1927

13-4-: Hoed pines etc. Mended harness too.

14-4-: Worked at home during the morning, afternoon went to town and got our timber out.
15-4-: Spent the morning making a ladder. Afternoon rode to Kabra and soldered the holes in Olivers roof.
16-4-: Finished the ladder and cut out the sides and put in the treads of a stepladder I am making.
17-4-: Read a book. Ward came out and dug some gravel.
18-4-: I put a top on the back tank also over flow and strainer. Finished the step ladder and put up a rest for the bike.
19-4-: Stayed at home and hoed pines.
20-4-: Hoed a little and afternoon went to town and did a little towards the house.
21-4-: Hoed a bit and broke stone. Afternoon went and mortised a couple of plates.
22-4-: Helped Thorsen away with a load of metal for town. Afternoon went in and cut out plates.
23-4-: Worked at home. Afternoon we went through Wests intending to get wood but failed.
24-4-: Read books.
25-4-: Hoed pines and cleared things a bit up at the old quarry up the garden.
26-4-: Hoed amongst the sweet potatoes and pines also went to town.
27-4-: Hoed amongst the pines and went to town and made a shelter over the timber.
28-4-: I rode the bike to town and got orders for rosellas.
29-4-: Hoed pines and then rode bike to town and went to S. C. Drapers
30-4-: Took the day in making a stepladder, which I intend to use for the job of righting the post at the S. C. Drapers.
1-5--: Read books.
2-5--: Picked rosellas.
3-5--: Took in the rosellas.
4-5--: I went and got more orders for rosellas. Sold my little blue cart for £3/ 10/ -. My word the chap did barrack to get it cheaper.
5-5--: Henry and I got up at 3. 30 and went to town and called for Mulholland and went down to the S.C. Drapers and put in a fair time at his job.
6-5--: Worked at home.
7-5--: Went to town on the bike and did bits of business. Mulholland and I worked awhile at the S.C. Drapers but failed to accomplish what we set out to do.
8-5--: Read and went down and saw Harry.
9-5--: Picked rosellas.
10-5-: Went in with the rosellas etc.
11-5-: Hoed pines and fixed the jack ready for the job on Saturday.
12-5-: Made a wooden spoon for jam stirring also hoed pines and other jobs.
13-5-: Hoed pines etc.
14-5-: Got more orders for rosellas and afternoon Henry drove the cart down to S.C. Drapers with the jack and we worked as much as I dared until I got a strap plate on.
15-5-: Went down and had talk with Claude, sold him a saw for 6/-.
16-5-: Picked rosellas and went down to the chows and got the u screw.
17-5-: Took in the stuff, feel sick, have a nasty cold on the chest.
18-5-: Shot out a couple of holes for posts on the foot of the quarry.
19-5-: Made a saw handle and fitted it to the saw also sharpened the saw and excavated along the roadside.
20-5-: Picked rosellas and took the seeds out of the tin ready for drying same. I am on the crook list.
21-5-: I went to the city and did a lot of running about. Afternoon I was at the S.C. Drapers. Got away about 5. I had worked without my dinner.
22-5-: I went down to Arthurs and the chows. Read the rest of the day.
23-5-: Picked rosellas and fixed things for George Thorsens sulky.
24-5-: Took in the stuff and sold out very well.
25-5-: I worked about the place and went to town and got the stove from Bill Merrys also did other bits of jobs.
26-5-: Went in and took out a window and made a door and put it in, had dinner and came home saw Rawlings about counters. Spent 2 hours making angles for S.C. Draperys windows.
27-5-: I went in and finished the door I made yesterday, took out another window and boarded the opening up. Got home about 2 oclock.
28-5-: I finished the plates for S.C. Drapers and windows, went to town and worked the afternoon.
29-5-: Read books.
30-5-: Picked rosellas.
31-5-: Went to town with the stuff.
1-6--: Did a little about the home. Afternoon I was off and did nothing.
2-6--: I went to town and did various bits of business. Put in a half day with Arthur took out old shelves and put up some he got at the P.C.S.
3-6--: Went in and worked at Arthurs shop till 3. It was raining nicely throughout the day. We finished the shelves and tidied up.
4-6--: Mended a lock and put out tomatoes.
5-6--: Read books.
6-6--: Worked about the garden.
7-6--: Took in the stuff and did very well with Cecils tomatoes.
8-6--: Worked amongst the pines and did a little to a walking stick I am turning for Dobbinson.
9-6--: Pronged along the pine rows and did a bit more to the stick. A tooth is annoying me.
10-6-: Worked about the place.
11-6-: Went to town Henry and I worked at the S.C. Drapery. Got the post secured and ready for the Wonderlich to go back.
12-6-: Went in and had a walk with Clark called at Wests.
13-6-: Ploughed amongst the pines.
14-6-: Went to the city with my stuff.
15-6-: Spent the morning taking J. Barnes photo. Afternoon ploughed.
16-6-: Went to the sale at P.C. Store.
17-6-: Finished ploughing amongst the pines, went to town painted the door at the shop.
18-6-: Went to the sale and got a good lot of stuff. Worked at S.C. Drapery afternoon.
19-6-: Stayed at home most of the day.
20-6-: Went and got my stuff from the cash store.
21-6-: Took in my stuff and sold pretty well.
22-6-: Made sections and got the bolts placed in them.
23-6-: Made a stand for the new grindstone.
24-6-: Fertilised pines and tomatoes.
25-6-: I went to town and made several inquires also banked money. The bike doesnt run very well just now. Henry ploughed round near the engine. I loaded 28 shells out of the first tin of powder from the Cash Store.
26-6-: Went up to Thorsens down to Wests and down to Arthurs.
27-6-: Worked about the place. Dug out rosellas and did other jobs.
28-6-: Took in my stuff. Got grind stone fittings 6/6d. Paid 10/- on Merrys stove.
29-6-: Pruned trees etc. Rainy day, set the new grind stone.
30-6-: Pruned a few more trees etc. I hoed along pineapples, took a handle out of a shovel and put in a new one also took a handle out of a digging fork and put in the handle out of the shovel but did not get it riveted.
1-7--: Hoed amongst the pines and cleared along the headlands and tracks.
2-7--: Went to town and got order from Denhams. Went to S.C. Drapers and waited till 2 but Calip failed to let me in, so I could not work.
3-7--: Read book went and saw Mepsteads and also down to Arthurs.
4-7--: I planted a few French beans and spoiled my plowshare and put another on in the place.
5-7--: Took in my stuff.
24-8-: Cut fire wood, turned a point for the Park house front and got things ready to get away to Emu Park tomorrow.
25-8-: Went to Emu Park in Blacks truck. Got down safely and had dinner unloaded the timber and put up some weather boards.
26-8-: Carried on with the work.
27-8-: Worked all day.
28-8-: Took things steady.
29-8-: Took up the work again.
30-8-: Still working.
31-8-: Carried on.
1-9--: At it again.
2-9--: Same old thing.
3-9--: Worked hard until 5 Billy Cob came and we yarned and I knocked off next door neighbours came down and I was speaking to them.
4-9--: Went out to Colls for a while had a cup of tea and cake with them.
5-9--: Still found a little to do to the house.
6-9--: Carried on.
7-9--: Cleared up things and got ready for home. We left the Park about 10 oclock and walked towards Rocky.
8-9--: Arrived at town 12.10 noon. Having walked from Emu Park to Lakes Creek when we got a lift by a chap in a utility truck I was all in having spent about 14 hours on the road.
9-9--: I am awfully stiff and sore but am fixing up a door for the verandah at the Park it is a good one too.
10-9-: I did a bit for another door for the back of the house, went and saw Arthur who gave me beet and turnips also a pumpkin. I went again and picked some green peas.
11-9-: I went down to Arthurs and saw Claude and Nelly there.
12-9-: Picked beans and got ready and went to town with Arthur in his car. Got 18/6d worth done to my bike it is now in good order.
13-9-: Took in my pines etc. Did fairly well considering they were pretty specky and small.
14-9-: I did bits of jobs about the place. I now have 2 doors pretty well ready for the park.
15-9-: I rode the bike up to the butchers and after breakfast I went in to town and did a few bits of business.
16-9-: I spent most of the day fixing the cabinet for the closet at Emu Park.
17-9-: I went to town and worked at S.C. Drapery cutting rubber matting etc.
18-9-: I read and went down to Arthurs I was pretty crook one way or another but a few aspros did me a lot of good.
19-9-: I worked during the morning and afternoon I went to town to see about job fixing stairs of a house. Fixed the matter up satisfactorily and came home with Arthur in his car.
20-9-: I went in with my bit of stuff. Things are awfully quite in town and people are careful with their pennies.
21-9-: I spent the morning getting things ready for the job in town tomorrow. Afternoon I took out 1 stove and put in another one.
22-9-: I went to town and worked at the steps of a house in George Street, I now have only the rails to be put up.
23-9-: I went in and finished the job of Mrs Cliffords, had dinner with Eva and Violet went and got my money and came home.
24-9-: I worked about 4 hours at Arthurs Ford truck went to town and fixed S.C. Drapery window.
25-9-: Took things quietly in bed all day crook.
26-9-: I planed boards and mended the handle for Arthurs hand saw.
27-9-: Went up to the butchers for meat and saw Mrs Mac too.
28-9-: Took in my bit of stuff rained a little throughout the day (Tuesday) and looks like more.
29-9-: Worked up at Glovers job Teddy Mc Donald was with me.
30-9-: Worked up at Glovers got on fairly well considering what the job is and the material.
1-10-: Rode the bike to town and paid accounts and got a few things. Got home for dinner and went up to Gracemere. Changed the books and paid Black the £5 I owed him.
2-10-: I rode the bike round to Atkins to see about pumpkins got back and had dinner and read a book.
3-10-: I went up and worked at Glovers until dinnertime. Afternoon I worked at home.
4-10-: I went to town and did some bits of business. Afternoon I was at home.
5-10-: I got off early with my bit of stuff and after getting back home I had dinner and went back to load Arthurs truck with timber.
6-10-: I was up at 4 and lighted the fire and got Henry up 4.20 to g et ready to walk to town. I was at the shop at 6.30. We had refreshments and got off about 8. All went fairly well to what we call Coowonga hill when we got properly stuck up, had to retrace our tracks and unload it at a house near the station and came back to town, Lawrences man Federsen worked at it and got it back to the shop about 5.20.
7-10-: I went to town and loaded the truck with about 900 super feet of timber also sent out 2 lots with Henry and are getting the yard clear of our stuff at Strelows.
8-10-: Made the start for the Park and managed to pretty near our joint with the load, but failed to get the other stuff from Coowonga as the engine would only work with 3 cylinders so Arthur and son had to go home and Henry and I caught the train to Phi llip Street and got to our place on foot.
9-10-: At Emu Park I was taking things easy when Lucas came down with his wife and maid so I had to turn to and stick up a shelter for his car as I had promised. I was tired
10-10: Finished the floor of the 2 main rooms and the 24-foot wall except about 3 boards. Henry has to cart all the timber up the hill.
11-10: Put up some wall timber and other bits of jobs.
12-10: Put up some rafters and the hip for the kitchen part, also sheeted the end wall.
13-10: Put up a good lot of the ceiling and pretty nearly got the back part ready for the iron.
14-10: I spent the whole day putting panes in the sashes, tedious job too.
15-10: Worked at the verandah joists and putting the timber under the shelter. It is awfully windy. Went for a walk with Lucas across Humphries paddock trying to get the oysters but what all we got was a very tired feeling.
16-10: Spent the day with Billy Colls. Sharpened a handsaw for him and brought one back with me to do.
17-10: I finished placing the joists except one on the front and started to put up framing on the kitchen end.
18-10: Went across to the rubbish dump looking for iron rod or bolts to help with the job. Also saw Collsabout spraying the pear and put down a good bit of floor.
19-10: I got a 6.30 start and finished the floor at the back also sprayed pear.
20-10: Ripped timber and fixed a ladder for use in mending holes in the roof also put up a wall for kitchen on the verandah.
21-10: Mended holes in the roof it makes it quite a good job too.
22-10: I put up the facias and point on the front also put iron on the roof of the kitchen.
23-10: I bolted the iron on the roof of the kitchen, went and saw old Dan and took Colls saw back, stayed for tea. Henry went home per medium of Lucas. It was a beastly night last night rain blew all the length of the house. This morning first thing I placed a door up to block the blow. It is raining and looks as though it can continue forever.
24-10: Las t night it blew a gale. I was hunted all over the place trying to keep dry enough to sleep. The rain came right in the back way. I lost my next-door neighbours they went up by train this morning. I finished boarding with chamfer boards near the recess , made a door for the back and hung it, put on all the weather boards I could muster. Spent a lot of time also helping Pocock also put a lock on Graysons back door.
25-10: I managed to get the rest of the roof on the back hip and put the capping on, the en tire roof requires now is to be snipped a long right for the spouting. I then layed all the floor boards I had on the side verandah, put in 2 windows temporary fixed a place in Graysons house. Cut out places ready for the stays to go on under the house. I managed to run a nail up my foot an Monday and it has got pretty crook, Cap Waterson and his wife attended to it quite nicely before I went to bed.
26-10: I went up early and put the 6 stays on to the blocks and plates before breakfast. I then rested u ntil I could get hot water from Watersons. After breakfast I got the snips and cut the galvanised iron along the plate ready for the spouting, puttied Greysons door and put stops at it. Then cleared for going home tomorrow.
27-10: I got up and made a mug of cocoa and fixed up and mooched down to the station. Called and saw Daly and then went and got my bike and came home. Afternoon I went up and saw Mrs Mac and also Mrs Glover brought meat and came home.
28-10: I put 2 legs in chairs and then went to to wn on the bike and called at Strelows and then went across to Kalka to see about timber I then went to 6 houses looking for the man who deals in the timber. I had to arrange to go on Monday and see about getting some.
29-10: I was up early and went up to Gracemere and got the log to Macs gate, saw Thorsens and got some bits of wood from him for the ice chest.
30-10: I went in and bought 450 ft of super timber from Sheridan for £3/ 7/ 6 d Henry took the whole day to land less than a quarter of it home.
1 11-: I went in and helped Henry to load timber at the shop then I went down town ordered paint stuff and groceries at Denhams. Had awful go with the timber but it is all here now and also some of the old building.
2-11-: I went up and fixed Mc Donalds yard. Pudding Landerer was with me and also Teddy Mc Donald, it was a fairly warm day.
3-11-: Has turned out raining. Im afraid I wont get to the Park on Saturday. I worked at getting things ready for the Park
4-11-: I got fowls off to the sale at Elwings a nd went in and saw them sold, the black hens brought 4/- each and the rest including the leghorns 3/10d each. I like a fool went and bought stuff at a sale near the show grounds. Got home 5.30 had to load the truck, which took some time. As I had not h ad my dinner I was quite hungry for my tea.
5-11-: I was up early and tied the ropes on the timber and rode the bike to town, left it with the owner and caught the truck. We had a lively trip to the Park with the usual trouble at Coowonga hill. We however managed to get up the hill to the house. I was too tired to work at the building. We lost our potatoes, beet. Henry went back to look for them.
6-11-: I was pretty tired but went in to the town ship and saw a bloke named Chapman also went out to Colls after tea.
7-11-: We put up a scaffold and put the weatherboards on the side of the kitchen.
8-11-: Fixed the recess and Billy Colls came and helped us in with the stove.
9-11-: I ripped out several pieces of 3 x 2 and put up a shelf in the kitchen and other bits of jobs. Had a good bathe.
10-11: Fixed holes in the roof, put up the partition up too. Had another bathe.
11-11: Put up the rest of the partition made and hung 2 doors, had a good dip in the sea.
12-11: Put 12 panes of glass in windows put windows in the kitchen put Scotia round room, ripped stops etc.
13-11: A chap showed me my other allotment. I also went and saw old Mr Colls.
14-11: I put the 2 windows in Gardeners side also the window in the recess.
15-11: I put Scotia round the back room and fixed holes in the kitchen roof.
16-11: I layed the rest of the verandah on the front and side. I worked very hard too had a swim.
17-11: I fitted bits of timber on the verandah, fitted and hung the front door, put in 5 panes of glass. Also fixed holes in the side verandah roof with bolts etc. I felt crook about 5 o clock, but as I had started work at 5 this morning I suppose it was all right to knock off.
18-11: Worked at the front verandah roof bolted the iron down and fixed holes, also went and cut 2 saplings ad humped 1 home and the other 2 thirds of the way.
19-11: Put up a scaffold with the saplings etc, went fishing afternoon and caught over 50 whiting in less than an hour.
20-11: I went fishing also out to Thwaites fish trap and fished with lines. Afternoon although I beat Olly by 6 fish yesterday I was up by 8 today.
21-11: I was up at 5 and put a bit of weatherboard on the side of the house also stuck up the window shades, had our breakfast and caught the train home.
22-11: I finished the chair I started making yesterday and ripped out a lot of stuff with the circular saw also dressed most of it.
23-11: I ripped out silky oak for chairs also repaired a chair for Clara.
24-11: I went to town to see about a tank also across to Tom Johnson.
25-11: Worked at getting things ready for the Park.
26-11: Went to town for a nut for tank tap, came home and did various bits of things.
27-11: Got off to the Park 4.40 oclock and got off to Collsat 5.55. Spent the day with them had a good dip left the bike there and walked home.
28-11: I had to go to the station for my goods, which cost 2/1d to come from Gracemere.
29-11: Mixed paint and started to paint the front room.
30-11: Carried on with the painting.
1-12-: Puttied the ceiling and painted the whole room by 12.30.
2-12-: Painted another coat on the walls of the front room except the weatherboard that had only 2 coats.
3-12-: I went out to split rock with Colls in hi s boat for oysters. He opened them and I filled the bottles I filled 6 1/4 bottles. The wind was too strong for the engine and we had to cut across to Thwaites trap and leave the boat and walk the beach home. Arthur was there with the truckload of stuf f. I worked at the wardrobe all the afternoon till after 6 and rode the bike up as Henry told me that Dobbin was getting in to the pines. I got to the Rocky station 9.10. Having trouble with my front wheel made my trip a crook one.
4-12-: I took things very quietly all day. It was hot and I was knocked up completely.
5-12-: I fixed the fence and took things quietly.
6-12-: I started off for the Park about 4 and had a very rough trip. I had to walk 6 miles and got to my shanty 11 oclock.
7-12-: I painted the back room with oil and red oxide all but the weatherboard wall, which I am doing with vegetable black and oil with a little lead.
8-12-: I went and saw ODonnel about blocks for tank stand. Got him to bring 4, which he did for 15/-, I got them in too and leveled off the tops.
9-12-: I finished the stand and put up the tank and cemented the bottom.
10-12: I cemented the sides of the tank nearly cemented them twice.
11-12: I finished the cementing of the sides of the tank and went out to Colls and had a swim. Wrenched my knee and stayed with Colls until 11 when I went to my own place and got Henry off home.
12-12: I made the bottom of the tank thicker and painted the sides with pure cement and water. Also made a start to make a dresser.
13-12: I carried on with the dresser also cut out a manhole in the ceiling.
14-12: Put in a fake purloin and went out to Colls for my lead and carried back part of a stove for a mould but it was cracked when it got hot, so I could not do the sheet of lead for the roof. I finished the dresser. It has rained all the week.
15-12: I again painted the sides of the tank with cement also painted part of the kitchen wall with a bit of vegetable black etc, which I had left.
16-12: I put in a sort of vegetable stand, went out and saw Colls tidied up timber and got ready for home next morning.
17-12: Colls failed to turn up with fish and crabs as he promised and I was very disappointed. Possibly I left for the station too soon. I re sted until dinner and then I transplanted 106 rosellas. My knee is very sore and makes things rather awkward.
18-12: I read and rested about the home. There are plenty of weeds and grass about after the rain.
19-12: I measured up timber for Henry Thorsen and ripped out a lot of stuff for louvres also made a little chair for the kitchen.
20-12: I fixed up an old suitcase to hold stuff for the Park. Henry Thorsen came and paid me 30/- and promised to send 3/- down this evening. Went down to see Arthur, b ut he was in bed, so I had a yarn with Clara and came home and had dinner. It is very hot and Herby and Ken are off to the Park after we get rid of a few pines and mangoes. I hope to catch the train at North Rockhampton. I took pines etc in and sold to the people and caught the train at North Rockhampton Station and got down to the house safely.
21-12: Herby, Ken and I are now at the Park. We had a bathe and paddle also got on well with work. It seems promising for rain.
22-12: It rained and we failed to get a bathe. However we did a lot of painting etc. Both boys painted very well indeed when you consider their youngness.
23-12: We couldnt get on with much today. We took a stroll out to the rubbish dump and also out to Colls fish trap. Cleaned our paintbrushes in readiness to go home tomorrow. It has been a rainy day and is miserable all right.
24-12: We made an early start for the train and I took the boys to seethe jetty and gardens. We then went and got our tickets and got on board the train a nd came home. Fares from Emu Park to Rockhampton cost us 8/11d and it cost 7/3d to go down from North Rockhampton. It was raining when we left the Park and seems as though we could easily be in for a flood. Afternoon I put out 2 rosella plants 100 tom ato plants 32 papaw plants also sowed papaw seed.
25-12: I read all day. It was a fine day, which was more than we expected yesterday. Clara sent a present up for each of us.
26-12: I felt quite out of sorts but spent considerable time fixing chairs. I put Lewis to pulling grass, which he got on with very well.
27-12: I gathered tomatoes and pines, also set out a chair for Herby to make for himself. I am out of trim, my knee that I wrenched in the sea seems as though it is going to take time to get right . It was a very hot day too. I have very few pines going to ripe yet. Denny took a good load in to the floor I reckon. No doubt the motor trucks will fill the town with pines quick and lively this season. Let me reckon how many there are in around G racemere.

1 Wests. 2 Moore. 3 R.C Johnson. 4 Beard. 5 Broadhurst.
28-12: I did a bit of hoeing amongst pines. I am feeling sick and not up too much at all. I did a bit of ripping out of a pine plank.
29-12: Herby, Ken and I went in with the pines etc. It was hot and knocked me out. If only our tomatoes were good we could do all right. However we did pretty well considering.
30-12: I felt crook and my knee also. I was off work all day.
31-12: I ripped timber for purloins.

Memo Wages 1926 to 1927 £66 including board.

To keep our Kiddies from tears
Breakfast D Light we buy for the dears
If we use it much longer
Theyll all be far stronger
Than ever they have been for years.


There's a meal called Breakfast D Light
Which for children is very all right
It fills up their tummy
For which they thank mummy
And all go away full and tight.


If you would have a meal of
Get Breakfast D Light the best
And dodge all the rest
It is out on its own
To build flesh and bone
And will cause to eat the rest.


Written by Harry Elmar Johnson.