3712

As kids, we used to play running up the sides of the drains and from that I came down with Scarlet Fever. Yallourn Hospital was opened in 1928 but did not cater for fever patients so I had to go to Sale. There were floods at the time and the ambulance was the last let through. I shifted to Newborough when I was 4 but was at Yallourn for all my school days. My father Charlie Wells came out from England in 1920, joined the SEC in 1921. He started as a dredge driver and later a foreman in the Open Cut spending all his working life with the SEC. He lived at the West Camp until he was allotted a house at 24 Southway - by then the rest of his family came to live there. My mother came out from England in 1926 and they were married at Southway. My grandfather, Phero Wells, worked on the Main Gate. He was attacked one night and died from his injuries in 1931. My sister Peggy was born in Morwell in Feb 1928 - the Yallourn Hospital didn't open till later that year. I was born in the Yallourn Hospital in 1931. Dr Andrew brought me into the world and also my brother Charlie in 1933. My sister worked at the Main Office as Secretary to J A Collins until she was married. I worked at the Main Office to start with but was later shifted to the Municipal Depot until I was married. in those days you were put off work when you got married to make way for the ones leaving school to have a job. My brother worked all his life at the SEC in the telephone section until he retired. Our family shifted to Moe East in 1935 (later named Newborough). I spent all my school days in Yallourn, from State School to the High School. There were no buses in the early days so we had to ride bikes, often getting wet. I can remember standing by the class room fire many a time to dry out, later on we had buses to take us. I did a Commercial Course - Mr Graham taught me Typing and Mr Pittard taught us Shorthand. I was married in Newborough and had our Reception at the Yallourn RSL. I enjoyed my time spent in Yallourn, going to the pictures and community singing in the theatre, which opened about 1939, as I remember joining the Birthday Club about that time...also the dances in St John's Church Hall every Friday night. Yallourn was a great town and I was sorry when it was decided to dig it up for the coal underneath. A lot of my memories have already been spoken about, but one I recall was Barbara Comber having a fist fight with Frank Gore at lunch time - we were all there cheering her on. I can't remember who won, but she put up a good showing for herself.
Immediate Neighbours: McMahon; Beulke
Nearby Neighbours: Withers (next to Beulkes). Opposite - Mildred & Lucy Crowe, Phillis Johnston, Noreen Maxfield, Majorie Barton, Vic Smith & family