THE LIFE STORY OF ANNIE SARGENT

Dear Annie and your family, Thank you for allowing me to write your life story.

I have greatly enjoyed every step of the process, from listening to you speak (with your beautiful quiet voice) to piecing together the stories and experiences you have told me and trying to weave them into one. I hope you feel that this book does your wonderful life justice.

I wish you all the best, Zara Smith Year 11

Chapter 1 – James Augustus Thompson and Margaret Harris

When Annie tells stories of her life, they are framed as stories of the people she loves and the lives they have led. Annie is a gentle woman, loved and respected by those who have come to know her. Sometimes the most extraordinary people are those who have lived ordinary lives; doing their best for their loved ones while seeking no acknowledgment for themselves. At 105 years old Annie is a stark contrast to the current generation. Our stories are framed by our Instagram feed, usually with ourselves as the starring role. The lessons we can learn from Annie are not loud and obvious; they require us to step outside of our busy lives and slow down, consider and reflect on a life of simple joys, hardships and courage. James Augustus Thompson was Annie’s father, born in 1880 in Hertford north of London. His parents parted early in his life, James had no memory of his parents sitting together at the dinner table. His mother was the daughter of a minister of the church. Jim as he became known, was raised by his grandparents who owned a small hotel in the village. Jim had to rise early to help with the chores, lighting the fires and scrubbing the bar room floors before going to school. His grandfather was also a police inspector and was such a large man that when he died, he had to be removed through the front window and slid down a plank. Jim left school at the age on ten years old and with the help of a local butcher, went to London to gain employment as a stable hand. His role as stable hand was to care for the horses and he did this job for some time. He then progressed to a coach boy in a Gentleman’s employ. As coach boy, Jim would care for the horses, feed and groom them, clean out the stables, and polish the carriage and harness. He wore a tailor made uniform and new uniforms and shoes were supplied to him twice a year, ensuring he looked the part. Another part of the job was to ride up front with the Coachman and upon stopping, get down and open the carriage door, fold out the step, take the rug off the Lady’s knee and help passengers down from the carriage as required. The Second Boer War broke out in South Africa in 1899, ending in 1902. At some time during this war, Jim joined the Mounted Troops, being assigned to Robert Baden-Powell as batman (servant) for a time. He was in Africa for several years, and Jim became ill with malaria on several occasions; and this

was to recur throughout his life. He was awarded the Queen Victoria medal, the campaign medal of the second Boer War. Upon his return to London, Jim obtained employment with the London Railways and he spoke in later life of seeing the tube railways being built. He was employed on the railways for a time as a searcher, which entailed going onto trains once they had pulled in to a station and searching it for anything left behind. On one occasion he had to search the Royal train when he came across a Gentleman’s scarf thrown over the back of a chair. The scarf belonged to King George V and Jim was sent to Buckingham Palace to return it. At the Palace gates he was directed to the Head Butler’s door where he was invited in for whiskey and a cigar. On another occasion he found a pouch full of Gold Sovereigns that had slipped down the back of the seat and upon returning them to their owner, he was rewarded for his honesty.

Annie’s mother, Margaret Thompson nee Harris was born in Norfolk, England in 1890. Her father was the Head Gamekeeper at Felbrigg Hall, North Cromer. Felbrigg Hall is now a National Trust property after it was donated to the nation in 1969 by the last owner as he had no heir to leave it to. Margaret Thompson was one of ten girls and two boys, and the children of the estate all helped their parents in their duties once they were able. As a Gamekeeper Margaret’s father had to look after the game that was found on the estate, such as pheasants, deer and hares. Game was both a sporting pursuit for the wealthy and a food source. One of the Gamekeepers’ roles was to stop poachers who would hunt and kill the game to sell or eat themselves; in addition to managing the game so that the owner could enjoy both the sport of hunting if he was so inclined, and the pleasure of eating the spoils. Margaret recounted stories of her time at Felbrigg Hall to her own children. From a young age the Gamekeepers’ children would help with the plucking of the birds, a painstaking task as the skin of birds such as pheasants is fragile and will tear if handled roughly. Another job involved gathering acorns in bags after they had fallen from the trees as these could be sold to local farmers to feed their pigs. The

extra money from the acorns was used to buy boots for the children in winter. There was no shoe shop to go and make your selection, instead a shoemaker would visit the home and make individual measurements for each child. The boots were made by hand and delivered when they were finished. The family went to church every Sunday and if they saw the Lady of the house travelling past in her carriage; the family would move to the side of the road, stop and curtsey as she passed. As each girl reached the working age, they were usually employed in the Gentleman’s home, starting with the most menial jobs and working their way up the ladder. Margaret’s eldest sister became the Head Housekeeper, a role of great responsibility. Margaret started work at the age of ten years, scrubbing the stone floors of the kitchen and halls and then rubbing them with a white brick to make the floors white. When Margaret was older and more experienced she left Felbrigg Hall, travelling to London to take up a position in the home of a Lady as cook. She retained this position until she emigrated to Australia, a decision made with her new husband. The Lady of the house was disappointed to lose her cook, remarking ‘Oh Margaret, what are we going to do without your lovely rice puddings’. Jim Thompson met Margaret Harris on a train platform. Margaret was waiting for a train when Jim first spoke to her, and upon realising that the train had already left; he sat and spent some time talking to her. A friendship developed and eventually they married. They determined to emigrate to New Zealand as four of Margaret’s sisters had already done. Jim and Margaret paid the equivalent of $20 for their passage on ‘Demosthenes’ which was a six-week journey to Sydney. Margaret was pregnant with Annie before leaving England and so the journey had not been a pleasant one for her. Upon reaching Sydney, they were waiting for passage to New Zealand when they received a letter from Margaret’s sisters dissuading them from coming to New Zealand as the prospects were not good. Jim and Margaret took up residence in a small room in Surry Hills, a working-class suburb in the inner East popular with new immigrants. Jim and Margaret were without work and had very little money. Annie was born in August 1913, three months after the couples’ arrival in Sydney. Jim found work driving a delivery wagon for Schweppes, working twelve-hour days. It was the only way for the young family to get ahead. The family then moved south to Bexley which was then an outer suburb of Sydney. Emigrating to Australia meant effectively losing contact with Margaret’s family. They occasionally corresponded with each other but there was some expectation fromMargaret’s family that she would be able to offer financial support to them as they had unrealistic expectations as to the ease of making money in Australia. The reality of life in Australia was one of hard work and it was all that the couple could do to look after themselves and their growing family. For a time, Margaret and Jim had their own business, a fish and chip shop which thrived. Once Margaret became pregnant with their second daughter they sold the business and Jimwent to work for a boss again for a further seven years. Marge was born in 1918. The couple enjoyed running their own business though and over the years bought and sold a variety of shops and small holdings, building each venture up to be a success and selling it before looking for the next opportunity. Their last venture in business was the poultry and vegetable farm at Sylvania which they bought in 1928, establishing a roadside stall to sell their produce – the first in the area. They sold the farm in 1940 and bought a house in Hurstville with the proceeds. Margaret Harris passed away in 1941, at only fifty years old. In 1952 the family received a letter from Margaret’s sister Nell, who had obtained their address in a roundabout way. Nell was enquiring about her sister and Annie had to write back, telling her of her sister’s death a decade before. At that time there were only two of Margaret’s sisters and a niece still alive in England.

Margaret Harris was a very caring person who would always help those in trouble and less fortunate then herself. When Annie was about seven years old, Margaret heard from the local doctor, of a woman who lived lower down the Gully in a very humble shack with her family. The woman was very ill as she had born twelve children; and had subsequently contracted tuberculosis. The family were half starved as the husband was a drunkard and the situation of the family was poor. The doctor had asked Margaret to help make the woman more comfortable and upon finding the poor soul lying on a mattress cover with no filling; she enlisted the children to go into the bush and pick fresh gum leaves to fill the mattress. Meanwhile Margaret set about cleaning up the shack which was bare of furniture or floor coverings and made the ill woman comfortable upon the improvised mattress. Upon returning home Margaret cooked food for the woman and her children, ensuring that they were well cared for. The woman later passed away. Until Margaret died she worked to care for her family or those in need around her. She and her husband were industrious people, starting small farms and stalls to keep them going. Annie’s mother Margaret only lived for another six months upon moving into the family’s Hurstville home, dying just prior to her granddaughter Margaret’s first birthday.

Chapter 2 – Clarence (Tim) Sargent

Tim Sargent left this life in 1975. His early years had been difficult ones, as they were for many children of his age. Tim Sargent was born before Queen Victoria died; christened Clarence by his father and a mother who would die in childbirth before he formed his own memories of her. Tim was the name that he chose to carry forward through life. As was common in those days, the death of a mother left many children to be looked after, specifically seven boys and two girls. Tim’s father was an Engineer at the Water Works in England at a time when industry and mechanisation changed the world, and the framework of the Victorian era is the basis of water and wastewater treatment today. A busy man in a brave new world he was unable to care for his large family himself. His solution, albeit a common one, was to remarry; a widow with a family of her own. Blended families are difficult things and children of the early 20 th century had

very different expectations to today. Children made their own way in the world as soon as they were able, so one by one they left home to set about establishing themselves in life through hard work. The death of his younger brother from pneumonia left Tim at home as the sole remaining sibling; and in the absence of affection between he and his step mother he determined to run away from home. These attempts were unsuccessful and his father recognising his unhappiness placed him on a ship; training for a life at sea at the age of twelve years old. The crew of a sailing ship work hard and it is a life of strict discipline, founding Tim’s self-reliance. In 1910, discipline and punishment were harshly carried out and Tim’s days were filled with scrubbing the decks, learning to climb the mast in all types of weather, tying knots, rigging sails and keeping watch in the crow’s nest for four hourly watches. The conditions were rigorous as the weather could be freezing cold and the work had to be done regardless of the season or your inclination. Sea sickness earned you a beating and there was little in the way of softness or comfort to be found aboard a sailing ship. The boys lined up every Saturday for a hated spoonful of Sulphur and Treacle to purify the blood. Young Tim travelled to distant places including Newfoundland, Canada and America; and crisscrossed the North Sea. None of these places were known for their pleasant climate; and the boys would become cold and often frost bitten. The ship could become caught in ice floes, surrounded by a landscape of icebergs that would hold a ship fast, creaking and groaning. Occasionally they would be witness to the spectacle of ice avalanches. His time on the training ship came to an end and Tim started to work on cargo boats, continuing his travels. Showing no small amount of courage and determination Tim jumped ship upon reaching New

Zealand; with only the clothes that he stood in, empty pockets and no connections. His self-reliance saw him soon working on a boat that travelled between the North and South Island of New Zealand, which can be a hard and treacherous crossing, but vital for transit of passengers and goods between the two islands. Tim Sargent tired of life on the sea, and determined to try his luck in Sydney, Australia on the eve of war breaking out in Europe in 1914. Looking for new adventures, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force - putting up his age from sixteen years to twenty-one. Age was not his only hurdle to enlistment as the paperwork required the signature of his mother; which was quickly achieved by ducking around the back of the recruitment tent and signing her name. Tim enlisted on the 10 th of March 1915 and was sent to live under canvas at Liverpool Camp until embarking for Gallipoli on the 25 th of June 1915 at the tender age of seventeen.

While on leave from the rigors of war, Tim took the opportunity to reconnect with his family. He was able to visit his father, but two of his brothers and his sisters had emigrated to Canada while the remainder of his brothers had enlisted in the war. He was never to see any of his family again. Tim didn’t ever have much to say about the war. It is known that he suffered, as did many others from Trench Foot; and he was discharged on the 20 th of April 1919 with a partially amputated finger and War Neurosis. A veteran of war at twenty years of age, Tim found it hard to return to everyday life. He had not started to shave or smoke before he returned to Australia, but the toll the war had taken on him became evident as he worked his way from state to state, unbound by the ties of family or home. Tim took up work where he could find it, turning his hand to whatever need doing. He worked on construction of roads and bridges, planting pine forests near Canberra, working on farms and in the steel mills of Newcastle. He nearly became a partner in a beekeeping enterprise. Tim rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle and came to love the country life, perhaps for its contrast to his seafaring and military days. While work was difficult to find during the years of the Depression, Tim would tire of his current employment or situation and move on of his own volition; as he was never sacked from a job. As a single man with his own transport he was free of some of the responsibilities and cares of other men, and he received a small pension of 2/6 pence for the loss of his forefinger, amputated during the war. He was living in a tent in the bush near Sylvania with a fellow traveller when he became friendly with his future in laws. He purchased two pence of turnips from a farm stall, when the farmers suggested that he could find employment with them on the small holding raising poultry and vegetables for sale to passing motorists. His future wife Annie was taken by his bluest of eyes; which she recalls fondly even today more than eighty years later. The work on the farm was paid in kind with food and whatever money they could afford. As things started to get better Tim was offered more regular work with a contractor who was laying concrete in the main street of Cronulla. The work was all done manually and was therefore hard physical work; but Timwas undaunted. He was a fearless man, and in one instance ran out and jumped onto a runaway cart. The Baker’s horse had bolted with fright and it fled with the cart swaying from side to side down Port Hacking Road in Sylvania. JohnWayne could not have done better as he jumped onto the back of the cart, climbing to the front where he could grab the reins and pull the horse up. Once the work in Cronulla finished, Tim got the urge to move on and in 1935 he travelled to Tasmania to go fruit picking. Annie thought she would never see those blue eyes again as Tim felt he needed to continue his life on the road. After three weeks the family received a letter to say how he had been unwell, that he missed his adopted family and the work was not as plentiful as he had heard. Tim had not thought that a family could ever mean as much to him after his own difficult family life, and he returned. He and Annie were never parted again. Tim managed to get work with the Post Master General, and when Annie’s family farm was sold; they all moved to a smaller holding in Miranda. Two years later, in August 1938 Annie and Tim were married. Annie’s parents were quite shocked as there was a fifteen-year age difference between the couple, and Annie’s mother did not attend the wedding. Confident that the marriage would be a success, Annie and Timwere married at Rockdale in the church manse, with Annie’s father and a friend as their witnesses.

Annie and Tim honeymooned at Port Macquarie; and upon their return home Annie’s parents welcomed them with a celebratory meal and wedding cake. There were some wedding gifts, including clothing but the newly married couple gradually gathered the requirements to set up home independently and the rented a room at Kogarah for 12s6d a week. After a time, Annie’s parents sold their Miranda property and bought a large home in Hurstville. They invited Tim and Annie to move back in, Annie’s father was working at the Sydney Woollen Mills during this period.

Annie and Tim joyfully welcomed there first daughter, Margaret in 1940. When Margaret was just eleven months old and the young family were thinking to buy their own home, Annie’s mother died. A second daughter, Jill was born in 1944 and Annie’s younger sister Marge, married in 1946. Annie and Tim decided to stay in the family home, raising their two precious daughters and caring for Annie’s father. Tim loved working in the garden raising vegetables and poultry and growing fine figs and lemons, his daughters both inheriting his green thumb. Even though wages were small and money tight, Tim would not let Annie go out to work. Annie cooked, sewed and knitted to make ends meet. There were times when heavy rain would get into the phone lines which would provide overtime for Tim, and a little extra money for the family. Family holidays were modest trips to Katoomba, Coalcliff or Long Jetty. Tim was a capable worker and was promoted to be manager of seventy men in the surrounding districts. On his retirement after twenty-eight years of service, his workload was divided into three sections. At his farewell dinner, Tim was presented with a wallet full of notes, and Annie was given a silver and pearl broach in gratitude.

A trip to New Zealand was to have been a reward for the hard-working couple, but Tim’s health began to fail during the trip. He gradually declined, cared for throughout by his devoted wife Annie and loving family. Tim died in 1975. Annie never regretted her marriage for a moment or cared about the fifteen-year age difference between her and Tim. Annie has great pride and pleasure in the life she and Tim created together, their two wonderful daughters, their sons in law, and the grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren that Annie has had the pleasure to watch grow and thrive. And at 105 years of age Annie has never forgotten those bluest of blue eyes.

Chapter 3 – Living at Hurstville

Annie’s youngest daughter Jill has many vivid memories of growing up at 19 McLeod St Hurstville. Her grandfather, Jim, would sit on the front veranda in the sun while smoking his pipe. Jill recalls a quote that he liked to relate: Here’s to you, as good as you are, Here’s to me, as bad as I am,

But as bad as I am and as good as you are, You’re as bad as I am as good as you are.

The front veranda was a good place to note the comings and goings on of the street such as the milkman making his run with his horse and cart, with large cans of fresh milk in the back. Families would take their small cans to him to be filled. The baker also made deliveries by horse and cart and Jill recalls taking the opportunity to pull fresh soft bread from the centre of a broken loaf before taking it inside to the kitchen. An iceman would deliver large blocks of ice that would last for about four days in the ice chest, before the advent of refrigeration. The iceman would carry the large blocks inside on his shoulder, where he had padding for the purpose. His shoulder was forever wet, and the padding would become smelly as a result. A hawker would also go from door to door selling his ointments and medicines from his suitcase. Tim, her father, worked hard to maintain a vegetable garden growing fresh vegetables for the family, as well as figs and lemons which Annie would turn into delicious fig jam and lemon butter. The family also kept poultry for the fresh eggs and meat, Tim teaching the children how to clean and pluck a fowl in preparation for cooking. The family ate poultry on special occasions, mainly at Christmas time. Tim would also grow orchids in his orchid shed, where he had many beautiful specimens. Annie and Tim’s children, Margaret and Jill had an old shed in the backyard that served as a playhouse. Neighbourhood children would join the girls there to play with dolls, toys and books – there was even a fuel stove to keep them warm in winter. Jill’s daughters, Vicki and Kerrie also played libraries and shops in the little shed.

The kitchen of the house in Hurstville had a fuel stove that kept the whole back of the house warm. Annie would cook delicious stews, soups and cakes; and on Sunday there would be a roast lunch. Sunday afternoon was a time for Annie to do the baking of pies and cakes for the morning teas and desserts of the week ahead. Annie was a good cook, and an accomplished seamstress. Annie sewed much of the families clothing including pants, dresses and petticoats. She once made a coat for her sister Marge out of a white blanket. Annie could also knit jumpers, cardigans and socks for the entire family. Jim would mend the family’s shoes. At night in bed Tim would leave the light on to read the paper before going to sleep, which led Annie to start reading for pleasure. Annie followed in her parent’s footsteps and was always kind to neighbours. When television first arrived in the 1950’s, Annie would invite a neighbour, Mrs Good, and her daughter’s friends into their home to watch programs with the family. For many years she cooked dinners for another neighbour who was a widower. She made deep connections with those whose lives she touched, and still receives a yearly Christmas card from her nephew who she met when he visited during the war in 1945 as part of the British Navy. He lives on the Isle of Wight and has sent the yearly Christmas card for over seventy years. Annie also cared for both her husband Tim and her father Jim throughout their lives and their final illnesses. Annie is a treasured part of her family, a resilient woman who is valued by all her family for her grace and many gifts. She has her own health problems, but Annie has lived as part of the community at

Oznam Villa now for almost twelve years. She passes her time reading and doing word puzzles. I was lucky enough to visit her on her 105 th birthday when she was surrounded by family celebrating her special day. Margaret, her elder daughter lives in Gympie and Jill, her younger daughter lives in Tweed Heads. Annie has four grandchildren, Vicki, Kerry, Warren and Nicole; eight great grandchildren, Kelly, Elise, Emma, Jake, Ethan, Kobe, Lucy and Noah; and two great great grandchildren, Sienna and Lily. There are five generations of women in the family created by Tim and Annie living.

Annie has lived a life of hard work and difficulties, but by any measure it has been a life filled with love and respect, grace and devotion.

Chapter 4: Annie

James Thompson lost both his parents early Stable hand, coach boy, enlisted to fight the Boers becoming batman for Robert Baden-Powell Searcher for the London Railways offered a chance encounter with King George V’s scarf and the Head Butler’s door But most importantly, his future wife Margaret Harris was the daughter of the Head Gamekeeper at Felbrigg Hall As she came of working age, she was employed in the Gentleman’s home scrubbing floors Promoted to cook of a Lady’s household A missed train started the sparks of a friendship with her future husband

A chance meeting on a train station Lead to a life-changing journey on Demosthenes to a land of promise A delivery job for Schweppes marked the birth of their first daughter The second marked by the first of many small businesses

Clarence Sargent, a name which honours the clarity of his bright blue eyes But Tim, meaning to honour God, was the name he chose An act which he fulfilled with his life of serving From training ships to cargo boats, war-torn Gallipoli to the dusty roads of Australia Annie Sargent’s life is often told through those of others Born to new immigrants, a helper in their businesses The bluest of blue eyes she married She remembers their meeting at a roadside stall more than 80 years ago Life at Hurstville was one of caring for others The little playhouse was a library and café for more than one generation The milkman and baker, iceman and hawker visiting the family Self-sufficient, they grew vegetables, kept poultry

Annie’s children inherited their father’s green thumb Annie, a gifted cook and seamstress, reader and puzzler Her kindness and grace in assisting neighbours; caring for her husband and father through their terminal illnesses Now, at 105 years and with 5 living generations of females in the family she is still a treasured part of life for those who know, respect and love her