My Personal Site

All the houses on Wattle Hill was build from kerosene drums from the tip and logs from the trees from the river
On wattle Hill dad got (AWOL)absent without leave,he was hiding up the chimmery but was caught by the Military Police(MP) also around then that house got burnt down and dads war certificates got destroyed in the fire,sometime around then they moved in next door the house with a pepper corn tree.
Uncle Stewart Clayton played in a Darlington Point Gum leaf Band.
In the 50`s Iris Clayton and sisters went to Cootamundra girls homes and her brothers went to Kinchela boys homes Uncle Cecils children.
Uncle Louis Higgins brought water to wattle hill laid water pipes and pump to tanks to our places.
My sister Fay was,born 16/05/1951 at Leeton her full name Irene Fay Higgins.
1 was born Alice Rose Higgins an 16/12/1952 at Leeton NSW, i got baptised my Uncle Tommy Higgins was my godfather.
My brother was born 12/01/1955 at Leeton remember him very little in just four months we lost him he passed away.
He name Robert John Higgins age at 4 months.
My Grandfather John(Jack)Pitman died before i could get to Know him ,hes name John Edward Pitman Place of birth London England(45 Years in Australia,passed away 16/07/1955 Age at death was 68 Years .
Then my mother had another son hes name is Bernie born 11/04/1956 at Mooroonpna Victoria, hes full name Bernard James Higgins was premature at birth he fixed in a shoes box,Nan Higgins was hes god mother.
Than another sister was born her name was Betty born 01/04/1957 at Shepparton East Victoria, real name Elizabeth Ann Higgins around this time i played around with fire and burnt Bernie`s baby bottle we lived at Toolamba Road Mooroopna Victoria.
1 was born with the left leg shorter than the other(dissociated hip),when i was 5 years old almost 6 years old,i was dragged by my father Reuben Arthur Higgins car in 1958, i went crawing to the open fire every school morning to get warm to go of to school sometimes i was limping go to school, Also in 1958 Doctor Walsh said if i didn't go to Sydney hospital i would be in a wheel chair for the rest of my life,so i went to the Far West Manly Hospital Sydney NSW for 18 months with weights on my legs and a cage over my legs in bed for 17 months.
I remember while i was there i ask mum did Betty (Elizabeth my sister)die,that was strange i didn`t known how i Knew ,she passed away 8th August 1958 at the age of death 16 months.
i met Johnny O`Keefe and another time i met Cisco Kid and Puncho from a tv show in the 60s,i got a doll for Christmas and remembering cutting the hair off the doll,i also had my photo taken in the hospital it was put on the front page of a newspaper i was called Alice in wonderland(Haven`t seen that photo again) remember seeing a girl there with no arms and no legs.
Remember going to Sydney on a double decker bus collecting sea shell on the beach
Mum,dad and family was living near the Geraghty bridge Shepparton Vic a little away from the bridge.
Mum had triples John Edward,Margaret Ellen and Elizabeth Marie Higgins there was a fourth one but he wasn`t developed ,hes name was Jesse Frances Higgins born and died 21/02/1958.
My family lived at Geraghty Bridge Shepparton Vic .
Then the family went to Euroley lived there the Euroley bridge dad had a 3 wheeler pink car the battery was always flat they had to push the car.
Another sister born Noelene May Higgins on 18/03/1959 at Leeton
I came home from the Far West Manly hospital in Sydney about 1960,i got to know the family again.This is were we met a man he done card tricks one i can remember was the Ned Kelly Gang trick also remember a man there taking fits.
We moved back to Wattle Hill,i got to know my Uncles,Aunties and cousins.
Another sister was born ,07/05/1960 her name Lorraine Janet Higgins .
For a short time after we moved (we moved around a lot)we moved to Gogedrie in a tent than across to a house near Nan Pitman lived and we was just a walk away in 1961.
I remembered on the news that a little boy was lost(Steven Walls) it came over our valve type wireless,that was a big search for the little boy lost,New England Rangers in Sydney NSW,they found him,also there was a song called little boy lost, Johnny Ashcroft sung it.
Still at Gogedrie Bernie was chasing Fay and myself we went around a log,but Bernie tried to jump over it but fell on a broken glass bottle he cut hes arm he got stitches and one day while we was having baths i was playing with the fire under the copper and a spark jumped out burning down the wash-house.
I wanted to become a piano player and a nurse which i told mum.
Moved back to Wattle Hill , we had Kerosene light to see at night,i went to Primary School in Leeton with Fay and some of my cousins but first we had to catch the bus at the front of Wattle Hill near the road and cross the road was the channel we swam in when it was hot and couldn't wait for the weekend to get my hair curled(ringlets)by my mother and Brenda Higgins my cousin had her hair curled with strips of brown paper the night before by her mother.Getting cleaned the next day to go to the afternoon pictures(Roxy Theartre) every Saturday sometimes to see Elvis Presley movies.
We walked from Wattle Hill to Leeton to get into the pictures(either Roxy Theatre or the open theatre across from the taxi rank) it cost 1 shilling and at interval i like getting red coated peanut for 1 shilling and ice cream for sixpence we use to walk home,and sometimes at night Nanny Higgins use to take us because we was`nt aloud to go by ourselves and get a taxi home,some nights Fay Nan and myself slept in a t-model ford at the back of our house once i got ring worms so i had to sleep inside where i could be watched,i got sick and i didn`t like medication so the doctor give me square pink tablets they tasted like lollies.
Dad use to read phantom comics and swap the comics with Igrams at that time i like reading phantom comics too.
At school we had a ho-ho crazes and a hoola hoops i had my own hoola hoop and thought i was great that i can hoola hoop and i loved a broom trick i use to do a lot.
In the summer we went swimming and got leachers on us to get rid of them we pulled them of and turn them inside out with sticks and put them on the road for either the sun to get them or cars to run over them,and also we got raw meat and tied cotton on the meat to catch yabbies and we cook them in boiling water then we shelled the yabbies and put them in pepper and melted butter it was yummy,in the winter we snuggled up with not many blankets i either slept at Brenda`s place(a cousin) or she slept at my place to get to Brenda`s place it was a walk away she lived with her mum and dad, brothers and sisters,who was my Uncle Louis and Auntie Amy and my cousins Lionel,Ronnie,Greg,Wayne,Desmond,Russell,Carmel and Glenis,which had a side driveway at the back going to our place and a small gateway at the front,then across the dirt road there lived Uncle Tommy and Auntie Margaret,and family as i can rememberJosephine,Cecil,
Brian,Trevor and Sue not sure where Eunice and Roy lived my uncle married a aborignal wife.
Then in another place lived Syd Scott than back across the road lived Mrs Robinson (she used to talk in tongues)Mrs Morgan and her two children Ruthy and Donnie lived there with Mrs Robinson too, (mrs morgan`s mother ) i used to slept at Ruthy's place i think Brenda did too.
Then up the hill The Packers lived there Gwen,Greg and Colleen was friends,next door lived James Ingram and family across the road was the tip,down the hill lead back to Nanny Higgins place at the pepper corn tree at the back of the house and a road lead to the bus stop two ways from the top of the hill and to Nans place,i remember walking all over the hill with Brenda dont remember how old we was but i do remember a lot of houses all over the hill.
Nan used to put newspaper on the wall of our place to make it look nice the paper was put up with water and flour she decorated it very well to make kerosene lights with screw top vegimite jars and foil from the sunshine milk tins and she made lovely stews she use to put dumplings in it and another time she had flour that was rolled she put them in a bag and boiled in water and we had golden syrup on it after it was cooked that was called dumplings as well and also she put lino on top of a kitchen table .
Nan pitman ,uncles Ted and Jimmy moved to Moghoney Rd,we moved in with them ,my other uncle (Charlie )rode hes horse around to see us all.
We had a brown retrever dog it which got sick and died.
On the way to school almost every day magpies use to attack us.
Another Brother was born 01/01/1962 Reuben Milford Higgins we called him Googie.
Moved back to Wattle Hill,my sister Lorraine Janet Higgins was 2 years old when she was knocked my a truck 6 feet in the air near the channel at Wattle Hill she was lucky to be a live she became mental retarted.
Noelene had a Labrador black dog called Tiger he always pushed Lorraine of the road but this time he wasn`t close to push her of the road,later Tiger passed away.
In 1963 Uncle Clarrie Higgins came home with Auntie Eunice,Uncle Clarrie had a guitar,they both sang`Yes iam the girl from Warburton mountain`.
Around this time there was a bad storm,it rained,hailed ,thunder and lightening,it was so bad it took the roof off where Uncle Clarrie and Auntie Eunice slept,Nan Higgins told us kids to get under the table it was the safe place to get.
Still in 1963 Fay,Bernie and myself not sure who else was with us there but after the afternoon pictures we used to walk home to Wattle Hill but we made a detour behind the ice factory in Leeton on the railway track we was waiting a long time when Fays shoe got stuck in the railway track she got frightened about a train might come so she pulled her foot out of her shoe and we left her shoe behind.
On another time we went passed the orange factory in Leeton we asked for oranges we was aloud to have some oranges.
Around this time Mr McGregor the School Welfare came,we had unmade beds we quickly made them and Brenda (my cousin) was taken and put in the homes only for a short time.
Fay,Brenda and myself after a swim we sometimes walk to Amesbury to get our letters at the Post Office which wasn`t far to walk sometimes when we had money we went to the shop next to the Post Office to get a ice cream or icy pole each because it got to hot for us we also got a chew-chew bar
Around this time,Bill Robinson went to Sydney had a meeting on Wattle Hill to get a 99 year lease for Wattle hill,on the lease in the end was a loop hole,was a camping reserve meaning to wrap number 8 wire around pole or through bags to make shift camp,the loop hole instead was broken because they put nails through pole and tin and broke the 99 years lease.
1964 Nan Pitman and two Uncles Ted and Jimmy Brought a house on Karri Rd ,us kids stayed there too with them for 3 months and it was a long three months too but Fay and i slept with Nan Pitman it was so different the bed had nice sheets on it and it was strange looking up the ceiling i never lived in a nice house before little lone nice sheets and electricity while we had kerosene lamps at this time couldnt remember the sheets at the far west manly Sydney hospital, while mum and dad went to Shepparton Vic,they came back and got us when the 3 months was up.
We moved to Shepparton Vic in 1964 we worked packing apples at a farm the people was Silversteins.
Possible at this time we visit Auntie Daisy Higgins our cousins John,Edward,Marlene and Helen,Uncle Clarrie Higgins Children Daisy was Uncle Clarries first wife.
Fay and i we went to Primary School i learned two songs(where have all the flowers gone another which i cant remember.
i wanted to leave school and become a nurse i went for the job but didnt get the job but i was too young.
Than June Marlene Higgins was born 09/06/1965 she wasnt born in the hospital,born in the front seat of a station wagon,dad was there so was Fred Taylor (a friend),June was born between Mooroopna Vic (our home)and the hospital,mum and June was taken to the hospital.
We moved to to Robinvale we stayed with Frank Baxter and family for 3 months us kids slept on the floor moved back to Wattle Hill.
Then Moghoney Rd in caravan and hut .
By this time Bert,Hannah and family was living in the blue house at Moghoney Rd(Bert Abrahams and grandfather louis Higgins robbed a bank in Tasmania and jumped ship to come to the main lands of Australia grandfather Higgins birth place,) when we come back and stayed with Nan Pitman & Uncles Ted and Jimmy.
Bert held a sunday school in a tent at Moghoney Rd and Harry he`s son baptised children in their bath we had photos taken,after sunday night church there we had sandwich and cake i loved calaway seed cake which they had ,i also had dinner with them which we called tea.
I knew Roy ,Joyce, Marj,Harry Abrahams.
Joyce use to make popcorn in a electic frying pan with glass lid we loved watching the popcorn pop.
Dad came out of jail(he was there for a few months) he got a tent put up ,Fay and i use to fight a lot she sometimes nearly chocking me she said you`re not going tell on me or you will cope it,around this time we found out that Fay had infurlightes on the brain,mum still puts my hair in ringlets and mum got Fay and myself two the same dresses but mine was pink and Fay`s was yellow to go to the Leeton Show or to the Roman Catholic Sunday School or go next door to Sunday School at Bert and Hannah Abraham they held a Sunday church ..
Dad use to take us to school in he`s car he had to crank it sometimes it wouldn`t start so we had to push it.
Later on the Abrahams moved don`t know where but held a church in the main street the canery side in Leeton,i remember Mrs Robinson talking in tongues at the church.
Moved back to Wattle Hill we walked around wattle trees a lot and was a lot of rocks there they was rocky.
June was dropped by Lorraine causing June to take fits.
By this time we all was Baptised except Robert at this stage there is no record of he`s baptism cerificate.
Bernie got hes foot and toe cut in the channel where we use to swim at Wattle Hill ,he went in hospital came out and Donnie Morgan bathed Bernies foot in salt and warm water,later when Bernies foot got better he got in the channel and felt around with hands and he found a broken milk bottle really it was unsafe to swim in the channel then.
We moved back to Leeton .
Then mum,dad and family moved to Stanbridge which i stayed with Nan Higgins (at Abraham old house in Moghoney Rd) because i went to the high school in 1966 there was a tradition to put all new kids heads down the toilet somehow they missed me but i did get other kids calling me a flea bag ,abo and Higgo,and ha shes got germs,i had a crush on a boy classmate but really no one liked me the boy`s didn`t like dancing with me but i didn`t care because i liked dancing,my friends was Joan Clarke and Gaye Warburton and Jan Ellis.
I couldn`t wait for mum and dads pay-day to come to get 1 Shilling of chips ,ice-cream and lollies for school lunch and other time on pay-day my family was in town for lunch we had fish and chips a bone of the fish got stuck in Fay`s throat but was okay.
Lionel Rose came to Leeton to do boxing in the evening on a Saturday night,Bernie was there must of my cousins was there Brian(my cousin)was there and i was there too ,i am sure Lionel Rose sang a song(I thank you) then.
I remember going to Barellan NSW and Nan Higgins pointed to Evonne Goolagongs place and said `we`re related to Evonne her grandmother and i are cousins(she said meaning herself)`we never ask questions.
another time we went and visited Nan`s best friend Annie Morgan we had chops and sausages for tea from Annie`s open fire.
I was in hospital i got my tonsils out and i love having ice-cream and jelly but i didn`t like being hospital.
Around this time my Brother Bernie made sling guns.
Also around this time thats when Pounds and Shillings chanced over to $ and cents 14th Feb 1966.
On this day 6/06/1966,it was a special day to me the family had a fun day, we had a game,i spy with my little eye,then dad said this day 6/6/66 you can change it around and still get 6/6/66 it will not happen like this again in the 60`s and it didnt happened before in the 60`s,(i know it happened again but in the 70`s ,80`s and the 90`s,7/7/77 and 8/8/88 and coming up in 9/9/99 every 10 years).We watched water skiing it was fun.
Dad said we`re related to jockey Roy Higgins a cousin to Grandfather Higgins(maybe dad ment grandfather Higgins cousins son.)
We come back two Wattle Hill maybe because Nan Higgins was sick and went in Hospital her gallstones was playing up,she had her photo taken in hospital,after school Brenda (my cousin) and myself went to visit her,Nan was glad to see us.
Stayed at Brenda Higgins place at the half house on Brobenah Rd,on passing the half house Johnny and Lenners i only known them by there first name they started with a wagon of fruit and veggies (as the years went they got a shop in the same spot)
Sometimes us kids stayed with Nan Pitman she loved pomergranate fruit she recond it was English fruit.
Some times Uncle Louis, Brenda and myself pick asparuges on Karri Rd .
Also Brenda and i use to catch yappies under tree near bridge near half house.