17 March, 1951 ~ 19 March, 2018
Born: St Patrick’s Day – 17 March, 1951 in Public Hospital Griffith, NSW.
Married: November 18, 1978 in St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Grenfell, NSW to Ruth Denise Chemney (Born; April 19, 1958)
Children:
Matthew John Watts: born April, 22, 1979 in Forbes, NSW
Luke James Watts: born April 22, 1979 in Forbes, NSW
Aaron Paul Watts: born June 6, 1980 in Forbes, NSW
Kimberley Jane Watts: born June 5 in Kingaroy, Qld
Kelly Louise Watts: born April 29, 1988 in Kingaroy, Qld
Patrick Paul Watts: born January 18, 1994 in Kingaroy, Qld
Mary’s Memories:
Patrick, so called because of course he was born on St Patrick’s Day. He was “Patrick McGinty” or little Pat.
While living in the tin shed at Rostella, we built a bower shed of cane grass for the vehicles. Pat was a beggar for trying to make little fires, but he never seemed to get them going – until he tried on the bower shed. Yes, he got that one going nicely! Fortunately the ute and Fergie were out. We tried to put the fire out but we couldn’t keep the water supply up, having to carry it bucket by bucket from a distance. But for a while it was worrying as he had run off and I didn’t know if he was in the fire. A few more grey hairs. All’s well that ends well.
When we were building the sheep dip, the work men went to Enngonia for the weekend. They brought a little white kid back for “Patrick McGinty”. It was a menace when it grew – it climbed on the car, and it always stood on the middle of the see-saw. It was eventually banished to the back paddock, from where it always managed to lead sheep through fences from one paddock to another, getting them all mixed up again.
Pat started at the College in second class in 1959, and travelled in to South Forbes with the others. He went out to Red Bend in fourth class. Always very solid and very quiet, Pat plodded on. He was a college prefect, loved his sport, football, and cadets.
Pat’s Story
I was raised at Rostella Station, which is about 150 kilometres north of Bourke in NSW, until I was about eight years old. I then went to Marist Brothers Red Bend College boarding school at Forbes with my older brothers but I was only a boarder for a year. Mum bought a house in Forbes and I went to the College as a day student.
I did all my formal schooling at Red Bend until sixth form (Year 12) in 1970. I then went to Queensland Agricultural College at Gatton, where I did a course in Animal Husbandry for two years. In 1973 I joined Elders GM at the Forbes branch. While working for Elders I was posted to Condobolin and Bourke. It was while I was in Bourke that I decided to resign and go to England and try to find my roots on dad’s side of the family. While I was in England I met a number of dad’s cousins, the main one being Bessie Littlewood, whose son, John, now lives in Mackay, Queensland, with his family.
After returning from England i had a little trouble getting a job but I eventually got a job as a labourer with a building firm at Jemalong Retirement Village. After it was finished I worked with the Vintage Village project. when it was just about finished I joined Walkers Ag and Vet-the Local Bloke. It was while I was working at Walkers that I met this beautiful young lady from Grenfell, and married her on 18 November, 1978. At the end of 1981 I was laid off and I moved to Toowoomba with the family.
For twelve months I tried to get work in Toowoomba but was unsuccessful. In 1982 I rejoined Elders Merchandise in Kingaroy. I spent four years with Elders in Kingaroy before being transferred to Richmond, which is about half way between Townsville and Mount Isa. From there I was transferred to the Miles office. In 1988, after six months in MIles I resigned and joined Kewpie Stockfeeds in Kingaroy, where I have been for the last six years.
It has been really good in Kingaroy. The kids love their sport and their school, as well as their music. Ruth has been studying and we bought a house and have really settled down. Just to keep us out of mischief we had another baby early this year to round off the half dozen that we always wanted. They are all healthy and happy.
The Watts Family 