FIFTY
20th September 1913 Millers Point, Sydney.
20th September 1913 Millers Point, Sydney.
Some time prior to the sailing time for the SS Marathon at noon on
Saturday 20th September 1913, Clyda was delivered to the Dalghety
Wharf at Millers Point in Sydney to be there collected by Miss Tarling. The
child had one suitcase in her possession and a small trunk. Clyda was almost
five years old. The trunk accompanying her contained the bulk of the clothing
bought for her by the State children’s Department, and the suitcase contained
her three dolls and the book. It must have been a fraught time for both the
twenty five year old nurse and the five year old child. Certainly a new, and
probably terrifying, experience for the child. She had been uprooted three
times in the past year from her life in Neutral Bay and lived in strange homes
with strange people, never again to see her ‘Pa’, George Kent.
It would be wrong to paint a picture of a child abandoned and
alone in the world once her mother had died. Quite the contrary. She was cared
for by people who she knew and loved for most of the time, until the time when she
was placed in the hands of strangers, paid for by the government of New South
Wales. At length she was then placed in a ‘school’ as she called it. Ormond
House in Paddington was a ‘clearing station’ for children en route from one
foster home to another, or in Clyda’s case, en route for her grandparents home
in England. Perhaps we can conjecture what her state of mind was at that time
of great upheaval in her life, but it seems evident from her future attitude to
life and her children, that there was little or no lasting effect. Young
children accept whatever life pushes their way, every experience is a new one
and she had little or nothing to compare those experiences with. She grew to be
a loving person and a loving wife and mother who smiled a lot despite the trials
her future life threw at her.
From the letters which Miss Tarling wrote to Mr Stephens of the
Intestate Estates Office, it seems the journey back to England was not all
‘plain sailing’. Sometimes the weather was foul and both suffered from sea
sickness. There is no doubt Miss Tarling would have had a full time job on her
hands in looking after and entertaining a five year old, though by the end of
the five week voyage one assumes they had at least becomes friends. From the
few letters she wrote during the voyage there are many signs that Miss Tarling
not only knew how to take care of the child, but enjoyed doing it. The single
fact that the letters she wrote were on headed notepaper indicates that the
couple enjoyed what comforts there were available on the journey.
Letter to Mr Stephens from onboard
the Aberdeen Line ship, SS Marathon. Four days at sea.
Sept. 24th 1913
Mr Stephens
Dear Sir,
I have forwarded by post receipted cheque for £7-10-0 which I
thank you same. I may also tell you that the little girl, Clyda Lowe is getting
on beautifully still and seems much better and brighter than when leaving
Sydney.
She was just a little seasick on Sunday night, it was dreadfully
rough all day Sunday and Sunday night. But she is looking so well now, she says
she does not want to go back to the nasty school again, because they pour cups
of cold water on her head.
I have to smile at her she says such funny things at times.
Will let you know next port how she is progressing still. Believe
me.
Yours truly
Violet Tarling
Postcard dated sometime in
late September 1013
Mr Stephens. Dear Sir
Arrived Melbourne today
Monday 2 o’clock staying until Thursday night, had rather a rough passage
Sunday and at night. Clyda is getting along splendidly, having a lovely time
she says, also myself. She is great on fruit and sweets. I have bought a good
store for her. Having beautiful food so that makes things fine. Few passengers,
so that makes it very nice and comfortable. Goodbye. Will write next port of
call. Kindest. Violet Tarling.
By the 2nd
October the ship had reached Freemantle, and Miss Tarling wrote to Mr Stephens
again. It appears all was not as well as had previously been.
SS Marathon
Freemantle W.A.
Mr Stephens
Dear Sir
Am writing to let you know that Clyda Lowe is still getting on
well and also looking well. I am simply astonished for her conduct for a child
of her age she carries on shocking at times, she is so stubborn and selfish. The
only thing I can quieten her with is telling her I am going to take her back to
school. She is different in a second.
We arrived here at Freemantle yesterday October 1st
at eleven in the morning and are staying until tonight, leaving at 9 o’clock.
It is simply pouring with rain. I think it an awful place here,
Freemantle.
Yours truly
Violet Tarling
And that is it, the last
letter or postcard from Miss Tarling on her voyage with a child who obviously
was something of a handful at times. But is it hard to understand the child’s
behaviour?
On Thursday 14th November 1913 the SS Marathon arrived
at Tilbury docks in London and discharged it’s cargo, including Violet Tarling
and Clyda Elsie Lowe. Waiting for her were the child's grandmother and
grandfather, who took charge of her from Miss Tarling.
The following day Miss Tarling presented herself at the Bank of
New South Wales at 29 Threadneedle Street in London and collected her well
earned £7-10-0, that being the last instalment of her payment for escorting
Clyda to England.
On January 14th 1914 Mr Stephens of the office of
Intestate Estates in Queens Square Sydney wrote the following letter to the
husband of Florence Lowe.
14th January 1914
Re: estate of FLORENCE LOWE deceased
Sir
I have to inform you that I am administering the estate of your
late wife, who died in Sydney on the 9th September 1912, and after
payment of claims and expenses there is £8-10-0 to the credit of her estate. I
have to ask if you have any objection to this money being used deceased’s
daughter, Clyda Lowe, if so you might complete the enclosed form of affidavit
and return it to this office. Yours obediently
Public Trustee
Public Trustee
Nothing was ever heard again from the husband of Florence Lowe by
the Intestate Estates office, or her family in relation to the letter, the
wife, or the child. TAF Lowe remarried in 1915 to a single lady younger than
himself from Devonport, the daughter of a 'gentleman'. TAF described himself as
a bachelor at the time of his marriage.
George Kent returned to Alexandra, the beautiful small town in
Victoria some eighty miles north of Melbourne. For the remainder of his life he
lived in Alexandra, Eildon and Thornton, earning his living as a joiner and
then a rabbit catcher. On his retirement he continued to offer his valuable
Coney catching services to the farmers in the area, selling some of rabbits he
caught to the hotel in Thornton, where the cook there was always glad of the
meat. George lived a peaceful life, quiet and a part of the community. A
neighbour of his, Joyce Peters, told me in 2014, the heart warming story of her
young daughter regularly taking her breakfast of boiled eggs and soldiers next
door each morning to eat it with Georgie, as he was affectionately known. He
continued to support the Alexandra football club where he had once been the
captain, until his death on 8th August 1964 at the age of 88; some
six years after the death of the young child he had cared for, and loved, in
Sydney all those years before.
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