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Isabella Wilkinson née Sumner (1904-1988) - Kearsley resident. Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1/2
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Summary309A Isabella Wilkinson
Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1 of 2.
0:34
Joseph Sumner was her father.
0:44
Isabella Sumner was her maiden name - there were 2 boys and 2 girls in her family.
0:47
Jim Sumner was her cousin
1:07
Father held Australia Hotel licence transferred from Oakhampton, Maitland in 1922. He had been working for Tooheys.
2:53
Her family lived in Kearsley from 1912. Father worked as overman, Abermain No. 1.
3:05
Father-in-law was under manager, Abermain No.1
3:26
Recollection of Kearsley "bag school" - "you could duck out anywhere". Recollection of school teachers - Mr Rolf was a teacher. He may have left and set up a cordial factory at Weston.
Mr Algie (sp?) was the first headmaster.
There were about 20 at the bag school.
4:53
Recalls Edenville becoming flooded
5:19
Charlie Sumner, uncle - her dad's brother. Their house was made from timber from the mills. "There were some nice bag houses - they used to paint them." Papered inside. Mrs Atkinson had the grocery store.
Joe Cummins lived in Kearsley.
7:11
Father worked as over man, then he worked for Toohey's breweries.
7:45
Father held Kearsley Hotel licence. He then transferred the license to the Garretts and the Turnbulls in 1920/21.
8:09
Ernie Garrett.
9:17
Held wedding reception at Australia Hotel in 1923. There were mostly men working in the Hotel. They took in boarders.
They were married either the weekend of the Bellbird Disaster or the weekend after. 1923.
12:10
Joan Wilkinson was Isabella's daughter.
13:46
Geordie O'Brien used to work on the pit top.
14:05
Isabella was born in 1904 in Dudley. "We could have bought all Dudley for 50 pound but we didn't have it. Now they're 60,000 a block".
14:42
Her father Joe Sumner turned the first sod of the Lake Road on November 18th 1922 - he was the Secretary of the Combined Committees of the Alliance of the Cessnock Progress Association and the Mining Lodges.
15:33
Edenville previously called Kearsley [sic].
16:13
Mr R. Dick held the license after Joe Sumner. Ern Garret followed as licensee.
16:17
Mr Bob Smith
16:21
Mr Bill Gilmore
16:42
Bill Hampton
19:42
Recalls father's death while working at the pit. He was aged 65 he was manager of Airley Shale Mine at Capertee.
20:44
Bill Richardson, brother-in-law
20:57
Frances Richardson, sister
21:30
Norma Wilkinson her daughter was born in 1932. Daughter Joan went through college during the Depression in Armidale. She died when she was 48.
22:48
Recollection of school teachers - Mr Algie, Mr Sullivan
23:04
Recollection of policeman, Kearsley - Policeman Thompson was a policeman who wasn't well liked. Mr Hollis was the first policeman.
24:09
Recollection of house parties, socials, walking to the pictures.
25:15
Hancock had the first buses. The kids used to go to Cessnock for 3d.
Bob Hill drove the buses. "You could give the kids 6d and they could go on the bus, to the picture show and home again"
Bunny Sneddon married Norma Tuck.
25:56
Wally Govoronski (his brother was Nick) both brothers spent a long time with Bunny.
27:18
Recalls violent storm at Kearsley
27:48
Alec Sumner Isabella's brother
28:01
The Tin Hall, Aberdare - Dances were held here and at the East End Bowling Club Dance - fortnightly or monthly. The Workers Club had old time dances.
29:02
Enid Lane and her husband used to play at the dances.
29:07
Lenny Tomlinson played drums.
29:16
Billy Power and Jim Moody
29:34
Location of Miner's Hall, Kearsley was blown away in the storm.
30:27
Catholic church held dances in hall and at the school. There were the Church of England and the Methodist churches at Kearsley. The Salvation Army used to come out and play in the streets.
31:35
Frieda Rowan - the Church of England sometimes held services in her home.
32:20
The Store opened in Kearsley. Isabella's mother owned the land on which The Store was built. It eventually came into the hands of Billy Davey's parents.
33:27
Atkinson's bakery, Kearsley
34:22
Joan Davey
34:38
Jim, Tom, Billy,
John, May, Lil Davey.
36:01
Pat Davey, nee Atkinson married Billy Davey.
36:57
McDonald's butcher was the first butchery in Kearsley - "you could get a sugar bag of meat 2/6."
37:32
Glen Pedall - newsagent during the days of Isabella's children.
38:06
Alec Linton.
Isabella's parents were in Neath - their name was Dick
39:33
Alec, Robert and Jack Dick - her uncles
Max Dick Her nephew married Patricia
40:53
Neath community was initially a bag town until the timber houses were built. Her mother may have been the first shop in Neath. She used to make the ice cream, her own brawn. Alongside the shop was the hall - originally the School of Arts. There were also dances and picture shows. Neath was a great soccer town. The women used to put on a "hot spread" every Saturday afternoon at the hall after the match. Joe Shakespeare's daughter was scalded at one of these dinner preparations. The cabbage cooking in the copper was knocked back on to her and she died (aged 7 or 8).
"Bobs" was a popular game - similar to billiards or pool.
Her mother came from Dudley to live with Grandma Dick and for the men to get work. While her father was working, her mother opened the shop.
The post office was near the Pumping Station.
44:58
End (Tape 309/Side A) Part 1 of 2
SubjectWilkinson née Sumner, Isabella, 1904-1988Kearsley (N.S.W.)Cessnock (N.S.W.)HotelsPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToNick GovoronskyJohn "Bunny" Snaddon (1923-) - Bus driver, Cessnock area. Recorded 9 November 1983. Part 1/1.CreatorWilkinson née Sumner, Isabella, 1904-1988Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created22nd August 1983Location[1] Kearsley, NSWIdentifier309A
Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1 of 2.
0:34
Joseph Sumner was her father.
0:44
Isabella Sumner was her maiden name - there were 2 boys and 2 girls in her family.
0:47
Jim Sumner was her cousin
1:07
Father held Australia Hotel licence transferred from Oakhampton, Maitland in 1922. He had been working for Tooheys.
2:53
Her family lived in Kearsley from 1912. Father worked as overman, Abermain No. 1.
3:05
Father-in-law was under manager, Abermain No.1
3:26
Recollection of Kearsley "bag school" - "you could duck out anywhere". Recollection of school teachers - Mr Rolf was a teacher. He may have left and set up a cordial factory at Weston.
Mr Algie (sp?) was the first headmaster.
There were about 20 at the bag school.
4:53
Recalls Edenville becoming flooded
5:19
Charlie Sumner, uncle - her dad's brother. Their house was made from timber from the mills. "There were some nice bag houses - they used to paint them." Papered inside. Mrs Atkinson had the grocery store.
Joe Cummins lived in Kearsley.
7:11
Father worked as over man, then he worked for Toohey's breweries.
7:45
Father held Kearsley Hotel licence. He then transferred the license to the Garretts and the Turnbulls in 1920/21.
8:09
Ernie Garrett.
9:17
Held wedding reception at Australia Hotel in 1923. There were mostly men working in the Hotel. They took in boarders.
They were married either the weekend of the Bellbird Disaster or the weekend after. 1923.
12:10
Joan Wilkinson was Isabella's daughter.
13:46
Geordie O'Brien used to work on the pit top.
14:05
Isabella was born in 1904 in Dudley. "We could have bought all Dudley for 50 pound but we didn't have it. Now they're 60,000 a block".
14:42
Her father Joe Sumner turned the first sod of the Lake Road on November 18th 1922 - he was the Secretary of the Combined Committees of the Alliance of the Cessnock Progress Association and the Mining Lodges.
15:33
Edenville previously called Kearsley [sic].
16:13
Mr R. Dick held the license after Joe Sumner. Ern Garret followed as licensee.
16:17
Mr Bob Smith
16:21
Mr Bill Gilmore
16:42
Bill Hampton
19:42
Recalls father's death while working at the pit. He was aged 65 he was manager of Airley Shale Mine at Capertee.
20:44
Bill Richardson, brother-in-law
20:57
Frances Richardson, sister
21:30
Norma Wilkinson her daughter was born in 1932. Daughter Joan went through college during the Depression in Armidale. She died when she was 48.
22:48
Recollection of school teachers - Mr Algie, Mr Sullivan
23:04
Recollection of policeman, Kearsley - Policeman Thompson was a policeman who wasn't well liked. Mr Hollis was the first policeman.
24:09
Recollection of house parties, socials, walking to the pictures.
25:15
Hancock had the first buses. The kids used to go to Cessnock for 3d.
Bob Hill drove the buses. "You could give the kids 6d and they could go on the bus, to the picture show and home again"
Bunny Sneddon married Norma Tuck.
25:56
Wally Govoronski (his brother was Nick) both brothers spent a long time with Bunny.
27:18
Recalls violent storm at Kearsley
27:48
Alec Sumner Isabella's brother
28:01
The Tin Hall, Aberdare - Dances were held here and at the East End Bowling Club Dance - fortnightly or monthly. The Workers Club had old time dances.
29:02
Enid Lane and her husband used to play at the dances.
29:07
Lenny Tomlinson played drums.
29:16
Billy Power and Jim Moody
29:34
Location of Miner's Hall, Kearsley was blown away in the storm.
30:27
Catholic church held dances in hall and at the school. There were the Church of England and the Methodist churches at Kearsley. The Salvation Army used to come out and play in the streets.
31:35
Frieda Rowan - the Church of England sometimes held services in her home.
32:20
The Store opened in Kearsley. Isabella's mother owned the land on which The Store was built. It eventually came into the hands of Billy Davey's parents.
33:27
Atkinson's bakery, Kearsley
34:22
Joan Davey
34:38
Jim, Tom, Billy,
John, May, Lil Davey.
36:01
Pat Davey, nee Atkinson married Billy Davey.
36:57
McDonald's butcher was the first butchery in Kearsley - "you could get a sugar bag of meat 2/6."
37:32
Glen Pedall - newsagent during the days of Isabella's children.
38:06
Alec Linton.
Isabella's parents were in Neath - their name was Dick
39:33
Alec, Robert and Jack Dick - her uncles
Max Dick Her nephew married Patricia
40:53
Neath community was initially a bag town until the timber houses were built. Her mother may have been the first shop in Neath. She used to make the ice cream, her own brawn. Alongside the shop was the hall - originally the School of Arts. There were also dances and picture shows. Neath was a great soccer town. The women used to put on a "hot spread" every Saturday afternoon at the hall after the match. Joe Shakespeare's daughter was scalded at one of these dinner preparations. The cabbage cooking in the copper was knocked back on to her and she died (aged 7 or 8).
"Bobs" was a popular game - similar to billiards or pool.
Her mother came from Dudley to live with Grandma Dick and for the men to get work. While her father was working, her mother opened the shop.
The post office was near the Pumping Station.
44:58
End (Tape 309/Side A) Part 1 of 2
SubjectWilkinson née Sumner, Isabella, 1904-1988Kearsley (N.S.W.)Cessnock (N.S.W.)HotelsPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToNick GovoronskyJohn "Bunny" Snaddon (1923-) - Bus driver, Cessnock area. Recorded 9 November 1983. Part 1/1.CreatorWilkinson née Sumner, Isabella, 1904-1988Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created22nd August 1983Location[1] Kearsley, NSWIdentifier309Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Isabella Wilkinson née Sumner (1904-1988) - Kearsley resident. Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1/2, [309A]. Living Histories, accessed 07/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/87327