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Interviewee

Naomi (Watkins) England

Place Recorded

Coffs Harbour-NSW

Interviewer

Lesley Gibbs

Collection

Agency

Yarrila Arts & Museum (YAM)

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Naomi England Interview

Details

IntervieweeNaomi (Watkins) EnglandInterview Date23 February 1987Place RecordedCoffs Harbour-NSWDuration1h30m54sAccession NumberLS2020.1.108Credit LineCoffs Harbour City Council 1988

More Information

Description

Mrs England and her husband had the idea and foresight to have an historical museum in Coffs Harbour. She has worked in the community for many years and has helped, with her husband, to bring about many changes.

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. Mrs England has been in Coffs Harbour since 1946. Her husband was a teacher and decided that the city was not the life for his family. He took a position at Coffs High School teaching geography. -- Mr England grew up in Coffs and went to Grafton High. Along with hard work to obtain a teachers certificate he was also a keen sports person. -- Mrs England was born in Cowra on 25th May 1906 in a wattle and daub cottage. She was the second of five children. -- An accident killed her older brother. A tragedy for the family. Because of the location of their home Mrs England was taught by her father until going to High School in Goulburn. Many famous people went to that school. -- An embarrassing incident recalled involving one of those people. -- The changing fashions over the years. The live in dressmaker her mother employed to outfit the girls twice a year. --Mrs England's mother was one of the original members of the C.W.A. Her first memory of the First World War is when her father announced that Kitchener was dead. Although her father was not able to join up, he did help with recruiting. -- Mrs England's maiden name was Watkins, however the original family name was Drets. Her grandfather was a Prussian musician who left his homeland because of the military pressures. -- Her grandfather was also a teacher and lived until he was 92. Mrs England went to Teacher's College in Sydney and studied to be a kindergarten teacher. Many women were high school teachers then. However, they were required to give up teaching when they were married. -- Mrs England loved teaching and all her students progressed to Fort Street School. The sad thing was some were killed later in the war years. -- Her choir students came second one year at the Sydney Town Hall. -- The Saturday morning radio plays that Mrs England and her students were involved with on special days. The difference between the children then and now. -- A country girl in the city. -- The Depression years at Pyrmont School. Cooking for the hungry children who may only have had one meal a day. Possibly the saddest time of her life. The old sewing machine to make uniforms. -- The 'houses' at Happy Valley were made out of anything that could be found. Mrs England was received like the queen. -- The Depression and how it affected the people in Sydney. Social life in the thirties. -- Playing tennis at White City. -- Days at Balmoral Beach followed by dinner at Aunties at Mosman. -- The opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. -- The frock made at David Jones for the occasion that caught fire just before the opening. Bea Miles and Captain De Grout, also the fireworks that evening. -- Taking the school children over the bridge before the official opening. -- The funny incident with the Randwick School headmaster. -- The problems associated with travelling in the punt to cross the harbour. The trick played by the doctor's wife. The first time she ever saw her husband he was being sick on the trip to Lord Howe Island. -- The happy days holidaying on the islands with friends. -- Mrs England feels that she has had "A lovely life". -- The England's married in 1936 after a week's delay because of a tennis match. -- After a honeymoon at the Hydro Majestic they arrived back at Lurwood with 2 shillings in their pockets. The war years and how the rumours spread, however, no one really expected it to happen. -- The dreadful feeling when war was declared. -- George England was accepted into Military Service because he was a teacher. Later he went to Rathmines to instruct in the guns. -- Trying to manage through the war years with two small children. -- The rush and bustle of the war years. People became very rude. The American soldiers however were always polite. -- The England children didn't know their father because of the war year's separation. -- The trouble some men had settling back into family life after the war. The shortage of supplies after the war and reasons why. -- The special messages sent through the mail to foil the censor. -- How Mrs England managed to get a bus to Rathmines to see George for his last weekend. -- The officer and gentleman who offered his seat and the kindly ticket collector. The long years alone and the help needed in times of illness. "We coped". The move to Coffs Harbour. The army huts at the airport solved the problem of a housing shortage. -- George's attack of malaria on the first night followed by wonderful help from the school students to unpack. -- Pleading for electricity to no avail. -- The 'Briwongle" with the hessian door. -- Bathing in the baby bath. -- "I'm going home" after people peered in the door of the hut. Sad letter from her mother brought a poem from her sister. -- The black market buyers beat everyone to building materials. -- Once motivated the town went ahead in leaps and bounds, including scouts and guides. -- Promotion after hard work to division commissioner covering districts with the guide movement. The work involved in getting Lady Baden-Powell to Coffs Harbour. Arrangements that had to be made to get an 'autograph'. -- Even with the best laid plans something did appear to go wrong. But the driving of her son John saved the day. Mrs England's many years with the guides until her first heart attack. The doctors advised her to give up all activities. -- George England always helped and supported Mrs England in her interests. -- Although they were both busy people, George was sometimes difficult to live with. Recording local history in a book proved to be a big job. -- Goodbye Mr Chips. Help given to local children and legacy families. -- The 'disadvantages' of being an independent woman. Seeing through the dream of the Coffs Harbour museum. Building up the money to stock and display.

Classification

SubjectsGirl Guides Last edited by: Debbie

LanguageEnglish