Pat+Webb's+Story

It was a dark and stormy night and I was born in a tent on the side of the Pacific Highway Grafton in 1930. This was Depression time and jobs were hard to get and so we were all very poor. My father was working for the Main Roads Department in return for free rent of the tent.

When I was five we moved to Valla and lived in a packing shed. This had a dirt floor and life was very hard as there were now five of us. I now had 2 sisters. I started school at Valla where 1 teacher taught about 13 pupils. Most of whom were my cousins.

The 2nd Great War started and my parents decided to move to Sydney so my Mother could go to work. By this time my father was very sick as a result of being gassed in the 1st War. When I look back and think about it. My Mother and Father carried all our worldly possessions in 2 suitcases from Central Railway Station to Abercrombie Street where we lived in a two story terrace house in 1 room and my Mum shared the kitchen. I can remember sleeping on the floor and my Mother and Father in the bed. While we were living in this house my sisters and I went to Glebe School.

I don't know for what reason but we shifted to Annandale and lived above shops on Parramatta Road. I know I became very sick while in the 2 story house or perhaps the rent was cheaper. I went to Annandale Public School and did very well here and won a prize for coming 1st in the class. The prize was a book called 7 Little Australians.

In 1944 the war was not looking good for Australia and manpower was very serious, and my Father even with his bad health got a job as a night watchman at a war factory. With the extra money we were able to afford to live in a real house at Enfield. My sisters and I went to Burwood High School. After I left school I did a 4 year apprenticeship in Hairdressing in the city and then came out to work as a hairdresser at Enfield. In 1948 I met Theo Webb and 1951 we were married at St Thomas' church Enfield. 1956 was a big year for us. Our daughter Anne was born in January and Theo was offered a promotion with his work which meant we had to transfer to Warragamba Dam to live in the December. We were both very happy even after we found out we had to move into a house with fuel stove ,chip bath heater and fuel copper, Living in a Construction Town was certainly a new experience.

After 5 years at the dam we came back to our home at Greenacre and were now a bigger family of 5. Lyn and Max were born at Penrith and Robyn was born back in Sydney.

In 1988 Theo retired after 34 years service from the Sydney Water Board and we sold our home at Greenacre and moved to Hawks Nest.

After 28 years at Hawks Nest we sold our home and moved to Milton.

Pat Webb 28/08/15