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Interviewee

Walter Jordan

Place Recorded

Coffs Harbour-NSW

Interviewer

Lesley Gibbs

Collection

Agency

Yarrila Arts & Museum (YAM)

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Walter Jordan Interview

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IntervieweeWalter JordanInterview Date25 October 1986Place RecordedCoffs Harbour-NSWDuration1h29m41sAccession NumberLS2020.1.77Credit LineCoffs Harbour City Council, 1988.

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Walter Jordan was a hard working man who became the Inspector of Police. His love of sport and physical fitness led him to representing Australia at the 1936 Berlin Olympic games.

InterviewerLesley GibbsCollectionYAM Museum CollectionVoice of Time oral history projectAgencyYarrila Arts & Museum (YAM)SummaryStandard disclaimer. Visit the 'Voice of Time' web site to read or listen to the disclaimer. The family were in Coffs, however Walter Jordan was born in Grafton on 16th May 1904. His mother didn't return to Coffs for five months. -- Walter has a son and daughter. -- His father had many walks of life, including blacksmithing. The early pioneers were very hard on him. -- His father's view of life helped his four sons. -- Walter started as a professional fisherman at the age of 13. The market gardening at Boambee and Picnic Point. -- The family had many innovative ideas when it came to making a living. There were eight children; four boys and four girls and they all worked very hard when the times were tough. -- Timber cutting was also included. Forest Oak and Red Mahogany were used for shingles. -- Orders were taken for two hundred thousand at the time. "In spite of the hard times we had a sheltered upbringing". His mother and father were not strict. -- Walter was a tall, strong boy, "backward" about getting into fights at school. -- Being the eldest in the family had its disadvantages. -- The day the "spring broke" and the fear of going home. -- His first real job was on the 'Flying gang" on the railway. However, he did keep up the quarterly application for a job as a fettler and succeeded. -- The family home was where the new council chambers are now. Running the railway line on a three-wheeler trike and meeting the unexpected train. The strength he found in an emergency saved his life. -- The holiday in Sydney with his brother that changed his life. -- Joining the police force, purely by chance, in 1926. -- The trouble with a prominent citizen in Coffs Harbour over words exchanged at the club cricket match. Determination and a judge from Grafton helped to clear the matter in court. -- Two years at Clarence Street Police Station, then six years with the water police. -- Patrolling the harbour waters to try to stop the Italian fishing boats trawling at night. The Depression and the lines of people waiting for food coupons. -- Adjusting to city life and city people. -- More interesting in sporting activities than the 'cloak and dagger' side of things - associated with a policeman's life. The fruiterer's dog at Bondi junction about to be silenced with a large gun. -- Police were issued with different guns. -- Rowing becomes an important pastime. Great training by George Hancock. G.P.S Rowing and Sydney high schools disadvantage due to the age of the crew. -- Joining the Glebe Rowing Club. -- Winning the Junior Premiership for the first time in fifty years. -- Winning the Champion Fours after several retirements and a busy sporting life - joining Mosman Rowing Club in 1933. -- The selection for state eights for the Kings Cup Race. Following wins all over the country, selection for the Olympic games. The 1936 Olympics in Berlin - Hitler was in full power. -- Australian athletes soon realized how militarized Berlin was during their stay. The difference noticed in Germany compared with the Australian way of life. -- The Australian Rowing Team was considered the favourite but had boat management ruin their chances. A great disappointment to this day. How the heats and winners were selected at the Olympics. -- The only money given to the athletes was half a crown for laundry. Meals were included with the lodgings. -- Seven or eight weeks in Berlin, also included in the trip were several weeks studying police methods at Scotland Yard. -- The four weeks in Glasgow were a good experience. The only thing to remember was to listen carefully - so as to be able to follow conversations. -- Had the team won they may have risen higher in rank in the Police Force. Walter was involved with different sports - two surf clubs and tennis. Second hand tennis balls were always sent home so that his father could coach the local children. He was a very handy man who had a hard life and had great pride in children. -- Finally Walter became an Inspector of Police and was transferred to the Armidale area. He married in 1947 to a girl he knew from Coffs Harbour. -- After retirement, the sheep station that went wrong. Ten years of despair. -- The sale of the Coffs Harbour property too the bowling club, all for $22,000 dollars. Even with the money from the property sale in Coffs Harbour the sheep station was still going under. -- At last, a 'Pitt Street' farmer. -- Getting into the way of thriftiness. -- His 'Great mate' Wally McNee and his great sporting achievements. Recollections of his grandmother and father's early life with eleven sisters. -- His father first met his eldest sister when she was over sixty. His mother and father were born around Clarence. -- They came to Coffs 'To give it a go'. Eight days on the road south and they were warned to turn back. The early settlers lived on paddymelons and wallabies until the first hotel when the publican would have a beast killed. The introduction of paspalum grass by Bill Seccombe really changed the countryside. A second retirement brought Walter back to Coffs Harbour to continue his interests. The views of his assistance in 'Bad' times and current events. [ '... people should play fair ...' ] Walter reads from notes left by his father who came to Coffs Harbour in 1884 at eight years of age. -- Talks about the Duncan and Small families and the timber industry. Use of Coffs Creek to transport logs (primarily red cedar) to the coast. -- James Small established a sugar mill at Korora, which operated from 1884 to about 1886-87, the sugar was hauled to Charlesworth Bay to be loaded on ships. Another sugar mill was established in Boambee. -- Mr. Mills established the first sawmill in Coffs Harbour and had the contract to supply the decking to build the Coffs jetty. Mail arrived once a week by horseback when first settled. Mr. John Lee was the first postmaster. -- Mr. Foster a local identity, had China Pear trees at Park Beach. Described as 'stingy old bachelor hermit type'! -- My Harry McKenna was the first hotel proprietor, his hotel was at the current Fitzroy Hotel site. Had to butcher his own meat. -- King Paspalum grass came to Coffs Harbour in about 1895 brought by Mr. W. Seccombe. This had a significant effect on the beef and especially the dairy industry, creating many new pastures. -- Mr. George Baker was the first butcher and later the first baker. -- Mr. W. Riley soon became the baker. -- Mr. Robert Wood was the first boot maker. -- Mr. Rudolph Graff was the storekeeper in 1884, followed later by Mr. James Miles and Mr. James Gentle. -- In 1907 Elizabeth May Campbell of the Raleigh Sun newspaper installed machinery machinery and established the Coffs Harbour Advocate newspaper. -- In 1883 a murder was committed in Coffs Harbour of Mathews by Friske, a Russian. ['Coffs Harbour, Vol 1: Pre-1880 to 1945' by Neil Yeates (1990) reported this incident occurring on 11 August 1885 and that the victim was actually Matt Matteson] -- The local courthouse was then in Boat Harbour (Bellingen). In about 1910, Coffs Harbour got its first courthouse. -- Early efforts in education and establishing a school. Jetty completed in 1890. -- In about 1886, the sailing vessel Tonga anchored in the harbour broke away and was beached and later re-floated. -- Timber the main industry for many years, helped by the jetty. -- Dairying industry also became important. -- Early experience with banana growing and their big comeback in the 1920's. -- In about 1899 gold mining was important, Beacon Mine and others. -- Efforts in establishing railways. -- In about 1897, a public meeting was held to change the name of Coffs Harbour to Brelsford. -- Mr. David Small setup a blacksmith shop in 1888. -- Pioneers waiting for the Orara lands to be opened for selection. Hardships suffered by the pioneers. -- Cricket matches were popular events. -- Due to the frequent brawling of sawmill workers, Coffs Harbour's first policeman was stationed here, Donald Harper. -- Mr. John Cole was the oldest resident.[reading of father's notes ends] Very few jobs in early years. Very difficult. Bosses were mainly 'hard and cruel'. -- Creating jobs for themselves. -- Wal's first job was on the railways. -- Used to always hand his pay packet to his mother. -- No unions. Banana growing - everyone wanted to have a go, not all were successful. -- Ending of World War One. -- Women in the Land Army supporting the war effort. -- Local dances. Held at a shed in Boambee, 'wouldn't get home till nearly daylight'. -- Played a lot of cricket and tennis. Practically no pensions in the old days. -- Too much self-centredness these days. -- Wal reads his father's story about a cricket match held in Coffs Harbour about a hundred years ago. 'How Bill Tucker won the cricket match', Coffs vs Fernmount. Brawling. What happened before having a policeman. -- Top town settled before the jetty. -- Orara river. Tanks and wells used for water supply in early days. -- Active lifestyle promoted fitness. 'Because I never stopped, I was in everything.'

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LanguageEnglish