Daughter of Frederick Christian and Rosina
Beatrix (Beatie) was born at Barraba on 10 March 1898, the sixth child of Christie and Rosie. She spent her early years at “Campo Santo” until her marriage to Edward Matthews on 19 November 1913. Edward (k/a Ted), born in the “Tareela” district in 1894, was the fourth child of Reuben and Sarah Matthews. Beatrix was fifteen years of age and Ted 19 years old at the time of their marriage.
It is not known when Beatrix and Ted actually moved to the Maules Creck area, but they lived there as early as 1924. In “Maules Creek – A Local History”, Jim Handsaker refers to Ted’s involvement with the “Berrioye” Progress Association, responsible for school establishment of that year.
Ted Matthews owned and operated Berrioye Sawmill until 1963, when it was taken over by the Handsaker family.
During their time at “Glendon” many woolshed dances were held there. The Matthews boys were also keen tennis and cricket players in district matches at “Berrioye” and Maules Creek. Isabel Simshauser, who also lived in the Upper Maules Creck district in her youth, remembers the Matthews family being involved with district sporting and social activities.
Maurice Simshauser tells with a laugh.
“When Ted sold the sawmill he moved to Garah and bought a cafe/garage/billiard room and another shop. Gordon Simshauser drove the blitz wagon loaded with furniture and Ted’s son George drove his wife, May, and their children. It was pouring rain and George and Gordon both had vehicle troubles – Gordon ran out of fuel and George had a breakdown.
So, in the dark, they both set out walking for help, and apparently, unaware of the other’s plight, passed each other in the dark.’ (Mind you, it was not a bitumen road in those days – just rich black soil!) Beatrix and Ted had a family of six children – William, Clarence, unnamed baby died at birth, George, Faith (died at three weeks) and Nerida.
William (K/a Bill), eldest son of Beatrix and Ted, was born at Barraba on 4 April 1914. As he grew up Bill lived and worked with his parents at “Glendon”. During the second World War, Bill served in the Air Force.
On 19 December 1944, Bill married Doreen Weakly at Gunnedah. After the war Bill and Doreen had a bakery business in Boggabri which they conducted for many years. They are now living in retirement in Boggabri.
In his early working life Bill had the Lindsay/Boggabri/Maules Creek mail run, which was originally packhorse and sulky. He worked as a mechanic at the General Motors Garage (opposite the Police Station) Boggabri, before his involvement with the bakery.
Bill and Doreen have four children – Pamela, Paul, Suzanne and Jennifer.
Pamela married Earl Wall and lives in Gunnedah. They have two children – Steven, in the Air Force, and Janine, at Gunnedah High School. Paul married Maureen Lee and they have three children – Paula, David and Natalie, who all attend school at Tamworth. Suzanne married Colin Gillham and they have two children – Deborah Hobden and Michael, who was accidently killed in 1988. Suzanne and Colin live in Boggabri. Jennifer married Jeff Spyer and they have four children – Karen Palmer living in Sydney (secretary), and Renee, Andrew and Matthew who attend school at Gunnedah.