Sister Mary Thomas, the Mother Superior of St Joseph’s convent when it opened in Mount Isa, had a large influence on my life.
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She had a late vocation, because she nursed her mother until her death, after which she told her father she wished to become a Nun.
He must have been a man of some means because he told her to take a trip around the world, and then if she still wished to become a Nun, she would have his blessing – this she did.
Sister Thomas, as she was known, was a dedicated teacher who demanded extremely high standards of her pupils.
She believed quite sincerely that a well-constructed bamboo cane, used with force to the backs of boys’ legs, would ensure they came up with correct answers to maths questions.
I still remember Fat Jim with his legs almost bleeding, but as far as I could observe, no improvement in his maths.
Fifty years after the event, I asked Fat Jim if he remembered Sister Thomas and her cane.
Jim replied with much feeling, ”When you mention her name the backs of my legs feel the pain again!”
Because I was rather good at Maths and English, was Captain of the Rugby League team, and one of the best runners and jumpers in the town, I became the Teacher’s Pet.
This became even more pronounced when under the strong influence of Sister Thomas, I announced my intention to become a priest.
Sister Thomas was determined I should attend a Boarding School after I completed the Scholarship at the end of 1933: this state wide examination was set in those days for all pupils at the end of their Seventh Grade year.
She managed to have Downlands Christian Brothers College in Toowoomba agree to educate me without fees.
They had opened their doors in 1932, and after hearing of my scholastic ability (probably exaggerated by Sister Thomas), my skills in sports, plus my vocation for the priesthood, they considered me to be a student worthy of their school.
My father, although a Roman Catholic by birth, did not believe in the Church’s teachings.
When told of the offer by Downlands College, he hit the roof, and said he would send me to a boarding school, provided it was not Roman Catholic.
This did not appeal to me, and my mother was opposed to the idea.
So this was my situation, just a couple of weeks short of my fifteenth birthday.
My father believed Sister Thomas had exerted undue influence on me, as far as my vocation was concerned.
She was a really strong personality, so he was probably correct in this assumption.
Always an avid reader, I started reading books dealing with religious matters, which caused me to re-examine my religious beliefs.
Quite quietly when I was barely seventeen years, I lost my faith and ceased going to Mass.
I have not been back since.
I was not consulted, which was my father’s way, when I was told I was to start work in the Assay Office, which was under the control of a friend of my father, Percy La Gerche, a small man of French extraction.
Just prior to this, in November 1933, the workers at Mount Isa Mines went on strike for more pay.
This proved to be a most unwise decision, as the Mine was operating at a significant loss because of depressed metal prices.
The American General Manager, Julius Kruttschnitt, acted promptly, and declared the Mine closed indefinitely.
This came as a shock to the workers, but at least this decision enabled them to leave town and seek work.
What was at first a ‘strike’, became a ‘lockout’, and this changed the situation.
While it was a strike, they were bound to stay in the Town, in keeping with Trade Union rules.
The strike/lockout ended after two months, when the company offered work at a slightly lower rate than that which applied prior to the action.
It is not really surprising that the Union Leader after this no longer seemed to have the confidence of the workers!
So with work resuming, I was able to start work on the 8th January 1934, nine days after my fifteenth birthday.
My pay was just thirty shillings (30/-) a week.
I soon found that Percy La Gerche, for reasons best known to himself, had a strong dislike of me which he did not attempt to hide.
My duties were those of a Junior Labourer, breaking coal and coke, cutting and caring wood for the furnace, washing beakers, and general labouring duties.
Still under the influence of the Church, with my feelings and wants more or less ignored by my father, it was a bleak part of my life.
After working for one year I approached Percy La Gerche in his office, seeking an increase in my pay.
He was most annoyed, stood up behind his desk shaking with rage, and demanded, “How much increase are you looking for?”
When I suggested ten shillings (10/-), he snorted and said, “I’ll see if I can get you an extra five bob a week.”
That was the increase I received.
From the time I started work I paid to my mother five shillings per week, to assist with the household expenses. Even as a mall boy, from about ten years, I used to make money by various means.
Selling beer bottles, which had to be washed and carried a couple of miles for one penny each and selling newspapers to the butchers also brought in cash. My mind boggles when I think of butchers wrapping meat in newspaper, which could have, and often had been, in strange places.
Researched by Kim-Maree Burton.
www.kimmareeburton.com
Photographs supplied by North Queensland History Collection. Further extracts from George Beard’s memoirs will be regularly featured in the History Page of the North West Star.
This is an extract from ‘The Long, Long Road – Isa to the Burma Railway and Back’ written by George Beard (founder of Playtime stores) and reproduced here with kind permission of the Beard Family.