John Chappell Remembers READ John Chappell's "Happy Birthday Eureka" here
Sunday, 8 March, 2009
I am watering the garden where once I played as a child on my grandparents' farm "Eureka" over 60 years ago. Then it was an uncleared area where gum trees grew and native plants such as "mountain devil" when I would love to suck the sweet juice at the bottom of their generous crimson flowers, the "eggs and bacon plant" and the piece de resistance, pink boronia with its subtle, delicate pink flowers.
I feel at home this Sunday before 10 a.m. when the water restrictions apply again, watering azaleas, camellias and lemon trees: although our present place of residence is on the Darling Downs QLD, I am looking out at Alan Road named for my mother's only sibling and at right angles to what we used to refer to as "the crossroads" - where Corrigan's buses turned around except when going down to the "creek" as we called it then, is Turner Road on my right, named for or by my mother's grandfather.
My grandfather (and CJ Turner's only son in law, as he had six sons besides the one daughter Violet) was Charles Victor Maher William Spencer (1885-1970 - known as Charles Spencer Woof), began farming on this area of land bounded by Woodcourt, Alan and Turner Roads in 1915. The property, like many properties were in the district, was named by the house name "Eureka" (the Greek word for "I have found it”) coined by CJ Turner when he built the house in 1915. The most productive land was at the rear of the farm in the middle, bounded by Mantons' (previously "The Pines") which also ran the full length, the uncleared land up to Turner Road and again uncleared land to Woodcourt, the latter being the residence of "Bill" the jersey bull, whose services were available when required. This open ground grew maize for the cattle and ground corn for the fowls, while the sweet corn which also grew to 8 feet and became a tourist attraction in season, was for human consumption. There were always at least two milking jersey cows, and sometimes three, which wasn't much fun for my mother from the 1920's onwards especially on a cold frosty morning. The cows were variously known as "Blossom" or "Girlie" (a favourite name of my grandfather's even for two legged younger ladies) as was "Laddie" the farm horse doubling as the horse power pulling the "sociable" (entrance at rear and passengers facing each other for ease of conversation as they were conveyed up and down, to and from Berowra Creek).
Hornsby Council renamed this " Waters" in 1930 sensing a tourist penny or shilling to be made in the Depression. Laddie, a half draught horse of 16 hands was originally a coach horse and my grandfather who was particularly fond of animals kept him on in retirement. He met his death thinking he was a racehorse trying to keep up with Manton's horse "Flame" in an unfortunate accident where the maize and sweet corn once grew. Laddie was also a favourite term for guys and boys with the occasional "smiler" thrown in.
Even though there was no electricity (connected 1937 or 8), the Woof family consisting as well as his wife Violet (nee Turner, 1887-1956), children Enid born (1915 and now in her 94th year) and Alan (1917 -1984 - armoured tanks WW2, New Guinea and Indonesia at "Ambon"),still enjoyed ice cream. After the cream was beaten and the secret ingredients added, it was placed at the bottom of the nearby well. There were four wells, square and about 20 feet deep, on the property and the top ones used for the water troughs for the fowls only went dry in the driest of weather. Water from one, on the northern side of the coach house was pumped up to a high tank stand by a gas engine converted to petrol and water was gravity fed to all the chicken pens. Cattle dogs were placed on 3 long runners to protect the poultry in numerous pens (there were about 700 adult hens plus their male consorts in the ratio of 8-10 hens to one husband). Black Orpingtons were the go as Langshans (Chinese) and Australorps were yet to make their entrance. Rhode Island Reds were for the table as they were a meatier bird. The Orpingtons were very maternal and easily went broody but grandfather had an American coke fired, water and steam fed incubator to look after that department. Eggs hatched after 21 days at 103 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). After 7 days they were turned and cooled and unfertile eggs used for cooking. No waste! Day old chicks were delivered all over Sydney and before hatching the new born chick ate 3 days' food supply before cracking the shell. Earlier, Grandfather's horse "Prince" pulled the sulky to the station and later grandfather had a chain driven 1908 Albion truck he bought from Mr Chandler at his farm (previously Hunts' where Wideview School is now). lf the thermostat fell below 103 degrees a wire ran from the incubator to a bell attached to my grandfather's bed which then rang.
Others in the district had smaller incubators fuelled by kerosene as did early refrigerators, pioneered by Sir Edward Hallstrom of "Silent Knight" fame. Kerosene was also used for lighting in the home and for outside lamps to see one's way around the farm. No electricity then and no street lights. Grandfather also had an orchard of every kind of fruit tree; several different varieties of apple and plums grew, plus a citrus orchard on the Woodcourt / Alan Road corner of the 10 acre property. Each side of the farm ran down 200 yards to the back fence at Mantons'.
On cool summer evenings at the end of a hot day, we would make our way to Mantons' via our farm and used their tank stand as a wicket. Reg Manton, who worked for the Australian Taxation Office then, had Indian Game fowls as a hobby. He also had an Armstrong Siddeley car (about 1936 model) and on one occasion when he was driving Mrs Manton and my grandmother home from Ladies' Guild at St Mark's C of E church, I was fiddling with the lock and having a central arch, catching the wind it flew open and an embarrassed me had to raise the alarm to stop, before the door blew off. Mr Manton only looked at the centre of the road, for when my mother was walking home from school, he never stopped to pick her and her brother up, or give them a lift.
THE STORY BEGINS
I do not know why CJ Turner chose to come to Berowra: in the old farmhouse, I was too young and carefree to ask my grandmother questions; there was the run of the 10 acres' farm and fruits in season, including blackberries for jam and caramel made from condensed milk place in boiling water over the fire. When I asked her about the disappearance of Laddie, who had fallen down a well in the bottom paddock as I found out later, she had said my grandfather had taken him away in the back of my grandfather's 1927 khaki coloured Chevrolet tourer.
However I do know that CJ Turner had his managerial position with the Australian Joint Stock Bank terminated with effect from June 30, 1895. The bank had gone belly up with the great financial crash of the 1890’s. Now aged 35 years, for the next of his 46 years he was never to hold a full time position again.
What is the father of six, who is homeless to do? (the youngest was to be born in 1901 and to be the most brilliant and turbulent of his children) - use his experience as a bank manager in dealing with land and housing loans! He turned to real estate and with a vengeance, all over Sydney, even at Blacktown where he named streets after himself and his family in a subdivision.
Charles James Turner had been born on November 3, 1859 of English parents at Camden N S W. He was to be the eldest of 10 children born to Henry Turner who arrived as an 18 year old immigrant with suspected TB, for two pounds steerage on the "Fitzjames" in 1856. Charles himself now has 75 living descendants including 6 surviving grandchildren of the original 14. The greatest tragedy was to come in November 1916 when his son Robert Malcolm, gave his life for his country at Beulencourt, France. He is one of seven on the Berowra war memorial to do so. His mother, Caroline, and five Scottish sisters swung into action with their stiff upper lips and although his name, if rarely mentioned, was never far from their minds, and many of his nephews variously had either of his names as second names. Five of his Scottish cousins also served in WW1 and one sadly paid the supreme sacrifice at almost the same place, at almost the same time and at the same age of 25.
CJ's first foray into Berowra began at the end of the 1890's when he did a little farming at Happy Valley at the bottom of Woodcourt Road. There is no evidence that his tall thin frame and straight back did much physical exercise: he was into the ‘speculating of land" and my mother said he was born too early for a successful career in that arena. His first land purchase was gaining title to the three acres at the crossroads where the Medical Centre and the Village Shopping Centre now stands. This was on 3 March 1902 and the cost 15 pounds. On this site with the help of his son Henry (111) Raymond, he built "Wharepaka" in 1908. The name, a bit of an oxymoron, is Maori for "white man's house". On 22/11/1910 he bought across the road and sold "Wharepaka" on 20/4/1914 to finance "Eureka" in 1915. The dirt road in between, became "Turner Road" sometime after then. Hornsby Council asked my grandfather, the then occupant of "Eureka" what the road out the front should be called, and he said "How about naming it after my son Alan?" Done!
The McKeans bought "Wharepaka" from CJ and when David sadly lost his life in France in November 1916, a returned soldier who lost an eye in combat helped the childless Mrs McKean and eventually became the third owner of "Wharepaka". His name was Charlie Lailey.
CHARLES SPENCER WOOF AND VIOLET TURNER
CJ's only daughter, Violet, and her husband, Charles Spencer Woof, arrived at the gate of "Eureka" soon after their first child "Enid" was born on 29 June, 1915 homeless and Charles without a job. He had been a traveller for a wine and spirit company and Violet was a professional milliner having been trained at McCathies' in Pitt St Sydney and then employed by McDowell’s' Department Store. What were they to do? Hardly propitious backgrounds for farming! Fortunately "Eureka" had been completed shortly before being used for weekends by the family. Where did Charles begin? Apparently the land had been cleared by Powell’s and now virgin soil. How the mixed farm took shape is not known but "Prince" and the sulky were soon on the scene so there was transport to and from the station. Charles brought no capital to invest, and from the beginning the enterprise was under-capitalised, very little cash flow, perhaps from poultry was ploughed back into the farm and fruit trees planted. Slowly the farm took shape. Violet's brother as a member of the 13th battalion went off to Egypt to be trained and then to his death on the poppy fields of France to be buried in the English cemetery. Before he went, he admired his niece Enid and said to his sister Violet, "don't spoil her". Uncle Bob only saw 3 of the 14 nieces and nephews who were eventually born, and then as babies. My mother was never spoilt. Recently I said to her "Why didn't you go to school until almost the compulsory age of 7?" "I was needed at home!" What a 5 or 6 year old milking cows?
The early days were horrible and hard not knowing where the next pound was to come, and there was the interest to pay on the loan as everything was funded by debt. After some prodding Mum said "we were so poor, there was never any money, but we were never hungry". Each night egg custard was poured over the second course and on Sunday nights as a special treat, custard was made with custard powder. No bathroom or electricity or running water. Washing took place in a huge tub in front of the fire in winter when bread was toasted on the end of a stick fork. There was no plumbing or drainage, only a tap from the water tank. The husband of Charles' late Methodist, Northern Irish mother's sister died in 1923 and as the couple were childless, Charles broached his aunt for a loan. In 1925 he went into the farm work full throttle with the borrowed money and took over the mortgage from his father in-law, CJ Turner. Charles now had title to the 10 acres.
Charles never complained of the hard work seven days per week and often up all night to secure the correct temperature for the incubator, otherwise a week or 2 weeks' income would be lost if the temperature fell below incubating point. The saving grace was the Albion truck which transported all and sundry into the community hall until it was burnt down. There was Sunday School at St Mark's and Charles threw himself into the community work and became secretary of the Progress Association and he also played cricket. The whole community supported each other and barter was a common measure of exchange.
The 1920's limped and dragged along; then the Great Depression hit! The price of eggs went down to less than 1 cent each. Their main source of income was now unsustainable. Charles had to abandon the poultry business but not the farm. He secured a position with Hornsby Council and remained there for the next 30 years, retiring at the age of 75 in I960, as no one knew his age The farm continued until the mortgagee foreclosed in 1949 and the 10 acres was subdivided into blocks sold at 50 pounds a piece. "Eureka" which still stands today was sold with one acre of land for 950 pounds. My grandmother with an inheritance built next door, which was eventually sold in 1965. My grandfather died at Berowra in 1970 aged 84 years.
TURNER ROAD
From time immemorial a track wound down from the crossroads along where Turner Road is now, which went for one and a half miles past the last home which stood there in 1908 owned by the Hellmrich's, (see the autograph of 13-10-1908), later sold to the Varley's and then the Holmes' in the mid 1930's for the dairy. There had been a small dairy of sorts where Hillcrest School is now situated. For the last mile of the track the altitude dropped 700 ft down to the water for the fishing! Past Hellmrich's there was a stone corral, a field station, native roses and white boronia growing wild. The State Government prohibited the picking of wildflowers in 1929. The home past "Wittianga" was owned by the Mathiesons' later sold to Wally Parker who grew flowers for florists. The road as I recall in the 1940's was a fairly narrow dirt thoroughfare used by few and from the mid 1930's by Bill Holmes for milk deliveries in his T Model Ford. Turner Road was not developed until the 1960's when new housing sprang up.
During the 1930’s when my grandfather worked in Hornsby with the Shire Council, the “Eureka” farm was put in mothballs. Yes the fruit trees still flowered in season and were sold and Grandpa had a special way of encasing them in threes with newspaper. Laddie still reigned supreme and his kingdom was the former corn patch with Holme's dairy cows coming in through Woodcourt Road for some grazing during the day and chewing their cud in Bill's former paddock. When WW2 came, petrol became difficult to procure and the old Albion ran on kerosene! After the war when some petrol became available and Charlie Lailey had swapped his Wharepaka three acre poultry farm for the local garage opposite the railway station, rationing was in vogue - about 4 (yes four gallons about every month) purchased his 1927 Chev tourer. The kerosene had wrecked the Albion and he pushed it over the side of where Wideview School is now, somewhere near the back steps leading to Woodcourt Road. There to lie ignominiously until its resurrection. Every morning after a breakfast of scrambled egg (always scrambled and always a chunky bright yellow) and rolled oats beforehand; Grandpa never ate between meals and ordered four slices of ham and salad sandwiches for lunch with tea at night cooked by Granny - a meat first course and always stewed apples, and sometimes pears with custard for tea. The variety never altered. Roast lamb Sundays, cold on Mondays. Granny would tell Grandpa who brought home what meat she wanted from Gorman Hales' butchery with whom he had a very close relationship and rang each Saturday to place his SP betting for the races. While working on the huge Council books which Griff, a health inspector, brought home on Fridays and with a homemade cigarette smouldering from his lips and the radio turned up, he was contented. He would open the huge farm gate push out the Chev in the coach house, always driven front in, crank the engine and off to the station.
Meanwhile Granny and I would repair to her front bedroom to eat her apple - a bought Jonathon!, where she and I would view the passing scene. There was a washstand, large bowl with a huge jug inside. I never questioned why there was no bathroom; was accepting that was the way it was done or asked why there was no electric light in the dining/ lounge where in winter a 1930 Aladdin lamp with a mantle was lit. Obviously the money had run out when the electricity was connected and only two sides of the house were electrified, or why windows were still boarded up in parts with 3 ply wood, blacked out during WW2 for possible air raids at night.
A few people walked past unseen from the front bedroom window either to catch the 7 30 a.m. steam train from Gosford or the 7 50 2 car diesel, "the Squirt" for Hornsby. One SOLITARY car, right on cue, the Beaumont's 1946 box imported Wolseley sedan. They lived first on left in Wideview Rd.
Pat Lawless's 1929 A model Ford chugged up Woodcourt Rd with its peculiar "twang". As Dud Heazelett, now 90 and who played with my Uncle as a child at "Eureka" remarked, "they could never get the timing right." Dud's father John (1884-1947) had a poultry farm next to "Wharepaka” until he went to work for Somerville's in the 1930's. He, with a lower bass voice sang duets with Grandpa who had a beautiful higher but lighter bass voice and as a former member of the Bourke St Methodist Church choir Darlinghurst, loved to sing along with the hymns on the ABC Community hymn singing Sundays, 6 30 p.m. Radio of course, no TV! He also sang duets with Daisy Foster.
CONCLUSION
CJ Turner was the eldest of 10 children whose mother died after her third child was born. In time, seven more Turner children appeared with a different mother. The second youngest was a daughter, Ella Tabitha. When her own mother died in 1907 and the family farm at Nth Richmond was broken up, her father Henry, marrying for a third time, her elder half brother provided her with a home at "Wharepaka".
Unfortunately, Ella inherited her father's tuberculosis weakness and when "Wharepaka" was sold she moved to "Eureka". Because the disease was infectious she chose to live in a tent at the bottom of "Eureka". There she lived a solitary life. Food was left at a distance and when the coast was clear left her canvas abode and collected her meal. In time, she died on October 4th 1916 and could well have been the only person to be buried in Berowra.
CJ Turner was a compassionate, caring man and other members of the family lived in his home and his first grandchild, Ronald Henry Turner (son of Henry Raymond Turner) was born here as well. CJ used to have the end of his handkerchief hanging from his pocket so when about to sneeze, he could quickly pull it out. Berowra was not his only home from 1908 but lived in various homes in the City of Sydney, Arncliffe, Petersham, but principally Marrickville where he was Warden at St Clement's Church. He only ever had one foot in Berowra as he was busy organizing business activities in Haymarket and elsewhere. This involved auctioneering poultry (from 1897), eggs and real estate. Berowra with its bracingly cold frosty and foggy winter mornings may not have appealed to this "city slicker".
What went on at "Wharepaka"? CJ's wife, Caroline, didn't spend much time there. By 1908 his only daughter was 21 and her would be suitor, Charles Spencer Woof and the girl friends of her brothers stayed in dormitory like accommodation at "Wharepaka" with meals cooked by Aunt Ella Tabitha who at 33 wasn't much older.
1. What was the 3 acres of land used for? No doubt CJ was attracted here to be involved in early efforts for egg production and value added business opportunities. My mother always says her grandfather was a property speculator who was before his time. Perhaps so, but he was much more than that.
2. What is his legacy? He pioneered the way forward using auctioneering as a means of selling farm produce and real estate. Berowra for him was a side line but continued his interest here relinquishing his mortgage of "Eureka" in 1925. Even in the 1930's he attempted to establish a nursery in Turner Rd and had a well dug there. This was the last cleared land before Manton's property. When his banking managerial career came to an end, he became liberated and with no capital used mortgages, much to the chagrin of his 5 sisters in law, to gain titles to properties as well as renting them.
So we celebrate the sesquicentenary of his birth and his pioneering efforts in primary produce activities and real estate in Berowra.
Sunday, 8 March, 2009
I am watering the garden where once I played as a child on my grandparents' farm "Eureka" over 60 years ago. Then it was an uncleared area where gum trees grew and native plants such as "mountain devil" when I would love to suck the sweet juice at the bottom of their generous crimson flowers, the "eggs and bacon plant" and the piece de resistance, pink boronia with its subtle, delicate pink flowers.
I feel at home this Sunday before 10 a.m. when the water restrictions apply again, watering azaleas, camellias and lemon trees: although our present place of residence is on the Darling Downs QLD, I am looking out at Alan Road named for my mother's only sibling and at right angles to what we used to refer to as "the crossroads" - where Corrigan's buses turned around except when going down to the "creek" as we called it then, is Turner Road on my right, named for or by my mother's grandfather.
My grandfather (and CJ Turner's only son in law, as he had six sons besides the one daughter Violet) was Charles Victor Maher William Spencer (1885-1970 - known as Charles Spencer Woof), began farming on this area of land bounded by Woodcourt, Alan and Turner Roads in 1915. The property, like many properties were in the district, was named by the house name "Eureka" (the Greek word for "I have found it”) coined by CJ Turner when he built the house in 1915. The most productive land was at the rear of the farm in the middle, bounded by Mantons' (previously "The Pines") which also ran the full length, the uncleared land up to Turner Road and again uncleared land to Woodcourt, the latter being the residence of "Bill" the jersey bull, whose services were available when required. This open ground grew maize for the cattle and ground corn for the fowls, while the sweet corn which also grew to 8 feet and became a tourist attraction in season, was for human consumption. There were always at least two milking jersey cows, and sometimes three, which wasn't much fun for my mother from the 1920's onwards especially on a cold frosty morning. The cows were variously known as "Blossom" or "Girlie" (a favourite name of my grandfather's even for two legged younger ladies) as was "Laddie" the farm horse doubling as the horse power pulling the "sociable" (entrance at rear and passengers facing each other for ease of conversation as they were conveyed up and down, to and from Berowra Creek).
Hornsby Council renamed this " Waters" in 1930 sensing a tourist penny or shilling to be made in the Depression. Laddie, a half draught horse of 16 hands was originally a coach horse and my grandfather who was particularly fond of animals kept him on in retirement. He met his death thinking he was a racehorse trying to keep up with Manton's horse "Flame" in an unfortunate accident where the maize and sweet corn once grew. Laddie was also a favourite term for guys and boys with the occasional "smiler" thrown in.
Even though there was no electricity (connected 1937 or 8), the Woof family consisting as well as his wife Violet (nee Turner, 1887-1956), children Enid born (1915 and now in her 94th year) and Alan (1917 -1984 - armoured tanks WW2, New Guinea and Indonesia at "Ambon"),still enjoyed ice cream. After the cream was beaten and the secret ingredients added, it was placed at the bottom of the nearby well. There were four wells, square and about 20 feet deep, on the property and the top ones used for the water troughs for the fowls only went dry in the driest of weather. Water from one, on the northern side of the coach house was pumped up to a high tank stand by a gas engine converted to petrol and water was gravity fed to all the chicken pens. Cattle dogs were placed on 3 long runners to protect the poultry in numerous pens (there were about 700 adult hens plus their male consorts in the ratio of 8-10 hens to one husband). Black Orpingtons were the go as Langshans (Chinese) and Australorps were yet to make their entrance. Rhode Island Reds were for the table as they were a meatier bird. The Orpingtons were very maternal and easily went broody but grandfather had an American coke fired, water and steam fed incubator to look after that department. Eggs hatched after 21 days at 103 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). After 7 days they were turned and cooled and unfertile eggs used for cooking. No waste! Day old chicks were delivered all over Sydney and before hatching the new born chick ate 3 days' food supply before cracking the shell. Earlier, Grandfather's horse "Prince" pulled the sulky to the station and later grandfather had a chain driven 1908 Albion truck he bought from Mr Chandler at his farm (previously Hunts' where Wideview School is now). lf the thermostat fell below 103 degrees a wire ran from the incubator to a bell attached to my grandfather's bed which then rang.
Others in the district had smaller incubators fuelled by kerosene as did early refrigerators, pioneered by Sir Edward Hallstrom of "Silent Knight" fame. Kerosene was also used for lighting in the home and for outside lamps to see one's way around the farm. No electricity then and no street lights. Grandfather also had an orchard of every kind of fruit tree; several different varieties of apple and plums grew, plus a citrus orchard on the Woodcourt / Alan Road corner of the 10 acre property. Each side of the farm ran down 200 yards to the back fence at Mantons'.
On cool summer evenings at the end of a hot day, we would make our way to Mantons' via our farm and used their tank stand as a wicket. Reg Manton, who worked for the Australian Taxation Office then, had Indian Game fowls as a hobby. He also had an Armstrong Siddeley car (about 1936 model) and on one occasion when he was driving Mrs Manton and my grandmother home from Ladies' Guild at St Mark's C of E church, I was fiddling with the lock and having a central arch, catching the wind it flew open and an embarrassed me had to raise the alarm to stop, before the door blew off. Mr Manton only looked at the centre of the road, for when my mother was walking home from school, he never stopped to pick her and her brother up, or give them a lift.
THE STORY BEGINS
I do not know why CJ Turner chose to come to Berowra: in the old farmhouse, I was too young and carefree to ask my grandmother questions; there was the run of the 10 acres' farm and fruits in season, including blackberries for jam and caramel made from condensed milk place in boiling water over the fire. When I asked her about the disappearance of Laddie, who had fallen down a well in the bottom paddock as I found out later, she had said my grandfather had taken him away in the back of my grandfather's 1927 khaki coloured Chevrolet tourer.
However I do know that CJ Turner had his managerial position with the Australian Joint Stock Bank terminated with effect from June 30, 1895. The bank had gone belly up with the great financial crash of the 1890’s. Now aged 35 years, for the next of his 46 years he was never to hold a full time position again.
What is the father of six, who is homeless to do? (the youngest was to be born in 1901 and to be the most brilliant and turbulent of his children) - use his experience as a bank manager in dealing with land and housing loans! He turned to real estate and with a vengeance, all over Sydney, even at Blacktown where he named streets after himself and his family in a subdivision.
Charles James Turner had been born on November 3, 1859 of English parents at Camden N S W. He was to be the eldest of 10 children born to Henry Turner who arrived as an 18 year old immigrant with suspected TB, for two pounds steerage on the "Fitzjames" in 1856. Charles himself now has 75 living descendants including 6 surviving grandchildren of the original 14. The greatest tragedy was to come in November 1916 when his son Robert Malcolm, gave his life for his country at Beulencourt, France. He is one of seven on the Berowra war memorial to do so. His mother, Caroline, and five Scottish sisters swung into action with their stiff upper lips and although his name, if rarely mentioned, was never far from their minds, and many of his nephews variously had either of his names as second names. Five of his Scottish cousins also served in WW1 and one sadly paid the supreme sacrifice at almost the same place, at almost the same time and at the same age of 25.
CJ's first foray into Berowra began at the end of the 1890's when he did a little farming at Happy Valley at the bottom of Woodcourt Road. There is no evidence that his tall thin frame and straight back did much physical exercise: he was into the ‘speculating of land" and my mother said he was born too early for a successful career in that arena. His first land purchase was gaining title to the three acres at the crossroads where the Medical Centre and the Village Shopping Centre now stands. This was on 3 March 1902 and the cost 15 pounds. On this site with the help of his son Henry (111) Raymond, he built "Wharepaka" in 1908. The name, a bit of an oxymoron, is Maori for "white man's house". On 22/11/1910 he bought across the road and sold "Wharepaka" on 20/4/1914 to finance "Eureka" in 1915. The dirt road in between, became "Turner Road" sometime after then. Hornsby Council asked my grandfather, the then occupant of "Eureka" what the road out the front should be called, and he said "How about naming it after my son Alan?" Done!
The McKeans bought "Wharepaka" from CJ and when David sadly lost his life in France in November 1916, a returned soldier who lost an eye in combat helped the childless Mrs McKean and eventually became the third owner of "Wharepaka". His name was Charlie Lailey.
CHARLES SPENCER WOOF AND VIOLET TURNER
CJ's only daughter, Violet, and her husband, Charles Spencer Woof, arrived at the gate of "Eureka" soon after their first child "Enid" was born on 29 June, 1915 homeless and Charles without a job. He had been a traveller for a wine and spirit company and Violet was a professional milliner having been trained at McCathies' in Pitt St Sydney and then employed by McDowell’s' Department Store. What were they to do? Hardly propitious backgrounds for farming! Fortunately "Eureka" had been completed shortly before being used for weekends by the family. Where did Charles begin? Apparently the land had been cleared by Powell’s and now virgin soil. How the mixed farm took shape is not known but "Prince" and the sulky were soon on the scene so there was transport to and from the station. Charles brought no capital to invest, and from the beginning the enterprise was under-capitalised, very little cash flow, perhaps from poultry was ploughed back into the farm and fruit trees planted. Slowly the farm took shape. Violet's brother as a member of the 13th battalion went off to Egypt to be trained and then to his death on the poppy fields of France to be buried in the English cemetery. Before he went, he admired his niece Enid and said to his sister Violet, "don't spoil her". Uncle Bob only saw 3 of the 14 nieces and nephews who were eventually born, and then as babies. My mother was never spoilt. Recently I said to her "Why didn't you go to school until almost the compulsory age of 7?" "I was needed at home!" What a 5 or 6 year old milking cows?
The early days were horrible and hard not knowing where the next pound was to come, and there was the interest to pay on the loan as everything was funded by debt. After some prodding Mum said "we were so poor, there was never any money, but we were never hungry". Each night egg custard was poured over the second course and on Sunday nights as a special treat, custard was made with custard powder. No bathroom or electricity or running water. Washing took place in a huge tub in front of the fire in winter when bread was toasted on the end of a stick fork. There was no plumbing or drainage, only a tap from the water tank. The husband of Charles' late Methodist, Northern Irish mother's sister died in 1923 and as the couple were childless, Charles broached his aunt for a loan. In 1925 he went into the farm work full throttle with the borrowed money and took over the mortgage from his father in-law, CJ Turner. Charles now had title to the 10 acres.
Charles never complained of the hard work seven days per week and often up all night to secure the correct temperature for the incubator, otherwise a week or 2 weeks' income would be lost if the temperature fell below incubating point. The saving grace was the Albion truck which transported all and sundry into the community hall until it was burnt down. There was Sunday School at St Mark's and Charles threw himself into the community work and became secretary of the Progress Association and he also played cricket. The whole community supported each other and barter was a common measure of exchange.
The 1920's limped and dragged along; then the Great Depression hit! The price of eggs went down to less than 1 cent each. Their main source of income was now unsustainable. Charles had to abandon the poultry business but not the farm. He secured a position with Hornsby Council and remained there for the next 30 years, retiring at the age of 75 in I960, as no one knew his age The farm continued until the mortgagee foreclosed in 1949 and the 10 acres was subdivided into blocks sold at 50 pounds a piece. "Eureka" which still stands today was sold with one acre of land for 950 pounds. My grandmother with an inheritance built next door, which was eventually sold in 1965. My grandfather died at Berowra in 1970 aged 84 years.
TURNER ROAD
From time immemorial a track wound down from the crossroads along where Turner Road is now, which went for one and a half miles past the last home which stood there in 1908 owned by the Hellmrich's, (see the autograph of 13-10-1908), later sold to the Varley's and then the Holmes' in the mid 1930's for the dairy. There had been a small dairy of sorts where Hillcrest School is now situated. For the last mile of the track the altitude dropped 700 ft down to the water for the fishing! Past Hellmrich's there was a stone corral, a field station, native roses and white boronia growing wild. The State Government prohibited the picking of wildflowers in 1929. The home past "Wittianga" was owned by the Mathiesons' later sold to Wally Parker who grew flowers for florists. The road as I recall in the 1940's was a fairly narrow dirt thoroughfare used by few and from the mid 1930's by Bill Holmes for milk deliveries in his T Model Ford. Turner Road was not developed until the 1960's when new housing sprang up.
During the 1930’s when my grandfather worked in Hornsby with the Shire Council, the “Eureka” farm was put in mothballs. Yes the fruit trees still flowered in season and were sold and Grandpa had a special way of encasing them in threes with newspaper. Laddie still reigned supreme and his kingdom was the former corn patch with Holme's dairy cows coming in through Woodcourt Road for some grazing during the day and chewing their cud in Bill's former paddock. When WW2 came, petrol became difficult to procure and the old Albion ran on kerosene! After the war when some petrol became available and Charlie Lailey had swapped his Wharepaka three acre poultry farm for the local garage opposite the railway station, rationing was in vogue - about 4 (yes four gallons about every month) purchased his 1927 Chev tourer. The kerosene had wrecked the Albion and he pushed it over the side of where Wideview School is now, somewhere near the back steps leading to Woodcourt Road. There to lie ignominiously until its resurrection. Every morning after a breakfast of scrambled egg (always scrambled and always a chunky bright yellow) and rolled oats beforehand; Grandpa never ate between meals and ordered four slices of ham and salad sandwiches for lunch with tea at night cooked by Granny - a meat first course and always stewed apples, and sometimes pears with custard for tea. The variety never altered. Roast lamb Sundays, cold on Mondays. Granny would tell Grandpa who brought home what meat she wanted from Gorman Hales' butchery with whom he had a very close relationship and rang each Saturday to place his SP betting for the races. While working on the huge Council books which Griff, a health inspector, brought home on Fridays and with a homemade cigarette smouldering from his lips and the radio turned up, he was contented. He would open the huge farm gate push out the Chev in the coach house, always driven front in, crank the engine and off to the station.
Meanwhile Granny and I would repair to her front bedroom to eat her apple - a bought Jonathon!, where she and I would view the passing scene. There was a washstand, large bowl with a huge jug inside. I never questioned why there was no bathroom; was accepting that was the way it was done or asked why there was no electric light in the dining/ lounge where in winter a 1930 Aladdin lamp with a mantle was lit. Obviously the money had run out when the electricity was connected and only two sides of the house were electrified, or why windows were still boarded up in parts with 3 ply wood, blacked out during WW2 for possible air raids at night.
A few people walked past unseen from the front bedroom window either to catch the 7 30 a.m. steam train from Gosford or the 7 50 2 car diesel, "the Squirt" for Hornsby. One SOLITARY car, right on cue, the Beaumont's 1946 box imported Wolseley sedan. They lived first on left in Wideview Rd.
Pat Lawless's 1929 A model Ford chugged up Woodcourt Rd with its peculiar "twang". As Dud Heazelett, now 90 and who played with my Uncle as a child at "Eureka" remarked, "they could never get the timing right." Dud's father John (1884-1947) had a poultry farm next to "Wharepaka” until he went to work for Somerville's in the 1930's. He, with a lower bass voice sang duets with Grandpa who had a beautiful higher but lighter bass voice and as a former member of the Bourke St Methodist Church choir Darlinghurst, loved to sing along with the hymns on the ABC Community hymn singing Sundays, 6 30 p.m. Radio of course, no TV! He also sang duets with Daisy Foster.
CONCLUSION
CJ Turner was the eldest of 10 children whose mother died after her third child was born. In time, seven more Turner children appeared with a different mother. The second youngest was a daughter, Ella Tabitha. When her own mother died in 1907 and the family farm at Nth Richmond was broken up, her father Henry, marrying for a third time, her elder half brother provided her with a home at "Wharepaka".
Unfortunately, Ella inherited her father's tuberculosis weakness and when "Wharepaka" was sold she moved to "Eureka". Because the disease was infectious she chose to live in a tent at the bottom of "Eureka". There she lived a solitary life. Food was left at a distance and when the coast was clear left her canvas abode and collected her meal. In time, she died on October 4th 1916 and could well have been the only person to be buried in Berowra.
CJ Turner was a compassionate, caring man and other members of the family lived in his home and his first grandchild, Ronald Henry Turner (son of Henry Raymond Turner) was born here as well. CJ used to have the end of his handkerchief hanging from his pocket so when about to sneeze, he could quickly pull it out. Berowra was not his only home from 1908 but lived in various homes in the City of Sydney, Arncliffe, Petersham, but principally Marrickville where he was Warden at St Clement's Church. He only ever had one foot in Berowra as he was busy organizing business activities in Haymarket and elsewhere. This involved auctioneering poultry (from 1897), eggs and real estate. Berowra with its bracingly cold frosty and foggy winter mornings may not have appealed to this "city slicker".
What went on at "Wharepaka"? CJ's wife, Caroline, didn't spend much time there. By 1908 his only daughter was 21 and her would be suitor, Charles Spencer Woof and the girl friends of her brothers stayed in dormitory like accommodation at "Wharepaka" with meals cooked by Aunt Ella Tabitha who at 33 wasn't much older.
1. What was the 3 acres of land used for? No doubt CJ was attracted here to be involved in early efforts for egg production and value added business opportunities. My mother always says her grandfather was a property speculator who was before his time. Perhaps so, but he was much more than that.
2. What is his legacy? He pioneered the way forward using auctioneering as a means of selling farm produce and real estate. Berowra for him was a side line but continued his interest here relinquishing his mortgage of "Eureka" in 1925. Even in the 1930's he attempted to establish a nursery in Turner Rd and had a well dug there. This was the last cleared land before Manton's property. When his banking managerial career came to an end, he became liberated and with no capital used mortgages, much to the chagrin of his 5 sisters in law, to gain titles to properties as well as renting them.
So we celebrate the sesquicentenary of his birth and his pioneering efforts in primary produce activities and real estate in Berowra.