Beryl Henshaw's story Part 2

BERYL HENSAW’S STORY – Part two

In Part 1, Beryl told me how she came to Australia; but how did she get to Barraba?

Beryl finished school, started work, married and started a family. She had four children, three boys and a girl. The family established themselves in Brisbane. Time moved on and Beryl divorced. She remarried to Bill, a retired Army Veteran. They decided they would like to live away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in some quiet country town. They came to Manilla (Bill had some connections to the area) to look at possible houses for sale. Nothing suitable there at that time, but it was suggested they have a look in Barraba. They immediately found just the sort of home they were looking for, comfortable and quite close to all essential services; so, they bought it. Beryl still lives there. At that time (1981) the Woodsreef Mine was winding down, and there were good houses available at very good prices, as the former employees of the mine left Barraba to find employment in other places.

Beryl and Bill created a nice home for themselves and became part of the Barraba community. When Beryl’s father died in 1996, her mother came to live in Barraba near Beryl, and, as she became less able, moved to Richardson House. Bill died in 2011, and Beryl remained involved in the community she had made her own.

Today, now Beryl is over ninety years of age and needs a bit more support, she reluctantly decided that now is time to move closer to family. She will be moving soon to a granny flat at her daughter Cheryl’s Brisbane home – still quite independent, but with support at hand.

Now Beryl reflects on her time in Barraba: “When I first thought about my time in Barraba, I thought ‘nothing much has changed’ – but thinking further, a lot has changed in forty-four years.” For instance – she listed some of the services she remembers were here in 1981 when they arrived:

3 banks

3 pubs

2 supermarkets

2 butchers

2 hairdressers

2 permanent police

men’s barber

taxi

dry cleaning depot

courthouse

“There seemed to be so much more going on in the Community,” she said. “Lots of voluntary groups, regular festivals, large markets, deb balls – lots of people about and involved in lots of local things.” We reflected, as older people do, that the world had changed. People seem busier, they don’t go out as much, there is a lack of volunteers for community organisations, there doesn’t seem to be so many families around.

Beryl says she will be sad to go – she will miss walking the short distance to the shops, knowing and greeting everyone. And when she gets to the café, before she has settled in, there is her preferred coffee on the table in front of her!

Farewell Beryl, thanks and good luck.