Daughter of Edward and Rebecca Martha
Violet was the eldest child of Edward and Rebecca Martha. She married Charles Ernest Crowley – Charles was the son of Fred Crowley and his wife Ann (nee Sinden), of “Gowrie” Cobbadah.
Violet had been “lady help” for Mrs Crowley (her future mother-in-law) at “Gowrie” for 25/- per week, plus her keep and considered it ‘good enough’. Violet, 90 years old in July 1991, lives at Tamworth next door to her daughter Daphne Etheridge and son-in-law Trevor, in Amaroo Road.
Violet recalls her life and early childhood at “The Downs”.
‘On “The Downs” the shearer was a neighbour usually, and used a one-stand plant turning the handle, to enable the machine to shear. Not sure if blades were ever used.
Father always had a couple of men to help with fencing, timber work etc. There were no rabbits in my time. Wells (for water) were dug by my father and the men employed – dams were also made with ploughs and scoops.
“The Downs” grazed Hereford cattle and Merino sheep. We always grew our own vegetables. A little wheat was grown with single furrow plough for stock feed. Hawkers called frequently, and mail came by sulky from Caroda where there was a post office. There was no telephone.
We only had one teacher, Miss Lamrock, who later became Mrs Walter Tuffrey. I walked two miles to school. At my 90th birthday party, two of my friends from school were present – Dorrie Smith (nee Tuffrey) and her sister Flo Braily (nee Tuffrey). Both Tuffrey girls lived at Rocky Creek.
During the First World War dances were held in a neighbour’s wool shed to aid the soldiers. Not often though, and we went there by horse and sulky. And oh yes, did we enjoy them!
In the early days we went to town by horse and sulky or buggy once a year, before the car. It took three days to go to town, one up, one shopping, and one home. We left very early in the morning and stayed at night with my father’s sister at Barraba (Mary Schmidt). Once at the show I entered a pair of socks – darned – they were sent in by the teacher and won first prize.
Provisions came by wagon from Barraba once a year – cases of food of different kinds, flour and sugar in large (wheat-sized) bags, cases of jams etc. We attended Church of England services, mainly in private homes – Tuffreys at Rocky Creek.’