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Tom Rennex (1904-1991) - Mineworker, Aberdare Colliery. Recorded 4 December 1983. Part 1/1.

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SummaryTOM RENNEX
Recorded 4 December 1983
Part 1/1

0:34
Tom Rennex was born in 1904 in Minmi. He was about 7 when he moved to Cessnock in 1910.

1:13
His mother’s maiden name was Fairfull.

1:30
He lived first at old Sheddon’s sawmill yard. He walked to Aberdare school until they moved to Aberdare.

1:53
James Patrick’s horse buses. They ran from Aberdare Hotel to Vincent Street Cessnock. Peter Doyle had a service carrying the mail from Cessnock to Wollombi.

2:43
Patrick lived in Northcote Street in Aberdare. They had coal carts as well. He got killed with a horse and dray at Aberdare pit.

3:47
It was an open single decker bus with a step at the back. The 2 long seats faced each other seating about 12.

4:29
Peter Doyle had a covered bus and took people to the racecourse at Cessnock. He also had a horse and sulky service to Wollombi.

5:47
Charley Luscombe had a shooting gallery at one time on the opposite side to the Ex Serviceman’s Club.

6:39
In 1915/16 Tom used to ride on the trolleys that were cutting the rail line.

8:19
Jack asks Tom’s wife, who grew up in Bellbird, her cousin was Arthur Cook, about an old inn behind a blacksmith’s shop, Lochinvar Street. It was an old boarding house. She had been in Bellbird since she was one year old. The old Enterprise Hall.

12:18
Tom worked 32 years at Aberdare pit. He got “skittled by a fall of coal” and was off work for 18 months, 4 months in hospital. He later got a job in 1950 at the Power House “doing nothing but feeding a couple of horses” – he left in 1952.

15:20
Joe Cashman. ex Detective Sergeant.

18:12
Early Cessnock history – Col Hancock. Bill Hancock’s bus The Marguerite at Aberdare – “he got smashed up at a coal train at Aberdare crossing”. The Govoronskys.
The Hancock brothers and their history.

21:55
The Marguerite

22:33
Bill Jenkins

22:50
Frank Crowley, drove for Bill Jenkins. Bryn Jenkins used to cart timber for the pits.

27:45
Amy Chapman, Jim Crosley, Bert Townsend ran to Central pit.

29:32
Holidaying at Laurieton. A near drowning accident of their son.

31:46
Stan Barksby. Ken Johns. Tom Fairfull.
Bryn and Leah’s daughters Joyce and Ruth.

35:28
Tom’s wife describes how her mother maintained their bag hut in Bellbird. Her father built a timber house next door.

36:48
Tom’s wife’s mother laid the men out after the Bellbird disaster. She was also a midwife. She was born in Coonabarabran in 1914 and followed the rail down to Bellbird. Both of her parents were often called on by the community to repair pipes, shoe horses because he was a blacksmith or her mother, as the nurse, to be with people when they were close to death or women when they were about to have their babies.
Billy Evans, the chemist. Dr Bloomfield, the doctor.

Tape duration: 43:21 Last edited by: Dave Trimble

SubjectRennex née Cook, Eunice Maude, 1914-1994 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Rennex, Thomas Wells, 1904-1991 Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Aberdare Colliery (N.S.W.)Cessnock (N.S.W.)Bus lines -- New South Wales -- CessnockBusesHorse busesPatrick's bus companyCockle Creek Power StationPersonJack Delaney Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Depicts or Relates ToTom Fairfull Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

CreatorRennex, Thomas Wells, 1904-1991Rennex née Cook, Eunice Maude, 1914-1994Delaney, 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 Created4th December 1983Location^[1]Cessnock, NSW Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

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

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

Identifier349B Last edited by: lyn.keily@newcastle.edu.au

Job Identifier349B

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