Diary of Lorna Kemmis, sister of KATRINE WESTGARTH for the years 1941 – 1958 (sent to me by Perdita Herbert)

Apart from the family interest, Lorna’s diary is a sketch of life in the suburbs of the North Shore during the war and in the post-war period. There seem to be a lot of orthopaedic events! – Trish

Notes From Nan’s Diaries 1941 to 1956, from Perdita Herbert.

These notes were in a small wire bound notebook written in 1968. On the first page Nan (Lorna) wrote: “Notice I tore up some old Diaries a long while ago but wrote down things that might be of interest first”. After this there were several blank pages then: “1941 to 1956 and two pages in 1958. Note last page in book (Colin’s address which is at the end of the diary). These notes were taken out of old diaries before I tore them up.”

In transcribing them I have edited them in a few minor ways. I have corrected Nan’s spelling which was an embarrassment to her, and no doubt a result of her very restricted education. I have also expanded some abbreviations such as Hosp. in the interests of making the text flow more easily, and sometimes I have inserted a full name when only an initial was used, if it was obvious to whom it referred. In a couple of places I have omitted small items that were illegible. I have put square brackets [ ] around the comments which Nan appeared to have added in 1968. The asterisks indicate unknown people or illegible words about which I would like further information.

I expect to send copies of this to all Nan’s grandchildren. Some of the people mentioned will be known to the Crossings and not the Kemmises, and some to the Kemmises and not the Crossings. Where I have been able to identify or expand I have added footnotes, which I hope will not make the document too irritating to read. Inevitably these add more light to the Kemmis side, but having the document on computer means that if the Crossings would like to send me additional notes I can add them very simply, and will do so.

In lots of ways most of the material is very trivial, and there is very little in the way of opinions, but it is interesting to see what Nan thought was worth recording in 1968. The weather seems to have been very important! – Perdita Herbert (10/4/99)

Family tree: Lorna Janet Robertson and Lionel de Camois Kemmis had three children, Struan de Camois, Boyd de Camois and Colin de Camois.

Struan was Dad’s much older sister. Struan married Henry Crossing and their children are Jonathan, Andrew (Poss) and Shaen, all still living. The property near Quirindi was called Colly Blue. Henry’s father, Herbie Crossing was called Coo by his descendants and young relatives.

Colin is my father, Nan’s youngest child and Margot (nee Hislop) is my mother. I am the eldest in my family, often referred to as Dita, b. 1937. My siblings are Jane, b.1939; Robert b. 1940; Stephen b. 1946; and Michael b. 1949. We are all still alive.

(The name ‘Struan’ was Sir John Robertson’s second given name and owing to his fame, success in life and large family, the name has be used a lot through the generations by makes and females. )

Elstree was the name Nan gave to their house at 2 Lynwood Ave, Killara. She said it was because Lionel and Lorna were two ‘Ls’ but I think it must have been a nod to the Elstree film studios. She loved going to films. They moved there in 1918 when Dad was 4. It was very close to Killara station which made it easy for the children going to Shore and Abbotsleigh, and for Nan, who didn’t drive, to have frequent trips into the city.

13 Norwood Ave was our house in Lindfield. I always knew that Mum had bought it while Dad was away in the army and she had felt it a huge responsibility but this indicates that Nan and Grandad must have helped in some way. They had the house until 1970 and it gave Dad great scope for his desire to add rooms and design changes, a lot of which he did with his own hands. They moved to a unit in Roseville but Dad died in 1973 while playing squash at the age of 58, which was the end of a wonderful marriage and devastating for Nan who was 93. She then moved to Colly Blue until her death at 98.

It amazes me that at 90 Nan was catching a train into the city once a week. – Perdita.

Garthgowan was the family home of Katrine and George Mansfield Westgarth. He died in 1947 and Katrine sold the home in 1953 and moved to Elstree with Nan, her sister Lorna. Mavis was Lorna and Katrine’s sister. She married Cyril. (See George Mansfield blog)

(Note: Temperatures are given in Fahrenheit, not Celsius which was brought in with the decimal system -Trish)

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1941 (Wartime)

Feb 8 Ray Crossing married*.
Feb 13 Henry goes back to camp at Richmond.
Feb Pink Arum lilies out.
Mavis in Roslyn Hospital Killara[1].
Mar 22 Mavis and Cyril[2] go back to Moss Vale.
April 1 Winston and Zoe[3] announce their engagement.
April 3 Cyril and Mavis leave for Bermuda
April 9 Lion (Lionel) and I to the show. Mother, Katrine and Mavis came for 1 night at No 9*.
April 16 Colin made a sergeant.
Lion not well for nearly a week. Well again by 18^th.
May 2 War news getting worse.
Still go on doing soldiers washing[4].
May 9 Arthur Murray died. 11 May Sunday Hen home from camp for 4 days.
June 15 Lion not feeling well.
July 23 Henry went into hospital, Richmond.
Aug 13 Henry came out of hospital.
Aug 15 Henry had to go back to hospital.
Aug 16 Zoe and Win married at St Mark’s (Darling Point).
Aug 30 Henry has a commission
Oct 4 Made an offer for No 13 Norwood Ave, £2200 was accepted. (Colin saw it for the first time on 1^st November).
Colin in Armoured Cars.
Oct 9 Robert de Camois Kemmis had his first crawl and chose the Lindfield P.O. counter for it.[6]
Robin and B* have a son.
Lion not well.
Oct 11 Lionel transferred shares to the family 100 each
Alice the maid ill ever since she came home from 2 weeks holiday, having trouble with her teeth.
Nov 17 Dear Clive Farquhar died after 7 days illness in hospital
Colin sent to Melbourne
Nov 24 Barbie and Henry’s[7] son was born.
Sent 14 guineas to my dentist (Neave).
Sent cheque for Green Trees insurance ( a rental property).
Nov 29 Lion gave S[8] 100 shares in the firm.
Nov 30 Shaen born 2 years ago.
Nov 30 The hottest day that has ever been. 103.(9)
America declares war on Japan. War news bad in Pacific.
Dec 17 Lion went at 9 am to Dr Edwards to have an x-ray.

[1] Roslyn Hospital was in Tryon Road, Lindfield
[2] Cyril (Sir Cyril Brook Francis) Mavis was Nan’s sister
[3] Winston was a son of Nan’s sister Katrine, Zoe was Grandad’s niece
[4] no apostrophe in original – don’t know if it is one or more soldiers!
[6] Robert was 14 months old, so this seems unlikely!
[7] Barbara Westgarth married Henry Cohen
[9] I think the hottest day on record to that time was in February 1939. Not exceeded until January 2013 when it was 43^oC or 110^oF
[8] presumably Struan

1942

Jan 4 Our darling little Mother ( Janet Editha Robertson) passed away in her sleep, Katrine found her in early morning.
Feb 12 Mrs Hislop arrived from New Guinea[10] – very worn out and no belongings.
Darwin bombed first time war has ever come to Australia.
Feb 23 Colin wore lieutenant’s uniform for the first time.
Mar Lion had the maid’s room reinforced for a “Dug Out”.
Mar 22 Jap ships sunk – 100 per cent Victory. 5,000 troops killed. World record.
July 16 We heard alarm siren and black out for the first time.
July Sydney’s 100^th birthday.
Sept 22 Colin gone to Victoria to bring back war tanks to Lapstone.
Sept Daylight Saving starts at 2 am.
Sept 30 Wednesday B’s 33^rd birthday[11).*
Aug and Sept War news good.
Oct My old maid Emma, not mentioned for ages. Gone 1 year. Employed day workers, Mrs Staples, Lily (dressmaker, Mrs Clinch).
Oct 14 Margot’s father dies
Nov Colin obtained 75 (first exam) Gunnery. Booty rang to say Herbert[12] has fallen out of the sulky and broken his leg

[10] Maichie (our maternal grandmother) was evacuated from New Guinea ahead of the Japanese invasion. Grandfather arrived some months later. Grandfather died in October, and Maichie the following March.
[11] ? Boyd (Nan’s eldest son who had been in a mental hospital for some years, and remained in institutions until his death which was somewhere round 1990.
[12] Uncle Henry’s father, Herbert Crossing, called Coo by the next generation.

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1943

Mar 9 I wrote two cheques for Bowral municipality , £13/1/- and £2/10/-. [I still owned Green Trees.]
Mar 11 A very sad day. Margot’s mother Mary Hislop[13] died suddenly while travelling in the train from Sydney.
Mar 12 Colin came to Sydney for Mary’s funeral.
Mar 27 No more daylight saving. Coldest March day for 5 years.
April Nothing worth noting. My usual doings.
May 25 Letter from Colin – he came second out of 70 in the tests for the exam work.
June 29 Colin leaves again, this time for perhaps 1 year.
July 20 A typed letter from Cyril per U.S.A. Navy.
July 21 Good news on all fronts.
Aug 9 Sad day, dear Flo Farquhar died.
Aug 21 Colin leaves for Brisbane after a fortnight’s leave.
Aug 24 Labor gets in again[14].
Sept 3 It is the 4^th year of war – a day of Prayer Allies invade Italy. [They surrendered on Sept 9^th].
Sept 14 Jonathon Crossing goes to Kings School. Mr Price is the House Master (Jon 11 on Dec 13^th)
Oct Lion and I go to see Mr Burton about selling “Green Trees” Bowral. We stay with Una, Bowral. Miss W. giving up.
Nov 13 Colly Blue burnt to the ground. Very little saved (it wasn’t insured).
Nov Colin having 5 days course in Sydney. David Westgarth in England.
War news good all through 1943.

[13] Maichie was only 54, considerably younger than Nan.
[14] Nan was vehemently opposed to Labor. She once said that she did not want the brass bell which she used as a door stop to go to anyone who voted Labor. This must have been because Stephen who was known to be a Labor supporter had once admired it!

1944

Feb 3 The anniversary of our Wedding Day.
Mar 3 Struan and Henry’s 13^th Wedding day Anniversary.
Mar 7 Bought shares in York Motors. £160.
Mar 12 Colin and Struan here to discuss our wills.
May 2 May Fenner had 60 friends and relations at David Jones for the birthday. (Born May 1^st)
June 6 The Invasion of France.
June 7 Wondrous War news.
June 13 Flying bombs first time in England.
June 28 Robert was operated on at Roslyn Hospital. Both legs in plaster[15].
July 5 Letter from Struan. Shaen fell off chair – slight break in collar bone.
July 19 Dita had her leg x-rayed[16].
Aug 10 Grand news – Colin released and put on the reserve list[17].
Aug 23 Paris freed, after 5 years under German rule.
Aug 27 Aunt Lenore has had a fall and broken her leg.
Sept 3 WAR 5 years old
Sept 7 Arrived home from England 7 years ago today.
Sept 16 Coldest Sept day on record.
Sept 24 Zoe’s baby Penelope born.
Sept 25 My birthday spent in the B. Gardens with May, Amy and Florence.[18]
Oct 7 Biggest air blow ever against Germany. 5,000 planes.
Oct 9 Lion set off with Henry for Colly Blue, till the 21^st.
Oct 13 Athens clear of Germans.
Oct 19 Cyril and Mavis’ sale at Bowral.
Nov 16 Herbert Crossing[19] had his leg amputated at St Lawrence Hospital. Very successful. His wife, dear Booty died 23^rd Nov.
Nov 27 Margot had an x-ray.

[15] An entirely unnecessary operation to straighten his knock knees. Fortunately for his sisters, straight legs were not considered important for girls, as ours were just as bad. We grew out of them naturally.
[16] This must have been before my leg came out of plaster. I had broken it while we had been staying in Singleton when Dad was stationed there. Mother had Robert with both legs in full plaster, having to be carried up and down stairs, and me with one leg in plaster.
[17] We were told this was for compassionate reasons due to Grandad’s health, and the fact he was needed at Langdons.
[18] Nan would have been 64. The B. Gardens would have been the Botanical Gardens.
[19] I didn’t realise he lost his wife within a week of losing his leg.

1945

Jan 3 Green Trees flat empty.
Jan 25 Went to Green Trees. Miss Wade comes in on Sunday.
Feb 6 Perdita starts school at Abbotsleigh.
Feb 6 Katrine arrives at No 9.
Feb 11 Lion’s birthday. He is not feeling well.
Feb 21 Went to Bowral again by train. Katrine had everything ready. She left 23^rd. We stayed 6 days.
Mar 5 Received magazine from Bermuda. [I feel this entry is a mistake]
Mar 20 Barclay[20] and Vida leave Australia for good.
Mar 23 Lion had a bad heart attack – Dr Burstal. He was better next day but must stay in bed for a few days.
Mar 29 Jon has the mumps.
April 2 Lion better.
Good war news each week. Sent £50 war loan.
April 9 Robert has whooping cough[21].
April 20 The heaviest rain for 80 years.
April 28 News – The black outs in London end. All fronts moving forward.
Berlin has fallen after 2 weeks fighting. Germany has surrendered the rest of Italy.
May 1 An aeroplane crashed just at Langdon and Langdon’s gate. Stopped all the current for works.
May 2 Hitler’s death announced
May 4 Terrific war news!
May 8 I have written V.E. WAR ENDS.
May 10 Kemmis children all with the whoop.
June 14 Lion’s x-ray on the 7^th arrived, result unsatisfactory.
Aug End of Pacific war
Nov My first pair of spectacles. Bi-focal. (My mother never wore her glasses even when 92).
Nov 21 The coldest November day for 58 years. Temp 54 degrees.
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[20] Farquhar
[21] We all had it. It was terrible.
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1946

Jan 3 101 in the shade. Fires all round Colly Blue.
Jan 5 Saturday 102 in the shade.
Jan 24 Green Trees empty for 2 weeks. Mr Holmes started painting there.
February and March uneventful
April 11 Lion and I went to Colly Blue.
April 20 Herbert had another operation. Successful
April 25 Colin has finished his verandah roofing[22].
30 May Norman Gregg’s report of Lion’s health (not so bad).
June Still sending parcels to England. Sent No 37 to Gladys and Inez[23).
July 1 Atomic Bomb to be tested at 8.3 Sydney time.
July 15 Went to see the British Victory March in colour – Glorious!
July 31 Jon has the measles.
Sept 22 Colin rang to say a son is born. Stephen de Camois (both well). I collect the children.[24]
Sept 10 Sent parcel to Rua [why are we still sending parcels?]
Oct 26 Lion and I went early afternoon to the McMahon’s (Tempe)[25] to see Cook’s Island Dock. Wonderful.
Nov 3 Norman (Dr Fenner) starts in Macquarie Street.

[22]This does not make sense. I know the upstairs bathroom was added that year. As she mentions Dad starting to build the verandah, which was really a room at the back of 13 Norwood Ave on July 10 1948, this item must be misplaced.
[23] According to Ann Gemmell-Smith Inez was married to an Englishman, Roy Geddes. Their daughter Rosemary was Ann’s friend from Kindergarten.
[24] This is puzzling. Stephen was born at 6 pm on a Sunday. I think Marie Morgan minded us while Mother was in hospital. I can’t think how or why Nan could have collected us. She didn’t drive.
[25] Tempe was the Christian name of several Fenner women (Ann Gemmell-Smith).

1947

Jan 27 We go to stay at the Hotel Windsor in Melbourne for a few days before going to the Winter-Cooks’ lovely home station in Hamilton – it is called “Murndal” *. After 10 days back to Melbourne and home by the Spirit of Progress.
Mon (?) 4 Member of the Pickwick Club.
June 12 We had burglars – took mostly Lions clothes etc. It could have been a window cleaner whom we did not know.
July 9 Poor old George Westgarth died. Funeral on the 11^th.
Aug 13 Herbert and Joyce Farquhar were married.
Sept 3 Ruby Murray marries Hugh Tyson*.
Sept 14 Burglars again. This time mostly my things.
Sept 26 Shaen has whooping cough.
Sept 27 Colly Blue is sold (or part of it).
Oct 29 We visited Struan and Henry in their little cottage. They showed the new plan and site for their home.
Nov 14 Dudley sold Green Trees for us.
Nov 20 Princess Elizabeth’s wedding.
Nov 27 The coldest November day on record.
Nov 29 We are still shopping with coupons.
Dec 15 Stephen has chicken Pox. Margot over it[26].
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[ 26) She (and Jane) had it very badly

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1948
Jan 3 The coldest January day on record.
Jan 11 At Dalcross Hospital Dita had an appendix operation. Home again on the 21^st.
Jan 24^th Bought Gas shares.
Feb 8 Jane fell off a bicycle and broke her leg in 2 places. In plaster for weeks.
Feb 10 Raymond* and family now live on their part of Colly Blue.
April 9 Dita and Jim Herbert are married.[27]
June 16 Sidney Kemmis died. They have no family.
June 28 A letter from “Vaucluse Trust” to thank us for the marble bust of Grandfather (Sir John Robertson)
July 10 Colin started building their verandah[28].
July 15 Had the first cold in my head for years. Stayed in bed[29].
July 17 The coldest day for 76 years. 41 Max 47. Slight snow.
July 27 Andrew has the measles.
July 24 Robert cut his head (had 2 stitches)
Sept 3 Struan and Henry move into the cottage.
Oct 19 Lion and I go to Colly Blue.
Nov 4 Received David Westgarth’s wedding invitation. Married 20^th Nov.
Dec We still send food parcels every few weeks to England. I still have coupons here. Isn’t the war over?
Dec 4 Colin has now put all the windows in the new verandah.

27] This was definitely not the case! I was only 10 years old! Jim and I were married in 1962. Perhaps she meant Ditha Westgarth who married Tom Croft.
[28] This must have been the room at the back at Norwood Avenue, which Dad built, apart from the footings. Nan talks about him finishing the roof of the verandah in 1946, so she must have that reference in the wrong year.
[29] I don’t ever remember Nan being sick until she had gallstones.

1949

We are still sending parcels to England!
Jan 28 Jon passed the Intermediate exam.
Feb 4 ~~44 years ago~~ Lion and my wedding day. Many years ago.[30]
Lion in bed 1 week after he had a heart attack.
Mar 27 My darling Lion died Sunday morning 20 past eleven[31]. The Dr said it was coronary occlusion[32].
April 12 Jane has tonsillitis. I was not feeling well. Went to Dr J Amphlett.
May 6 Paddy and Una took me to Bowral for a week.
June 18 Colin goes to the Blood Bank.
June 22 Coldest day for 35 years.
Barclay’s [33] only child David goes to Cambridge. Later he wrote an Opera. He was in Sydney and came to see us.
July Phillip and Rua Lamb lost nearly all their money.
July 18 Henry and George put in 570 acres of wheat.
July 19 Robert fell off his bicycle and chipped a front tooth.
July 31 Colin 35 today.
Aug 27 Herbert has another bad fall. He was just ready to go to a wedding.
Sept 1 Andrew has chicken Pox
Sept Cyril and Mavis have sold their house in Bermuda for more than twice they gave for it. The buyer, Henry Twirk’s* of a London Bank married Jon Barry*.
From 3^rd Oct Rita Cullen-Ward paid £2/10/- a week rent, till Miss A takes over. (Rent for Elstree flat).
Nov 18 Dorothy and Ann sail to England in the Himalaya for a trip.
Dec 1 Miss Armstrong takes possession of the flat (Elstree).
Dec 5 The third Kemmis son is born to Margot and Colin. He is to be called Michael de Camois.

[30 I can only assume that she did not trust her always unreliable arithmetic.
[31] Nan died 30 years and one day later.
[32] Nan recorded this as a colonary occlusion!
[33] Barclay Farquhar was Dorothy Gemmell-Smith’s brother. His son was a Doctor of Music and a composer who lives in New Zealand.

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1950

Feb 4 Our Wedding day. Married ~~45 years~~?
Feb 26 Michael de Camois Kemmis christened at Shore chapel.
Mar 4 Dita has the mumps.
Mar 9 I go to see poor Lady Goldfinch*, she cut her finger off in an electric mower[34].
April 1 Struan and Henry go to see Andrew play in the Firsts for Kings.
April 14 While we were out, the Burglar alarm went off. Henry found the reason.
April 22 G.P.S. Boat race on the Nepean River.
May 14 Called Mothers’ Day (I had no idea it started so long ago).
June 16 Mavis and Cyril still in London.
June 17 Election Day. Turner unopposed.
June 18 Margot’s birthday.
June 23 Floods all over the country
June 27 The worst Air Accident Australia has ever had, 28 people killed (1 saved)
July 3 Margot, Robert and Stephen with the ‘flu’. The boys recovered in a couple of days.
July 7 I had a cough for a few days.
July 23 4” of rain. Much damage on the coast in Sydney. It rained most of this month.
July 28 The worst Railway accident for years – trains between Roseville and Lindfield[35].
I went to Mr Whitehouse in town for new glasses.
Aug 28 Went to Sly and Russell to make a slight alteration in my will. [My will is now in the Westgarth firm] Colin was with me.
Sept 9 Margot fell on the stairs and injured her ankle. No bones broken. Her brother Tony in bed with mumps.
Sept 13 I leave for Colly Blue, Colin put me in the train. I came home with Struan – she is buying Abbotsleigh school clothes for Shaen. We lunched with May at the Queen’s Club. I go there with relations more than my own club. (Pioneers).
Oct 6 Henry, Struan and Shaen leave for home (Colly Blue)
Oct 8 Sunday. Milk rationed again. Gas also rationed and I am still sending food parcels to England.
Oct 17 To Mrs Clinch, Gladys and Rua.
Oct 21 Only ½ jug of milk this morning.[36]
Oct 30 All trains in Australia at a standstill.
Colin took me and family to see the land?[37]
Robert has a nasty fall.
Elections.
Dec 4 Andrew passed the Leaving Exams in 5 subjects*[38].
Dec 1 Alex Maclay our cousin and grandfather of Paul[39] died – Win, his wife wrote to me.
Christmas Day Colin called for me at 6 am to spend the day at No 9[40] He always has a real Xmas tree. Margot puts on a real Xmas dinner. [I have been going ever since. I am writing this on Aug 1 1968]
Sent Canberra pictures to Mavis in Bermuda.

34] Lady Goldfinch must have been an enterprising lady to have been using an electric mower in those days. Zoe tells me that she was the mother of Helen, a friend of Ann’s who lived nearby.
[35] She would have been horrified to know that in a photograph of the accident debris in the local paper, Bill Morgan and I were shown, fortunately unrecognisably, with a caption along the lines of “Local youths flee the scene“!
[36] The milkman used to fill the jug which Nan would put in the servery (a small opening in the wall, with a window on the inside and outside). She was always careful to place it with the handle outermost. When he replaced it with the handle inwards and she was convinced that he held it by the rim, so that his hands (covered in germs) would touch the inside. I remember seeing her go to servery, finding the handle pointing to her, and saying, “The milkman has had his hand in the jug again. I don’t wonder there’s class hate!”
[37] I imagine this was the land in Central Avenue, Avalon, on which Dad built a holiday cottage.
[38] This seems a little early as he is down as being 16 in the following year.
[39] Paul Maclay was a well-known radio personality.
[40] This was actually No 13 Norwood Avenue.

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1951

Stephen has the measles, poor little boy.
Feb 5 Shaen, Struan and Henry’s only girl goes to Abbotsleigh as a boarder.
Feb 18 Andrew is 16 today.
Feb 20 It is Henry’s birthday.
Feb ? Dr Norman Fenner’s daughter Joan marries T Rutherford.
Feb Strained my hip, only limping.
? 1 I have resigned from the Pickwick Club, it’s rather out of the way.
April 9 Miss G? st* comes to stay.
May 12 John Segart(?)[41] Phyllis and Ted’s son is married[42].
May 19 A bad fire at Langdon and Langdons at Annandale[43]. Many thousands of pounds worth of destruction.
May 24 I became a member of the Women’s Club. One must be good at one of the Arts.
June 13 I signed and sent a cheque for £600 ordinary shares in Langdon and Langdon.
July 20 Freezing wind and light snow around the country.
July 28 Tony Hislop married.
Aug 9 The coldest August day for 100 years.
Aug 14 George Crossing has broken his engagement.
Aug 18 Colin’s new car is a Hudson.[44]
Sept 6 Coldest Sept day for 27 years
Bought a green gabardine coat [I am still wearing it in 1968]
Oct 9 Women’s Club 50^th Anniversary.
Oct 26 Mr Churchill leads the government again in England.
Oct 27 Colin has bought a caravan.
Nov 30 Shaen’s birthday. She was born in 1939.
Xmas Day As usual I had breakfast with Colin’s family at No 9[45]. Home by 6 pm. They generally had Xmas trees from my fir trees, Killara.

[41] Zoe tells me that Phil was Aunt Amy’s daughter. She thinks that it should be Segeart
[42] She wrote the year as 1957, so I don’t know if that was an error, or it is misplaced.
4[3] It was at Petersham.
[44] Holden I should think.
[45] No 13 Norwood Avenue in fact
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1952
Jan 18 When Una is in town I often lunch with her at the Queen’s Club.
Jan 20 Aunt Lenore died at 3.30 this morning, bedridden about 7 years. She left all her nieces and nephew’s money.
Jan 25 105 degrees heat in Sydney.
Feb 3 Our Wedding day Anniversary (Lorna Janet Robertson and Lionel de Camois Kemmis)
Feb 4 Robert goes to Knox as a boarder.
Feb 7 The King is dead – long live the Queen. All flags at ½ mast in town. The funeral was 5 or 6 days later.
Feb 16 Libby Farquhar’s pre-wedding party. 150 invited.
Feb 23 Margot by boat to Perth.
Mar 22 I got Colin to climb my persimmon tree to give different people some. The Sullivans, the Davies, the Yuilles, the Phillips, Mrs Adnam and the postman, and sent some to Tempe and Dorothy. [In fact I was always giving them to friends and relations].
April 18 I have a sore throat and can hardly speak, but no Doctor.
April 19 G.P.S. Head of the River (Nepean) boat race. Shore is first in 5 races[46].
April 21 The Queen’s birthday.
May 8 Robert went with Knox Cottage Matron and party by plane to the Great Barrier Reef, Brampton Island.
May 17 Peter Segart’s* wedding.
May 26 Margot’s brother, Bob Hislop died early this morning.
June 11 Cyril and Mavis leave Bermuda today to go to England.
June 14 Colin is in bed with a bad cold[47]. Margot, Robert and friend and me to shops for supplies as usual.
June 16 News of Cyril being ill.
June 23 Iris Crossing and baby daughter come home.
June 26 A very nice letter from Miss Boulton of the Pioneer’s Club, thanking me for the very big mantle mirror and the Hall Stand.
July 4 No 9 at Drummoyne sold. Richardson and Wrench got only £5000
July 13 Dita confirmed today.
Dear old May died this morning she had a very big funeral next day.
July 29 Ann’s birthday.
July 31 Colin’s birthday.
Aug 8 Bought grey flannel coat [I still have it in 1968].
Aug 16 Michael has the measles.
Aug 8 Rose pruning time. I did the whole length of the property and other rose bushes.
Aug 21 I went to the Perpetual Trustees and bought shares in York Motors (Mr Kirkham).
Aug 30 Mrs Guest?* and I went to the Opening day at the University.
Sept 14 Joyce put me into the train for Colly Blue.
Sept 20 Andrew made 13 not out, 4 wickets – hit five sixes and 13 fours.[48]
Sept 25 I am 72 today (at Colly Blue)
Oct 6 Julie Hislop dies.[49]
Oct 13 Cyril and Mavis fly back to Bermuda.
Nov 3 Henry bought a huge Ford Station Wagon (Blue)
Nov 6 They with Jon left for home.
Nov 10 I joined Medical Benefits.
Nov 17 Dita is 13 today[50].
Nov 28 We drink Struan’s health for her birthday.
Dec 4 In London the worst fog that has ever been and the Temp at Freezing Point.
Dec 23 The 1^st instalment of dear old Aunt Lenore’s money £211.
Christmas Day Always at No 13. Enjoyed the long day there.

[46] I went to Shore Regatta Ball, with Bill and Patsy Morgan and Ross MacGregor
[47] The only time in his adult life?
[48] Surely these add up to 86?
[49] Mother’s aunt, who lived at St Leonard’s and came every Thursday to darn our socks. She was greatly loved by all of us.
[50] Actually 15. I left school at the end of the year.
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1953

Jan 23 My first day at the S.S. Club.[51]
Jan 27 Dita started work.
Feb 4 Andrew is 18 today.
Mar 30 Katrine’s birthday.
April 18 Struan arrives to stay.
May 1 Robert had an operation for appendicitis at Dalcross Hospital, and later tonsillitis.
May 12 I go to Colly Blue and stay till the 25^th when Shaen goes back to school.
May 15 At Colly Blue men rotary hoeing. Andrew did 70 acres in 2½ days. Hen and Jon at other jobs.
Letter from Mavis, they had been to the Royal Garden Party in good weather.
July 25 Total eclipse of the sun.
Aug 2 Doctor says Michael has pneumonia. He was better again by the 9^th.
Aug 13 Struan and Henry arrive.
Sept 22 Stephen is 7 today.
Sept 29 Colly Blue. The new bore does 3600 gallons an hour ?
Nov 4 The Perpetual Trustees say all insurance has increased for Household and personal things.
Sent Jon £10 for his birthday.
Nov 26 Big thunderstorm (a fire-ball)
Nov 28 Struan’s birthday.
Nov 30 Shaen’s birthday. 14 today. Florence and I took her and other children to Vaucluse House. Lovely day.
Dec 6 Katrine sells Garthgowan.
Dec 7 Tony and Margaret Hislop have a son.
Dec 21 The hottest day since 1904. It was 107 in the shade.
Christmas Day Margot always puts on a splendid meal. (14 of us to turkey)[52].
Dec 26 Colin and Tony took the dressing table I designed, chair, clothes basket and carpet I gave them.

[51] ? Secondary Schools club
[52] I don’t remember us ever having turkey. If we did it was an exception.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

1954

Molly Westgarth engaged to a Russian Mr Sibiriakoff. (Inokenty Sibiriakoff, a client at Dudley Westgarth and Co.)
Jan 20 Katrine comes to live at Elstree[53].
Feb 3 The Queen arrives with the Duke. She leaves Australia on 1^st April.
Mar 27 Jon and Juanita married at King’s School Chapel.
Mar 19 Margot in hospital[54].
Mar 24 K and I went to the top of the Pylon, the highest building there.[55]
Mar 26 Jane an operation for appendicitis.
Mar 26 I go to Colly Blue for nearly 2 weeks.
Mar 28 Went to the Robertson’s new house and other visits.
May 12 Ditha’s daughter born.
May 22 More money from Sid’s estate for Colin and Struan.
May 30 Jill Fenner engaged to Dr Hurst’s * ? son Brian.
June 18 Margot’s birthday.
July 31 Colin’s birthday.
Aug 24 Hottest ever August day.
Sept 24 Aunt Louie Robertson died. (Freda’s ? mother) Wife of Father’s only brother.
Oct 1 Paid Medical Benefits for 1 year. £4/19/-. [I wish I knew when I first started. I have been paying ever since][56].
I sold shares to Colin in Langdon and Langdon.
Oct 29 Poor old Amy Bellamy dies – Lion’s sister. There is nothing she couldn’t play on the piano and she composed.
Christmas Day as always spent with the Kemmises and No 13. 6 am to 5.30 pm.

[53] Neither Nan or Aunty Katty had the faintest idea of simple arithmetic, as their father had thought it was an unsuitable subject for girls. I can remember when they shopped for each other the difficulties they would have in dividing a sum like 1/11 by 2!
[54] Mother had a tubal ligation. Jane arrived in Dalcross for an emergency appendicectomy while she was still there.
[55] Presumably the Harbour bridge. This was a very large number of steps for two old ladies, and Aunty Katty was quite plump.
[56] The answer was only a few pages earlier – 10 November 1952.

1955

Jan 1 Our darling mother died aged 92 in the year 1943.[57]
Jan 4 Henry had 2 teeth knocked out. The tractor backfired (?)[58]
Feb 11 Ditha’s birthday
Feb 25 Frightful floods over N.W. The worst in Australian history.
Mar 30 Katrine’s birthday.
April 2 Colin goes to Katoomba for the weekend with Rotary.
Easter I go to Colly Blue with Struan.
April 13 Libby Farquhar married in Chicago to – Middleton.
April 21 Home after a week at Colly Blue.
May 4 Norman Fenner very ill. Doctor says it was the worst operation he has ever done.
May 5 West Germany has got her freedom. Signed by France, England and America.
May 11 Mavis and Cyril fly to London.
Colin and Margot go to Port Macquarie by car for 2 weeks.
June 6 I sign papers about Colin buying 440 shares in Langdon and Langdons.
June 18 Margot’s birthday
July 31 Colin’s birthday.
Aug 29 Jon has accepted the Orange job.
Aug 30 I am not well. Had Dr Amphlett. In bed 3 or 4 days.
Struan came down visiting dentist.
Sept 7 Paid 1 year’s sub for Pickwick club.
Sept 20 Andrew in Hospital was badly hit with a cricket ball.
Nov 8 Colly Blue by train for a week. New meat house and laundry built there.
Nov 13 Jon’s birthday. I had a nice week at Colly Blue.
Nov 19 Colin buys a new Holden utility car.
Dec 3 Colin and Margot married for 19 years.
Dec 4 The coldest December day on record.
Christmas day Had breakfast at No 13 at 6 am. Xmas tree, delicious dinner. Am loaded with eats[59].
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

[57] In 1943 she had recorded the date as January 4.
[58] It was actually the starter handle of the tractor that knocked out his teeth. I stayed with them while he was waiting for his new teeth and it caused him great amusement when he forgot they were missing and tried to take a bite of bread and butter. It was the same sort of humour that his father (Herbert Crossing) demonstrated about falling over, when he had just made a shot in billiards, and stepped back, forgetting he only had one leg.
59] This probably referring to Christmas presents of biscuits etc, that we gave her, because she didn’t want things. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

1956

Jan 19 Mr Turner, painter £129.
Jan 20 Andrew’s 21^st birthday.
Jan 21 Dita loved her first days at the North Shore Hospital (to work).
Sydney’s rain for 1956, highest ever recorded.
Mar 1 Jon and Juanita’s daughter is born.
Mar 11 Una and Florence Rodd had a small relation party at the Queens Club to meet Lord and Lady Rewell of Rodd. He was Governor of the Bank of England.
? 20 Jon goes to work to the Snowy River.*
April 23 Strange it is the 23/4/56.
April 28 186 years ago Captain Cook sailed into Kurnell, Sydney (in 1770)
May 9 Katrine and I had a lovely week with Paddy and Una at Bowral.
May 17. The first test explosion of a hydrogen bomb. Echoed 300 miles from W. Australia.
May 26 Margot has about painted the whole of the upstairs.
June 18 Margot’s birthday – had a dinner party for 8.
Sept 30 Colin on the Jury.
Aug 13 Cyril in a steel corset after a fall.
Aug 23 Hurricane wind all over Australia.
Aug 25 Robert 16 today. He is in camp.
Sept The coldest for fifty years.
Sept 25 Katrine and Margot gave me a lovely birthday party. Struan from Colly Blue, Una from Bowral. 22 of us at Elstree. Paddy brought champagne.
Oct 28 Jon and Juanita have bought land near Coonabarabran, about 50 or 60 miles from Colly Blue.
Nov 6 Melbourne Cup Day
Nov 17 Dita’s birthday.
We haven’t heard the result of the Robertson Land sale [and never did].
Nov 28 Struan’s birthday.
Nov 29 The Duke of Edinburgh arrives in Sydney.
Nov 30 Sir Winston Churchill’s 82^nd birthday.
Shaen’s birthday.
Dec 5 Michael’s birthday.
Christmas Day 6 am breakfast with Colin, Margot and family. I like their happy day and useful presents.

1957 Diary missing

1958

Jan 2 Thursday Did a lot of weeding ending up with a back ache. Quite cold – wearing a cardigan.
Jan 3 A long letter from Struan. Went to town. Saw “Robbery under Arms”
Jan 4 Andrew had a slight accident in the new Volkswagen. Colin took us to the shops.
Jan 5 Altered the little bedroom
Jan 6 Still cold.
Jan 7 Claud and Muriel arrived about 5.30. David, Judy and boys came.*
Jan 10 Went to town. Katrine pays once a month.
Jan 19 The heaviest storm for years. Second highest on record.
New fridge. The A.G.E. in Katrine’s flat. Roy Geddes came.
Jan 27 The Crofts[60] arrived.
Jan 31 Invited to the Queen’s club to see the Queen Mother arrive.
Feb 1 Every Saturday Colin takes us to the shops. Struan never fails to write.
Feb 11 Lunch with Una – Queen’s Club.
My weight is 8 stone 10. Have seen the Queen Mother several times.
Mar 8 Colin has been made Vice President of his Rotary Club.
Mar 11 Stayed the night with the Crofts at Avoca.
Mar 13 Party at Pat Mills
Mar 18 Still picking figs, persimmons and bananas.
Mar 22 Ronald Westgarth died.
April 1 George, Andrew and Shaen arrived. ? Joyce and Coo to tea.
April 5 Shaen starts at the Tresillian Hospital.
April 9 Vida and Barclay dance ?
April 21 Colin put me in the train for Colly Blue.
April 24 Having a lovely time. Lots of visitors. Men very busy at the bore.
May 9 I leave Colly Blue. Colin meets me at Hornsby.
May 12 Colin and little boys leave for Colly Blue.
May 13 Stephen and Michael get excellent reports from school.
May 26 The warmest day for years in autumn.
May 30 I have a letter from Struan about once a week. Marvellous.
At Pioneers’ Club afternoon tea for 5 only 12/-.
June 5 Una’s birthday.
June 6 Queen’s Club.
June 7 Dita came 10^th out of 40 in her N. S. Hospital exam. 82 per cent marks.
June 8 Struan rang to say J, A and S* were arriving on Monday. I have had a lot of visitors this last month.
June 26. Dorothy took me to Phyllis’ to lunch. Ted’s mother is 96, deaf and nearly blind.
July 6 Jon’s second son is born (Rudyard)
July 27 The warmest July day for 25 years.
July 28 Pruned all the roses in front garden.
July 30 Tea at Queen’s Club with Florence Rodd.
Aug 28 Robert having an operation. Katrine says Robert had a spill off his scooter.
Sept 5 Plumbers and painters here.
Sept 19 Colin won a very special T.V.
Sept 25 Dinner at No 13 lots of telephone rings.
Sept 27 Colin took us to see all the spring gardens showing.
Sept 29 The T.V. set was fixed in the sitting room.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
[60] Ditha Westgarth married Tom Croft
Colin: One of his addresses during the war
1944 July: NX117253 Lieut. C. de C. Kemmis,
No 3 Special Course
O.C.T.U.
Milpo 10
Seymour, Victoria

Hi Stephanie,

Yes I certainly am the person who visited your house. I did appreciate your kindness in showing me around. I am afraid I don’t have any photographs but as far as I remember the house from the front looks much as it did when Nan and Grandad lived there. Inside it is very different and I had trouble orientating myself but I thought it is now much more functional.

It was actually called Ellstree, which is/was the name of the British film studios. Nan was an ardent movie-goer, although she would have been horrified at the American term movie. In my childhood they were films, or popularly ‘the pictures’. She thought it was a very apt name because Lionel and Lorna were two LLs. One of the delights of the house for her was the proximity of the station. She was going to town on the train at least once a week until she was over 90.

The house must have been built in 1918. Nan was certainly the designer and Grandad was apparently blind to the impracticability of it. For some reason I had 1920 in my mind, but I know they moved there when Dad was 4 and he was born in 1914. His first school was the long defunct Headfort school in Killara and he was able to travel to Shore on the train. A few years after Grandad died Nan’s sister Katrine Westgarth who was also a widow came to share the house. They made a flat for her at the end but I think they must have shared the bathroom. Nan sold the house in 1960 or 1961 while I was doing midwifery in Adelaide and she moved to a ground floor unit at the top of Gladstone Pde, Lindfield. Home units were a fairly new concept then. After Dad died in 1973 she moved to live with her daughter Struan Crossing at “Colly Blue” near Spring Ridge where she stayed until her death in 1979.

I am now 83 and not very mobile but still enjoying life. This year I moved to McQuoin Park Retirement village in Wahroonga which is wonderful and I am very fortunate that computer literacy makes the lock-down much less of a misery to me than it is to some of the residents here. Zoom seems to have taken over my life and it was wonderful when my four siblings and I realised we could have regular Zoom meetings. We are rarely able to meet in person.

The photo below was taken in the garden at your house in 1941 I think it was taken on the level area in front of the lounge room.. Unfortunately it doesn’t show much but I love it because it has the three pre-war Kemmises with the three Crossing cousins. Shaen Crossing is the infant on the move being restrained by her brother Andrew. I am in front tending my two siblings, Jane and Robert. Jonathan and Andrew Crossing both died last year. Shaen (now Blackman) lives in Mudgee.

With best wishes,

Perdita Herbert

Hi Stephanie,

With best wishes,

Perdita Herbert

Note: Stephanie Macintosh now lives in Lorna’s house. She wrote to me to ask about it. I referred her to Perdita and here is her reply.

Hi Stephanie, 8 Aug 2021, 17:44

With best wishes,

Perdita

Note the clothes which are the sorts of clothes available during the war. Mostly home made, or cut down from adult ones. And fathers were absent very often, helping with the war effort.

5 thoughts on “Diary of Lorna Kemmis, sister of KATRINE WESTGARTH for the years 1941 – 1958 (sent to me by Perdita Herbert)”

roberta crossing July 23, 2020 at 3:43 am

very interested to read about the Crossings, my ancestors. Herbert was my great great uncle. Iris Crossing was my aunty, but her daugter was born in the 60’s. Lisa. ???? If it is the same Iris, her husband Lisle is still alive at 94 yrs old. I wish i could find out more about Henry, and Herbie and Colly blue. Cheers Roberta Crossing. 04750348342.( I am a descendant from Henry’s grandfather’s cousin Thomas 1847 to 1935)

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1. westgarthsandglassons Post authorJuly 23, 2020 at 11:34 am
  
  Hi Roberta
  Perdita Herbert sent me the diary. It was interesting to me because it showed the close relationship between our families. I grew up hearing about Kemmises because of Gerald Kemmis and Zoe. I can send you Perdita’s email if you do not have it. She is about 80 and lives in Mosman. She synthesized Lorna’s diaries and made this one, but she did not know how to preserve it. We decided that it might as well go up on my site and see if anyone was interested! And you are.
  I went to Ascham and there was a girl there called Sally Crossing. She is now a guide at the NSW Art Gallery. I am sure you must know her.
  Let me know if I can be of more help. You have helped me as I had a shoulder replacement four months ago tomorrow and have not touched the blog since then. You have started me off again. I have to make some amendments to my first blog about my grandfather and then I have to write the second part till his death in 1974. I was needing something to jog me into action as I am passionate to get it done.
  CheersTrish
  
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  1. roberta July 24, 2020 at 9:16 am
    
    hi thanks for replying. do not know Sally, but she surely must be on the family line. There was a George who resided n potts point , in a mansion, and some of them had 10 or even 12 children. I found a photo of Herbie(Coo) and also lots of info about him and his wife Booty. Also Henry’s son Jonathen 13/11/1932,(Herbert’s grandson) only died recently when the first lockdown was on. his sister Shaen lives in Mudgee. I just loved reading all about the war years from a first hand account, its priceless. wish you had more. oh yes please send me Perditas email. I am very interested becuase Its my family too, which up until now we knew nothing about, so thank you!! Talk again soon, Roberta Crossing
    
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  2. westgarthsandglassons Post authorJuly 25, 2020 at 2:19 am
    
    Not sure if I replied. Your comment came up on my phone and then there was a lot of password fuss. perdita.herbert@gmail.com will love to hear from you. Hope you enjoy going further with your family background! I was born in ’43 but you know that from the blog. Cheers Trish
    
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stephen Westgarth February 23, 2021 at 5:49 am

Hi all, I enjoyed reading all that esp. after meeting Perdita. Might have the odd correction to add later…..! Cheers Stephen Westgarth

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westgarth and glassons

two families' history revealed in depth

Diary of Lorna Kemmis, sister of KATRINE WESTGARTH for the years 1941 – 1958 (sent to me by Perdita Herbert)

5 thoughts on “Diary of Lorna Kemmis, sister of KATRINE WESTGARTH for the years 1941 – 1958 (sent to me by Perdita Herbert)”

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perdita.herbert@gmail.com	8 Aug 2021, 17:44
to stephanie.macintosh, me

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