The story of my pioneering family
Carol Burrows, 78, is an amateur writer and poet. Here she shares what happened next in the story of her grandparents, Deborah and William Watt, a pioneering family in Australia, after the tragedy that struck them one fateful day as they struggled to survive at the turn of the 20th century.
The Karoola ship sailed from Perth to Sydney, taking a family of two adults and four children to the Mahina for their journey to Auckland. It was June 1913 and the war was imminent. Their years in Australia had come to a halt as the going had been very tough, since grandad had lost the use of his right arm in an accident, while clearing land in Boulder Western Australia. His brother had told him of a farm he could move to in North Auckland.
Arriving in New Zealand with their four children – Deborah, nine, Bill, seven, John, five, and Hugh, 15 months – after a torturous trip in very rough seas, they were met by grandad’s sister who put them up for three days before they left for the north to a place called Ohiwai. Their northern trip turned out to be in vain as the farm did not eventuate. After staying there for a few weeks collecting Kauri gum to sell, as their money was running short, they returned to Auckland to look for work. The gum was sold – three bags sold for a total of £5 at the time – but that money didn’t last long. They stayed with grandad’s sister again as houses were hard to find. When they eventually found one, they paid 18 shillings a week for a three bedroom place with kitchen and living room but they had no furniture, except the bedding they bought with them from Australia and a few plates, cups and cutlery. Meals were eaten off the bench and they slept on the floor and used their suitcases for chairs. Their money was running out even though they were living as cheaply as they could and no one wanted to employ a man with one arm. Grandad was at his wits end when he saw an ad in a paper for a horse and cart for sale. He contacted a friend and borrowed £10 and bought the horse and cart, then went to the market to buy some vegetables to sell door to door on his way home.
Unfortunately the horse refused to co-operate and would not pull the cart. Someone offered to tow the cart home and Grandad led the horse. He was so disgusted he sold the horse and cart the next day for £7, not good business and the children walked around the area selling the vegetables for a few pence.
They were now desperate for money so grandma approached the local Presbyterian Minister, who was very sympathetic and gave her a job doing the washing for him and employed grandad in the garden. He was so pleased with the result he employed them fairly regularly and paid them five shillings a day. This led to more jobs and though it was hard work it was helping with day to day living. Three of the children started school at Remuera primary.
Shortly after this, a cheaper house became available. It was empty and only 11 shillings a week though the grounds needed clearing as they only had a few old shrubs and a bit of gorse. Grandad and the children cleared it and they soon had their own vegetables and a lovely lawn and were very comfortable. They bought just the necessary furniture and then, through the influence of the minister, grandad was offered a position as nightwatchman on the Auckland wharf, just at weekends at first and then later it became permanent.
All this time the family they left behind were not told of their plight, so it came as a great surprise when one day grandma opened a letter from her sister and found £1.10 inside. She sat down and cried. She was so grateful.
One day the owner of the house they were renting, came to see them and said he was going to increase the rent. They were furious as they had brought the place up to a much higher standard than when they first moved in. They promptly looked around for another place and found one in Remuera, much larger but it needed doing up. They moved in and grandma and the children did some painting and papering while grandad bought the garden up to standard.
They felt their luck had changed and were very happy there. Frank, their youngest, was born. Grandma was very ill for two months but when Frank was two-years-old she went to work washing and ironing and was paid 5 shillings a day, which bought her clothes. She took Frank with her each day and grandad worked shift work as a night watchman from 4am to midnight and then from midnight to 7am. He was paid £2 and 10 shillings a week. When he came home at 7am he would sleep for a few hours and then go gardening for half a day and get five shillings. They saved their money and eventually bought the house.
They later bought a cow for £16 and rented a paddock. The cow gave three gallons of milk in the morning and two at night. They made butter and had all the milk and cream they wanted. Eventually, the cow had two calves. The boys milked the cow before and after school. The family may have been poor and were mostly barefooted but they all worked together to improve their lot.
The cows began to escape from the paddock and complaints from neighbours whose vegetables the cows were feasting on poured in, so they decided to sell them. Unfortunately they only managed to get £10 for one cow and two calves. Later they were told one of the calves alone would have been worth £10 if it had been sold separately. They were not good business people, obviously.
In 1918 they all caught the flu during the epidemic and were all sick at the same time. So many people died and they were lucky to survive, though Hugh had pneumonia and they nearly lost him. In 1925 there was a polio epidemic and the youngest, Frank, then nine years old, was paralysed in the arms, legs and chest. The doctor gave them no hope of his recovery. He was in hospital for three months and his legs and arms were put in iron frames but he survived. He had therapy for 12 months afterwards but never recovered the use of his right arm completely.
A loving family they survived the enormous hardships thrust on them with stoic determination and raised a very talented family who obtained both academic and sporting honours and were all a credit to their country.
If you have a story to share please get in touch at melody@oversixty.com.au.
Related links:
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