NOTE: CLICK HERE FOR Details of Wilfred's Parents, Birth, Marriage, Death, and more

Recollections - October 1928 to December 1931:

"Faint recollections of my movements from Oct 1928 when I left for Gosford hairdressing. Spent two months with Jack then went packing oranges at the shed until Jan 1929 - finished - returned to Batlow - work there all the season and went to Sydney for Xmas (29-30) with Bob. Spent £50 - regretted it after. J.S. was with me a good deal of the time - returned to Batlow to taib (?) -  saved money and was to have a go in business in Ungorie (?) but  slipped and worked  right up till Xmas at shed  - then went to E.A.H.H. (?) mippings (?) spent that Xmas at home (30-31) worked at the shed again next season up till November then left for the track. 21st Dec ."

The trip to Queensland 21 Dec 1931 to 2 Jan 1932 - from Batlow, NSW, to Stanthorpe, Qld (during The Great Depression):

* "Got bike from Len Smith Friday Dec 18 1931. Paid £6-18 - Lot of money but it was well worth it - Sat we bought the camping requisites and made final arrangements for the track - Sunday a day of rest in preparation for the day - with the hand almost shook off I retired, the alarm set for four - an early rise enabled us to leave at the set time 5 o'clock (Mon). So with the pack up we set sail, leaving Batlow fast asleep on Monday.
* Dec 21 1931 (Mon.) - for the first day we done real well, reaching "The Shack" ten miles Sydney side of Jugiong where we spent the first night - very tired but a good bath put new life into us, but oh those legs.
* Next day we reached Yass soaking wet about ten o'clock, from here we rode to within a few miles of Goulburn spending a very cold night under railway bridge.
* For our third day we reached Mittagong - another cold night under Wattle Tree where road crosses line, leaving us a short day's run to North Mead Parrammatta Xmas Eve - reached there at 3.30 - still crook in legs and seat - but bath mad big improvement and the bed well - will we ever forget Mrs Docker.
* Stocked up with a new supply of food (including milk, cake and beef from our friend) we set off about 10 o'clock Xmas Day through pretty but hilly country to Wyong - still cold nights.
* Going again Sat we reached Newcastle. Spent a couple of hours with Bob Eastoe and had dinner in town - getting off our track delayed us a little and we spent the night just out of Maitland - here the mosquitoes gave us hell.
* Sunday put us through Maitland and Singleton, both good towns - good swimming pool at Singleton - here we had dinner and a lay off in the Park - then off to camp near the line just out of Muswellbrook.
* Monday we passed Muswellbrook, Seone and Mururundi over the Liverpool Ranges - hardest climb yet - camped near Wallabadah, another bridge - good rest put new life into us.
* Tuesday up at three, a snack and on the track at four - earliest start yet - making the pace we reached Wallabadah then Tamworth - very nice town. Swimming Reservoir on Peel River - another climb over Mombi Ranges to spend night under willow tree - best camp yet.
* Next day we set out for Armidale over very bad road - passing through Uralla - Ted's bike repaired - Armidale at 3.30. Very nice town (city they call it). Here we had our usual two milkshakes, bought up and on to the foat (?) of Nilb (?) before Guyra.
* Thursday we reached Guyra early, bought bread and was told of the good road to Glen Innis (the 50 mile an hour road that Ted cursed as he had a blow out) - bit of a walk to Glencoe, found an old tyre - this delayed us and we reached Glen Innis about four. Nice town, wide main street, cars parked in centre. Ted bought a new tyre - then on to Hoquisla (?) where we spent the old year out - music by another bag man.
* Next day we set out for Tenterfield, reaching there about 4 o'clock - town about same size as Tumut. Two picture theatres. Last night we bunked down about thirty miles from Stanthorpe - nice run to complete our journey.
* On Saturday Jan 2nd 1932 at 10.45, establishing a record from Batlow to Stanthorpe." (Underlining by P Keenan.) From 5am on 21/12/1931 to 10.45am on 2/1/1932.

Work and life up north, January to March 1932:

* Arrived at The Summit Jan 2nd 1932 in search of work - seen Hie - a bit early for him - so we rode the country side - finally getting a job for one at Mr George Sevenlea - being a "chum" he wanted Ted - so on Tuesday the happy home broke up - carried on camping at Sports Ground on my own - earnt 5/- at the shed.
* Tues first across the border.
* Wed. Mr Johns sent me to Dobbies - packing Williams Favourite 11/-.
* Thur bean picking at Neilsons 1/- a bag - worked hard for 9/-, so slung it.
* Went to town Frid. haircut and shave 2/3.
* Sat loafed and watched cricket.
* Sunday Dobbies again, 1-1-8 easy money.
* Mon. day of rest.
* Tues first swim at The Summit.
* Wed went to Amiens but no one there.
* Thursday - a couple of hours at shed on Clapps.
* Frid - unloaded two trucks of fish manure and paper. Nights getting cold - into Teds bedding (?).
* Sat shifted camp. Au revoir to the tin shed.
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* Shifted to Hickmores. Sat evening to sleep amongst fleas. Up off the hard ground was quite a change. Ted came in but didn't stay.
* Sunday out to Dobbies again and packed 10/6 worth of Grav and Peaches.
* Monday lined up at the shed - packed 30 cases, done 1 1/2 hours labouring.
* Tues much the same - 29 cases and 1 1/2 hours.
* Wed 14 cases, 2hours.
* Thursday packed 2 cases of Williams pears, first of the season, and went out to tell Ted to hang on for another week - afternoon tea with Mr George. Not much doing.
* Friday - packed 15 cases, went for a swim.
* Saturday spent the morning at Hickmores picking Jons (?), had the best laugh of a long time when Bill's horse bolted - dance at night.
* Sunday - done the washing and went swimming.
* Monday - pay day £1.10.9 - 29 cases, 1 1/2 hours.
* Tues - 37.
* Wed - 18.
* Thur - 32.
* Frid - 21.
* Sat - 24.
* Sunday packed 12 cases of Jons and seven half-bushell of plumbs. Ted's return to camp.
* Mon - 35.
* Tues - 48.
* Wed - 23. Pay Day £ 3-19-6.
* Thur 12/- from Hie - 27 cases in the morning - went to the show, but disappointed. Met Alf Sloper travelling with a side show - went to Geo Sarlies - very good - first car ride since we left home.
* Friday 20th - four hours.
* Sat - 10 cases and 6 1/2 hours.
* Sunday - 19 cases, 4 hours.
* Mon - 14 cases, 6 1/2 hours.
* Tues - 8 hours.
* Wed - 9 hours. Ted starts.
* Thursday - 9 hours.
* Friday - 11 hours, loaded first export truck.
* Sat - 11 hours.
* Sun - 10 hours.
* Monday - 10 hours, export leaves - three trucks - 1,000 cases - dance at night - met J.J. (?) - bike pump pinched.
* Tues - 11 hours, letter from Mum, wrote to Mum.
* Wed - pay day again £9-8-3 less 4/8 tax.
* Thur Feb 18th - 11 1/2 hours.
* Friday - 12 hours at the bench.
* Sat - 10 hours - dance at night - crook too - Ted went to town with Bert.
* Sun - 8 1/2 hours packed BB pears.
* Monday - 9 hours - took some snaps - letter from H.V. - rain at night.
* Tues - water melons packed delicious. Cold nights - more bags for the bunks.
* Thur into town for a hair cut.
* Frid letter from Cyril - packed tomatoes at night.
* Sat took big contract packing tomatoes, 4 (pence?) a 1/2 case - grade and packed - made big money 5/6. At the camp - cooking corn beef Sat night Feb 27th.
* Sunday down to Skuses on tomatoes - collected 19/- fruitless ride to Georges in the afternoon.
* Mon 8 1/2
* Tues 8 1/2
* Wed 9 1/2. End of another fortnight - first week 71 hours £5/6/6, second week 46 1/2 hours £3-9-9, £8-16-3. Millers fruit condemned.
* Thurs 8 1/2 hours tomatoes at night - earned 8/7
* Frid 8 1/2 hours
* Sat March 5th 4 1/2 hours, unloaded 232 bags of lucerne/chaff - what a job. Ted developed crook shoulder. Summit Show - very good display.
* Sunday - washing and ironing - preparing for return journey - no boots on all day. Talk to Hie and decided to leave to leave Wed.

* Monday 8 1/2 hours. Ordered train ticket from Warwicks £3-7-3 bike included. Cash hard to part with. Ted into lodge to bid May Au Revoir. Bert's on Orient grapefruit in the shed - poor mug.
* Tues March 8 9 hours. More Donnelly's peaches. Golden Queen - rejoiced over leaving - cut the last lunch - polish the bikes - talked about this time tomorrow.

Train trip from The Summit to Batlow, 1932:

* Wed 9th - worked until 11.30 then to the camp to prepare for the return train journey - finished taking snaps - and ready to depart at 3.30. Mrs Hie gets Bill to take our ports to train and prepares the last meal at The Summit for us - this polished off we ??? for the shed - collect the pay £3-9-6 and a little fruit, then Au Revoir to the Boss and Bert - we make for the station.
* Muriel and Libb (?) to see us off - then at last the train appears - we climb on board and bid The Summit farewell. Elerie and Grace anxiously watching our departure.
* Wallang are at half past six, where we changed from the dog box into a NSW train - had tea and away.
* Tenterfield about 8.30, then on to Glen Innis.
* 9.30 tea and room - tried to settle down for the night but the many stops, passengers arriving and departing wouldn't let us.
* Armidale at midnight chap carried past Kentucky, passing Uralla, Guyra we reach Tamworth - more scones and tea - strike Murrurundi at day break - then Maitland.
* Four lines all the way to Newcastle - reached here about 11 o'clock - Gosford 12.30 and Sydney at 1.35, running late - a feed - fixed the bikes and ports up and off to the markets - from there we went to the Quay to inspect the Bridge and The Strathnover (?) - both wonderful. Then a little shopping at Lowes (?) - tea and off to the State to see "Highly Dishonourable".
* Had to leave at nine - reach central, collect things - ready for another train journey. Ticket £2-2-3, bike 2/11.
* 10.5 we board the Albury Mail to leave the City behind - travel all night - little sleep - then discovered that the two girls in with us were from Adelong - so struck up a very enjoyable conversation - quite nice, the girls, and so made our trip very pleasant.
* Arrived home on 11th.(March)

Job application - Robinvale property - 1954:

The Secretary. Dear Sir,
I wish to apply for the position of Manager of your property at Robinvale as advertised in the shepparton news of the 2nd inst.
I am a married man of 44 years of age with three children of school age. I have been connected with the fruit industry for the past 25 years, during which time I have been mainly interested in the packing of apples, pears and citrus for export and local market and in this direction I consider myself very well experienced. Unfortunately I can not claim to be experienced in citrus and vine growing but have had experience in growing of apples, pears and stonefruits and consider that it would not take long to become familiar with the care of citrus and vines.
My experience in the handling of staff is considerable, and prior to 1950 I held the position of Floor Manager in a large packing house for a period of nine years. Naturally should you consider any application I would require to know the salary offering and position in regard to schooling. References of my experience in respect to the packing of fruits can be supplied.
Thanking you in anticipation. Yours respectfully, W.Keenan

Employment and income - July 1953-June 1954. (Source: Income tax return.)

* Producers Cooperative Distributing Society, Leeton. Period 1/7/53 to 10/9/53. Gross income (pounds) 154.17.1.
* S.J. Perry and Company (fruit exporter), Shepparton. Period 27/1/54 to 30/6/54. Gross income (pounds) 544.0.5.
* Various 6/10/53 to 22/1/54. Gross income (pounds) 238.0.0
* Interest, dividends, etc NIL
* Total income (pounds) 916.0.0.