Diary of a Bookkeeper - 1928

From diary of P. J. C. Wallace, who worked at Toganmain in 1928.

He was aged 62 (had served in the Boer War and recently retired from the army but still had dependent children, so needed to keep working).

Peter at door of Woolshed, Toganmain

Monday August 6th - Left home in Chelsea at 6.00 am. Baggage heavy. En route to Toganmain Station for the shearing (where I was 31 years ago - 1897). Train ran express from Spencer Street to Seymour, then up Goulburn Valley line to Tocumwal. Others (young fellows) in the carriage going to the shearing sheds in the Riverina. Took Tocumwal train to Narrandera at 1.40 (deadly journey for slowness). Reached Narrandera at nearly 9.00 pm. Left baggage at station. Got a bed at the 4th hotel I tried. 7/- for bed and breakfast at The Criterion. Home rations came in handy. To bed at 9.45 pm.

Tuesday August 7th - Maid brought in tea and biscuits at 7.15. Got up at 8.00, had breakfast. Went for a walk, killing time waiting for the Carrathool train which leaves at 11.15. At barbers and had a shave. Left for Carrathool. Young fellow, Frank Fraser, who is going to “Tog” in the same carriage. Got to Carrathool about 2.15 pm. Jack McBratney there with his 2 children (7 & 5 years of age). Met his wife and Miss Ross.

Saw Mac’s baby boy - 1 year old. Had afternoon tea. Back to shed in motor and filled mattress with hay.

Malcolm Cooper is my roommate. Rooms good. Iron bedstead. Mrs. McB lent me a quilted mattress.

Music at night (harp etc.). (P. J. C. played the mouth harp.)

Wednesday August 8th - At shearers’ hut, Toganmain. Still on rations I brought from home. J. McB took me up to an office and introduced me to the book keeper. I am getting the same job I had 31 years ago, weighing and branding bales and entering them up in the wool book. Toganmain has been reduced considerably - more than half. Only 25 shearers now instead of 72. Met the two pressers - O’Neill and White. We started work about 10.00 on wool already in shed. Motor came for us to sign on. Others up at roll call. Back to shed. Worked all day. Completed 33 bales of wool. Had first meal here about 6 pm. Enjoyed it - tucker good and plenty of it. Gave them some more harp music at night and Highland March with other fellows. Slept well.

Thursday August 9th - Up before 7.00. Shearing starts today. Breakfast and at shed by 7.30. Two-hour runs with half an hour for smoko. One hour for dinner. Only 25 bales put through today. Met the owner, who complimented me on my book and figures. Met some Wangaratta men here who remembered me - A. Ferguson (an expert), Sullivan (shearer), and Gambold, a nephew of G. T. Gambold of Everton. There are only two men and Jack McB who were on the station when I was here in 1897. Labor Organiser holding forth at night but did not go in.

Friday August 10th - Shearing started at 7.30. Run to 9.30 then smoko, run from 10 to 12. Dinner 12 to 1.

Run from 1 to 3, smoko, run from 3.30 to 5.30. Cakes and tea at each smoko - black tea always. Coffee in the morning has condensed milk. 41 bales of wool today. Tired at night. Went to bed early. Got first letter from home. Weather fine here, frosts in the morning. Had a yarn to Ferguson, the machine expert. He is a son of the Ferguson who used to keep the “Bull’s Head” hotel in Wangaratta. 99 bales of wool so far.

Saturday August 11th - Am a bit stiff today but we knock off at 12. Two loads of wool went away. 17 horses in one wagon and 15 in the other. Wrote to wife after lunch and walked up to station store - closed.

Couldn’t post letter or get cigarettes. Children’s party on, about a dozen cars there. Jackaroos playing polo in the distance but didn’t go over. Back at huts. Got cigarettes from Indian hawker who runs motor waggon with goods. Had tea reading Argus I got from Peterson, the engine driver. He used to be in Wangaratta when I first went down there. Gave them some music in the dining room afterwards. Some of the shearers playing cards until 3 o’clock Sunday morning.

Sunday August 12th - Up at 8. Writing up big clip book for 1928 clip. J.W. McBratney called. He asked me up for tea tonight. Fine day. Had lunch, shave, and put on grey suit. Went up after 5. Had tea and yarn. Back to huts about 9.40. Sent my letter in to Carrathool by one of the men. To bed after 10.

Monday August 13th - At work by 7.30. Tucker still good and plentiful. Busy day. 53 bales branded and booked - had to keep going. Tired at night. Papers arrived from home, also some for the mess from the newsagent. Reading them at night and adding up wool weights. 29 tons of wool up to bale 176.

Tuesday August 14th - Not quite so busy today as lambs slowed us up. Only 40 bales - 215 the total to 5.30 tonight. Tired at night. Have good lights in huts. In my room, Cooper and I have a lamp each (bracket tin lamps which hang on the wall if required). Will get to bunk early tonight. Finished a week’s work today. Worked at books late, so did not go to bed early.

Wednesday August 15th - Fine day. Shearing at 7.30. Gave Mr. Robertson a letter to post home. Got letters from family. Got papers. Busy all day. Writing up books at night. 45 bales pressed and branded. That lot is worth over £1,000! Reading papers in bed.

Thursday August 16th - 47 bales today. Gave the hut some music at night. Some of the fellows tried to stepdance, but it was very crude. They invaded my room, and I had to keep the harp going. Read papers in bed.

Friday August 17th - Fine day. Shearers going all day. 46 bales today. Got another letter from home with freesia in it. Hair wash arrived, and papers. Was glad to get acknowledgment from Ulm for verses (he had written a poem about Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm after their trans-Pacific flight). Had some more music at night.

Saturday August 18th - Half day today. Only 17 bales this morning. Knocked off at 12 and had dinner. Intend having a bath and doing some washing. Has dancing girl which I made going at night. (He used to put on shows with “dancing dolls” - like a puppeteer, made from cardboard.)

Sunday August 19th - Wrote to family. Dull, windy, and dusty. Did not go from quarters. Reading papers. Sent part of diary home. Made a dancing man.

Monday August 20th - Breakfast at 7, shearing at 7.30. Working all day. Got letter from wife with pension. Endorsed it and wrote short note sending it back. Gave it to Mr. Dawes, the wool classer, to post in box at homestead. Tired. 47 bales today.

Tuesday August 21st - Same routine at shed. Got shot of Mr. Robertson branding rams. 3 wagons went away with 197 bales - over 33 tons weight, 17 horses in one wagon, others almost as many. 55 bales pressed today. Quiet night.

Wednesday August 22nd - At sheds, same routine and hard graft. 52 bales pressed today. Have a touch of a cold. Got papers from home. Quiet night.

Thursday August 23rd - Have a slight cold. 55 bales today. Wagons returned empty after delivering wool at railway. Rain came on. Shearers knocked off early as it was too dark. Got Argus from Peterson. Brought out harp again. It has had a spell. Dressed and painted young Simpson as a flapper. Raining at night.

Friday August 24th - Sheep in shed all night and quite dry. Working all day. Wagons loading up wool. Ground muddy like Broadmeadows - sticks to boots in large cakes. 45 bales today - we are now over 600. Working on books at night. Got letters from home. To bed at 11.30.

Saturday August 25th - Shearers arrived at 7.30 but sheep wet, and they knocked off. We pressed a few bales. With Mr. Dawes, the classer, in the wool room. He interested in comparing my books of 31 years ago with this years book. Wrote letter home. Hope to get it posted. Fine day - everything fresh after rain. Wagons left with 182 bales of wool. Sent letter for home to Carrathool. Went for a walk up past station to little cemetery. Mr. Broad who was manager when I was last here is buried there. Saw fellows from shed in boat. Cut initials on tree. Called at pumping house, saw old Paddy Gibney - 97 years old - working engine. He lived in Wangaratta over 50 years ago and worked at sheds where Dan Kelly and Steve Hart were picking up the wool. Jack McB came and asked me up tonight. Took dancing dolls up and gave the kids a treat. Jack worked the strings on the dancers. Had yarn and a whisky. Got papers to read and back at huts. Am to go up for lunch tomorrow and out in the car.

Sunday August 26th - Went up to Mac’s. Took snap of Mrs. Mac and daughter on horseback. Went over to polo ground and watched jackaroos play polo. Back to Mac’s. Took lots of snaps of children with Mrs. Mac’s camera. Had lunch. Out in car with Jack, Miss Ross, and two children. Went miles over the property. “Red Gate” is an out-station - about 6 men live there. Back to huts, wrote some letters.

Monday August 27th - C. White, the presser, ill. Paddy O’Neill got one of the shearers to take his place. Busy day. Tired at night. Sent letters.

Tuesday August 28th - C. White back at work. Put out 35 bales today. Tired. Put on dancers at night.

Wednesday August 29th - C. White at work but ill at dinnertime. I helped P. O’Neill some of the time. White very bad, looks like “flu” and pleurisy to me. Tired. Put out 47 bales today. Letters from family. Had little music at night. Back aching very much, so rubbed it with eucalyptus and camphor. Hot, sultry, and windy day.

Thursday August 30th - C. White ill, sent away to Sydney. Rouseabouts on the woolpress in the morning. Gambold took it on in the afternoon. Gave O’Neill White’s tally of cwt’s pressed. Wool went away. Tired.

Friday August 31st - Les Gambold on woolpress. Put through 46 bales. Last number 848. Will finish under 5 weeks I think. Got letter from wife. Youngest daughter also sent a note and wants a lamb! In hut at night reading papers. Took harp into dining room and soon had buck dancing going. To bed later than usual.

Saturday September 1st - Polling Day for Prohibition. No shearing. Wrote to wife. Working all morning at big book and got wool weights entered up. Went up to station and got cigarettes at office. Back at hut - printed apron to have photo taken. Men came home from voting - anyone could tell on which side they voted. Went to bed early.

Sunday September 2nd - Did washing at 8 and put it out. Got onto big wool book and added it up in cwt’s, gr’s, and lb’s from bale 1 to bale 848. Head just ratty. Worked all day and after tea at it.

Monday September 3rd - Still going strong. Sent letter home with Bank Order in it. Tired. Mrs. R and’s friends at shed.

Tuesday September 4th - Wagon loading wool. Letters from family. Heavy day - 55 bales. Wrote up big book at night. Tired.

Wednesday September 5th - Still going strong with the shearing. 62 bales today - most yet! Now past the 1,000 mark. Letters and newspapers arrived.

(He was there longer than this, but the rest of the diary is lost.)