Perroomba

William Joshua Kenneth Douglas The Larrikin 137 1822-1887 1858-1934 1897-1983 16 The Larrikin Ken Whittam and his penchant for cheekiness With a twinkle in his eye and a cheeky smile, Kenneth Douglas Whittam always looked like he was up to a bit of mischief. Nothing malicious of course, but always pushing the boundaries a bit. If there was a joke to be had, or an opportunity to challenge accepted behaviour, Ken was usually there, smirking slightly and looking as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. Not quite the middle child, Ken was the fifth of the seven children of Joshua and Kate Whittam, born on 7 May 1897. He grew up in the vast expanses of Perroomba, in North Kensington, and attended Sunday School at Clayton Congregational Church with his parents and siblings. The Junior Christian Endeavour Society at Clayton attracted young people from around the district, and the Whittam kids were no exception. Apart from his brother Doug, who may have been working as a farm hand at Ashbourne at the time, Ken and all his siblings participated in a fair at Norwood in 1910, with Ken manning the ‘fish pond’1. As Ken grew up, his father encouraged the children around the tea table to relay an event – a story that must be elaborated upon and preferably blown out of proportion. Ken apparently was called upon regularly as his humorous and cheeky talents were enjoyed by all. Like the other Whittam children, Ken was educated at Marryatville School, Ken and Kath Whittam, c1935 and then went to Prince Alfred College to complete his schooling. After school, he landed a job at Palatine Insurance in King William St, Adelaide. He grew into

138 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ken Whittam’s World War I a fine-featured young man, with blue eyes, brown hair and of average height, enlistment photo, 1916 just under five foot six. Kathleen Lord’s birth Like his brother Doug, Ken decided that his place was alongside his friends at announcement on 28 September the front in France. He made his way to the enlistment office and signed up to join 1895, alongside that of James the AIF as a Gunner with the 5th Field Artillery Brigade. His full war story is given Stobie and Helen d’Arenberg (later a little later in Brothers in Arms, but whilst training at the Mitcham camp, he met a Osborn) young piano player, volunteering as part of the Cheer Up Society to entertain the troops. Kathleen Doris Lord, or Kath as she was better known, was born in Magill Kathleen Lord (right) with her on 22 September 1895, the youngest of eight children of John and Matilda Lord2. mother Matilda and older sisters Kath’s birth announcement was alongside two names that have become part of Ethel, Florence, Edith and Fanny, the South Australian vernacular3. Her birth was announced on the same day as c1903. The actual position of James Cyril Stobie4, the inventor of the ubiquitous concrete and steel stobie pole each sister in the photograph is that holds up most of South Australia’s electricity network. She also shares the unknown. page with Frances Helena (Helen) d’Arenberg5, who married in to the Osborn family, and whose untimely death and last name gave rise to the name of the d’Arenberg Winery in the picturesque McLaren Vale region. Kath’s father John was a well-known horse racing identity, whose horses did well in many meetings. He liked to name his horses after members of his family, including the Lord John6, Lady Matilda7 – after his wife, and Ethel Maude8 – after his eldest daughter. He was the quintessential Renaissance man, seeming to succeed at everything to which he turned his hand. He also raced greyhounds9, managed the Adelaide Milling Company business at Moonta10, was captain of the Moonta lacrosse club11, was the Mayor12 and Justice of the Peace13 of the town of Quorn for a time, ran the Prince of Wales Hotel in Moonta, managed the Grand Junction Hotel in Quorn, was licensee of the Theatre Royal and Imperial hotels in Adelaide14, was president of the Licensed Victualler’s Association15 and led a group of horse trainers & owners in a proposed strike against the SA Jockey Club16. Kath’s mother, Matilda, was fortunate to have survived the wreck of the steamer Marion17 on the coast of the Yorke Peninsula in July 1862, with the passengers being saved only through the quick thinking of Captain McCoy and his crew18. Like Ken, Kath went to Marryatville School, albeit two years earlier. She then

The Larrikin 139 attended St Paul’s Church of England Girl’s School in Flinders Street, Adelaide. Embroidered service badge of a In the hope of becoming a concert pianist, she studied music at the Adelaide Cheer-Up volunteer, showing two Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide University, where her natural talent blossomed. Later, she attended Stott’s Business College19, becoming a Supreme years’ service stripes Court typist and secretary to Mr. Hugo Boothby20. With her brightly coloured Auburn hair, Kath grew into an attractive young woman. Ornate blackwood honour board to the 500 women workers at the When World War I broke out, Kath volunteered her talents to the Cheer Up Society, playing at the Mitcham Barracks21 and the Cheer-up Hut on King William Cheer-up Hut. Road to entertain soldiers before they were shipped off to war. The Cheer-Up society was founded by Alexandra Seager22, and had very strict rules regarding Taken at the South Australian War Museum, Keswick membership. Women had to be able to pay the membership subscription, and make their own uniform. They also had to provide two written references to confirm they were of good character. Volunteers cooked, served meals, distributed foodstuffs and clothes, and organised entertainment for the departing & returning soldiers. In Kath’s case, she provided the music for the various events organised by the society. Volunteers wore white dresses, white apron, and a white headdress, similar to that of a nurse. They also pinned hand-embroidered service emblems on their aprons, with blue stripes underneath showing the number of years of service. With Ken’s departure imminent, he popped the question to Kath and they were betrothed to marry prior to Ken marching off to war23. They continued to correspond while he was away, exchanging letters until he returned in late 1919.

140 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Matilda Lord, Ken Whittam If Ken was happy to see Kath on his return, and Kath Lord, probably near it took him a while to show it. Returned soldiers Mitcham Army Training Camp, are changed men, and the Ken that left in 1917 1917 was not the same Ken that came back in 1919. It seems that the ghosts of war would haunt Ken Whittam, 1919 Ken for a while. That which we now casually call PTSD had none of the support structures Ken & Kath Whittam’s marriage we employ today, and men were left to deal announcement in the Chronicle in with their demons in their own way. Many 1929 men could not. Whereas his brother Doug seized the day and married Clarice Maidment within a year, it would be many years before Ken & Kath could find their way back to each other in the way they had promised each other in 1916. In the meantime, Ken returned to work at Commercial Union Assurance, who had taken over Palatine Insurance, returning to his old role of Insurance Inspector. He was honoured by the Fire Underwriters Association of South Australia with his name on a board alongside others that had fought in the war24. He also played football for Clayton Church through the mid-1920s, being more inclined to the faster moving sport than cricket, like his brothers25. With time and much patience, Ken & Kath’s romance blossomed again, and they were seen together at a child’s third birthday party26 in 1922, and wedding at Clayton Church in 1924 where Ken was the best man and Kath played the piano to entertain the guests27. A little later that same year, Ken attended the 70th birthday part of Kath’s mother28, which is a sure sign that he was becoming part of the family. Kath continued to do her own thing though, visiting her brother, Claremont, in Sydney in 192529 and staying with relatives in Moonta for some weeks in 192630. In a time when most people still made their way around by train, tram or on foot, owning a car was the province of the more well-to-do. But Ken’s job as an insurance assessor required him to travel frequently, and he bought himself a British-made Morris Cowley. This proved to be a very reliable car, which took him all over the state, with an impressive 35 miles per gallon31. Finally, almost ten years after his return, Ken popped the question and he & Kath became engaged, getting married on 18 June 1929 in Clayton Church32. Ken took a work trip later that year to Mount Gambier, while Kath and a friend headed to Ashbourne to stay with Ken’s sister Dorothy33. With the fall of the world economy into the Great Depression, taking on debt

to buy a house would have been The Larrikin 141 out of the question, even with the significant resources available to the Ken & Kath Whittam in the broader Whittam family. So, Ken & front seat of Ken’s Morris Kath rented a house at 8 Henry St, Norwood, just across Portrush Road Cowley, with his mother Kate from Clayton Church. After almost standing in front, Dorothy two years, in May 1931, they moved into another rented home at 32 Whittam standing behind (L) Brigalow Ave, Kensington Gardens. and Molly Whittam standing Whilst in Brigalow Ave and nearly to the right. Others in the forty years old, Kath discovered she photograph unknown. c1931 was pregnant with their first child. Forty is very late to be having children, and doubly so in those days when most women had their first baby by twenty-five34. Fire Underwriters They welcomed a daughter, Jeanette Douglas, on 28 May 1935, who would be Association of SA Roll of their only child. Honour Board, 1920 Perhaps used to a life of no children or maybe just something they had booked before they knew what was coming, Ken & Kath went on a cruise to New Zealand with some members of Kath’s bridge club35 on the Strathnaver36 in 1936, with a very young Jeanette. Ken had a great love of golf, and played for the Kensington Gardens Golf Club. The golf links have long since given way to suburbs, but were situated near ‘Bonnie View’, on Hallett Road, just near the end of High Street, Burnside37. He would often be found at championship competitions at Glenelg38 or Kooyonga39, pulling scores in the low 70’s or even one of 6940, which is an impressive score for any player. He also played golf for the Prince Alfred College Old Collegians’, often at Kooyonga golf links at Lockleys41, playing against other old scholars’ teams, such as St Peter’s College42. Like much of the Whittam family, Ken & Kath were keen cricket watchers. They would often attend games at the Ashbourne Oval to watch Ken’s brother Don, his brother-in- law Harry Meyer and his nephew Rob Meyer play in the district competition. When a wicket was taken, a gong was sounded to let the men out working on the farms know a batsman was out. On 23 May 1935, Ken & Kath bought an 887m² block of land at 18 Stirling Street, Tusmore. Four years later in 1939, Ken was able to take advantage of his military service by taking out a War Service loan at very competitive rates to

142 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Kath Whittam, 1931 build their own home, and in 1941 they were renters no more. In World War II, Ken represented the State War Loan Committee, visiting various parts of the state and talking on radio to promote investment in savings stamps, which helped fund the war effort43. Kath’s Cornish blood brought with it a very superstitious trait. One day she was visiting a prestigious home with her daughter Jeanette, standing in the drawing room waiting for the owner, with a beautiful fire warming the room. Kath spied a large vase of peacock feathers in the corner and without a second thought she plucked all of them from the vase and promptly threw them into the fire. There is no record of the reaction of the hosts but one imagines it was not favourable! This went further when young Jeanette joined the army reserve. Kath would refuse to look at her in her green uniform, which was the colour of the eyes of a black cat. Nobody was permitted to enter Kath’s home with green clothes and this was too much for her to bear. After the war, Ken continued to work at Commercial Union until his eventual retirement in 1962. He then focussed on his true passions, the three ‘G’s of golf, gardening and grandchildren. He often spoke about Ashbourne, and wished that he had received rural land as his brother Doug had done under the WW1 soldier settlement scheme. This inability to farm was compensated by an intense love of gardening. He would get orchids and rose cuttings from his brother-in-law Harry Meyer, and anyone else who would give them to him, and nurture them until they filled their yard with greenery and flowers. Many passers-by would comment on his beautiful garden as they walked to the bus stop on Stirling Street. He was sometimes heard to say that he would rather show the “Fruits of the Spirit” from his garden than in a church full of hypocrites! Ken loved to be in the fresh air, which further explains his frequent visits to Ashbourne, away from the noise, clutter and pollution of the city. When he could not get away, he would head for the “Sleep-out” at the top of the stairs at Stirling

street, which had fly-screen on the windows, The Larrikin 143 overlooking the South Eastern Adelaide Hills. Here he would sleep during summer, and would Ken & Kath’s home at 18 Stirling rise early to sit near the windows to watch the St, Tusmore, taken in 2011 many birds that would visit his garden, or to admire the night skies. His pockets would never be empty, always carrying cheese to feed the birds. He would sit and mimic the call of the Willy Wagtail, and they would land on his hand to snatch the cheese he had for them and flit away as quickly as they came. Ken would sometimes take his grandsons Mark and Philip to Ashbourne during holidays to stay at Guildholme, the home of his sister, Dorothy. They would go shooting rabbits, fishing down at the local river to catch redfin, and collect mushrooms and cow- pats to fertilise his garden back in Adelaide. Sometimes they would stop by and give some of the fish to Ken’s sister-in-law Clarice at nearby Everleigh. One day, whilst taking his grandsons to catch yabbies at the dam on the Ashbourne Golf Course, a red belly black snake, protective of its young, started swimming quickly towards them. Thinking quickly, Ken pushed both boys out of the way and dispatched the snake with a swift kick, showing his fearless and protective nature, undoubtedly picked up in his time fighting in the war. On another of the many trips to Ashbourne, Ken was driving when he spotted a group of men unloading milk cans from their trucks and tipping the milk down a slope. Ken stopped the car and walked back to enquire what on earth they were up to, wasting milk like that. The men replied that there was a strike in progress and they could not get the milk to its destination. Ever practical and hating to see things needlessly discarded, Ken filled every inch of available space in his car with cans of milk, which he then distributed all the way to Ashbourne. Tusmore Park sat across the road from Ken & Kath’s house in Stirling Street, and he would often take his grandchildren over to play on the swings and playground. During spring, local magpies become territorial, with one swooping Ken’s young granddaughter Kathryn and hitting near her eye. Ken would stand for none of that nonsense, so he rang the police to deal with the bothersome bird, which was swooping many other people in the park. The police arrived and duly shot the magpie – something that today would require an internal investigation and more paperwork than it is worth. Known to his grandchildren as ‘Pop’, he always knew how to cheer a person

144 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia up. Quick with a joke or a funny story at the meal table, and the keeper of the serrated knife to cut the high top loaf, balance the slice of bread on the knife and flick it across the large round cedar table, landing on the 1930’s crown orange tree motif side plate, much to the amazement of the recipient. Kath would then frown at him and say disapprovingly, ‘Oh Ken!’. Ever the larrikin, after buttering his own bread he would insert his knife into the side of the bread, thus cleaning it ready to dip into the jar of home-made jam and again for the scalded cream. He would then cool his tea by pouring the top third into the saucer and back into the cup, again receiving a disapproving glance from Kath! Having passed through two wars and a worldwide depression, Ken was always on the lookout for a bargain. He would often do the rounds of second- hand stores with a young grandchild in tow, and regale the storekeeper with stories and humour. After he had softened them up, Ken would barter and beat the price down, before heading home, usually with items to use in the garden, like bike rims, lengths of wire and old pots. Kath didn’t drive, but Ken drove a beautiful soft tan FX Holden sedan, admired by many. His car would often smell of ripe apples collected from the orchards in Ashbourne. In his early eighties, Ken was travelling home from a regular and familiar trip to Ashbourne. As he negotiated the downward slope toward Devil’s elbow on the freeway, his tea flask rolled under his driver’s seat and wedged itself under the brake. The car careered off the road and down the slope, rolling and landing upright on the freeway below Devil’s elbow. He managed to make his way home, walking in the back door of Stirling Street unscathed, but very sad and shaken. This was the end of his driving, and he sorely missed the freedom to move about and never owned another car. Ken was ever cheeky, and would like to obfuscate answers just to keep people wondering exactly what he meant. If one of his grandsons asked him what he was working on in the shed, Ken would look at him with a deadpan face and say something like “it’s a wigwam for a goose’s bridle”, leaving the poor lad none the wiser and wondering what it could possibly be. In early 1983, while visiting Ashbourne, he walked up to a huge gum tree and wrapping his arms around it, gave it a kiss and said goodbye. A couple of weeks later the Ash Wednesday bushfires went through, destroying the trees and taking the life of Ken’s sister-in-law, Clarice. Just over a month later, on 22 March, Ken collapsed at home. While unable to move on the sleepout floor, waiting for the ambulance, he said to Jeanette that the doctor had told him he didn’t have long. He had been diagnosed with a serious heart issue, and knew that his trip to Ashbourne would be his last. Before the ambulance arrived, he passed away from a heart aneurysm, aged 85.

The Larrikin 145 Kenneth Douglas WHITTAM Joshua Whittam (1858-1934) William WHITTAM (1822-1887) (7 May 1897 – 22 Mar 1983) Kate MITCHELL (1866-1948) Anne DOUGLAS (1829-1891) John LORD (1851-1916) James MITCHELL (1843-1885) m. 18 Jun 1929 Matilda BARKLA (1854-1934) Elizabeth JELLEY (1843-1879) John LORD (1824-1890) Kathleen Doris LORD Elizabeth HOLF (1826-1908) (22 Sep 1895 – 10 Jan 1996) James BARKLA (1826-1902) Jane LAMPIER (1827-1888)



Brothers in Arms 147 17 Brothers in Arms Many men that go to war refuse to talk about it. Their reasons are The story they couldn’t bring many and varied. One is that only soldiers can truly understand themselves to tell us what soldiers went through, and it simply does not make sense to explain. This is why returned servicemen love to gather for a yarn on special days like Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. Part of that is to catch up with old mates, but also to remember lost friends, and re-live memories both good and bad amongst those who truly understand. Another reason they don’t talk is because they don’t want to remember. War shows a man things that he wished he never saw, but which cannot be unseen. War brings out the very best and the very worst in a man. War makes a man face parts of his own soul that he didn’t know existed. Dark things from an abyss in the centre of his very being that are best left alone. And so, he remains silent, sometimes even to his mates, because there is an unwritten contract that they must all turn their backs on that darkness and not speak of it. Both Doug and Ken Whittam spoke little of the war, preferring to focus on happier things. And so we knew little of what they went through. But the military forces are nothing if not meticulous in their record keeping. Others did decide to speak of their experiences, and journalists and historians were waiting by to chronicle the events of the Great War, the War to End All Wars. From this, we can draw a sketch of where Doug and Ken went, and what they may have seen and done. This is their story. When the war began in Europe in 1914, Doug hesitated to enlist, even though Doug and Ken Whittam (front), he was twenty-two at the time. His mother Kate was reluctant to approve his taken in Charleroi, Belgium, January 1919

148 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Doug Whittam’s enlistment enrolment in the armed forces, and it may be this factor that made him delay photo, 1916 another eighteen months. More likely it was the reluctance to leave his love, Clarice Maidment, behind and perhaps not return. However, he finally made the The S.S. Hororata. move to enlist in February 1916, became a Private in the A.I.F. with service number 306291 and was sent off to training in Maribyrnong in Victoria. By October 1916 Source: BirtwistleWiki, https://www. he was assigned to the 3rd Divisional Artillery Column as a ‘driver’. The Great birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMAT_A20_Hororata War was dominated by artillery, and the demand for shells to feed the endless bombardment of the front line was insatiable2. Doug’s role as a Driver involved leading horses or mules laden with ammunition up the battlefield. Not only were the horses hard to manage amongst the cacophony of war, but the risk of a catastrophic direct hit to the cargo would have been always present in his mind. Despite this, a Driver was considered to be a bit of a ‘cold-footed’ job – one that did not take a man into action3. Finally, the call-up came and he embarked in Melbourne on the Hororata4 on 23 November5. Like many of the young lads on the ship, he had never been beyond the shores of Australia and there were several days of intense seasickness before everybody got their ‘sea legs’. After three weeks the ship called in at Durban and then Capetown in South Africa, before heading north to England6. Seeing the foreign cities of South Africa would have been a shock, especially the native population, which served more as glorified slaves to the white colonists. Even though Australia’s views on coloured people were hardly gold standard at the time, this would have clashed with the more egalitarian ideals that Doug was used to at home. Doug disembarked in Plymouth on 29 January 1917 after two months at sea. Just a week into further training at Perkham Downs, he fell ill and spent a week in hospital7. Training continued for another six months before the unit was sent to Southampton on 25 August to sail across to France8. Upon arrival on 27 August, Doug was sent to the Dickebusch9 area, near Ypres in Belgium10, and close to the town of Passchendaele, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William St. John Stevens Davidson11. This group had around twenty horse-drawn wagons available to transport the artillery to the gunners at the various field batteries dotted around the theatre. Doug’s introduction to war was nothing short of hell on earth. He had been inserted into a battle known as ‘3rd Ypres’, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Unlike earlier battles in the

Somme, where Germans concentrated on bombarding Brothers in Arms 149 the front-line trenches, around Ypres they were now hammering the roads, battery positions and even Typical artillery ‘drivers’ with casualty stations behind the lines12. horses at Vimy Ridge, 1917 In typical fashion though, the Australian drivers World War I recruiting poster, around Dickebusch earned themselves a reputation c1916. for bravery. In the words of Major R. F. Manton13, “… like all those Australians who were supposed to be in Source: State Library of SA, B2164581 fairly safe jobs, the drivers took a pride in showing what they could do when they came into the thick of it.” They were admired for the way they “went straight through the nightmare barrages laid on the well-known tracks which they and their horses had to follow”. Even the horses knew when shells were coming and would “tremble and sidle closer to their drivers, burying their muzzles in the men’s chests” when they heard the whine of an inbound salvo14. 3rd Ypres cost at least 240,000 British and 200,000 German lives, and in their six attacks at Ypres, the Australians suffered 38,093 casualties in eight weeks. On top of this, it was rain, mud, exhaustion and misery that created the horrible legend of Passchendaele, the name by which the 3rd Ypres offensive is better known. General Ludendorff, the German Chief of Staff, said of Passchendaele: “It was no longer life at all. It was mere unspeakable suffering”. A British artillery officer wrote: “Dante would never have condemned lost souls to wander in so terrible a purgatory … one would cry aloud but there comes no blessed awakening”. When Lieutenant General Kiggell, Haig’s Chief of Staff, finally visited the front after the battle, he reputedly wept: “Good God, did we really send men to fight in that?”15 Fortunately for Doug, his Division was due to be relieved and after only three weeks, the unit was moved back from the front about five miles west to the town of Busseboom for a well-earned rest. On 24 September, reinforcements arrived from base and Doug was transferred to the 14th Battery of the 5th Field Artillery Brigade16, where he would serve the remainder of his time at war. By December 1917, Doug had moved further south over the border to France, near the town of Steenwerck. Things were a little more relaxed as Christmas approached, with the chance for a hot shower and the occasional game of football or rugby17. The soldiers also arranged church parades, which Doug would most likely have attended. On Christmas Day, extra food was obtained through soldier donations, with a concert provided by the troops. They were also

150 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ken Whittam c1916 blessed with two heavy falls of snow to provide a white Christmas18, something Doug would have only ever read about. Troops of the Australian Field Ambulance Reinforcements and February 1918 saw some relief, with the whole brigade marching west away 3 Divisional Ammunition Column from the front towards Calais. On 24 February, an Australian Rules football match prior to boarding HMAT Hororata took place between batteries. Football was not Doug’s game, so perhaps he was (A20) at Port Melbourne on 23 an eager spectator this day19. There was still plenty of work to do, with training November 1916. Doug Whittam and drills, including ten minutes saluting practice each day!20 Rest was brief, and is standing just left of centre, it was back into the fray, heading south towards the front at Amiens by May 1918. clutching a white handkerchief or piece of paper in his right hand. Meanwhile, Doug’s brother Ken was also making his own moves to get into the action. At the start of the Great War, the enlistment age was nineteen and Source: Australian War Memorial, PB0467, Josiah the minimum height was five foot six inches21. If the height standard had been Barnes collection of First World War negatives maintained, Ken would have fallen half an inch short, but the standards were and prints relaxed in June 1915 to five foot two. The minimum age was also dropped to eighteen, which meant Ken could have signed up right then and there. It was probably Doug’s decision to enlist that got Ken thinking about whether to join up. Peer and community pressure were also strong, with posters around the streets encouraging men to help with the war effort. Some people felt so strongly about young men still home that they would hand them white feathers as a symbol of cowardice. There is no evidence that any of the Whittam boys received such a token, but the sentiment was well known. Ken took the enlistment papers to his father, Joshua, who signed the consent form on 30 August 1916 so that he could attend the requisite medical examination22. He then submitted his application and enrolled in the A.I.F. on 26 September23 at the age of nineteen with service number 35203. Ken had done three years in Senior Cadets prior to enlisting and was still serving at the time24. He headed to camp at nearby Mitcham straight away, ready to begin training25. After Ken enlisted, it appears that his mother, Kate, was far from pleased at his decision. About a week earlier, Anne Roberts, one of the Clayton parishioners living down near Norwood Oval, received the horrifying news that not just one, but both of her sons had been killed in action on the same day.26 Stanley Arthur Roberts, age 24, and Richard Lawrence Roberts, age 20, had enlisted and travelled to France together. They had barely been at the

front for two weeks when they were killed, side Brothers in Arms 151 by side, on 20 August. It took almost a month for the message to reach A.I.F. headquarters in His Majesty’s Australian London, before the terrible news was cabled to Transport A15 in 1914. their parents in Adelaide. Source: Australian War Memorial C02483 It is little surprise that Kate put her foot down, and one can only imagine the heated Doug Whittam, resting in a conversations that took place at Perroomba that tent in France, c1917 day. Kate had one son about to be put in harm’s way and she was not going to have another. She was not going to be another Anne Roberts. A recruit did not require both parents’ consent, but it would seem that Kate protested sufficiently for Joshua to have a hold put on Ken’s enlistment process. Ken, who obviously still wanted to fight for his country, remained in Adelaide until early 191727, possibly while Joshua sought some way to prevent him from going. But in February 1917 he was shipped out to Maribyrnong in Victoria for further training. Finally, Kate relented and counter-signed the consent form28 on 10 April 1917. All this proved too much for Kate, and she had a nervous breakdown, becoming incapacitated. Joshua had to send Doug & Ken’s younger brothers, Ted & Don, to stay with Kate’s sister while she recovered. Ken was appointed as a gunner in the Field Artillery 27th Reinforcements on 27 October 1917. On 9 November he embarked on the HMAT A15, also known as the Port Sydney, sailing to Suez. After a week in Egypt, he re-embarked at Alexandria bound for England. After a short stop in Taranto, Italy to celebrate the New Year, he arrived in Southampton on 4 January 1918.29 Ken then trained at the camp of the Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery at Heytesbury, about 85 miles west of London, for four months before being marched out for France on 24 April 1918. He was assigned to the 11th Field Artillery Brigade and sent to Baiziuex, near Amiens.30 Ken’s introduction to war couldn’t have contrasted more with that of Doug’s. While Doug walked into one of the bloodiest battles of the war, Ken arrived on a day that the commanding officer described as ‘exceptionally quiet’ with no artillery fire from either side at all. The ensuing days were spent moving guns to new locations and reinforcing positions with sandbags. Although he could hear the big guns firing at nearby points on the vast front, Ken probably wondered what all the fuss had been about back home.

152 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Doug Whittam (R) and a fellow It appears that Ken had been angling to meet up with his brother soldier outside barracks during from the outset. Ken’s battalion was positioned a mere five miles from WW1 Doug’s, and he sought a transfer at the earliest opportunity. After only two weeks he was transferred to Doug’s unit, the 14th Battery of British troops blinded by poison the 5th Field Artillery Brigade. He was the only soldier transferred on gas during the Battle of Estaires, that day, receiving a specific mention in the commanding officer’s 1918 war diary.31 After a short march across the back lines of the battlefield, Ken and Doug finally had their joyous reunion. After the customary handshakes and back-slapping, it was down to business. Ken finally got his taste of battle. Here, the batteries were in full force and Ken was able to put his training as a gunner to the test. The Germans were also harassing the back lines, often bringing gun placements and artillery supply lines under heavy fire. However, the tide did seem to have turned on the enemy32. Ken, a musician like his siblings, used to play the bugle at Reveille to wake the troops. Although he was a likeable chap, one suspects that this did not endear him to his fellow soldiers when sleep was often at a premium after an unpredictable night near the front. On 25 May, the commanding officer, Major Harold Riggall, paid a visit to the 14th Battery and was impressed with the way that things were going, and how the supply horses were being looked after.33 Towards the end of May, the gun batteries were providing regular fire at intervals through the night, with four batteries taking turns to fire eighteen rounds each on a particular target. The targets were places likely to be used by the enemy to assemble, such as communication trenches, track junctions, or any place where troops were likely to be gathering before coming to the front line. Odd times were chosen to do this, such as the early hours of the morning, in order to harass and demoralise the enemy.34 The tide of the war had definitely turned by this stage, with far more artillery being delivered by Australian troops than that being received from the German side. On 24  May, Australian guns delivered over one thousand eighteen-pound shells, compared to the mere fifty received from enemy lines.35 Gas was an ever-present danger at the front, and soldiers were well warned of the required precautions to avoid exposure. However, seven

members of the 14th Battery were caught unawares on 2 June36. The group Brothers in Arms 153 had stayed on their guns on ‘counter-preparation’ duty, which involved laying down harassing fire to disrupt a possible enemy attack and prevent it from being Colour patch of the 5th Field executed. There had been a gas attack earlier in the evening, which was believed Artillery Brigade, part of to have dissipated, but when the party returned to their dugouts, there was low- lying gas lingering in the still air. Fortunately, Ken and Doug were not part of this the 2nd Australian Artillery group, who were taken away to a field hospital for treatment. Division Gas attacks were most effective when the air was still and the gas could settle Barrage map for the Australian into low lying areas to cause the most harm. The Germans were less successful a 5th Field Artillery around couple of weeks later on 19 June, when the wind picked up and blew away the gas before it could do damage37. But chemical warfare was not the sole province Rainecourt on 22 August 1918, of the Germans, with the allies launching a gas attack of their own on 28 June38. showing the lines of ‘creeping barrage’ planned for that night An Australian sense of humour is always present, even in the depths of war. The 5th Australian Division took a piece of home with them when they named the various trenches around the front, and Doug would become familiar with key supply and communication lines with names like Pitt St, Tasmania Line, Manly Communication Trench (CT), Emu Supply, Cootamundra and Cairns CT39. Despite the lack of activity from the other side of the battlefield, the Germans were clearly preparing for an offensive, and rumour was that it would be at Amiens, putting Ken and Doug in the firing line. In the meantime, there was no shortage of harassing fire, and the danger for those manning the guns was still high. It would have been hard to stand by a gun whose position was clear to the enemy, feeling like a sitting duck waiting for oblivion to fall any moment. Noel Carthew’s Voices from the Trenches perhaps best describes Ken’s life as a gunner in action. “Load, fire, recoil! Day and night the gunners laboured to feed the gun’s insatiable maw. Like automatons they worked, sometimes asleep on their feet, deafened by the bombardment, half blinded by the dust, smoke and incessant explosions, eating at their posts when there was anything to eat or drink. Sometimes an entire gun crew

154 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Letter to Joshua Whittam suffered a direct hit and men, horses advising of his son Doug’s and gun vanished instantly into a injury during the war in 1918 yawning, smoking crater.” 40 Ken Whittam (R) and his friend Guns had to fire incessantly Bill Latta (L) during a leave throughout a barrage for a simple break, probably in Paris, 1917 reason. When preparing for an advance, the artillery units would ‘clear’ no-man’s land – the area between our front lines and those of the enemy. To achieve this, the field artillery would use the concept of a ‘creeping barrage’. This involved targeting a point slightly in front of the allied front line, and then moving forward 100 yards every one to six minutes. The infantry would then follow the barrage forward, hopefully capturing any enemy unawares as they still took cover from the falling shells. If the barrage moved forward too slowly, the infantry may catch up and be hit by friendly fire. Too fast, and the enemy would have time to recover and regroup before the infantry arrived. Earlier in the war of the Somme, this was not so effective because the enemy was often doing the same thing at the same time. Later in the war, the Germans were less able to respond and it enabled the allies to take more and more ground. On 21 August 1918, the 5th Field Artillery Brigade had advanced eastwards to Rainecourt, just south of the Somme and about ten miles from Villers-Bretonneux. Shelling by the enemy was not unusually heavy, except for 185 six-inch shells fired on one of the battery positions around 9:15pm41. Despite the number of shells he had dodged at Ypres, Passchendaele and Amiens, it seems that fate caught up with Doug this day. The details are not clear, but he was wounded in battle. Fortunately, he was able to continue on duty. Doug always said that he was gassed, but his service records do not explicitly state this42, as was done for other soldiers. Gassing injuries were not confined to inhalation, which was

Brothers in Arms 155 often fatal, but also included burns and blistering on exposed skin, and it is likely that his injuries were not so severe that it required reporting as such. However, his injuries were sufficient to warrant a notification to his parents43. One can only imagine the sinking feeling his father Joshua had when he first slit open a letter from the AIF, and read the dreadful initial line of, ‘Dear Sir, I regret to advise you that…’. The Hindenburg Line was the last and strongest of the German army’s defence. If this line was breached, it was felt that German morale would be broken and the end of the war may be near. The Allied armies had been advancing consistently through August and September, with a view to taking the Hindenburg Line late in September. As the various forces prepared themselves for this final push, the commanding officer, Major Harold Riggall, took the time to wax lyrical about the efforts of the Drivers. “It is difficult to speak of the work of the Drivers without appearing to be lavishing fulsome praise – which would be hateful to them – but something must be said. Most of them are old war-worn tired men. As in their many past sterdy [sic] achievements, so on this occasion these men unflinchingly and un-hesitatingly faced the shell torn roads and fire harassed areas through which their job lay – making trip after trip with a joke ever ready and smile on their faces to make their The armistice to end World work appear light or cheer a new hand, with perhaps a growl now and again War I, as captured in the war – but these stout-hearted men managed somehow to make even their growling humorous and cheerful and it never appears out of place or discouraging; diary for the 5th Australian and at midnight on 28th, the facts that the guns were ready and the ammunition Divisional Artillery. supply complete for the attack are sufficient to those of us who know their work to place the Battery Drivers high in the ranks of the great gallant heroes who do the unchronicled work of preparation and supply in this war.”44 Finally, in November 1918, whilst Doug & Ken were in the Allonville area near Amiens, about 120km north of Paris, the news came that everyone had been waiting for. Germany had surrendered, and all hostilities ceased at 11am on 11 November45. The long war was finally over, but it was not a simple case of packing up and going home. Much was required to demobilise the troops and have them shipped back to Australia. Both boys had signed up for another four months once the war finished46, but it was to be much longer than that before they would see their family. Troops were marched out based on their enlistment date,

156 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ken Whittam’s World War I with the 1915 cohort going first. Doug and Ken would have to wait their turn, medals. Victory Medal (L), having enlisted in 1916. British War Medal (R). Currently held by his grandson Timothy The army progressively marched their way westwards across France, amusing Hensel themselves as they went with football games. They also commenced various education classes, including Agriculture and Horticulture47. Another white Christmas arrived, but this time the celebrations were more jovial, with fresh meat & vegetables and barrels of beer. Each man received a gift, and the new commanding officer, Major Roy Thompson48, visited each battery to ensure everyone was in good spirits49. Troops gradually began to return to Australia, but Doug & Ken remained in France, and the days continued to be filled with sports, horse races and educational lectures. However, Ken was given a final task that would haunt him all his life. The horses, those faithful companions that had supported the artillery throughout the war, tirelessly dragging heavy cannon through the endless mud and bringing shells to the batteries through interminable enemy fire, would not be going home. Most would be sold, but all riding horses over 12 years old, all draught horses over 15 years old, all unsound horses and those requiring more than two months’ treatment were marked for destruction50. It appears that some unlucky soldiers had their names drawn out of a hat, and Ken’s was among them. He was to take some horses away from the camp to a predefined spot, where their manes and tails were shaved of the valuable horse hair. Ken then had to load his revolver, and shoot the horses as humanely as he could. Shooting at the enemy was one thing, but to shoot a faithful and innocent friend was another thing altogether. For the rest of Ken’s life, seeing horses at length, particularly on television where they might appear mistreated, made him very uncomfortable and he would walk away or leave the room. He was never a particularly emotional man, but horses were his weak point and he would often get a tear in his eye on these occasions51. Finally, Doug & Ken’s turn came to head home and they were shipped out of France on 11 April 1919 for Southampton. However, a return to Australia was not to be as swift as they would have liked, and they had to wait another three months before they both embarked on the Karmala for the long trip home on 2 July52. Finally, Doug & Ken landed back in Australia on 14 August 1919, and were formally discharged on 22 September53, providing an emotional welcome from their family and the ever-faithful Clarice & Kath, who had waited three long years for their return. They were also able to reunite with their eldest sister, Ruth, whose tuberculosis had advanced

Brothers in Arms 157 Welcome home celebration for Doug and Ken Whittam at Perroomba in September 1919. (L-R) Elizabeth (Bess) Whittam, Helen (Nell) Whittam, Matilda Lord, Kathleen Lord, Clarice Maidment, Unknown child, Edith Tester (housekeeper), Unknown, Oswald Whittam, Dorothy Meyer (nee Whittam), Harry Meyer (rear), Ken Whittam, Robert Meyer (boy), Kate Whittam (nee Mitchell), Robert Sterling (Ken’s friend), Joshua Whittam, Unknown (rear), Unknown children, Doug Whittam, Ruth Whittam, Ted Whittam, Don Whittam, Sylvia Parham, Margaret Maidment alarmingly since they left. Sadly, she passed away only a few weeks later, adding a touch of tragedy to what should have been a purely joyous occasion. Both men were awarded medals for their role in the war, receiving a Victory Medal and a British War Medal. Unfortunately, Doug’s medals were lost after his death when his home burned down in the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, but Ken’s are now held by his grandson Timothy, who wears them proudly during annual ANZAC Day marches.



William Joshua Oswald Douglas The Realtor 159 1822-1887 1858-1934 1895-1980 18 The Realtor Thomas Edison said that most people miss Opportunity because it is Oswald Whittam with his wheeling dressed in overalls and looks like work. Oswald Douglas Whittam & dealing was more inclined to borrow the overalls and get down to business. Buying, renovating and selling homes – ‘flipping’ in today’s parlance – was something at which Os and his wife Sylvia became quite adept. No sooner had family and friends become used to visiting Os & Sylvia at a new home than they would receive a short letter notifying them of another address. However, for those that met Os, the idea of fixing walls, sanding back woodwork, painting, repairing stuck windows and redecorating were the last thing they would consider. A quietly spoken man, he was always immaculately dressed in a suit, often with matching waistcoat, and had a weak handshake that was sometimes described as “like shaking a wet fish”. Oswald was born on 6 November 1895 in the family home in York Street, Oswald Douglas Whittam playing North Kensington. Soon afterwards, the family moved into Perroomba, the large the Clayton Congregational Church homestead in the nearby paddocks that had been owned by his grandfather. Like his siblings, his education began at Marryatville School, a small institution organ, c1960 about a mile away on Kensington Road. Marryatville had been opened in 18841 and was intended to support the compulsory education of children in the colony. The school took a slightly softer line on students when it came to discipline. There was certainly order, and students obeyed their teachers, but an “elder-brotherly style” was adopted, where discipline was meted out in equal measure with gentle guidance2. There was plenty of room for Os and his classmates to play, with many empty paddocks adjacent the school, which was similar to life at home around Perroomba.

160 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Sylvia Parham (centre) on her Os was clearly a good student, winning a one year scholarship in wedding day, with flowergirl and 1909 at the School of Design, or more correctly, the School of Design, bridesmaid, 1926 Painting and Technical Art3. This school, based in the Exhibition Building on North Terrace in the city, taught a large range of subjects, including Oswald & Sylvia at their marriage drawing, sculpture, painting and design4, and Oswald seems to have on 17 December 1926 centred around drawing. It is assumed that the School of Design classes were taken outside normal school hours, as Os continued his studies at Norwood District High School until he turned 16, passing exams in English grammar, composition and dictation, arithmetic, geography, English history, and of course, drawing.5 When World War I began in 1914, The Express newspaper took the unusual step of publishing a paper on a Sunday. Someone, probably Os’ less reverent brother Ken, made their way out that morning and bought a copy, bringing it home to share the frightening news. Os took the paper and settled down in front of the fire to read, completely forgetting the strict rules in the Whittam household about what was permitted on the sabbath. There were no activities other than Church in the morning & Sunday School in the afternoon, usually followed by singing hymns around the organ at night. Reading was restricted to religious texts such as the Bible and “Sunday at Home”, but most definitely not the newspaper. When Os’ father Joshua entered the room, he was furious with his son and without waiting for an explanation, tore the newspaper from the hands of the startled Os, and threw it in the fire6. He was not always idle though, playing tennis for Kensington Gardens in 19157 and bravely purchasing a motorbike in 1918. This new machine was aptly of the Douglas brand, being a 2¾ horsepower model, with registration number 117528. While this is a rather tame bike compared to 200-plus horsepower models of today, it does seem hard to imagine the gentle Oswald roaring around the often unpaved streets on a motorcycle, but it seems that he was full of surprises. They do say that it is the quiet ones you need to watch. The other player in this story was born on the very first day of the twentieth century9 - 1 January 1901 - out at Angle Vale, about twenty two miles north of Adelaide. The third of five children to Frederick Parham and Matilda Worden, Sylvia Evelyn was a middle child, just like Os, carrying the stereotype of being the one often pushed aside, or ignored. Sylvia’s father was a labourer, which would take him to whatever jobs were on offer at the time. The family lived at Gawler South until around Sylvia’s seventh birthday, then moving close to the city, on Park

The Realtor 161 Terrace, Gilberton, nine doors up from the river10. Three years later, A typical Douglas 1917 motorbike, in 1911, the family moved again, this time to a small stone-fronted which Os bought in 1918. villa at 6 Margaret St, North Kensington, just around the corner from Os’ home of Perroomba. It is possible that she also went to Os Whittam (left) at the wheel of Marryatville School, but being six years younger than Os, it is his Uncle Walt’s Overland car, with unlikely she was noticed at the time. family friend Rob Sterling. c1925 Sylvia was well known for being ‘proper’ and things had to be done ‘just so’. One of her nieces was admonished for daring to place her handbag on the bed in a spare room at a party, when clearly it should go upon the floor, lest it dirty the immaculately arranged bedspread. However, as is often the case with people that convey their opinions a little too forcefully, there is some over-compensation at play. The lady doth protest too much, methinks, as it were. You see, Sylvia was no angel. It seems that she had a child out of wedlock, hardly a crime nowadays but certainly a scandal in the early twentieth century. Ronda Lilian Parham was born in 1918, when Sylvia was only seventeen. The father is not listed, and no trace of the child has been found. One can only assume that she was adopted out under a completely different name, as was often the case with unplanned pregnancies in those judgmental times. Some time after this, Oswald and Sylvia crossed paths. It was not at Clayton church, because Sylvia does not appear on any rolls. Perhaps it was through a mutual friend, or simply a chance encounter on the street. Either way, the attraction was mutual and they began seeing each other. By 1919, Sylvia was visiting Os at home at Perroomba, and she attended the welcome home of Os’ brothers Doug and Ken at the end of World War I11. In around 1921, Sylvia moved to within 400 yards of Perroomba, taking up residence at 32 Beulah Rd Extension around 1921, which later became 232 Beulah Rd12. This allowed Os and Sylvia to see each other more often, and their relationship continued to blossom. Many young women pursued studies in music, particularly piano and singing, and Sylvia was no exception. With a gift of a fine voice, she took advantage of the new medium of radio to share her talents. Radio station 5CL, established in 192413, allowed local artists to perform as part of ‘studio concerts’. Shortly before she was married, Sylvia would occasionally make her way to the 5CL studios in Hindley Street and give a recital of a couple of songs over the air for the entertainment of listeners14. She also sang at the wedding of her eldest brother Melville in 192815.

162 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Os Whittam, 1940s After what appears to have been a long courtship, Os & Sylvia were married at Stow Memorial Church16 in Flinders Street, Adelaide on 17 December 192617 by the Reverend Charlie Watts, then the minister of Clayton Congregational. As it turns out, Sylvia was two months pregnant on the day of her wedding, and welcomed their only child, Russell Douglas just seven months later on 24 July 1927. Oswald had taken up a position at Commercial Union Insurance as an assessor, a role he held until his retirement. This gave Os a steady income, and allowed him to understand the process of insurance claims, something that would come in handy a couple of times during his life. The first of these was in 1932, when someone broke into Os & Sylvia’s home at 133 Greenhill Road, Tusmore. The thief took a rather eclectic mix of goods, including a pair of Russell’s leather shoes, some sheets, pyjamas, clothes, a clock, soap, boot polish and a suitcase18. Bad luck struck a second time in 1936 when three young men broke into their house on Portrush Road. This time, the men seemed to have an eye for more valuable items, stealing a clock, silver spoons, some spectacles and shirt studs. They were arrested later the same day whilst trying to sell the goods, and the police found a non-functioning revolver on one of the men. It seems fortunate that Os & Sylvia were not home at the time19. Although the insurance business is rather staid, which suited Os’ quiet nature well, he had an entrepreneurial streak. During the early 1920s he saw a lucrative market in selling heart pills, and began hawking them around the district. He even managed to co-opt his uncle Walter Whittam to assist him for a while. But he found a real passion in property. Following Oswald’s financial dealings has proven to be a serious challenge, but an interesting one nevertheless. Os lived through tumultuous times, with two world wars, a major depression and periods of recovery. Most of his activity seems to have been concentrated in the latter years of the Great Depression and through World War 2. Such times of uncertainty are primarily beneficial to those that have money with which to speculate, because property prices fluctuate wildly, and there are many in financial difficulty that wish to make a quick sale. Oswald’s first investment in 1923 was a block at 57 Salop Street, North Kensington20. This was only a few doors from Sylvia’s home in Margaret Street, and was part of the old Ruthven estate. At the time, Glyde Street was known as Ruthven Street, and led to the large bluestone home previously owned by John Ruthven, which still stands at 44 Glyde Street21. Os held Salop Street for a little over eight months before selling it in mid-1924, just as the Whittam family was

carving up and selling off the land around Perroomba. Presumably, The Realtor 163 Oswald was attempting to free up cash for a purchase of some of the family land. Os & Sylvia, c1955 Os and Sylvia on Port Noarlunga Perhaps Perroomba prices were beyond him, but his next investment was made in nearby Tusmore22 in late 1926. The land jetty, November 1968 around Tusmore Farm had been subdivided around 1912, but there were many blocks remaining in the mid-1920s. Tusmore Farm had been leased by William Rogers from the South Australian Company, the same company that had been responsible for the settlement of the state way back in 183623 and who also then sold lot 15 to Os, which would later become 10 Kenneway Street. He must have been happy with this purchase, because his brother Ted bought the block next to it a year later. Os held this block for almost eighteen months before selling again in 1928. Burnside council purchased a number of the nearby blocks, including the main entrance road to the farm, and this land later became Tusmore Park, where the original farm gate posts still stand. Young children tend to occupy the mind, and perhaps it was the raising of young Russell that kept Os & Sylvia from any further property investment for a while. From all accounts, young Russell was a handful, with multiple health problems. Os & Sylvia also seemed to attend to Russell’s every need. Today, we would call them ‘helicopter parents’, but in those days it was considered quite strange to give that much attention to a child. Children were expected to be ‘seen and not heard’, and certainly not interfere with the adult business of their parents. Either way, Os & Sylvia doted upon young Russ, and were, if anything, over-protective of him. Despite this, they still managed to get away for the occasional holiday, heading to Katoomba near Sydney in 192924, and Victor Harbor in 193425. Coupled with a world-wide economic depression, it seems that it was prudent for Os to keep his head down for a while, financially speaking. Eventually, in 1934, Os & Sylvia bought a house on Portrush Rd in the new suburb of Toorak Gardens26. At the time, it was known as Monreith, after the farm that previously occupied the area, owned by the Fergusson family27. Initially, Os & Sylvia’s house was numbered 69 Portrush Rd, but was later renumbered to 393. Whilst living here, Os & Sylvia decided to begin speculating on houses & land, buying at a bargain price and selling again at a higher price. The first of these was in Brandreth St, Tusmore28, and the next at Union St, New Glenelg29. Both of these were held for less than six months before being on-sold. After working to renovate and improve the house at Toorak Gardens, they

164 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Os & Sylvia Whittam’s home at sold up and moved in with Sylvia’s father at 24 Glyde Street, Beulah Park, 232 Beulah Rd, North Kensington30. This freed late 1950s up extra capital to purchase more property. He teamed up with family friend Arthur George The living room and front garden Stanley Ross (see page 104), who had lived of Os & Slyvia’s home in Glyde in Warwick St, Toorak Gardens since at least St, 1968, showing their love of 192231, and bought at least nine blocks in decorating and gardening Linden Park and Erindale32. They turned these around fairly quickly too, generally selling within two years. In late 1936, Os started to acquire a number of blocks from the old Perroomba estate. Starting with lots 3, 11, and 18 at 26 Glyde St, 3 Douglas St and 265 Norwood Parade respectively33, he was able to keep the cash flow moving for his aunts after his Uncle Walt and father had died. He built a new tudor home on Douglas Street, which still stands. He sold two of the blocks within a few months, and the third - Douglas Avenue - after three years. Apart from another block at Linden Park34, Os & Sylvia then turned their attention away from land speculation, and began the process of house renovation. The first of these was in early 1941 at 8 Lockwood Road in Erindale, not far from his brother Ted, who had recently moved to Egmont Terrace. After just eight months, Os & Sylvia sold this house, having bought number 10 next door. They turned this one around in seven months, and were on the move again to 29 Kensington Terrace, Norwood35, which is now known as Portrush Rd36. There is no record of them owning this property, so it would appear that they rented for a while as they planned their next move. A sea change followed in 1944, buying a house on the esplanade at Henley Beach. This was a particular favourite of the family, who would take the tram or train down to see them in their home by the beach. However, this was only a transitory step, and after some renovations the home was sold again in late 1945.

The Realtor 165 It seems that they moved back to Kensington Terrace Sylvia Whittam at home, c1985 again, taking up residence at number 31 this time. Oswald and Sylvia Whittam’s With World War 2 over, things started to settle ancestry down, and so did Os & Sylvia. It was not until 1953 that they bought one of the last remaining blocks around Perroomba, finally building a home at 24 Glyde Street, backing on to Os’ childhood home. This was to be their final move, and with a great deal of house pride, they settled into a relatively modern home to see out their days. Os had one final property card to play. When his aunt Nell died in 1956, the old family home of Perroomba fell to Os’ brother Ted as the executor of the will. Ted transferred the property to Os in December of that year, and he set about finding an appropriate purchaser to ensure a good price. Eventually, after eighteen months on the market, Perroomba was sold to Alexander and Gaynor Genders on 16 May 1958. Perhaps it was appropriate that Os made the sale, for his more clinical view of property ensured that the emotional ties to a home that had been in the family for a century would be managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. Os & Sylvia eventally settled into a comfortable retirement in their Glyde Street home, and attended Clayton Congregational Church regularly. Os, a keen musician himself, would occasionally play the large pipe organ when the usual organist, Lloyd Vick, was unavailable for a Sunday service. On 11 March 1980, Os passed away peacefully at the age of eighty-four, so Sylvia and Russ sold the Glyde Street home and moved into separate units in a retirement home in Fullarton. Later, they moved to Hazelwood Park and finally Kensington Gardens before Sylvia died on 16 October 1987, aged eighty-six. Oswald Douglas WHITTAM Joshua Whittam (1858-1934) William WHITTAM (1822-1887) (6 Nov 1895 – 11 Mar 1980) Kate MITCHELL (1866-1948) Anne DOUGLAS (1829-1891) Frederick PARHAM (1870-1944) James MITCHELL (1843-1885) m. 17 Dec 1926 Matilda WORDEN (1870-1957) Elizabeth JELLEY (1843-1879) Edmund PARHAM (1831-1904) Sylvia Evelyn PARHAM Mary McMANNAS (1831-1896) (1 Jan 1901 – 16 Oct 1987) William WORDEN (1826-1899) Elizabeth TRELOAR (1832-1898)



Love One Another 167 William Joshua Edward Douglas 19 1822-1887 1858-1934 1902-1987 Love One Another With a handful of orange-yellow fruit, Ted would call out, “Would Ted Whittam’s love for his neighbour you like to try a Meyer lemon?” The startled stranger, minding was contagious their own business, would pause in their stride, before asking the inevitable question, “What’s a Meyer lemon?” This way, Ted Whittam would strike up many a conversation with passing strangers and begin a few lasting friendships as well. Edward Douglas Whittam had a knack for the art of casual conversation. His genuine interest in people was disarming, and few could resist his charismatic smile and probing questions. It was a trait he used to good effect, and there were many who would count themselves as his acquaintance. Born in the family home of Perroomba on April Fool’s Day in 1902, he shared Ted Whittam, still taking art his birthday with his older brother Doug, born exactly ten years before. This lessons at 81, poses for a coincidence was a source of much amusement between the brothers, and they shared many milestone birthday celebrations as a result. Ted began his schooling photograph for The Messenger at Marryatville Primary School, walking the half mile to & from school with his newspaper in May 1983 older brother Ken. In 1916, Ted attended the Junior Technical School at the School of Mines and Industries on North Terrace. He won a prize that year for his outstanding homework1, and later won the Grasby Scholarship in 1917 for one year’s tuition at Prince Alfred College2. The scholarship was established for Commercial Studies at the end of 1913 by Mr. James William Grasby, a PAC old scholar3. Ted excelled at the school, spending three years in the top four of the class and winning four leather bound books as prizes for his efforts. In fifth form (year 11) he achieved Dux in commercial studies4. The Great War was raging in Europe whilst he was at high school, and many

168 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia A very young Ted Whittam (left) older boys were heading off to fight soon after with his younger brother Gordon, completing their studies. Ted’s older brothers Perroomba, 1906 Doug and Ken had signed up, and his mother Kate had a nervous breakdown from worrying Letter from Ted Whittam to his about her boys. While she was recovering, Ted Aunt Bess, 1908. and his younger brother Gordon were sent to It reads, “Dear Auntie Bess, Doug live with the Dixon family, who were relatives on and Os and Ken caught four fish Kate’s side. and we are going to have them for breakfast. Poor old bobs. Love With such good grades, Ted found no trouble to Uncle Walt, Art and Aunt Nell in securing employment, even amongst the influx and Marg and a big kiss to all. of soldiers returning from the war. Joining Elders Love from Ted” Trustee & Agency on 4 Feb 1920 as a junior clerk, he drew a meagre salary of just £40 per year. In comparison, his father Joshua was earning £380 as a class 4 clerk at the post office5. In order to advance himself, Ted also studied accountancy, graduating with a diploma from the Federal Institute of Accountants in May 19246. This was perfect timing, because in that very same month, the land around his childhood home of Perroomba went up for auction. He was able to observe the machinations of property dealing as his father, uncles Walt and Matthew, and aunty Bess managed the proceeds of the land sale. This dealing in family property was very relevant to his work with trustee companies like Elders. Seeking to broaden his skills further, he left Elders whilst working on ledgers and joined Ross Motor Bodies as Secretary Accountant, supervising costing and the books of account. After two years building his accounting skills at Ross, he joined the Executor Trustee and Agency Co. of S.A. as a Junior Accountant on 21 May 1926, where he would spend the rest of his working life. Outside of work, Ted was a keen cricketer, travelling to Tasmania with his brother Don over Easter in 1925 for the 12th Australian Y.M.C.A. Tournaments in Hobart. The team played against competitors from Sydney, Melbourne, Port Pirie, Hamilton, Launceston, Newcastle, Bendigo & Hobart. Whilst there, he toured Hobart, visiting Kings Wharf and Russell Falls. He also played cricket for Executor Trustee in the annual match against his old employer, Elder’s Trustee7. This match was always played on the hallowed turf of Adelaide Oval, and was often a close game8. In 1927, batting at number six, Ted scored a handy 34 before being run out, helping take Executor Trustee to a convincing 153-run victory on that occasion9. Like his father before him, Ted became increasingly involved in the life of Clayton Church. He had attended Sunday School, and then the Young Men’s Bible Class, and took over the running of this from his father in the early 1920’s.

Love One Another 169 He was quite meticulous in the running of the class, and would get frustrated when 12th Australian YMCA proper procedure was not followed10. Despite this, he very much encouraged Tournament Competitors, members to participate in debates, public speaking and constructive criticism, Hobart, 1925. Ted Whittam is which were all valuable life skills. circled Meanwhile, another key player in this part of the story was growing up virtually a stone’s throw from Ted’s home at Perroomba. Adelaide Claire Pemberton, or Ada and Ed Pemberton in the Ada as she was known, was just six months younger than Ted, having been born back yard of the family home on 28 September 1902. of “St Helens” in Union St, Ada’s father, Edward Abson Pemberton, North Kensington, c1906 was born in Lancashire in 1850 and was a renowned builder whose distinctive style can still be seen in many homes around Beulah Park. He had been married previously, with his first wife being Sarah Beecham, the daughter of famed chemist Thomas Beecham, maker of Beecham’s Pills. When Sarah died in 1893, he moved to Australia, where he met his second wife, Desiree. With a full name of Adelaide Louisa Desiree Desbief, she was fifteen years younger than Edward and claimed

170 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia One of Ada Pemberton’s to be of French aristocratic descent. Legend has it that her great- many music certificates. 1919 great-grandfather was beheaded in the French Revolution for being a member of the court of King Louis XIV11. Ada Pemberton, second from right, back row, with The family lived in Union St, North Kensington, in a grand the Clayton Congregational home built by Edward, which he had called St Helens, after his Church tennis club, 1926 Lancashire home town about thirteen miles from Liverpool. Ada was the middle child of three, with an older brother Harrold, born in 1898 and a younger brother Edwin, born in 1904. There had been two other children before Harrold, Adelaide Josephine in 1896 and Henry Edward in 1897, both of whom died in their first year. This pattern of tragedy was to continue with Ada’s father dying when she was only five. Although Desiree was left with the daunting task of bringing up three young children on her own, Edward’s business had been successful, leaving sufficient funds for them to conduct a relatively normal life. In addition to St Helens, more houses in nearby Mathilda St and King Lane provided a reliable rental income. Ada went to the nearby Wellington Road School, colloquially known as “the Welly”, walking there each day. Wellington Road later became Portrush Road, and the school was renamed to Trinity Gardens Primary School in 196512. An accomplished pianist, Ada began lessons at a young age and earned a number of certificates as she passed each successive level of study. She studied under Angelita Davis, and would often perform solos, duets and even quartets for annual student concerts13. She took up singing lessons, and proved to be a capable vocalist, regularly providing solo performances at Clayton Church services14. She continued this for many years, playing and singing some of her favourite hymns and songs, including “Just for Today”15, “Bless This House”16, and “Lead, Kindly Light”17. Ada became a piano teacher and took students in her home for many years, stopping once she had children of her own. Church was a typical social outlet for young people in the early 1900s, and Ada was a regular attendee in activities outside regular Sunday services. She joined the Young Ladies Class at Clayton in 1919, run by the minister’s wife, Mrs. Teece18. This brought young women together to undertake bible study and explore various ethical & moral issues of life. She was also a keen tennis player, representing Clayton in the United Church Association. Opponents included Knightsbridge Baptist19, West Hindmarsh Methodist20 and

Mile End Church of Christ21. Travel to games would have been Love One Another 171 via public transport or bicycle. She seemed to have a fairly even ledger of wins and losses in both doubles and singles. Ted and Ada Whittam on their wedding day, 15 March 1928 It is not known when Ted and Ada first took an interest in each other. Both families were involved in Clayton Church and they Ted and Ada Whittam on their would have known each other virtually from birth. Their mutual honeymoon at Robe, SA, 1928 attendance at a 21st birthday, or ‘coming of age’, party in 1924, implies they may have been dating at this time22. Ted and Ada married in Clayton Church on 15 March 1928, with the wedding officiated by Rev Charles Cameron (Charlie) Watts. After a honeymoon at Robe in the southeast of the state, staying at Karrata House, they moved into 19 Melrose Ave, Beulah Park, which they rented from Hubert Page23. They did not have to wait long until Ada found she was expecting their first child, John Douglas, who was born on 24 April 1929 at the Rose Park Private Hospital. Shortly after John’s arrival, the family moved into a large stone villa just across the road from Perroomba, at 2 Douglas Avenue, which they rented from the Nettle family. To move home at this time was no mean feat, given that the Great Depression was in full swing and many people were out of work and finances tight. Clearly Ted’s employment was secure, and he was able to act with confidence at time when this was a rare commodity. The early 1930s were an eventful time, and not always pleasantly so. In 1931, Ada’s mother, Desiree, passed away, followed soon after by Ted’s Uncle Walt. On 10 March 1932, they welcomed a second child at Rowan Private Hospital, this time a girl. Ted had never forgotten the loss of his eldest sister Ruth at a young age in 1919, which had affected the then seventeen-year-old Ted deeply. In her honour, he named this new child Ruth Douglas, also carrying on the family tradition of applying Douglas as the middle name of all children, male and female. At this time, Ted was acting as the executor of the will of his late Uncle Walt24, but being an employee of Executor Trustee, he would have had more than enough knowledge and contacts to do this very well. Claire Douglas, also born at Rowan Private Hospital, arrived on 23 May 1934, making a family of five. The joy of her arrival was quickly overshadowed by the sudden death of Ted’s father whilst on a trip to Ashbourne in October of the same year. This left three elderly women living alone in the huge house of Perroomba, and although Ted & Ada lived across the road, Ted would have found himself spending more and more time maintaining the

172 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ted Whittam, c1922 Ada and Ted Whittam with their son John Douglas, 1929 Ada Whittam with her children Ruth & John, 1932 Ted Whittam and Ruth on holiday at Kingston Park, early 1933

property and checking on the ladies that lived Love One Another 173 there. Ted & Ada’s children, Ruth & Finally, in 1936, Ted and Ada decided to John, on the hand cart used to move the family across the road to join Ted’s move into Perroomba in 1936 mother and aunts in Perroomba, borrowing a large hand cart to shift the furniture down the The advertisement for 5 street. Here they lived in the centre section of Egmont Tce, Erindale in The the house, with Ted’s mother Kate on one side and Aunts Bess & Nell on the other. One can Mail, 25 May 1940 imagine that the parenting advice came thick and fast, especially when the children were playing up. It was not uncommon for one of the aunts to pop their head over the fence that divided the yard, asking, “What is the matter with Ruthie?” With his background in accountancy, Ted was wise with his money, and they were able to afford hired help, with Dot and Coral assisting with child minding, and Mrs Sickett to help with the washing. They also managed the occasional family holiday, with a 1937 trip up the Spencer Gulf on the M.V. Moonta, visiting Port Pirie and Port Augusta25. Prior to their marriage, Ted had bought a block of land in Kenneway Street, Tusmore, perhaps with the intention of building a home for the family. Although this block lay close to the picturesque Tusmore Park, he decided to sell the land26 in early 1939, with a view to buying something more ‘established’. Ted was also a Sunday School teacher at Clayton, becoming the leader of the Boys Department in 1939, and Ada the leader of the Girls Department. At the end of that year, World War II began and Australia was drawn into another global conflict. At thirty-seven, Ted was considered too old to fight, especially when he had a young family to care for. He remained at home and continued working for Executor Trustee. In May 1940, Ted spotted an advertisement in The Mail for a house less than two miles away at Erindale27. This looked perfect for his young family, and he made an offer, which was accepted, settling on the property on 18 July. As a further testament to his financial acumen, he bought the house outright, with no loan28. Compared to the space available for the family inside Perroomba, the new house was huge. Sitting on over one third of an acre, the bungalow had three bedrooms, a study, lounge, dining room, large kitchen, cellar, two inside toilets and a bathroom. There was also a sleep-out which was a narrow room tacked

174 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Four of the five Whittam onto the eastern side of the house, with louvre brothers, c1925. From left, windows, good for those hot Adelaide nights. Don, Ken, Ted & Os. The large garden was overrun with weeds, Ada Whittam with a young rambling roses and a big pine hedge across the Ruth on a day at the beach, front. Ted worked tirelessly to straighten up the 1933 garden and before long it was ablaze with red and blue salvia, zinnias and magnificent hydrangeas with flowers as large as a dinner plate. With the help of Mr. McKenzie up the street the hedge was removed and the house able to be shown off to all that passed by. As World War II ground on, defensive preparations were made in Adelaide. Each night there was a blackout, where streetlights were extinguished, and each home had to have dark drapes at all the windows. If light could be seen from outside, an air-raid warden would knock on the door and ask that drapes be drawn, or lights turned off. Ted became an air- raid warden himself and helped the family conduct drills. To aid the war effort, and to earn a little extra money, Ted and Ada volunteered to have four soldiers billeted with them, and very soon Lloyd, Harry, Bill & Laurie were taking up the space in the sleep-out. They were not permitted in the house, except at mealtimes, and would spend their time sitting on the verandah talking and smoking. The crowded household also meant more ration coupons, and Ada would wheel the wicker clothes basket to the nearby butchers and grocers to collect enough provisions to feed the extra hungry mouths. Never content to have folk sitting idly around the house, Ted organised the soldiers to help him dig an air-raid shelter in the front garden, which was stocked with tinned food & first-aid supplies. The household conducted regular drills to take cover in the musty, dirty shelter in case there were an actual attack. Ada had a ‘siren suit’ that she wore when cycling to choir practice, which was similar to a boiler suit or overalls. This allowed her to take cover in an air-raid shelter if necessary, whilst keeping her normal clothes clean and affording some modesty should she find herself crammed into a shelter with unfamiliar people. Ada also helped the war effort by knitting socks and Balaklava caps for the services with the Red Cross at meetings across the road. She would also assist the Red Cross with second-hand clothing sales to raise funds.

Ada ran a pretty ‘tight ship’ at home and was very Love One Another 175 organised in the way she ran the week. Sunday was a day of rest, even to the point of children not being allowed to buy Ted being welcomed home an ice-cream in the unlikely event that a shop was open on from work by John & Ruth, the Sabbath. She was a pretty good cook, with roast dinner (lunch) on Saturdays, which she got up early to prepare with c1935 ingredients from Friday’s shopping trip. The leftovers of roast Ted and Claire Whittam & dripping were held over to Sunday so that no significant relaxing with a cup of tea, work was required to prepare another meal. Monday was washing day, so clothes were put in to soak on Saturday or c1945 Sunday, but never washed before Monday. Other days were set aside for cleaning, sewing, gardening and other odd jobs around the house. Although she had stopped giving lessons, Ada kept up her piano playing, entertaining guests with a sing-along around the piano, or giving a short recital of her favourite pieces. One of these was the very demanding Rustle of Spring by Christian Sinding. The family would often gather around and sing hymns together, with Ted joining in on his flute - a skill he had picked up in his spare time. Early photos show Ada with dark, curly hair, but soon after having children it began to show flecks of grey. By the time the family had moved to Erindale, her hair had turned snowy white as a result of premature greying. There are many causes for this, including genetics, but nutritional deficiencies are a major contributing factor29. Most notable of these is severe iron deficiency, which can arise from autoimmune disorders. Even at this early stage, Ada would often need an afternoon rest, and would suffer frequent headaches. This also is a sign of anaemia, which indicates something was amiss. Throughout the war and afterwards, Ted and Ada continued their active work in the church. Ted helped form a Dramatic Society, and acted and produced many plays, including Pollyanna. He then wrote and produced many biblical plays (dramas), which were a feature of Sunday School Anniversary services in the church. This was great training for the young people in acting and public speaking, and many of them thanked him for this later in life. Ted was a great believer in the benefits of exercise and organised a Men’s Gymnasium in the church gym hall in the 1940’s. He was also a member of the YMCA in Grenfell St where he

176 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia The Whittam family with their often spent his lunch breaks. brand-new Humber Hawk, on their way to church, 1950. Ada was involved in a mothers’ group and worked tirelessly on various fund- From left: Claire, Ruth, Ted, raising drives by baking cakes, organising stalls at fêtes or knitting things. She John, Ada. was particularly good at knitting, making jumpers, cardigans, hats, gloves and later many toys for her grandchildren. She would also make clothes, particularly Ada and Ted Whittam on their dresses for the girls, on a Singer sewing machine she kept in the ‘study’ near the 25th wedding anniversary in kitchen. She continued her involvement in the Clayton choir, and still performed March 1953 solos with both voice and piano. In later years there was a power struggle with another singer who wanted to perform the solos, and eventually Ada stepped aside for the younger generation. Ted’s love of public speaking was well known, becoming a founding member and freeman of the Rostrum Club in 1948, where he had to make many speeches. He was also a master of the art of meeting people, being able to engage almost anyone he met in conversation. On working days, he would walk over to Kensington Road to catch a tram, but often get picked up by a passing motorist, who would no doubt drop him in the city feeling much better for the discussion with his erudite hitch-hiker. Ted

also joined the Men’s Club at the local Knightsbridge Baptist Love One Another 177 Church, sometimes acting as Father Christmas. Ted Whittam greeting his Ted and Ada liked to travel, taking the family on holidays to grandchildren, Jennifer & Susan Victor Harbor, Port Vincent on the steamship Karrata and up Spencer Gulf on the steamship Moonta, where they watched Lewis, and Steven Whittam, the launch of the Iron Yampi at Whyalla. Ted and Ada also 1959 went on the P.S. Marion twice, enjoying the tranquillity of the River Murray. In 1948, Ada and her brothers decided it was time to sell off some of the houses build by their father around the childhood home of St Helens. They sold off the distinctively styled homes in Union Street, Mathilda Street and Vine Street30. making over £5,500 from the proceeds. Ada’s brother Harrold bought out his share of St Helens31, and remained living there, but Ada’s share came to just over £1,800. With such a handy windfall, Ted and Ada bought a brand-new black Humber Hawk car in July 1950. Until this time, they did not own a car at all, relying entirely on public transport to get around Adelaide, and bus, rail & sea for longer journeys. It was a beautiful vehicle, and looked very grand. Ted and John learned to drive this to and from the church. Ada learned as well, but was a very nervous driver. One day she scraped the side of the car when backing out of the driveway and never drove again. Ted and Ada took the car on many drives together, including one trip to Canberra. The car also allowed them to pay more visits to Ted’s sister & brothers in Ashbourne, which had always been one area where Ted had been at a disadvantage to his other Adelaide-based brothers, Os & Ken. 1954 and 1955 saw the marriage of their children, and within two years they were grandparents to four children. Ruth and Claire both moved interstate, with Claire eventually settling permanently in Canberra. As the grandchildren grew, Ted & Ada’s focus shifted to the new generation. Claire and David would make regular trips from Canberra to Adelaide, usually around Christmas. When the travellers pulled in to the drive, Ted and Ada would come out to the side verandah and wave happily, glad to see their daughter again. Ted would go down on one knee, and take one of the children on the other knee, pretending it was a bumpy car ride, calling out, “round the bend!” before spilling them forwards into his warm embrace. Secretly though, Ted and Ada were probably nervously working out what to do with the family, which had quickly grown to seven by 1966. But Ted was always a man with a plan. The grandchildren had barely got

178 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ada Whittam, Kingscote airfield, themselves unpacked when Ted would gather them around the dining 1959 table, where a large piece of butcher’s paper was laid out. He then proceeded to map out all the activities over the coming weeks of their Ted Whittam’s Holden Premier, stay, almost down to the hour, with garden work being a prominent 1986 feature. As Claire’s older girls, Jen & Sue, reached their teenage years, this was never a popular activity. Michael, who was more given to quiet reading, remembers finding a quiet spot on the front verandah with a good book, only to be discovered by Ted with a disapproving “you didn’t come all this way to read.” Over dinner around the large dining table, Ted would insist that everybody report on their day, for which he would award points for the best stories. This was something he was asked to do as a child at Perroomba, and he had also practised it when John, Ruth & Claire were young. When the grandchildren were in town, Ted would stop by a bakery on the way home from work, collect a French stick covered in poppy seeds, and wave it at the young children hanging over his front fence as he rounded the corner from Glynburn Road into Egmont Terrace. He remained working at Executor Trustee, becoming a Trust Officer, and teacher of junior staff, and finally Internal Auditor until his retirement at 65 in 1967. Upon finishing work, he upgraded the aging Humber Hawk for a brand-new silver-grey Holden Premier. This car had red leather seats and bright white trim, and included the luxury of a large car radio in the white centre console. He took great pride in this car, keeping it clean and polished, ready for any journey. However, his driving style often drew comment, where he tended to “crawl along the straights and speed up around the corners”, with hapless passengers sliding wildly across the back seat. Retirement gave Ted more time to tend his large garden, which was always full of fruit trees, vegetables, and the perennial flower show. There was a large aviary at the back of the yard, filled with canaries, which Ted tended with great care. He would bring them bread soaked with milk and sugar, and they would flock down to eat this special treat. He would also make nesting boxes and perches, including his speciality, which was an old bicycle wheel with small perches arranged around it, and the grandchildren would watch in wonder as the birds went round and round under their own weight. After breeding season, Ted would often give birds to family members to keep

his numbers down, along with sage advice about breeding or on- Love One Another 179 selling birds to the local pet shop. Ada and Ted Whittam Each Christmas, the extended families of John, Ruth and Claire cut the cake at their 50th would descend upon Egmont Terrace for presents around the tree. Ted would sometimes dress up as Father Christmas to hand out Wedding Anniversary, the gifts, and the children would explore the gardens or hunt out March 1978 tadpoles at nearby Second Creek while Ada rested. Later, there would be a cricket match amongst the cousins on the front lawn, Ada Whittam in her followed by a group photo with everybody assembled around the Sunday best clothes at 5 green timber garden seat near the eastern fence. Christmas dinner Egmont Tce, Erindale, 1970 always included a fruit pudding, proudly cooked by Ada, containing a hidden sixpence and threepence coin. The finder of this was given much praise and considered to have good luck for the following year. Ted was always devising new games to keep the grandchildren amused. Whether this was teaching them to juggle Meyer lemons on the front lawn, or seeing who could pick the most raspberries, there were always ways to make any task interesting. One of the more common activities was to set up a matchbox in the wide hall of the house, and bowl down a tennis ball to try knocking it over. This provided hours of amusement, except when Ted stepped up and invariably knocked the matchbox over on the first attempt. Ted would arrange concerts at home, using dress-ups from the array of coats and hats in the hallway, and set up curtains across the lounge doors to provide a stage entrance for performers. He also made sure the garden was full of interesting activities, with hidden pathways behind the ferns and a rope swing hanging from the tree on the eastern side. The grandchildren had a number of other early memories of visiting Erindale, including a horse-drawn cart that would bring milk to fill up the billy can on the red concrete side porch next to the driveway. There was also a bread delivery each day, which was a half loaf wrapped in wax paper and placed in the green wooden box next to the side door. The eldest Lewis girls would take a handful from the middle and hope that their grandmother did not notice. If the children were good, there was a jar of lollies on the kitchen cupboard that was produced, and they could choose one, and only one, from the collection within. The garden was always full of fresh produce, ready for a wholesome dinner, including sweetcorn, potatoes and carrots, which the grandchildren would select, under the watchful gaze of Ted. Ada would spend much of her time in the kitchen, making apricot jam from the fruit in the garden or her speciality “sizzle chips”, made from grated potato, fried on the stove. The grandchildren would wait eagerly for each sizzle chip, ready to

180 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Ada & Ted on board the PS Murray wolf them down while they were piping hot. She would River Queen, 7 Feb 1975 also make lemon meringue pie from Meyer lemons, or ‘heavenly tart’, which was lemon curd covered in Ted and Ada Whittam at the condensed milk and cream. She was not always as wedding of their grand-daughter tolerant of her grandchildren, but she still managed Julie Seager to David Crowley on this in a dignified way by making up a small picnic 23 April 1977. Ada had recently basket for them, and sending them off to a quiet corner had surgery but did not want to of the garden for ‘an adventure’ while she took a well- miss such an important occasion. earned break. This break may have been spent listening to “Blue Hills” on the radio, which Ada never missed. Blue Hills was one of the longest running radio plays broadcast in Australia, airing nearly six thousand episodes between 1949 and 197632. Ada was so obsessed with the series that she would leave a party or family gathering to sit in the car and listen. Blue Hills may be one of the primary reasons that Ted had bought a premium car with a radio fitted - a rarity for its day. Ada would also tend to certain parts of the garden, such as roses in the back yard and a fine swath of purple violets that had come from her parents’ house of St Helens down in Union Street, Beulah Park. These violets were handed down to her children and grandchildren and still grow in gardens around Adelaide. Of course, she continued to play the piano, with favourites such as ‘Count Your Blessings’ or ‘Bless This House’ ringing out through the home. The lessons of the Great Depression stayed with Ted and Ada, as they did with anyone who experienced those hardships. They despised waste and would find a use for anything that came to hand, with various bits of wire, old bike rims and disused curtain rods put to use in the garden. Their cellar was full of old bottles of drink and tinned food, some of which was well past its ‘best before’ date. When one of his granddaughters threw a piece of hardened cheese in the bin, Ted horrified them by leaping forth and retrieving it, claiming it was still good to eat! Ada’s headaches and lethargy continued to plague her into her later years, and she was often unable to cope with the noise and chaos of grandchildren. Her afternoon naps became something of a ritual, setting a timer for fifteen minutes to wake her up again, with the grandchildren taking her a cup of tea and small squares of bread and butter when she awoke. However, all this

Love One Another 181 masked a much nastier underlying condition – probably inflammatory bowel Ted & Ada Whittam’s home at 5 disease – and in the mid-1970s, Ada was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which Egmont Terrace, Erindale. Taken caused a great deal of concern amongst the family. She underwent surgery to shortly after Ted’s death in 1987. remove the affected section of bowel, but this only proved to be a temporary The dented gate was the result of reprieve. Her health continued to decline, and her doctor advised that she should a reversing error made by Ted as try drinking stout as form of treatment. Ada was a devout teetotaller, having taken his health declined, and one of the the ‘pledge’ in her younger years to never drink alcohol. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and she went against her beliefs to try anything last times he drove his car. that might help. One can only imagine the humiliation she felt when lifting the glass to her lips. Memorial plaque at West Terrace Cemetery. Sadly, even these extreme measures did not help her cause and she continued to deteriorate, finally Source: Flinders Ranges Research passing away peacefully at home on 1 October 1979. Ted and Ada had agreed long before that they would will their bodies to science, but when Ada passed, the University rather callously refused to take her body because of her cancer. This occurred at the last minute, and poor Ted was forced to make alternative

182 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia John Whittam, Ruth Seager arrangements. Ada’s body was taken by Blackwell Funerals and she & Isabelle Whittam at the was cremated at Centennial Park Cemetery on 4 October, with her dedication service for the flower ashes scattered there33. pedestals in memory of Ted & Ada Whittam, Hallett Cove Ted continued to live in Erindale, and he carried on with his Uniting Church, 29 September involvement at Clayton. He loved to meet new people, always 1991 stopping to chat to strangers in the street or on the bus. He also travelled on his own, going to Western Australia on a tour, where he Ted and Ada Whittam’s undoubtedly made many more acquaintances. He kept a surprisingly memorial plaque in Clayton open mind for a man of his age and upbringing, trying Chinese and Church cemetery Thai food when his grandson Michael came to visit, and watching Elton John perform with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra when it was broadcast in 1986. For someone that was once rather disdainful of The Beatles, he remarked that Elton John was “rather impressive and quite enjoyable”! Ted always sought to find the best in people he met, and to treat people with love and kindness. He always showed interest in others, and sometimes kept notes on people he met, recording details of their family members, interests, and concerns. He would refer to these notes when he knew he was meeting someone again and would undoubtedly amaze them with how much he recalled. Such a deep level of interest in people ensured that he was always held in the highest esteem and respect. Eventually, Ted’s age caught up with him, and his health gradually declined. He went into Burnside Hospital in late 1987, where he passed away peacefully of heart failure & pneumonia on 29 September, aged 85. Just as he had always wished, Ted donated his body to science, and his remains were eventually interred at West Terrace Cemetery. There is a memorial plaque there to all who donated their bodies to the betterment of science. Ted & Ada both had memorial services at Clayton Church and there is a plaque on the church cemetery columbarium wall in their memory. Ted’s motto in life was a simple one, drawn from John 15:12 in the Bible: “Love one another.”34 Ted’s children donated three flower pedestals to the Hallett Cove Uniting Church inscribed with those simple words as an enduring memory to a remarkable man.

Love One Another 183 Ted and Ada Whittam with their children and grandchildren, Christmas 1971 Back row: Ted Whittam, Christine Whittam, Jennifer Lewis, Susan Lewis, Julie Seager Middle row: Isobel Whittam, John Whittam, Ada Whittam, Ruth Seager (nee Whittam), Steven Whittam, Claire Lewis (nee Whittam), Jane Lewis, Rodney Seager, David Lewis Front row: Mark Seager, Paul Whittam, Brenton Seager (author), Wendy Lewis, Michael Lewis, Duncan Seager Edward Douglas WH ITTAM Joshua Whittam (1858-1934) Ted and Ada Whittam’s ancestry (1 Apr 1902 – 29 Sep 1987) Kate MITCHELL (1866-1948) Edward PEMBERTON (1850-1907) William WHITTAM (1822-1887) m. 15 Mar 1928 Adelaide DESBIEF (1865-1931) Anne DOUGLAS (1829-1891) James MITCHELL (1843-1885) Adelaide Claire PEMBERTON Elizabeth JELLEY (1843-1879) (28 Sep 1902 – 1 Oct 1979) Alexander PEMBERTON (1809-1854) Anne ABSON (1809-1886) Henri DESBIEF (1834-1894) Adelaide POOLE (1830-1894)



The Munificent Don 185 William Joshua Gordon Douglas 20 1822-1887 1858-1934 1904-1970 The Munificent Don Looking like he had stepped out of the comedy duo of Flanagan and Gordon Whittam shares his humour Allen, Don capered about the stage, hat turned up, trousers lifted to his and generosity knees, and face contorted into a silly grin. The audience roared with laughter as he carried on, throwing in a few well-timed jokes to keep the mood light, which was always appreciated during the tense times of World War II1. A natural with the crowd, Don became known as the “Prince of MC’s” amongst the locals2, and he was often sought out to be the compere of social events. Born Gordon Douglas Whittam in Perroomba on 17 November 1904, the day before his eldest sister’s seventeenth birthday, Don was the youngest of the seven children of Joshua and Kate. Like his siblings, his early years were spent exploring the vast grounds around the family home, and attending Sunday School at Clayton Congregational Church. At the age of five, he started at Marryatville School, walking each way, rain, hail or shine with his older brother Ted. Like his father and older brothers before him, he moved on to Prince Alfred College, where he made some lifelong friends and developed a love of cricket. It seems that Don had been considering the life of a farmer for a while, and Don Whittam, on board a ship was keen to follow in the footsteps of his older siblings Dorothy and Doug with a to Tasmania in 1925 for a YMCA move to Ashbourne, south of Adelaide. As soon as Don finished school, he took up an offer from Dorothy’s husband Harry Meyer to go work their large farm. cricket competition. Moving in with his sister3, Don was quickly set to work and proved to be a fast learner, and his versatility saw him sewing and harvesting potatoes, working the apple orchards, bringing in the lucerne crop or looking after beehives. But his true talent lay with the five thousand sheep across the many farm leases, looking after

186 Perroomba: A History of the Whittam Family in Australia Don Whittam, leaning at them through the colder months, helping with lambing, and rounding them front, with brother Ted, right, up for shearing. He quickly learned to work with the farm dogs - usually and unknown team mates on border collies - treating them like family and teaching them to keep the a steamship on the way to sheep organised. Later in life, he would often be seen rounding up the Tasmania in 1925 sheep with his trusty dog Sailor by his side. Mollie McDonald, left, with Social events were a regular occurrence in small towns like Ashbourne family at Preamimma. and nearby Strathalbyn. With large distances between farmhouses, Robert McDonald on right. scattered populations, and horsepower still the primary mode of transport, Date unknown such occasions were essential to maintain the social fabric of the district. One such event was the annual Strathalbyn Bachelors’ Ball, which was intended to show off the eligible young men of the area, and provide an opportunity for young women to meet potential suitors. Don had been attending such events for a couple of years, and found himself with 250 others at the Strathalbyn Institute in late August 19294. In the crowd that night was a young woman, who had made a long trek down to Strath with her sister. Mollie McDonald, born on the family farm of Preamimma Station in Monarto on 27 August 1907, was the youngest of the five doughters of Robert Sweet McDonald and Marion Greenwood. Preamimma was named after the copper and arsenic mine that originally sat on the property5. Robert McDonald still had interests in mining, and was part owner of the Aclare Mine, near Callington6. However, the original Preamimma mine had petered out, and by the early 1900s, the property mainly ran sheep. Mollie was very lucky to have grown up with a father at all, as Robert managed to fall off the roof of a haystack while repairing the roof and fractured his skull when Mollie was only two. Fortunately a stint in hospital meant that he was able to make a full recovery and he returned to farming soon after7. With no brothers in the household, Mollie and her sisters had to learn how to hold their own on a farm. Most girls were taught how to cook, clean and sew, but the McDonald girls learned to ride horses, round up sheep, fix fences and manage farm operations. In 1918, a fire broke out in a paddock near Preamimma. While Flora, Noreen, Marjorie and Lorna valiantly fought the fire, eleven-year-old Mollie leapt on a horse and rode frantically to her father, who was working in a nearby paddock. The girls managed to contain the fire to only a few acres burnt, until Mollie returned with some farm workers to put it out8. The year before, Mollie’s elder sister, Noreen, had