Sam and Frieda Anderson
Sam - Born 2nd October 1919
Frieda - Born 5th September 1919
Married 13 July 1946 in Melbourne, Victoria.
Started farming in Wangaratta, then moved to Maryborough for 25 years.
They then shifted to Toowoomba, then to Biloela, Queensland.
They then settled into retirement at Caloundra, Queensland.
OUR FAMILY
I think a good place to start would the 'Luckiest Day of my Life" when I met Frieda for the first time. There should have been thunder and lightening, shooting stars and all sorts of exciting things, but there weren't. I was a Sgt in 2/21 Btn at Bengilla. Frieda was with the Bank of NSW in Wodonga. The Sgt's Mess was putting on a dance for all and sundry. Lindsay Owen Davies, a fellow Sgt, had worked in The Wales before the War. Lin said there was a nice girl in the Bank in Wodonga, so I asked him to bring her along for a partner for me. That is how it all started. I don't remember that lights flashed or my blood pressure suddenly went up, but we had a pleasant evening. We went to some other functions and had a weekend off and came down to Melbourne to meet the rest of the family. Later when I was to head off for Darwin and places beyond we got engaged. That ring had a lonely life for another 4 - 5 years until I got back from my time as a POW. That is enough, now for our origins and what happened later.
A FEW EARLY MEMORIES
I was born on 5.9.1919 - I felt I was probably conceived at Dubbo - my parents Allan and Lily (nee Patterson). I don't know where they were married but Mum was in bridal dress and Dad was seated in the photo - they were married on 18.11.1918, a week after Armistice - Dad was the eldest of 9 boys and we have wondered why none enlisted - it was a time during the war of great divisions any while feathewrs were handed out - conscription was a big issue, but never came about - Grandmothers parents were German.
They did not remain in Dubbo as Grandma Nolan died at an early age and there was a drought - so grandpa and boys returned to the farm they left at Cookardinia and Mum and Dad secured some share farming close by. Mum and Dad then moved to Mirrool near Ariah Park - it seemed an enormous house. Tank water and water for washing came from the dam and was cleared - I don't remember any bathroom but we acquired a dining room suite with blue leather seats on the chairs and it followed us around.
Mum and Dad played a lot of tennis and Jo has a trophy they won at Barellen - I think - Mum was bitten by a centipede and had to go to the doctor - there was a bad mouse plague - another problem, what was to be done about education?
I was presented with a horse named Jack and I was to ride to a school at Mardah. I could not cope so the next thing was to send me to Culcairn to live with Grandma. I must have been there about 5 years. I can't remember going back to Mirool during the school break. I had good friends, one special one was Leila Fifield - she attended a church - it was Presbyterian. I don't think we were christened, we may have been - we did not go to any chruch when we were at Mirool. I loved S S and my teacher Mrs Lowe. One time I must have prevailed on grandfather to go to church at night and we sat in Balfours seat - an embarrassment. I was quite happy in Culcairn - I forgot to say I was born there - grandfather grew a lot of vegetables and he made me a little cart and we hawked our veggies - I doubt if this lasted long. Our milk was ladled out into a billy we left out for the milkman - a horse drawn cart.
I went to a cookery class at Papworths Bakery and I had to have a blue apron - also the show was a great event and I entered items in the school section.
About Grandfather. He was Canadian and came to Australia with his parents and 2 brothers and 3 sisters - they all settled at Greta and we have been told that they knew the Kelly's - you all have a copy of the wedding report that appeared in the Wangaratta paper - Archie has the wedding photo. I think the whole family moved to Morven and the boys had adjoining farms - legend has it they were a bit on the idle side - they milked a few cows and grandma made butter. I remember seeing butter wrapped and marked 'made by A Patterson price 1 shilling'. Grandma was religious and belonged to a branch of the Brethern. They met at Mrs Shearers house in the town of Morven. She drove there in the sulky.
|
|
|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
