoke with Kempton and tell him they would plead guilty as long as he made the fine as slight as he can, the club was fined 100 pound for being unlicensed. Crook advised they don’t trade for about a month, then gave them a note and instructions to speak with Inspector Kerry of the Cessnock Police. Told him they want to start up business again, as they had a promise of 1600 pound from the Miners' Federation at two percent interest, and also a promise from the coal board to give a thousand also, so 2,600 pound would get going nicely. Kerry told them that he could give them a guarantee they would not be picked up by his men, though not to repeat it cos he would deny it, and would let them know if he got work of Vice Squad coming through, but no guarantee they would not get picked up as sometimes they have no warning. Became licensed club in early 1950’s, the bulk of the customers came from West Cessnock and Cessnock, liked that they knew everyone.
21:43
Bellbird Colliery brickworks behind the houses on the colliery property. They never sold bricks, they were only used at the colliery. All hand made. They were used underground, they were not top class though, and they were sundried rather than fired, so they weathered quickly. Sawmill at Bellbird was near the pit top near the bathroom and boilers, the Schultz brothers operated sawmill. When Jack first came to the area it was lousy with birds of all description, he names a few. There was no farming in the area, but there was an orchard in Bellbird, owned by Brown he also worked at the pit. Cook also had a farm out at Wollombi somewhere. The principle in the early days were bread makers. There was a cooperative store. George Natrass.
24:47
Talking about roses. Jack Huxley on the railway used to grow roses. Effie McCallum was Jack’s wife.
28:23
End (Tape 226/Side B) part 2 of 2
Bellbird (N.S.W.)Coal mines and mining -- Law and legislation -- New South WalesLabor unions -- Miners -- New South Wales -- Hunter River RegionPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJack BarrettFred HallamHenry Bonomini (1903-1979) - Cessnock resident. Recording date unknown. Part 1/1.Location[1] Bellbird, NSW[2] Buchanan, NSWIdentifier226Bloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, David "Jack" Prout (1907-1987) - Bellbird Miners' Lodge Secretary, Recorded 5 December 1983. Part 2/2, [226B]. Living Histories, accessed 01/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55868