My Family - Early Years

Page 2

 

More family, friends and events in my life in my early years

 

The COLQUHOUN side of my family

 

 

My grandfather, Robert Colquhoun.

 

Pop was a great old man. He was a happy, friendly, easy going, wonderful man. He would do anything for you.

As you see him is as he was. Pop was a hard worker. He came to Australia from Scotland in 1912. His parents worked at the Taabinga Homestead.

Pop worked a lot of his life as a truck driver for a company called Luya Julius. When I was aware of his work, he was carrying goods from the railhead at Yarraman to Kingaroy, then delivering them around Kingaroy.

He used to sing songs like, "You Take the High Road", "Roamin in the Gloamin" and "Danny Boy".

 

 

When I was young, he taught me to say, "It's a brau bricht moonlit nicht tonict, but it's alright ye ken" or similar spelling.

 (Since I wrote this, I tracked down what it was he was singing and the titles of the songs. I wasn't far out with the spelling.)

 

Below are three of the songs from this site - Traditional Scottish Songs - Index

 

                          Wee Deoch an Doris

There's a good old Scottish custom that has stood the test o'time,
It's a custom that's been carried out in every land and clime.
When brother Scots are gathered, it's aye the usual thing,
Just before we say good night, we fill our cups and sing...

Chorus
Just a wee deoch an doris, just a wee drop, that's all.
Just a wee deoch an doris afore ye gang awa.
There's a wee wifie waitin' in a wee but an ben.
If you can say, "It's a braw bricht moonlicht nicht",
Then yer a'richt, ye ken.

Now I like a man that is a man; a man that's straight and fair.
The kind of man that will and can, in all things do his share.
Och, I like a man a jolly man, the kind of man, you know,
The chap that slaps your back and says, "Jock, just before ye go..."

Chorus

Meaning of unusual words:
deoch an doris=Gaelic for a drink at the door, a last (?) farewell drink
aye=always
but and ben=a two-roomed cottage
ken=know

                            Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomon'
Where me and my true love were ever wont tae gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'

Chorus
Oh you tak' the high road and I'll tak the low road
An' I'll be in Scotland afore ye,
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'

Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen.
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomon',
Where in purple hue, the hielan' hills we view,
An' the moon comin' out in the gloamin'.

Chorus

The wee birdies sing, and the wild flowers spring,
While in sunshine the waters are sleepin'
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring again,
Tho' the waefu' may cease free their greetin'.

Chorus
Meaning of unusual words:
braes=hillsides
gae=go
gloamin'=twilight
waefu'=woeful

             Roamin' in the Gloamin'

I've seen lots of bonnie lassies travellin' far and wide,
But my heart is centred noo on bonnie Kate McBride;
And altho' I'm no a chap that throws a word away,
I'm surprised mysel' at times at a' I've got to say

Chorus:
Roamin' in the gloamin' on the bonnie banks o' Clyde,
Roamin' in the gloamin' wi' ma lassie by ma side,
When the sun has gone to rest, that's the time that I like best,
O, it's lovely roamin' in the gloamin'!

One nicht in the gloamin' we were trippin' side by side.
I kissed her twice, and asked her once if she would be my bride;
She was shy, and so was I, we were baith the same,
But I got brave and braver on the journey comin' hame.


Chorus:

Last nicht efter strollin' we got hame at half-past nine.
Sittin' at the kitchen fire I asked her to be mine.
When she promised I got up and danced the Hielan' Fling;
I've just been to the jewellers and I've picked a nice wee ring.


Chorus:

Meaning of unusual words:
gloamin'=twilight

 

Pop died of complications from a stroke in 1975. He had been having problems with bladder cancer at the time of the stroke.

He was 74.

The photo above was taken in his backyard in about 1965 - 66. He was with my Grandmother until he died.

 

My grandmother,  Myrtle May Haley Colquhoun.

 

The photo below of my grandmother and my Aunty Fay must have been taken on the same day as the one above of Pop.

My grandmother was born in 1910. Her maiden name was Myrtle May Haley Barkle.

She was born in the year Halley's Comet came across our part of the universe. 

She worked for many years at the Kingaroy Peanut Silos.

She loved betting on the horses and her winnings paid for many holidays. She never gave up thinking that she would win "big money" sometime and pay for new carpet or a lounge.

I was her pet and spent a lot of time with her. She helped me through my first marriage break up.

She was 84 when she died.

She accidentally did something silly and strained her heart. She was a healthy woman otherwise.

 

Fay, my father's sister, married John Colhoun.

A COLQUHOUN married a COLHOUN. They live in Hervey Bay.

Fay and John had 4 boys - Robert, Greg, Barry and Scott.

 

Dad has another sibling, a brother, Barry.

Barry married Jill Woods from Wooroolin, Queensland. Barry and Jill have two children, Diana and Lisa.

 

In the photo below is, from left to right, my brother Russell, my cousin Greg Colhoun, and his hand is on a neighbour of the time, Peter Coombes. Next to Greg is his brother, another of my cousins, Barry, and in front of Barry is another cousin, Scott.
Behind Barry is my sister, Karen.

Greg, was living in Gladstone and engaged to be married in about 1974 - 75 and while travelling from Gladstone to Rockhampton for a football match was killed along with three of his mates. A bus travelling in the other direction ran over the top of them after the car in which they were travelling, blew a tyre on the drivers side, after hitting a large hole in the highway.

Barry, was last heard of living in Newcastle, NSW.

Scott, is living in Hervey Bay with his wife Erja and boys, Cameron, Shane and Zachary. I last saw Scott in 1998.

Not shown on this page is Robert, my other cousin from the Colhoun family. He lives near Gladstone with his second wife Leonie and two daughters, Cherie and Chantelle.

 

The photo below would be of the same vintage as the photos above, 1966 - 67.
It is taken in the backyard of my parents place. Life was a lot simpler then!

 

 

 

My sister Karen is living in Toowoomba, Queensland with her husband Neil. They had 3 children. Scott, Tony and Ashley.
Like mum, Karen had a child who died just after birth, Ashley.
At the time of writing (11/2002), both Scott and Tony are living in Toowoomba too.

(10/05/2008 - UPDATE: Karen, Neil and Scott now live in Denman, New South Wales and Tony is married to Theresa, expecting a baby and lives in Brisbane)

 

My brother Russell is now living in Gladstone, Queensland with his wife Janelle, and his 2 children, Andrew and Michelle.

 

The last time I saw Peter Coombes was in 1974. He moved to Southport and I have lost contact with him.

 

 

 

Last Updated : 27/03/2009 01:12 PM +1000