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Jack "Digger" Dodd

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Jack Snape (1904-1985) - Mineworker. Recorded 12 April 1983. Part 1/2.

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SummaryJACK SNAPE
Recorded 12th April 1983
Part 1/2

0:59
Jack was born Ulmarra near Grafton, 1904

1:09
Jack didn't know when his family came to Cessnock but he knew they were related to William Snape. Father worked in police force stationed at Bollwarinna. His mother was a little woman who couldn't stand the sun.

2:19
His mother came from Ulmarra. Reason family moved to Cessnock

2:45
First settled at Ellalong - Jones the schoolteacher was married to his mother's sister and made the decision to move while on a visit to Ellalong. They moved next door to the butcher shop.

3:40
Attended Ellalong Public School - he was born 10th March 1904. He attended the new school and could not recall the one that burned down.

6:05
Began work at Paxton Colliery, age 14 - and worked there till he was 60. His name was the first on the books.

6:40
Location of original coal bores

6:47
Fred Daunt (Jack initially pronounces it Dent) It was where the pit is now that he put in the first bore.

8:00
Recalls cutting wood to stock boilers - it was 3ft long to fit the boiler firebox. It was his job to cut these cores and he was paid 3/6 a core. The wood was cut down on the property. It was bush where Paxton township is today. That was called No 1. Recollection of early Paxton township

8:54
Hector McDonald, owner of the original Paxton site - Called No 1 or The Paddock

9:06
He recalls 10 - 15 bullock teams drawing timber from the top end of Congewai and taking it to Cessnock to mill.

9:27
They took it to Gould's timber mill, - near the railway. Goulds had previously been at Ellalong.

10:10
Tom Smith was one of the bullocky drivers - he had a full time job as the main man.

10:24
The Goulds had a horse team. Frank Gould was in charge of the mill. Harold Gould was Frank's son.

11:56
Harry Bridge (uncle) had a bit of a cattle run near the Kalingo pit. "It was more of a roo country club".

12:14
Jack's mother was a Campbell.

12:21
Georgina Bridge, married Harry Bridge and was Jack's father's sister.(aunt) Harry rented the mill site to Frank Gould.

13:34
Hector McDonald owned Paddock No 1.

13:41
It was too long a day to take the logs from Congewai to Cessnock. They travelled from Congewai Road down to Paterson's Hill. Early bullock road to Cessnock

14:14
Early Pelton town known as Whyalla - the bullockies rented where the town of Paxton is now - The Middle Road or Whyalla. The big paddock was fenced in. They mustered them up in the morning.

15:23
Amos Hall - his bullocks had the best. His bullocks followed him when he called them - they followed him like dogs. He'd open people's gates or cut fences. He lived up Wallaby Gully. They travelled everywhere by horse. People usually could ride a horse before they could walk.

17:38
Arthur Forbes, the Daunts, the Wyndhams.

17:55
Herb Daunt the dentist in Cessnock Most people around there belonged to the Church of England.

18:42
Hector McDonald was a "money man". He lived at "Barraba House" and owned all that country out there.

19:03
Owen Smith, Laurie Smith, Tom Smith, Joe Smith, "Butt" Smith. They were born and reared at "Smith's Hill" which is through Pelton along The Middle Road. Smith's Hill was on the right before you go down to Ellalong.

20:08
It may have been Tommy Smith who cut the throat of a horse belonging to Tucker Hollingshed. The latter was "doing his missus over".

21:12
Fred Daunt and his brother and Val Bridge

21:29
George Thursby worked on the boilers.

22:09
Recalls removal of bore material

22:36
Description of boring process 22:44 Depth of single bore - about 18 - 20ft which took more than a day to dig.

25:08
Bore pipe was motor-driven

25:46
Diamond-bit bore head - it was a slow process.

26:27
Recalls location of bores, Paxton

28:22
Roland Snape (father)

28:29
Father turned first sod at Paxton - no ceremony - it was right where the shaft was.

28:36
George Brown turned the first sod at Aberdare.

28:55
There were 10 or 15 workers working every three shifts, Paxton Colliery

30:00
Mr Sawyer, first Paxton manager

31:05
Recalls construction of Paxton shaft. It was bricked

32:02
Recollection of Paxton brick maker. He made bricks for everything.

33:01
Tom Farley was the brick maker and he worked with another fellow.

33:33
Recollection of Paxton sawmill which came after the brick business was operating. There was a big kiln.

34:43
Method of transporting man down shaft in a bucket. It was lowered by a steam driven rope. Four or five men travelled in the bucket at a time.

35:36
Jim Keivers and Frank Keivers made all the poppet heads. They were builders. Jim was the pit top boss.

36:47
Recollection of pit timber and the bolts made by the blacksmiths.

37:59
Bill Beckett carted the boiler to the Paxton site with his bullock team from Cessnock. Recollection of "mystery" bore sunk

41:13
Recalls first mechanisation of Paxton pit - first in Australia. 3 miles underground.

44:10
Jack Dodd.

Tape duration: 45:08 Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectEllalong (N.S.W.)Paxton Colliery (N.S.W.)Stanford Main No 2 Colliery (N.S.W.)Bullock teamsSnape, Jack Leslie, 1904-1985 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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

Depicts or Relates ToJack "Digger" Dodd Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorSnape, Jack Leslie, 1904-1985Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the Hunter Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Date Created12th April 1983 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Location^[1]Ulmarra, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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

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

Identifier269A Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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