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WATT’s OF YALLOURN

This is the story of my grandfather, James Alexander (Jim) Watt, and his family who moved to Yallourn in the mid-1920’s.

Jim was born January 1899 in Pennan, a small fishing village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to fisherman John and Barbara (nee Wiseman). He lived with his three younger brothers – Ben, George and Andy. Sadly, Barbara died during her fifth pregnancy in 1908.

After Barbara’s death, John continued fishing then served with the Royal Navy (RN) during WW1. The children were cared for by relatives, friends and in a widowed seaman’s boarding school in Aberdeen. My grandfather Jim also joined the RN in 1917 after putting his age up one year to enlist. Both survived the war.

WATT’s OF YALLOURN

This is the story of my grandfather, James Alexander (Jim) Watt, and his family who moved to Yallourn in the mid-1920’s.

Jim was born January 1899 in Pennan, a small fishing village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to fisherman John and Barbara (nee Wiseman). He lived with his three younger brothers – Ben, George and Andy. Sadly, Barbara died during her fifth pregnancy in 1908.

Photo taken by H W Lynch at 24 Hillside of Mary, his wife, & his mother. This is the Lynch's second Yallourn house, having previously lived at 12 Maiden Street.

Photo's taken by H W Lynch of the 250 Ruston shovel. Two are of the erection of the shovel (6 February 1925) & two are of a subsequent accident involving the shovel whilst operating in the open cut, later in 1925.

These photo's were taken by H W Lynch on the 22 February 1925 of the now established garden at 12 Maiden Street. Mary Lynch, H W Lynch's wife is in the photo's.

The photos were taken on the 15 June 1924 and show Horace & Mary Lynch's house at 12 Maiden Street. Horace Lynch is establishing the front lawn.

A MEMORIAL  CAIRN AT HERNES OAK  - 1994

This is a photograph of Peter Scott and Dorothy Taylor unveiling a cairn in tribute to the community of Hernes Oak . The ceremony took place in 1994; and some 70 local people attended the special gathering.

Dorothy  Taylor (Squires) grew up in Hernes Oak and spent many happy years in that unique  small settlement. In later years, Dorothy recorded the memories of her life in a book entitled  ‘Across the Old Bush Track - a History of Hernes Oak/Haunted Hills.’

YALLOURN - YEAR BY YEAR - 1925

The first sod in the Victorian Government’s  ambitious scheme, to generate electricity at Yallourn, was turned almost a century ago (1921); and for the next six decades, the township of Yallourn ‘took root, bloomed, withered  and  died’….

“Yallourn was swallowed by the coal mine it was built to serve”… ‘The Herald Sun’ May 2016.

These  photos were part of montage  of pictures  about Yallourn in the ‘Weekly Times’ on 11th August 1943  under the headline of  ‘Yallourn War Workers’ 

The caption under this photograph of Yallourn State School reads: "Children at the State School who, with children at the High School, have put £ 1 382  into War Savings Certificates, and £462 into the War Relief Fund."

Caption: A gas producer attached to a Wolsley car, Yallourn, September 1943. Because of petrol rationing during World War II, many cars carried converters to allow their engines to run on gas made from charcoal.

Source: Museums Victoria. Reference: MM11102 September 1943.

The caption below the middle photograph above read: “WITHIN ONLY ONE HUNDRED YARDS OF THE POWER-HOUSE AT YALLOURN, this bush fire swept through timbered country yesterday. Only the change in the direction of the wind saved the township from destruction...” THE PAGE ONE ARTICLE ABOUT THE FIRES AT YALLOURN The article on the front page of the same newspaper read as follows: THREE-MILE FRONT OUTBREAK AT YALLOURN

When the Saints go Marching in - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

The Moon - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

The Drunken Sailor - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

Sinner Man - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

Sinner Man - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

Rocka my Soul - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

Ring de Banjo - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir

Old Black Joe - Track from "Music Theatre", the 1963 record made by the Yallourn High School Choir