Chapter 11.4 – “The Scrapings of the Pot”

Joseph and Margaret Dangerfield and family and Fred and Bessie Arthur and other members of the clan.

Howard Dangerfield had a varied employment history throughout his life as did most people of the time. Work was hard to get and so people would take any job that was available and so work was found on the land or in the mines at places such as Broken Hill and Kadina, or for Howard as a traveling movie theater operator. 

“It was about this time that I went with Imperial Pictures’ proprietor for a round of inspection of his shows in various places, using my Cleveland car. Firstly we travelled from Pinnaroo to Renmark through Loxton. He had the Lyric Pictures at Renmark. After a night there we moved on to Mildura, but were delayed through rain in starting out. We were accompanied by two others on this trip and as I had not been over the road before, Symonds the proprietor was to show me the way. But we went astray even so. At that time there was no sealed highway between Renmark and Mildura and the ‘sunset’ country through which we passed was only then being surveyed for settlement. So travel facilities were pretty crude and roads were mainly tracks through the scrub. However, soon after crossing over the state border and into Victoria, we came to a dam provided by the Government as a watering place for prospective settlers. Tracks approached this dam from all directions and of course in leaving it, Symonds directed me on to the wrong one and as it was steadily raining again and heavy cloud obscured the sun and there was no wind I had no check on the direction in which I was travelling. But the surroundings were pleasant enough, in a pine covered area with the track ok for travelling in spite of the rain, until we came to a fenced off railway line at right angles to our line of direction.

“There should be no railway across this road,” This puzzled Symonds no end.

“Well, there it is,” says I. So I got out of the car and had a look at the trunk of the nearest pine tree. You can tell direction by so doing, for moss grows on the trunk of these pine trees only on the side untouched by the sun, the south. And we had been travelling south instead of east. Then one of our passengers remembered that the Victorian government had put a railway spur line from Redcliff on the Ouyen to Mildura line, westward to Markalla, near the South Australian border and that was the line hindering us at the moment. And so, in continuous rain, we turned eastward and followed a road alongside the line to Redcliffs and thence to Mildura which we reached at about 10 o’clock at night instead of the expected five o’clock in the evening. Yes, it takes a bushman to guide you in those circumstances, not a picture show proprietor. But it turned out to our benefit that we went via Redcliffs as the road we intended to take had to pass by Lake Culleraine and all who tried to get through on this occasion were badly bogged in that lake area and so we returned to Renmark by the same route we had gone over on the outward journey. But that was after inspecting the picture show owned by Symonds at Mildura and arranging to start another show at Merbein. Accomplishing this we returned to Renmark, thence through Morgan to Clare, where was another Symonds-owned picture show under the management of Steve McLean who had previously transferred from Pinnaroo.

“Some little time after our return to Pinnaroo from this tour, I started work with Westphalen Brothers, Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights while keeping my connection with the picture show. I started with Westphalens as a comb setter on harvesting machines brought in for repairs. There was four week’s work in prospect, but in the upshot of events I stayed there four years, taking charge of the Oxy-welding section of the company. But our family was growing up and enlarging and as there was no prospect of the children being gainfully employed in a small town we decided to move to Adelaide, which move was made in March 1927 to a home in Woodville Gardens. Ron at this time was six weeks old – Thelma and Douglas had been born at Pinnaroo. A few weeks after arriving here, I started in employment with Horwood Bagshaw as a mechanic in the tractor section at that time under the control of Reg Kenyon. He later transferred to Western Australia Hart Parr Tractor Agency and Horwood’s Tractor department came under the control of the general works manager, AE Smith. But before leaving, Kenyon had promoted me to foreman of the tractor department. I remained with this firm for ten years, then after a difference of opinion with AE Smith, walked out without notice calling Smith’s bluff. For a time I was in charge of ‘Perfect Brakes’ in Grote Street a venture started by Cliff Butler who had previously bought into the firm of Westphalan after one of the brothers had withdrawn from that firm. But a fraudulent bookkeeper caused the failure of that firm and much the same thing happened to ‘Perfect Brakes,’ so it only lasted about two years.

“After this I entered the employ of the International Harvester Co and was with them for ten years, mainly in charge of the welding section. My main work consisted of rebuilding damaged truck chassis and converting trailer bodies to low-loading furniture Pantechnicons, McGrath trailers mainly being used for the purpose. I converted such a trailer into a 30-ft low-loader and another into an 18-foot low-loader for Richard Mitchell, and several smaller ones for other companies. However by this time I was getting on in years and the company, after a new director arrived from USA altered its system of management. Instead of giving employees a bonus as heretofore there was a system of superannuation and I was too old to benefit. But when the firm put a young chap with me to learn the type of work I was doing, I saw the writing on the wall. He would take my place at a time to suit the company.

“So I again walked out at a time to suit myself. During this period a number of things outside the work interests had happened. My late wife and I had joined the Christadelphian movement with meeting place on Halifax street. Daughter Sylvia had been married at the time of our silver wedding, so we had a fortnight’s holiday together at Blanchetown reserve. Then, in 1949, I fulfilled a promise I had made to my wife at the time of our marriage. There was no time for a honeymoon then as I was wanted straight away for seeding time at the farm. But I told her – ‘Someday we’ll have our honeymoon on the Murray.’ In 1949 that happened. We booked a berth on the Paddle Steamer ‘Gem’ for a Christmas trip – 16 pounds for the two of us for 8 days. Starting from Adelaide with reserved seats on the train to Morgan, then board the ‘Gem’ there, proceed up river to Renmark. Christmas dinner of turkey and trimmings and pudding on board the steamer. Then down river to Murray Bridge, stay overnight, then back upstream to Morgan where on Monday morning we boarded the train and back to Adelaide, a really enjoyable trip apart from the fact that the first three days were in century heat and our cabin was directly over the engine room. So to get some rest out of the heat we, as did many others made for the upper deck (the ‘Gem’ is a three-decker) and there with the aid of deck chairs and lounge seats, tried to get some sleep. Still I feel the passenger who remarked that it was more like and endurance test than a rest wasn’t far off the mark. However, a cool change made the latter half of the trip much more pleasant and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. So much so that we booked another river trip on the ‘Gem’ but profiting by our experience on the first trip there on, we booked a cabin near the stern end of the vessel and well away from the engine room. This trip was supposed to take us from Morgan to Mildura and return, but a broken paddle shaft, just after we had reached the area of the New South Wales border, put paid to that idea, so the ‘Gem’ returned to Renmark for repairs and the passengers were taken from there to Mildura by bus, on a one-day visit going to Mildura on the Victorian side of the river and coming back on the NSW side. The trip from Renmark to Morgan was made in fast time as the ‘Gem’ had to be in Morgan in time to link with the train to Adelaide. Maurice also went with us on this occasion.

“This also was a time of high river and the ‘Marion’ had been in strife on the previous trip, leaving part of her port side decking and the ladies lavatory hanging on a tree in midstream somewhere in the Cal Lal area. There was some doubt about the ‘Marion’ undertaking this last trip due to the damage sustained but as there was a full booking of passengers it was decided not to disappoint them and so the trip was made. This journey also had Mildura as its destination. I had been told that the approach to Mildura was a sight to see, but again, for the third time, we were disappointed. The ‘Marion,’ due partly to damage, but mainly to high river and strong current conditions was unable to keep up to its timetable and so made it only to Wentworth and passengers again finished the trip to Mildura by bus – rather a disappointment. The return trip to Morgan with the aid of the current was made in good time and the connection with the train was made quite easily. Again, Maurice went with us on this occasion as did daughter Sylvia.

“It was at this period of flooded river that the first family tragedy struck our family. Eldest son Len, who had a shack at Walker Flat, took some mates there for a weekend holiday and some spotlight shooting. Len went out of the shack to get the car ready for the evening’s shooting, leaving companions in the shack. Having made ready, he came to the shack door and called the others. One of them, acting the fool, grabbed another man’s rifle and, pointing it at Len, pulled the trigger, not knowing that it had been left loaded by another fool who should not have been there anyway. Result was that Len received a bullet in the stomach and though he was hurried to a doctor at Mannum, he died next morning. I had been working with Len in his business for about 12 months after walking out from International Harvester and this affair came as an awful shock to us, his parents. It was this affair that caused us to take the aged pension, as what financial assets I had were wrapped up in Len’s business and so I was left at a dead end. However, soon after this, I was offered a position with Keith Gore, fabricating steel frame garages for McLeod’s and which continued for some months till McLeods took over the business for themselves, which brought my job to an end and retirement from active labor resulted.

“At this time I possessed a Bradford Station wagon which my wife and I used as a camper and with a tent made for the purpose and together with other facilities we used for travelling excursions. On one occasion we did a 4,000-mile trip with this outfit, going from Adelaide to Eyre Peninsula and after travelling to Port Lincoln and some distance up the West Coast, returned to Adelaide. After staying a weekend to do some clothes washing and stocking up of tucker boxes, set off eastward to the Riverina area and stayed for a time with daughter Sylvia at Barham. This we used as a base for forays in various directions into surrounding districts to Wakool, to Echuka, to Boort, Quambarton, and surrounding districts. On our homeward journey, we travelled via Kerang-Boort to Warracknabeal, then Horsham and via Edenhope to Penola and Nangwarry to Mt Burr where we stayed a few days with son Leon and family and thence back to Adelaide via Millicent, Kingston and Murray Bridge – a distance of 4,000 miles after leaving Adelaide to West Coast of Eyre Peninsula.

“It was in 1949, when in the employ of IHC, that I had a bad breakdown in health, not long after the first river trip on the ‘Gem.’ I put it down to a bout of gastric influenza (I had experienced one such previously while at Pinnaroo). But as the trouble persisted, I reluctantly called in a doctor who diagnosed the trouble as a duodenal ulcer and put me on a course of a mixture of 1/2 cup cold milk with a teaspoonful of Marmite and citrate powder added. If ever there was something my stomach absolutely refused to deal with it was that concoction. In three weeks I was reduced to a skeleton too weak to stand. So I was put into the Adelaide Hospital but on Dr Hone’s orders discharged after 10 days as not being ill enough to be there. Three weeks under your own doctor he said and you’ll be fit to go back to work. In fact I was in bed for a further six months and allowed to get up for Christmas Eve. So I was sitting around for weeks, too sore in the stomach to walk much until the doctor gave me an order to attend the Adelaide Hospital as an outpatient. Here I came under the care of a Dr Miller who had x-rays taken with the result that he said I did not have and never did have duodenal or any other user but really had a bad form of nervous dyspepsia. Under his treatment I was able to go back to work after another three months of recuperation.

“I had always admired my wife as a companion in addition to many other virtues, but after her attention to me during that six months in bed, my estimation and esteem for her was boundless. Uncomplaining attention for six months was really something, so when our marriage had lasted long enough to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary, I was happy to have the opportunity to make public at that function my indebtedness to her for her unremitting attention to my needs. She herself was also constant in her work for charity and with the aid of a knitting machine paid for by her own efforts, she made numerous garments both for charitable organizations and for her own children and grandchildren. But she herself had not been a very robust woman and had attended the clinics both of doctors and also naturopaths’ and it was from the latter that she received by far the most benefit. But as we were both now in need of such services the expense of a naturopaths’ attention was too much for our slender financial resources. So, when after one of our trips interstate she was not feeling so well after our return. She said she would call a doctor rather than a naturopath as it would not cost us anything. That was done. But I wonder, did it really not cost us anything? I am inclined to think it cost us her life! The doctor diagnosed her trouble as nothing serious but did eventually give her an order to go to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. But on applying there we were told she could not be taken in for three weeks. On informing the doctor what the hospital had told us he said that would be okay as there was nothing serious and no cause for worry. But before the three weeks elapsed, the precious girl had died. Oh No! Nothing Serious!

“Cliff and his wife had called at our home on their way to holiday on Eyre Peninsula and had spent the morning in her room with her as she was resting in bed. They left about midday. I gave her her lunch in her bed and had my own in the dining room, but in full view of her through the bedroom door. After a little while I saw her shift from a sitting position and slip down to a lying position in the bed. Thinking she was feeling tired after the morning chat with the visitors I didn’t go into her room, but continued for a while to sit where I was, intermittently reading and glancing at her, evidently sleeping.

“Thelma came in, glanced at the seemingly sleeping form and said we had best not disturb her. So I went to a nearby deli to get a few necessities and on returning made a cuppa for the form in the bed who, to my knowledge had not moved. So I went quietly in, put the cup on the table by her bed and touched her hand which was lying just on top of the blanket to waken her. But there was no response. On looking more closely, I saw that her mouth was slightly open and her lower dentures had been displaced. To say I received a shock at that moment does not begin to describe my feelings. I ran to Mrs Carr a nearby neighbor with a phone and got her to ring the doctor. Although his home was only a couple of streets away it took him over 1/2 an hour to arrive and he told me the worst after a brief test of the person in the bed. And I told him my opinion of a doctor who kept telling me there was “nothing to worry about.” Do you wonder if I have no faith in doctors? Tol and I had shared our lives for a few weeks over 51 years and for me it was not long enough. Though we made no open show of our affection one for the other, that feeling did run deep in both of us. The loss to me was devastating and still is. I think part of me died when I found her so. 51 years together then to be alone is just too much for an old frame to accept with equanimity.”

Howard sat quietly now, head bowed, casting his mind back over the years of his marriage to Tol whom he had loved so much. I touched Howards hands and thanked him for telling me his story and stood up to leave.

Howard raised his head with a sigh, “Thanks for coming, Fay. I have enjoyed your company and the chance to reminisce about my past and happier days. I think I will have a nap now and do come again.”

I left Howard at this point in the year 1963 and returned to my year in 2012. It was not necessary for me to hear any more of Howard’s story because I knew the end of it; how a few years after Tol’s death, the owner of the little house where Howard had lived with Tol at Woodville West died and so Howard lost the home that he had shared for 14 years with his beloved. The prospect of entering a home for the aged appalled him but he was saved this indignity when a friend for whom he had done countless services maintaining her properties over the years offered him a room in her home at Tea Tree Gully and later at Murray Bridge where he spent his time tending her property and caring for her orchard on the two acres of land attached to the house property and caring for her orchard on the two acres of land attached to the house property.