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George Wilkinson (1900-) - Mineworker, Abermain No. 2 Colliery. Recorded 31 July 1983. Part 2/2
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Summary308B George Wilkinson
Recorded 31 July 1983. Part 2 of 2.
0:18
Curly Wyborn - lived in Mulbring. George, as storeman used to visit him to book in his timber.
0:52
Recalls Curly supplying pit timber to Rhondda from Mulbring. He took the bullock team along the Gap Road. They spragged the wheels.
1:54
Fred Whiting killed 8 bullocks one morning coming down the mountain. The load easily over runs and crashes into the bullocks.
2:20
Recalls hunting game at Quorrobolong - every Friday night he and his brother would walk to the mountain at Quorrobolong returning at 8pm on Sunday. "It kept us away from the pub".
4:05
Outlines interest in bee keeping.
5:26
Recollection of accident in a car and with 40 skips. He had only a broken wrist after being under them for 30 minutes. He did the rope splicing.
5:43
Frank Moorehead.
7:03
Dave Eros taught George splicing.
7:12
Pat Fallons was the manager who left to go to Redhead.
7:56
Haulage band rope went straight down the air shaft. It drove all the other 5 clutches in the pit.
8:09
How the clutch worked of the main rope - driven by steam engine.
10:19
Jimmy Fallons - the Superintendent.
11:28
Freddie Millington, Chief Clerk married Miss Worth from Coolongolook - they were both over 40 when they married. They had 9 children!
12:25
Abe Millington - the pigeon man.
12:37
Johnny Brown - one of the early office clerks. "He was well liked". He was the President of the Coop in Cessnock. He kept fit walking from Cessnock to Bellbird almost every morning.
14:49
Recollection of cyclone at Kearsley.
14:59
The Miners' Hall, Kearsley was blown away.
15:20
Chris Thompson pit top boss at Central was involved in its construction. George said he'd seen 4x2's speared 6ft into the ground.
16:00
Recollection of freak storm in Kearsley. The Methodist Church was blown away completely. The Church of England was blown off its blocks. It took the sheets of iron off a lot of houses. Kearsley has always been a cooperative community.
Fred Parsons brother-in-law.
18:27
Tom Jefferies.
19:42
Recalls opening of Kearsley Co-operative.
19:58
Recalls early shops in Kearsley.
20:33
Don McDonald, the butcher
George had a lot of Beagles.
22:50
Atkinson's first store in Kearsley which closed up when the old man died.
23:30
Hancock's Kearsley Grey Buses.
24:06
"Puddin" Patrick's horse bus used to run from Aberdare Hotel to the main street in Cessnock. 2d was the cost of the fare.
245:33
There was an open-air picture show at the back of Vincent Street. Then the Empire Theatre came near the Fire Station.
25:39
The Strand Picture Theatre in Cessnock where fights were also held.
26:02
Recollection of Patrick's horse bus which ran from Aberdare Hotel.
26:24
Billy Booth always tried to catch the fellows playing dice in the billiard room.
26:55
Tibby Fairleigh's billiard rooms.
27:51
Joe Cummins - George recalls Tibby hurling two billiard balls at Joe. Joe "he was a bit of a beggar".
28:53
Smacker Freebairn and his son, John Freebairn who is a police sergeant in Foster.
29:14
Origin of bricks used at Abermain.
29:32
Worked at Abernethy brick kiln "pugging up".
29:44
Claude O'Hara.
29:54
O'Hara's brick works at Abernethy pit. 2,000 bricks cost £10/16 and were carted on the job.
30:36
Location of Neath brickworks.
Location of Kearsley brickworks.
32:54
Recalls bullock teams in Vincent Street.
33:28
Recollection of early Vincent Street - made of wooden blocks from Kempe's corner - George was a kid then.
34:15
Recollection of early bridge across the main road in Cessnock.
34:45
McCulloch's blacksmith's in the middle of the street opposite the bank.
35:57
George and his wife had three children - all girls.
One of his daughters married Sam Kirkup who was a deputy.
The other daughter married Wally Butterworth from Abernethy.
36:52
George's school teacher daughter married Jim Franz from Pymble.
38:07
Recollection of life during the Lockout.
38:38
Dole money 22/6 per week for the family with 3 kids. During the Depression - he trapped rabbits, fish were caught.
42:11
Diamond Wedding Anniversary - 60 years of marriage.
42:27
Married at St. John's Church of England, Cessnock.
43:25
Uncle Joe Sumner was George's best man. His wife's sister (Miss Richardson) was the bridesmaid.
43:37
Bill and Joe Richardson
44:25
Their honeymoon was spent at the George's Hotel in Newcastle.
45:05
End (Tape 308/Side B) Part 2 of 2
SubjectWilkinson, George Leslie, 1900-1988Kearsley (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 2 Colliery (N.S.W.)Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- CessnockCessnock (N.S.W.)Northern (Rhondda) Colliery (N.S.W.)PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJohn BrownFred ParsonsCreatorWilkinson, George Leslie, 1900-1988Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created31st July 1983Location[1] Northern Rhondda Colliery, NSW[2] Abermain No. 2 Colliery, NSWIdentifier308B
Recorded 31 July 1983. Part 2 of 2.
0:18
Curly Wyborn - lived in Mulbring. George, as storeman used to visit him to book in his timber.
0:52
Recalls Curly supplying pit timber to Rhondda from Mulbring. He took the bullock team along the Gap Road. They spragged the wheels.
1:54
Fred Whiting killed 8 bullocks one morning coming down the mountain. The load easily over runs and crashes into the bullocks.
2:20
Recalls hunting game at Quorrobolong - every Friday night he and his brother would walk to the mountain at Quorrobolong returning at 8pm on Sunday. "It kept us away from the pub".
4:05
Outlines interest in bee keeping.
5:26
Recollection of accident in a car and with 40 skips. He had only a broken wrist after being under them for 30 minutes. He did the rope splicing.
5:43
Frank Moorehead.
7:03
Dave Eros taught George splicing.
7:12
Pat Fallons was the manager who left to go to Redhead.
7:56
Haulage band rope went straight down the air shaft. It drove all the other 5 clutches in the pit.
8:09
How the clutch worked of the main rope - driven by steam engine.
10:19
Jimmy Fallons - the Superintendent.
11:28
Freddie Millington, Chief Clerk married Miss Worth from Coolongolook - they were both over 40 when they married. They had 9 children!
12:25
Abe Millington - the pigeon man.
12:37
Johnny Brown - one of the early office clerks. "He was well liked". He was the President of the Coop in Cessnock. He kept fit walking from Cessnock to Bellbird almost every morning.
14:49
Recollection of cyclone at Kearsley.
14:59
The Miners' Hall, Kearsley was blown away.
15:20
Chris Thompson pit top boss at Central was involved in its construction. George said he'd seen 4x2's speared 6ft into the ground.
16:00
Recollection of freak storm in Kearsley. The Methodist Church was blown away completely. The Church of England was blown off its blocks. It took the sheets of iron off a lot of houses. Kearsley has always been a cooperative community.
Fred Parsons brother-in-law.
18:27
Tom Jefferies.
19:42
Recalls opening of Kearsley Co-operative.
19:58
Recalls early shops in Kearsley.
20:33
Don McDonald, the butcher
George had a lot of Beagles.
22:50
Atkinson's first store in Kearsley which closed up when the old man died.
23:30
Hancock's Kearsley Grey Buses.
24:06
"Puddin" Patrick's horse bus used to run from Aberdare Hotel to the main street in Cessnock. 2d was the cost of the fare.
245:33
There was an open-air picture show at the back of Vincent Street. Then the Empire Theatre came near the Fire Station.
25:39
The Strand Picture Theatre in Cessnock where fights were also held.
26:02
Recollection of Patrick's horse bus which ran from Aberdare Hotel.
26:24
Billy Booth always tried to catch the fellows playing dice in the billiard room.
26:55
Tibby Fairleigh's billiard rooms.
27:51
Joe Cummins - George recalls Tibby hurling two billiard balls at Joe. Joe "he was a bit of a beggar".
28:53
Smacker Freebairn and his son, John Freebairn who is a police sergeant in Foster.
29:14
Origin of bricks used at Abermain.
29:32
Worked at Abernethy brick kiln "pugging up".
29:44
Claude O'Hara.
29:54
O'Hara's brick works at Abernethy pit. 2,000 bricks cost £10/16 and were carted on the job.
30:36
Location of Neath brickworks.
Location of Kearsley brickworks.
32:54
Recalls bullock teams in Vincent Street.
33:28
Recollection of early Vincent Street - made of wooden blocks from Kempe's corner - George was a kid then.
34:15
Recollection of early bridge across the main road in Cessnock.
34:45
McCulloch's blacksmith's in the middle of the street opposite the bank.
35:57
George and his wife had three children - all girls.
One of his daughters married Sam Kirkup who was a deputy.
The other daughter married Wally Butterworth from Abernethy.
36:52
George's school teacher daughter married Jim Franz from Pymble.
38:07
Recollection of life during the Lockout.
38:38
Dole money 22/6 per week for the family with 3 kids. During the Depression - he trapped rabbits, fish were caught.
42:11
Diamond Wedding Anniversary - 60 years of marriage.
42:27
Married at St. John's Church of England, Cessnock.
43:25
Uncle Joe Sumner was George's best man. His wife's sister (Miss Richardson) was the bridesmaid.
43:37
Bill and Joe Richardson
44:25
Their honeymoon was spent at the George's Hotel in Newcastle.
45:05
End (Tape 308/Side B) Part 2 of 2
SubjectWilkinson, George Leslie, 1900-1988Kearsley (N.S.W.)Abermain No. 2 Colliery (N.S.W.)Coal mines and mining -- New South Wales -- CessnockCessnock (N.S.W.)Northern (Rhondda) Colliery (N.S.W.)PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToJohn BrownFred ParsonsCreatorWilkinson, George Leslie, 1900-1988Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created31st July 1983Location[1] Northern Rhondda Colliery, NSW[2] Abermain No. 2 Colliery, NSWIdentifier308Bloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, George Wilkinson (1900-) - Mineworker, Abermain No. 2 Colliery. Recorded 31 July 1983. Part 2/2 , [308B]. Living Histories, accessed 01/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/87326