Born: March 24, 1946 in St Luke’s Private Hospital, Griffith, NSW.
Married: January, 12,1969 at St Laurence O’Toole’s Catholic Church, Forbes, NSW to Denise McAuliffe (Born May 27, 1949).
Children:
Simon Peter Watts: Born September 22, 1972 in Sydney.
David Hainsworth Watts: Born July 1,1975 in Forbes.
Joshua Francis Watts: Born February 1, 1979 in Young.
Emily Alice Watts: Born August 1, 1983 in Young.
Mary’s Memories:
Peter was four when we went to “Gunbar Farm”. While we were busy unloading and settling in, he went for a stroll and ended up in a well. He came in sopping wet and when I asked what had happened, he explained he had fallen down the well but had climbed up the pipe. When I looked at the well it was a straight-sided board structure, a pipe down the middle through which water was pumped to the house. I was fully confident that if Peter could get out of that hole, he’d get out of anything.
Peter’s school started at “Rostella”. Jim and Ted Rooney, our neighbour, built a galvanised iron “shed” school house on “Sharoon” for their kids and our kids to have some schooling. The governess lived on “Sharoon” as they had a ‘proper’ house. Pete used to drive the other kids over on the Fergie. It didn’t last for long and I later heard that the old teacher threw herself over the Gap in Sydney. Wild kids?!!
So in 1955 Pete went off to Forbes. He started in second class at the convent and skipped third to help out the new college when it opened because it started with a fourth class and they needed the numbers. He was a good runner and pretty smug about it. One day at Enngonia sports, Pete entered a race. He had a white outfit, running shoes, and loads of confidence – but a little black boy in bare feet beat him to the finish line!
Peter was my ‘chief adviser’ when I went shopping in Forbes – he would check all the prices for me and add them up. Generally, he was a great help.
Brother Leonard would pick him up every night and he’d go out to the college to study. A good pass earned him a scholarship to Sydney University, but after six months of terrible home-sickness, he came home. He went back to Sydney Teachers College in 1965.
He was called up in the National Service and eventually, Vietnam. Oh, the sadness of it all. There was nothing I could do but ask or beg Our Lady to wrap her cloak around him and keep him from harm. Denise and I met him on his return in December, 1968 at Parkes Airport and there were even more tears than when he left. So he married Denise in January, 1969 and lived happily ever after.
Peter’s Story:
When Jimmy and I arrived in Forbes I was blessed with the name “Skipper”. Dad or someone had broken down and he asked me to “Go get the spanner out of the boot, Skipper”. When we arrived at Forbes, some of the younger kids asked me if I had a nickname. The only time anyone had called me anything other than my given name was this day, so I said “Skipper”. The name stuck for Jimmy, me, Johnny and Pat, and the others acquired it later too.
When Jimmy and I first went to school, the Irrarra Creek was up. Mum and Dad drove us to the gate and to the creek which was just beyond the gate, and we paddled across to the other side. Stan Chisman (neighbour) then drove us to Mallon’s where we walked across the wire rope bridge (I might be confusing this with another time , but I don’t think so). Somebody then drove us to Enngonia to the taxi driver friend who was on his way to Sydney.
I boarded at MBC Forbes from 1955 to Easter 1958. I stayed home after Easter 1958 as things were tight for Mum and Dad. After Dad died in September 1958, I went with the rest of the family to Nanna Mahy’s in Yenda. From there I went over to Leeton to Aunty Marcel and Uncle Phil and went to school at St Francis College for the remainder of the year. I boarded at MBC Forbes again in 1959 and became a day-boy in 1960 until 1963.
On finishing school I went to Sydney University to do Arts/Law. However, being a country boy without a clue, I withdrew after six months and went home. Lacjlan Legacy helped me get a job at L.J. Johnson and Co., a farm machinery store.
Back to Sydney to Teachers’ College 1965-66. During this time I was called up for National Service but deferred until I finished Teachers College. I reported to Marrickville Army Barracks in February, 1967. I was despatched to “Kapooka” in Wagga for three months basic training, then to Singleton, Brisbvane, and Vietnam in May, 1968.
I was lucky not to be involved in any serious action. Although I fired my rifle several times and had bullets whistling overhead, I never actually saw anyone shoot at me, nor anyone for me to shoot at. I appreciate the reading material sent by Jimmy and Ashley too! (Phantom comics I suppose. Ed.)
Following my return to Australia on December 17, 1968 I was married on January 12, 1969 and then discharged from the army.
I then went to Canowindra Central school for my first year of teaching (Junior Secondary Commerce), while Denise and I lived in Cowra. During this time I applied for a National Service Scholarship and on being awarded this went back to University at UNSW to do Commerce full-time in 1970. I then taught at Ryde High School for four years while I completed my degree part-time. In 1972 Simon was born and in 1975 we moved to Young.
In Young we bought a 10 acre hobby farm where I milked a cow and raised sheep and grew vegetables. We also had more children and consequently in 1984 we all left Young, as I took a promotion to Head Teacher in Finley.
After several years in Finley I had an opportunity to try something I had wanted to do for about twenty years – to work as an accountant. So in 1990 I left my family and went to live with Mum in Forbes. Simon was doing his HSC this year so it was difficult for all- especially Denise and the kids, but also for me.
In 1991 I returned to teaching, and after a while (in 1992) was promoted to Deputy Principal. After returning to Finley, we decided to settle down for a while and so bought a house. We now have a fire-place from Mum’s Forbes house installed in the house.
We have a lovely and talented family. Simon, 21, is currently studying economics and political science at ANU, Canberra. He has part-time work at Woolies and plays all sport that time will allow. David, 18, just completed his HSC. He flew to England on January 8, 1994 to be a “Gapper” at Ardingly College, Sussex. A gapper is a position catering for those having a year off between secondary and tertiary education. Ardingly is a wonderful old college in Haywards Heath. He enjoys all sports. Joshua, 14, is still at school. He plays the trumpet and piano, and loves basketball and football. Emily, 10, plays the flute and piano, and loves netball, tennis, squash and horse riding.
Through Peter’s Eyes (A collection of short recollections)
The Watts Family 