FROM THE NEWSPAPERS - 1928 - The Brave Young Mother of Yallourn - Ambulance

THE BRAVE YOUNG MOTHER OF YALLOURN
The following newspaper report was a ‘rare find’ in researching the history of Yallourn. The story, which was published in the ‘West Gippsland Gazette’ in 1928, serves as a strong reminder of the challenges faced by many families in that era.
In her book ‘Digging People Up for Coal,’ Meredith Fletcher refers to the hardship that many mothers endured in those early years of Yallourn and the incident, cited below, underlines the rudimentary living conditions of many settlers in the town.
The courage displayed by the Mrs Stevens, a twenty-one year old mother, in rescuing her baby from certain death was extraordinary.
___________________________________________________________
July 10th 1928 WEST GIPPSLAND GAZETTE Page 4

Woman's Bravery.
PLUCKY MOTHER'S ACTION.
SAVES HER CHILD'S 'LIFE.
The plucky action of a mother at Yallourn last week, when she saved her infant child by rushing into her burning home, and clambering out or a side window, has aroused great admiration. The mother, Mrs. Stevens, was taken to the Warragul hospital and is now progressing favourably. The child was unhurt.
Mrs. Stevens' home was partly hidden in the bush by the roadside. She was short of water at the house at the moment, and had to cart it. She left the baby aged 2½ years, in the nursery chair, playing with a copy of the ‘Sun.’
When she saw the smoke coming from the window of the room, as she was returning from the well, she realised on getting nearer, that the house was on fire. Her first thought was for her baby, left in the little chair.
Although the flames were enveloping the walls, and the room was filled with blinding smoke, she rushed through the door, but was unable to see the baby. She reached the chair that was empty.
Groping round the room and choking with the smoke, she at last heard the child cough under the table. She hastily grabbed the little one, and, as the fire had reached the door, she had to clamber through the window with her child.
Flames caught her hair and also her blouse, and though the smoke partially smothered the flames she was also badly burned at the back of her head and shoulders. Mrs Hogan, a neighbour, saw the smoke coming from the house, and rushing over, she saw Mrs Stevens falling from the window, outside the burning building, with the baby in her arms. She picked the woman up, and carried her to a place of safety. The baby was unhurt, although it was partially choked with the dense smoke.
Both mother and child were brought to the Warragul Hospital, where Matron Daffy and her staff made her as comfortable as possible. The young mother is only 21 years of age, and the fact that everything in the little home is destroyed by the fire, is adding grief to her distressful state.
The driver of the ambulance from Yallourn and the woman friend, who accompanied Mr Stevens to the hospital, expressed their keen admiration of her heroic conduct in rushing into such a blazing furnace to rescue her child.
FOOTNOTES.
1. According to another report of the incident in ‘The Riverine Herald’, the house was described as a ‘bush humpy’ and was situated in the Married Quarters at the West Camp…
“Mrs W. Stevens and one of her two small children had narrow escapes when a bush humpy in the married quarters at the West Camp was destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon. With hair burning, Mrs Stevens had to climb through the bedroom window with her child. She collapsed outside the blazing building; she was burned badly on the arms and scalp and was admitted to Warragul Hospital.” ‘The Riverine Herald’ 6th July 1928. P.2
2. ‘The Riverine Herald’ said that the fire was first noticed by Miss Chrissie Hogan who then informed her mother of Mrs Stevens’ plight; that newspaper also stated that Mrs Stevens collapsed in Mrs Hogan’s arms.
3. According to Prue McGoldrick’s history of the town …
“The first house fire in Yallourn occurred on 16th January 1932. The house occupied by F. Rudge, 1 Meadow Lane, was totally destroyed.” ‘Yallourn Was.’ Page121.
4. There is no mention of the fire brigade attending the fire. ‘The Riverine Herald’ suggested that the outbreak of the fire was so sudden that it was impossible for the brigade to arrive in time to save Mrs Stevens’ home and belongings.
Note: The Yallourn brigade was formed sometime in 1924 and was probably manned by volunteers.
5. In an article written by Ada Piggott, of Yallourn, it is stated that…
“…our drinking water was dipped from the river in four gallon kerosene tin. Before that my parents and many others lived in tents along the river.” ‘To Yallourn with Love.’ 1976.
6. A town water supply service for Yallourn began operation in 1922- 23 and the plumbing for a domestic supply of filtered water was well underway by 1930. However, the town’s sewerage system, which had been first proposed in the 1930’s, was not completed until 1960. A reference to chlorination of the town water supply can be found in ‘The Gippsland Times’ in 1931…
“When tests showed ….the water was treated by chlorination process, to remove and destroy undesirable impurities.” 19th February 1931.
7. The house described in the news report may have been, as defined in Meredith Fletcher’s book, a ‘shanty’.
8. Regarding the surnames mentioned in the story…
(i)There was a ‘Jim Stevens’ mentioned in the early days of the town. Jim was a worker with the Board of Works construction gang.
(ii) ‘Dan Hogan’ lived in Yallourn and he made a name for himself in the sport of wrestling.
It is difficult to say if the two men mentioned above were related to the women referred to in the newspaper report. It would be interesting to know what the future held for Mrs Stevens and her young child. We trust that life was kind to both!
9. It is known that an ambulance service commenced operation in Yallourn 1924 and that the drivers, in earlier times, were Joe Smith and Don Young. In 1962, following changes to the structure and organization of the ambulance service, a new ambulance station was constructed on the corner of Southway and Railway Avenue. Geoff Long was the Officer-in-Charge of the ‘new’ station
10. It was necessary to transport Mrs Stevens to the Warragul Hospital because the Yallourn Hospital did not open until January 1929. The Matron at the Warragul Hospital, Miss Daffy (mentioned above), also received a brief reference in a document regarding the operation of the hospital in 1928….
“During the last year 559 patients were treated at the hospital, the daily average has been 32.65, the average of patients 35 years, and the total revenue £5510. Mr. J. Pirera is president, Miss Daffy matron, and Mr. Hugh Copeland secretary.” ‘West Gippsland Gazette.’ March 29th 1929.
11. A story entitled ‘Life in the Early Days in the Yallourn Area -Vida McMaster (White)’ written by Kath Ringin is also posted on this website.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The above story is part of an on-going project regarding the history of Yallourn. The story was researched, written and presented by Julie George and Roger Spaull for the Virtual Yallourn website in February 2016.
The above article from the ‘West Gippsland Gazette’ has been faithfully reproduced. The only amendments to the original copy are the font style, font size and spacing, so as to enhance the article for purposes of posting on the Virtual Yallourn website.