Remembering Lofty

Last Thursday Campbelltown hosted the launch of local author and historian Lauren Holkin's book ANZACS Of Macarthur: The Men and Women Who Served in The First World War. Lauren included in her talk brief stories of a number of local men who served in the war. One soldier that interested me was Harold Edward Ashcroft Fowler, better known as 'Lofty'. His height of 6 foot 3 giving him his nickname.

Lofty was born and raised in Campbelltown to Alfred and Lydia Fowler. He was working as a builder before answering the call and joining the AIF. Lofty was posted to No. 1 Machine Gun Regiment which departed Melbourne onboard the HMAT Port Lincoln on 20th of October 1916. After spending a year preparing for conditions on the Western Front, Lofty and his comrades left for France in December 1917 and upon arrival was marched out to the 23rd Machine Gun Company in Belgium.

For a few months he experienced intense fighting with the Germans as a machine gunner. Then on the 13th of July, Lofty was eating breakfast on the parapet about 10.30am, when suddenly a shell came over and hit the trench. Lofty was badly hurt with multiple injuries, including a severely damaged leg and arm. Unfortunately his leg had to be amputated followed by his arm a fortnight later. Lofty died from his wounds and shock at 9pm on the 26th of July- 98 years ago to the day.

Harold 'Lofty' Fowler is buried at Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy St. Pierre, near Amiens. His name is recorded on a plaque at Dredge's Cottage in Campbelltown.

Lauren's book is available at HJ Daley Library as well as each of our three branches. It's a valuable resource with thorough research and I recommend you check it out.

'Lofty' Fowler can be seen in the back row, 3rd from the left. (Australian War Memorial).

Written by Claire Lynch

The Milk Depot

In 1922 a new milk depot was proposed for the town of Campbelltown. There were about 68 dairies in the district and 45 of these dairies were interested in taking shares in a cooperative factory built in Badgally Road (then called Broughton Road) adjoining the railway crossing. Dairy Farmers Cooperative Milk Co opened the milk depot in 1923 at a cost of 6000 pounds.

In its hey-day, the depot received milk from 70 suppliers in the Campbelltown, Minto and Appin areas, to be chilled and transported in tankers by the "Milk Pot" train to Sydney. This train started from Moss Vale and picked up the Camden Depot milk freight and Campbelltown Depot milk, leaving Campbelltown at 11.45am.

Farmers delivered their milk to the factory in cans, which were scalded and steam-cleaned before they were returned to farms. The suppliers had to run the gauntlet of the various tests. There was a "blue" test, a sediment test for dirt as well as the butter fat test, all conducted locally. Failure of these tests would result in a "block" for a stipulated period.

The Milk Depot was also used for ice-making. This was an important activity for use in the household ice-chest, before the days of the refrigerator. The rectangular blocks of ice were delivered by the milkman.

On the 16th November, 1967 the Milk Depot closed after 44 years. Local dairying had dwindled with increasing urbanization and the impact of bulk pick-up had drastically reduced the need for the depot. Campbelltown supplier's milk was then taken to the Camden depot until a new depot was built in the industrial area off Rose Street a year later.

The depot building had been deteriorating for some years and was on railway land. The building became unused after the closure and was earmarked for demolition. Then on the 5th April, 1969 a spectacular early morning fire destroyed a portion of the building. The entire building was demolished the next day.

Written by Andrew Allen

Lost Girls

Every family's worst nightmare came true for two sets of Campbelltown families one day in the Spring of 1926. Elsie Egelton and Lydia Scattergood went into the bush at Wedderburn to gather wildflowers. Elsie was aged 24 and Lydia about 13. At about 4 o'clock they found themselves lost in the wild, rough and rugged country and were unable to find their way home. Night fell and they were faced with spending a night in the bush.

Meanwhile their parents became worried and went into the bush to search for them. Unable to locate them, they contacted the police. Two policeman organized about 30 volunteers to help in the search.

A noted tracker and expert bushman named Mick Rixon found fresh tracks around 10pm and half an hour later they heard a cooee from down in the gully. The girls were found about an hour later, over 15 kilometres from their homes.

They made slow progress back as the girls were exhausted and nervous and by 1.30am could go no further because of their sore and swollen feet. The men lit a fire and the group rested until just before dawn when they again made out for home. By 6.30am the girls were back at their homes to the relief of their families. The outcome could've been far worse if not for the skills of Mick Rixon.

Lydia married Ronald Foster in 1940 and died at Camden in 2007 aged 94. Elsie never married and died in 1986 aged 83.

School children at Campbelltown South Public School c 1917-18. Lydia Scattergood is the girl in the front row with her head down. 

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

HOLMES, Marie 2012
A Scrapbook of History: stories of the Macarthur District
Campbelltown: Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, October 8 1926

The Duck King

George Craft was a leading citizen of Ingleburn and was to the fore in most community activities. He was also one of its most memorable characters. A stockrider, saddler, bootmaker, sports fanatic, blue cattle dog breeder and poet, George Craft was what you might term a great all rounder. It was through his breeding and showing of ducks however that people remember him most and earned him the title of the Duck King.

George Edward Oscar Craft was born at the Robin Hood Inn on Bunbury Creek near Campbelltown on 14th October, 1869. The Robin Hood Inn was one of the early inns in the area but is long gone. George's parents were William Craft and Jane Maria Bolger. William and Jane and their children left Campbelltown in 1872 and travelled to Bundaberg in Queensland. They settled at a small place called Gin Gin.

George spent his boyhood years at Gin Gin and grew up to be a stockrider. Horse riding was something that he excelled at. His stockriding life was cut short however, after an accident in 1886 at Mt Perry when his horse fell and rolled on him, resulting in multiple fractures of his left leg. Expert medical attention was not available in Bundaberg but a Sydney bound boat was in port, so his mother and two younger sisters accompanied him to Sydney.

George's leg was saved, although he was to have a limp thereafter. He did not return to Queensland but stayed at Campbelltown where, at the age of 23, he married a cousin, Edith Annie Bolger. They had two daughters.

George was particularly interested in sports and became known as "the daddy of sports in the Ingleburn District". Women's athletics had a special interest for him and he trained and promoted Miss Bessie Grandemange in match races.

Poetry became another of his passions. Dreams of his boyhood days in Queensland were never far away and, as the years passed, G.E.O. as he became known, took more and more to expressing his memories and dreams in prose and verse. Some of these were sent to Bundaberg where they were published in the "Bundaberg Daily News". Other pieces appeared in the "Campbelltown News". Below is one of his poems with the title of  Gents (Also on Roller Skating at Ingleburn in 1913).

Long Charlie L. skidded and fell,
In this way made collision.
He struck the floor,
Flew out the door,
Competing in his division.

A. McI.*, being somewhat shy,
Leastways when he's askatin',
But 'mong the "Soo's,
Likewise the "Coo's",
He sure tak's a d'al o' b'atin

There's Lennie from Bunbury Creek,
Who often makes a blunder.
The floor he hits,
Up he sits
To star-gaze around in wonder.

Liverpool boys, they make some noise,
At times a little too rough.
Though well they know
It's time to go
When the M.C. raises his cuff.

Lady and Gent, surely content
With what goes on at the Rink;
E.C.'s coffee,
Chocks, toffee,
And other nice treats and soft drink.

(*A. McI. refers to Alan McInnis)

It was, however, his knowledge of ducks that Ingleburn locals remember most. George had a barber shop in Ingleburn as well as his saddlery. It was at the back of the barber shop that he had his ducks. One old identity remembers "Out the back he had his duck farm. He was a character of a fellow. He had his multi-purpose shop with saddles, stirrups and boots and things like that and next door he had a barber shop. I used to go down there as a child to have my hair cut. He would come in with a grey flannel singlet and waist coat all covered with pollen from where he had been feeding the ducks." He goes on "George was usually seen in his old dirty clothes with chook feed all over them. He bred ducks and even had a duck named after him called the Inglecraft Duck. I remember once I was either going to school or university and here turns up this fellow with a cane, bowler hat and spats. Blow me down, it was George Craft. He was going to the Royal Show in Sydney to judge the ducks."

Another local had a funny story about George. "as a youth, George told me that one could grow new hair on old scars of horses by applying a mixture of black sulphur and lard. I have grown new richly coloured hair on new fire brands of horses with this mixture. It occurred to me many years later that I may be able to grow hair on my thinning scalp. So I made up the dreadful concoction and spent a horrible weekend plastered with hot black fat running down my face. It wasn't until the last day that I remembered that George had said it didn't work on bald headed men!"

George Craft died in 1951. Rest in peace Duck King.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

The Verse of George E.O. Craft

Old Ingleburn - Recollections by David Kerr
In Grist Mills
Vol. 21, No. 1, March 2008

Oral History Interview of Peter Benson held at Campbelltown Library