Maurice James Gorman

BIRTH & BAPTISM Maurice James Last name Gorman Sex Male Birth year 1917 Birth place Trafalgar Father's name Walter James Mother's name Elizabeth Minnie Richardson Registration number 7874 State Victoria Country Australia [Maurice is a twin with Elva May] Maurice and Elva were born at Childers. Births were registered at Trafalgar.

Name: Maurice Jas Gorman Birth Registration Date: 1917 Birth Registration Place: Victoria, Australia Father: Walt Jas Gorman Mother Maiden Name: Richardson Reference Number: 7874 [Maurice was named for his uncle, Maurice Gorman, killed at Lone Pine, Gallipoli by a sniper. 'James' is an inheritance from the Gormans in Kilkenny, Ireland, which continues in all generations and most branches of descendants.]

ELECTORAL ROLL In 1924 Walter Gorman, timber worker, and Elizabeth Minnie, are at Nayook, near Neerim, so we should assume that the children, including 7 yr old Maurice and Elva, are there too.

West Gippsland Gazette 3 June 1930 SIX TWINS SING! People generally have to listen when twins are about, and when three sets of them are together, the people sit up. It happened at Childers the other night, when the people not only sat up, but applauded right royally. For the three sets of twins sang in harmony at the children's anniversary of the Childers Methodist church. They were Morris and Elva Gorman, Maud and Kitty Farley, Jim and Will Wells. [Maurice and Elva were 13yrs old.]

In 1931 Maurice said he was taken from school at age 13yrs to pick and carry potatoes. He regretted his lost education his whole life, and the 'bad back' caused by lumping bags of potatoes when his body had not achieved full strength. But it was the Great Depression and small farmers struggled to make a living. Walter valued learning like all his family so he probably didn't make the decision lightly. Thorpdale and Childers were famous for their potatoes and no doubt the Gormans, Divers and Tilgners were growing them for market. Maurice might have earned his family 4 pence a bag digging spuds, but less for carrying them..
From Jim Tilgner
"To fully record the changes [in potato farming] from almost 100% hand labour to almost 100% mechanisation is a subject on its own. Quite early in the 1900s the "Eureka" planter (pricker type) and the "Eclipse" digger were in the district. However most of the potatoes were dropped behind the plough.and dug by hand. Four pence to dig a four bushell (200lb) bag was the going rate in 1904. (1974, 70c-$1 to pick up 3 bushells - 150lb)
There were tractors in the area from 1920 but it was not untilafter World War 11 that these became commonplace."

1939 Electoral Roll, Walhalla: Maurice James Gorman, mill hand, is at Hill End. [I think he was working at Arthur Hutchinson's (Hutchie's) mill at Hill End]

WW2 - 2nd AIF Name: Maurice James Gorman Birth Date: 16 Mar 1917 Birth Place: Trafalgar Victoria Year Range: 1939 - 1948 Enlistment Place: Caulfield Victoria Service Number: VX13411 Spouse: J Gorman Series Description: B883: Army, 2nd Al F [He was in the 7th Division and served in Egypt, 'Palestine', Syria and Lebanon against Vichy French and their German allies.]

At enlistment Maurice was living with his parents at Hill End, and, I believe, working in saw mills. He gave his occupation as "handle man" and was aged 23yrs &1mnth. His father, Walter, is described as a " Bible student", living at Hill End. The enlistment took place in Area 52A on 17 April 1940. He was passed fit for service in class 1 at Trafalgar. Maurice embarked for overseas in HMAT S2 on 15 Sept 1940 with the 2/8th Battn. March 1941 saw him marched out of 19th Infantry Bttn and into HQ AIF Reinf. Depot where he was taken on the strength. He undertook training with AIF (ME) of Mechs and was graded Grp III Storeman. Maurice undertook ongoing training as mechanic and driver in the Mechanical Engineering branch of the AIF and was promoted to Trade Gp II Mechanic in 1941. In 1942 he embarked at Suez for the return to Australia when the government recalled troops for the defence of Australia and was made up to Acting Corporal. Marched out (Melb) to Queensland to HQ Qld, L of C Area Training Depots at Warwick. In December transferred to Grovely. More training. Promoted Sergeant. More training. Moved to Seymour VIC. More training, got married. Detached to 1 MTTD, trans to 3 Aust MTTD where he is on the staff for most of 1944, frequently detached to units in Grovely, and moving often between Bonegilla and Camp Pell. He was posted to Camp Pell when approved for discharge on 17 Oct 1945 at Royal Park with a final rank of Acting Staff Sergeant in the 3 AUST. MTTD (Motor Transport Training Depot) at HQ AIF (ME) Refts Depot. Maurice served a total of 2002 days on active service, 569 overseas in the Middle East, and 1285 in Australia. He was given War Badge #A167435.

2/8 Battalion
The 2/8th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army that served during World War II. Raised as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force at Melbourne, Victoria on 30 October 1939, the 2/8th was initially attached to the 17th Brigade, 6th Division. It was later transferred to the 19th Brigade and with this formation the battalion saw action in Egypt, Libya, Greece and Crete before returning to Australia. A period of garrison duty in Darwin followed in 1942–1943, after which the battalion concentrated with other 6th Division units on the Atherton Tablelands, remaining there throughout 1943–1944. In late 1944, the battalion was sent to New Guinea to fight the Japanese as part of the Aitape–Wewak campaign. The battalion was disbanded at Puckapunyal on 14 December 1945.
[Maurice transferred from the 2/8th in March 1941, after which time he was attached to the HQ Reinforcement Unit.]

Narracan Shire Advocate and Yallourn Brown Coal Mine, Walhalla and Thorpdale Lines Echo 20 Sept 1940
Mrs. F. C. Robinson (secretary to The Moe District Farewell and Welcome Home Committee) has received
from Driver M. J. Gorman (Balcombe Camp) a letter in which he expresses his thanks for the presentation
(wallet and £l-note sent to him) by the residents. He also expresses the hope that he will be among the
number to attend the welcome home extended to the Moe " boys."

During World War 2 there was a large military camp in the Royal Park, Melbourne called Camp Pell. It tended to be used as a transit camp for American service men. It was initially known as Camp Royal Park but was renamed to Camp Pell in honour of Major Floyd Pell of the 33rd Pursuit Squadron USAAC.

In 1940, Maurice was at Balcombe Camp.
With the declaration of World War 2 in 1939, the Australian Army decided to use the Balcombe Estuary area at Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula as a training ground. In 1940 The Army 4th Division took over the area and including trainees, numbered about 3000 personnel. Late in 1940 the Commonwealth Government purchased 209 acres from the Graves, Ostberg and Henty Families to establish a permanent camp.

According to the book "To Kokoda and Beyond" many of the men stationed at Balcombe Army Camp volunteered to join the 39th Battalion which fought on the Kokoda Trail.
[There is a pic of the motor transport being inspected at Balcolme, and this would have been Maurice's unit at that time.]

While many of the 7th Division were on the Kokoda Track, Maurice was at the Kensington Depot and, I think, perhaps living at Camp Pell.
Camp Pell was located in Royal Park in the suburb of Parkville in Melbourne. The original gate guard shelters are still there, but the site is now covered with netball/basketball facilities and the new hockey stadium which will be used for the 2006 Commonwealth games. The Australian Army took over Camp Pell when the Americans moved out in 1942 and it became an Australian Army Leave and Transit Depot. It seems to have been provided shoddy accommodation at the best of times.

I found this about the 7th Division on Quora.com, from Guy Hosking. The 7th division was unlucky enough to be commanded by a General in John Lavarack who the overall AIF commander in North Africa, Gen Thomas Blamey disliked intensely. It was held back in early 1941 while first the 6th and then the 9th divisions went into action in the expectation that it would be the main Australian force in the planned mission to support Greece but Blamey worked behind the scenes to ensure that that honour went to the 6th division. It was expected that the 7th would join the Greek campaign later but it was so disastrous that never happened. Instead, the 7th found itself spearheading the Syria/Lebanon campaign against Vichy France in June 1941. Such was the level of censorship imposed on the campaign by the British high command as they did not want anyone to know about the intensity of the fighting, the division named themselves the “Silent Seventh”. Of course, the British had had no qualms in exploiting the propaganda value of the 9th Division holding out against Rommel in Tobruk or of the earlier victories of the 6th against the Italians.

The Syria/Lebanon campaign was an embarrassment to the British because the Vichy put up much more resistance than expected. The public in Britain and Australia did not want to know that their men were losing their lives at the hands of the French. The 7th suffered 1,500 casualties in the campaign with over 400 killed. The level of Vichy resistance had had a lot to do with French resentment at the number of dead sailors lost during the British destruction of the fleet at Mers el Kebir. It is hard to understand why their subsequent level of resolve was repeatedly underestimated in conflicts such as the Battle of Dakar in 1940 and then in Syria and Lebanon. In mid-July 1942 an armistice came into effect and the division was employed on garrison duties along the coastal zone, headquartered in Tripoli.

The 7th returned to Australia in 1942 where it fought with distinction in New Guinea. It never achieved the level of fame of the 9th division. Blamey ensured Lavarack was transferred to an administrative job for the remainder of the war. [Maurice did not go to New Guinea but was in Qld and Vic in training roles with the Headquarters Brigade. Most reportage is about infantry brigades rather than support branches like Engineers, Supply etc]

Maurice and his brothers are recorded on the memorial at Trafalgar RSL. [Maurice's uncle, Paddy (Henry Everard) Gorman, also enlisted for WW2, despite having returned from WW1 with his body full of shrapnel fragments. He joked that he had to go to look after Maurice, but it was 17 year old Paddy who stood at the graveside burial of his elder brother Maurice at Shell green, Gallipoli, so perhaps he wasn't joking after all and this living namesake of his brother was precious to him.]

Live Wire 13 May 1942
B.C.M. NEWS
Topical Notes From The Hill
Pte. Gorman who recently returned from the Middle East has been staying with relatives at Cook's Estate.
[The Cooks were his cousins via Diver family. Maurice' grandmother was formerly Rose Diver]

Morwell Advertiser Thu 6 Aug 1942
ENGAGED Irene Winifred, second eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs W. V. Mills, "Mountain View," Coalville, to Corporal M.J. (A.I.F.) eldest son of Mr and Mrs W. Gorman, of Brown Coal Mine.

Narracan Shire Advocate and Yallourn Brown Coal Mine, Walhalla and Thorpdale Lines Echo 31 Jul 1942
The engagement is announced of Irene Winifred, second eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. V. Mills,
Mountain! View," Coalville, to Corporal Maurice J. Gorman (A.I.F., recently returned from the Middle
East), eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Gorman, Brown Coal Mine (late of Hill End).

MARRIAGE Name: Maurice Jas Gorman Gender: Male Marriage Registration Year: 1943 Marriage Registration Place: Victoria, Australia Spouse: Irene W'fred Mills Reference Number: 10128

Narracan Shire Advocate and Yallourn Brown Coalmine, Walhalla and Thorpdale Lines Echo 28 May 1943
Double Wedding.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Moe, was the scene of a double wedding on Saturday afternoon, May 22. Rev. J,. Fraser Sutherland, of Warragul, officiated.
Relatives and friends of the two brides had decorated the church with chrysanthemums and African marigolds,
while a large white bell was suspended above the bridal parties. The brides were Gladys Horsnell and Irene Winifred, the eldest daughters of Mr and Mrs W. V. Mills, of Mountain View, Coalville. They walked on either side of their father up the aisle, as the Bridal March was being played.
Miss Gladys Mills was married to Mr Alfred Obeth, only son of Mr and Mrs O. Obeth, of " The Two-mile,"
Moe. She was frocked in off-white embossed cloque, which had a cluster of orange blossom at the vee neck,
and a short divided basque over the skirt which fell into a long train. A halo of orange blossom buds held in
place the long tulle veil (loaned by her sister-in-law, Mrs Laurence Mills, Moe) and she carried a shower bouquet of white azaleas and carnations.
As matron-of-honor, Mrs J. Blood (sister of the bridegroom) was daintily frocked in blue taffeta, trimmed with
pink rosebud lovers' knots, and she wore a shoulder-length blue tulle veil with top-knot of small pink flowers
matching her bouquet of pink carnations and roses. Mr Arnold Mills (brother of the bride) acted as. best man.
Miss Irene Mills was married to Sergeant Maurice James Gorman (A.I.F., returned from the Middle East and the North), eldest son of Mr and Mrs W. J. Gorman, of Brown Coal Mine (formerly of Hill End). She wore a magnolia satin bridal gown, the gathered bodice being finished with ruching at the high neckline, and the skirt falling into a long train. The lovely embroidered veil was held to her held by a dainty coronet of orange-blossom buds, and her bouquet was of white azaleas and carnations.
Miss Jessie Mills (sister of the bride) was bridesmaid. Her frock was of pretty pink spotted-net over taffeta,
with which she wore a shoulder-length pink tulle veil, and carried a bouquet of pink roBes and carnations.
The bridegroom was supported by his uncle, Mr H. (" Paddy") Gorman, of Childers, who was a member of the
1st A.I.F., and, in the present war, was in the Middle East, wounded, and since discharged.
As flower girl, the brides' tiny niece (Ann Mills) was frocked in blue net over pink taffeta, and carried a basket
of pastel-shaded flowers.
The short notice of Sgt. Gorman's leave and the fact that these are austerity times were responsible for the brides wearing frocks which were kindly loaned by a sister-in-law (Mrs Stan Mills, of Moe) and an aunt (Mrs
A. Horsnell, of Coalville), the latter's magnolia satin gown being accompanied by her veil.
Miss Audrey Bennett presided at the organ. The hymn, "O Father, all creating," was sung by the large
congregation and, during the signing of the register, Miss Jean Croton rendered "Til Walk Beside You." To the strains of the Wedding March, the bridal parties left the church, satin horse-shoes being placed on the brides' arms by their youngest sister (Olive) and Dorothy Eden.
Mr and Mrs Mills entertained sixty guests at a buffet reception in the Moe Masonic Hall, where the decorations
were tawny-shaded chrysanthemums and hydrangeas. Mr J G. Irons (missionary of the charge) presided. The toasts were—"The King," received with musical honors; " The Bridal Couples," proposed by the brides' uncle (Mr Frank Mills, of Boisdale), and replied to by each bridegroom, who, in turn, proposed "The Matron of. Honor" and "The Bridesmaid," Mr H. Gorman responding on their behalf; and "The Parents" proposed by the brides'
cousin, Mr Kingsley Herbert, of Kew, and replied to by Mr Gorman. A number of telegrams were read by the
best men, and for her solo, "My Hero," Miss Jean Croton was accompanied by Mrs D. Kerr.
The very nice two-tiered wedding cake was made by the younger bride (Mrs Gorman).
The mother of the brides had an autumn-tinted spray pinned to her black woollen frock, which was relieved
with white, and she had a black felt hat and black accessories. Mrs Obeth wore a grey coat over her dusty pink
frock, with which she had black accessories and a shoulder spray of pink roses. Mrs Gorman favored a brown woollen frock, worn with a fox fur and fawn felt hat.
For going away, Mrs Alfred Obeth chose a grey woollen suit, relieved with white, while Mrs Maurice Gorman had a dusty pink woollen suit, relieved with blue, and a matching felt hat.
Mr and Mrs Obeth's future home will be at "The Two-Mile,* Moe, and, when Sergeant Gorman returns to his
unit, Mrs Gorman will continue to reside with her parents at Coalville.
Friends from Narracan, Coalville and "Two-Mile" tendered the two brides-to-be a shower, tea in the Coalville
Hall, on the Wednesday evening prior to the wedding.

Live Wire 9 Feb 1944
Mr Gorman jun. of, Tanjil East spent a recent weekend in the city. [This might be Eric who was in the RAAF at the time]

Live Wire 24 May 1944
AC1 Jack Gribble, RAAF, and Pte. Gorman, AIF, came home on leave during the weekend.
[Must be Maurice because Bert was a POW in Germany and Eric in the RAAF. Irene had probably just confirmed her first pregnancy.]

Live Wire 8 Nov 1944
BCM News

News and Views of Fighting Services

Pte. Melva Kerr, Bonegilla, wrote "I've been doing quite a lot of driving in the past week, for instance, last Thursday we went for an all-day trip around Mt. Bogong, Buffalo and Tawonga Gap. What a lovely drive it was, especially as there was still snow on the mountains. I haven't come across any of the local boys or girls up this way although one of my instructors at the driving school is Sgt. Gorman, of Yallourn.

Live Wire 11 April 1945
BCM News
Mr and Mrs Gorman also Mr Jim Peerless are at Lakes Entrance.

Live Wire 22 Aug 1945
B.C.M. News.
PERSONAL.
Sgt. Herbert Gorman, recently returned POW, is home with his.parents, Mr and. Mrs Gorman. .Another
son, Pte.Maurice Gorman, accompanied by his wife and baby daughter, are spending holidays with them.

1946 Electoral Roll, Yallourn: Maurice James Gorman, labourer, Brown Coal Mine, Irene Winifred Gorman, Brown Coal Mine, home duties, Walter James Gorman, labourer, Brown Coal Mine, Elizabeth Minnie Gorman, Brown Coal Mine, home duties. [In this post WW2 year, we were living with Walter and Lizzie near St James Church of England while Walter and Maurice built the house at Kelso Road. Apparently my filthy or paint covered hand prints remained down the hallway at the grandparent's house for some time after we moved out. Grandma was not impressed. I was about 2 and a half]

1945: VX 13411 Maurice was discharged from the 2nd AIF as Sgt Maurice Gorman, 3rd Aust MTTD, HQ AIF(ME) Refits Depot where he had been A/Staff Seargeant.

ELECTORAL ROLLS Maurice was eligible for enrolment in 1939 at the outbreak of war. The 1943 entry makes it clear that he was enrolled before he enlisted in the 2nd AIF, and was a mill hand at Hill End. What is not clear is how long Maurice lived with his parents before 1939 and when he began to live and work independently. His army enlistment in 1939 gives Hill End as his address which matches his enrolment to vote, but he was working on the farm from age 13, in 1930, lived at Metung for some time, and probably got work in the timber mills somewhere in this time. He certainly worked in Arthur Hutchinson's (Hutchy) mills at various times. His uncles Dan, and Paddy both worked in timber mills, Dolph was an axeman in the bush, Elva married a mill manager, so there were plenty of opportunities, and the pay would be better than the farm. He was also very attached to his motor bike around this period, although I think he bought a car with his army pay because he had recently acquired the car when he began courting Irene. Irene would not have fancied herself on the pillion of a motor bike.

Name: Maurice James Gorman, mill hand Gender: Male Electoral Year: 1943 Address: Hill End Subdistrict: Trafalgar State: Victoria District: Gippsland [Mid WW2, Maurice is actually in the army. He has not changed his pre-war registration] Athel, Gladys and Paddy are at Childers, and Walter James, labourer, is at Brown Coal Mine with Elizabeth Minnie.

After WW2 ex soldiers were given preferential employment in government service and public utilities. Maurice had trained in the army as a motor mechanic and driver, and was employed by the SEC in the Transport Workshops near the Yallourn Coal Mine. He stayed there until his retirement as a works foreman. He also assisted his brothers to gain employment at the SEC where his father also worked as a painter, so it became a real family affair when 3 of his sons also joined the SEC. Most local families would have a similar story, including the thousands of WW2 refugees who migrated in the 10 years after the war, to work at the SEC, Snowy Mountains Scheme, and other public utilities. Maurie played cricket for the Workshops team.

Live Wire 22 Oct 1947
Yallourn North News
Personal.
Mr and Mrs H. Cook are spending
holidays at Sth. Australia.
Recent visitors to the city include Mrs P. Shields, Mrs Barter, Mrs C. Brown, Mr and Mrs Gorman, Mr Vic Wray, Mr and Mrs Eddy Gribble and Mr Kevin Watts.

ELECTORAL ROLL
Name: Maurice James Gorman, labourer Gender: Male Electoral Year: 1949 Subdistrict: Yallourn State: Victoria District: McMillan [In this year the family lives at 6 Kelso Rd, Yallourn Nth. The roll does not give addresses for Yall Nth, but Walter and Lizzie are still near St James church]

Live Wire 15 June 1949
Mr #nd Mrs Gorman jnr. and family have returned from holidays.

Name: Maurice James Gorman Gender: Male Electoral Year: 1954 Subdistrict: Yallourn State: Victoria District: McMillan Name: Maurice James Gorman Gender: Male Electoral Year: 1977 Subdistrict: Yallourn State: Victoria District: Gippsland [Herbert Gorman, carpenter, with Lorna Blanche at North Rd, join Walter, labourer, and Lizzie, and Maurice, labourer, and Irene at Yallourn North, formerly Brown Coal Mine.]

I have added a couple of articles from the 1950s when Maurice played cricket, and was on the football club committee at Yallourn North. See docs.

Live Wire 1 Feb 1950
INDUSTRIAL CRICKET.
As games were forfeited to Workshops and Imperials, only two matches were played last Sunday. Transport Workshops won their game from Plasterers by four runs. Transport Workshops. Buchanan, ran out 6
Collins, c & b Chester 2 cSherry, b Chester 3 Spokes, b Julin . 17 Gribbie, lbw, b Chester 0 Macham, not out
27 Johnston, e Chester, b Hever 0 Naughton, b Julin 8 Richardson, b Helyer 5 Gorman, not out 6

Live Wire 15 March 1950
Sporting
INDUSTRIAL CRICKET.
The two semi-finals were concluded last Sunday. Railways had no trouble io retain their position ami take part in the final. They had a lead of 48 in the first innings, and eventually won by 203 runs. II. Crisp with 98 made ."a
good impression, and Hunnan's 84 was a gTeat help. Naughton with 5/34 was the most effective with the
ball; Botten 3/34 was next best. Transport Workshops in their second innings could only manage 73 - three runs more than in their first innings. Spokes was the top scorer with 33, and McSherry with 16 next best. Central Workshops v. Imperials game was washed out by heavy lain at 3.45p.m.. Play was abandoned at 4.30 with the Workshops needing 348 runs with only four wickets in hand. This gave the . imperials the right to meet the Railways in the final next Sunday.The Workshops took the overnight score from 8/122 to 137. Imperials in the second innings made a very useful 119, with Crookson being top scorer with 49. Whelan performed the hat trick when he took the last three wickets, which is quite an achievement in any game of cricket, especially a final. Workshops needed 202 to pull the game from the fire, but the storm upset any chance that they may have had.
The final game is to start at 10.30
a.m. on No. 2 qxal next. Sunday, and
some good cricket should be witnessed
as these teams are fairly even.
The first time they met this season
the Railways won by four runs, and
in the return match the Imperials
won by 27 runs.
Selected umpires will be notified
by the Association secretary as soon
as possible.
SEMI-FINALS.
Railways, 1st. Lining's, 118.
Second Innings.
Hunnan, b Botten 84
Stait, c Gorman, b Botten Kennedy, lbw, b Botten 4
Crisp, c and b Naughton 98
Kesper, lbw, b Gribble 0
Blackford, e'sub., b Naughton* 6
Pynn, b Naughton 1
White, e Gorman, b Buchanan 9
O'Connor, not out 8
Walsh, c MeSlierry, b Naughton 1
Stonehouse, b Naughton 0
Extras ' 13
Total 228
Bowling : Naughton 5/34, Botten
3/34, Gribble 1/42, Buehanan 1/39.
Wickets fell : 18, 30, 172, 173, 196,
208, 211, 227 and 228.
Transport Workships 1st. Inns. 70.
Second Innings. •
Spokes, e Walsh, b White 33
MeSlierry, b Crisp- ; 16
Naughton, c Stait, b Blackford 1
Buchanan, e Hunnan, b Blackford 11
Gribble, r- and b Blackford 4
Meacham, b Kennedy 2
Botten, st. Hunnan, b Blackford Kilmartiii, st. Hunnan, b Blackford Gorman not out , Johnston, c Crisp, b Blackford Cordy, absent 0
Extras 6
Total 73
Bowling : Blackford 6/25, Crisp
1/9, Kennedy 1/6, White 1/4.
Wickets fell : 23, 24, 45, 59, 68,
69, 69, 69 and 73.
Blackford took the last three wickets
with four balls just missing the
hat trick.
Imperials, 1st. Innings, m
Second inninf^fe
Smith, b McKay 'f, 3
Crookson, c Goldsmith, b Spiral 49
Slatter, c Madden, b Goldsmith 17
Palmer, b Spittal 7
Davidson, b Spittal .: j 13
Knight, b McKav 11-
McTntyre, b McKay \ 11
Denny, not out v 6
Newton, st. Griffin, b Whelan r Dal ton, c Giddens, b Whelan Hunter, c- Griffin, b Whelan 0
Extras 1
Total 119
Bowling : McKav 3/33, - Whelan
3/23, Goldsmith 1/27.
Central Workshops, 1st. Innings 137.
Second Innings.
Parkhill, lbw, Kniglit 1
Griffin, e Davidson, b Kniglit - 9
Whelan, not out .. 30
McAllister, e Mclntyre, b. Slatter 4
Goldsmith, st. Palmer, b Slatter 6
Spittal, not out 3
Extras 1
Total
4/54
Bowl in 2 Knight 2/17, Slatter
2 /27.

Both parents were much involved in community affairs.

Morwell Advertiser 13 Mar 1952 Yallourn North F.C DESPITE the difficulties resulting from having to play their "home" matches on one of the Yallourn ovals last year, the Yallourn North Football Club finished up the season with a credit balance of £140. This was revealed at the recent annual meeting, when a tribute was paid to the ladies' committee for their fine effort in contributing to this satisfactory financial position. Office-bearers elected were:--President, L. McEwen; vice-presidents, W.S. Skinner, B. Gorman and D. Poole; secretary, J. Manicola; asst.-secretary, C. Manicola; treasurer, G. Wilden; committee, A. Cook, D. Cook, H. Stevens, F. Rooney, R. Doorbar, H. C., Carter, C. Harman, G. Cook, N. Cook and J. Isles. In recognition of his having undertaken the duties of treasurer for the past ten years, Mr. G. Wilden was elected a Life Member of the Club. [B Gorman should be M Gorman for Maurice, and Irene was a member of the ladies committee who washed the team jumpers every week. Joe and Charlie Manicola were also stalwarts of the football club.]

The local newspapers that would inform re Gorman family activities have not been digitised for the national collection. I discovered recently, at the Ballarat Historical Society, that local communities or businesses are required to fund digitisation of their local papers for inclusion in the National Archives, which are then free for the public to access online via TROVE. Latrobe Valley papers were probably owned by the SEC, so there is no successor or legacy organisation to either approve or fund digitisation, unless the Victorian Government now holds the archives. We can only hope that whoever holds them is willing to fund their digitisation, and soon.

GOOD NEWS - the Live Wire is now digitised in Trove, and what a trove it is.

DEATH & BURIAL Maurice James Last name Gorman Age 63 Sex Male Birth year 1917 Death year 1980 Father's name Maurice James [Should be Walter James] Mother's name Elizabeth Death place Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville State Victoria Registration number 10198 [Maurice died of immune failure after 3 years of illness]

Victoria Wills & Probate First name(s) Maurice James Sex Male Last name Gorman Grant year 1980 Death year 1980 Occupation Foreman Residence Yallourn North Resident state Victoria State Victoria Country Australia Nature of grant P Country of residence Australia Death date 02 Apr 1980 Grant date 30 Jun 1980

Place Yallourn Cemetery
State Victoria
First name(s) Maurice James
Last name Gorman
Year 1980
Event Death
Cemetery as originally transcribed Yallourn cemetery monumental inscriptions 1869-1986

After Maurice's death, Irene was closely supported by Legacy, (the ex-service organisation caring for widows and children of ex servicemen), in the person of her brother, Laurence Mills, an active member of Legacy.

FROM VICTORIAN PLACES Yallourn North, originally known as Brown Coal Mine, grew from the first attempts at commercial brown coal mining in the Latrobe Valley. The town is 10 km north of Morwell which is 150 km east of Melbourne.

The Great Morwell Coal Mining Company was formed in 1889 to exploit the extensive deposits of brown coal near Morwell. The company intended to provide fuel for locomotives and help lessen Victoria’s dependence on New South Wales coal supplies, but went into liquidation in 1899. Its mine lay abandoned until 1916 when it was re-opened by the Mines Department to provide emergency fuel during a New South Wales coal strike. The Mines Department provided some huts for the workers, a marquee that was used for a school, and installed a pump for a water supply.

After the State Electricity Commission (SEC) was formed in 1918, a new open cut was developed on the south side of the Latrobe River in the 1920s, and the model town of Yallourn was built to house the SEC employees working in the open cut, power station, and briquette factory. The original open cut at Brown Coal Mine and its fledgling township passed into the jurisdiction of the SEC in 1924. As the SEC intended to stop mining at the old open cut by 1928, it was anticipated that the settlement would fade out as Yallourn developed.

Instead of declining Brown Coal Mine grew steadily. By the mid-1920s many SEC workers discovered they could not afford to rent the houses that had been built for them in the model garden city. Instead, they moved to Brown Coal Mine and built huts in the bush, using any materials they could find, such as bark, flattened kerosene tins and bags stiffened with lime. More businesses opened in Brown Coal Mine to cater for the expanding population and it even boasted a lively, vociferous newspaper, the Electric Spark.

Elevated above Yallourn and the fogs and coal dust that choked it, Brown Coal Mine was a reproach to the planned town below. The SEC demolished some of the huts but had to scale down this course of action once the depression tightened its grip in the 1930s. Reluctantly, the SEC was forced to accept Brown Coal Mine’s continuing existence and began a series of improvements to the town, including a water supply and sanitation service after a gastro enteritis outbreak killed seven babies. The residents were also accorded a grudging respect by the SEC hierarchy for their resilience and independence. The Victorian municipal directory (1938) recorded a post office, a bank, a hall, three stores and two coffee palaces.

The original open cut also proved resilient. Coal was won from there into the postwar period. After a discovery in 1928 that much of Yallourn had been inadvertently sited over brown coal deposits, that town’s expansion was restricted. In the years following World War II, the SEC turned to other towns in the Latrobe Valley to house their rapidly increasing work force. The massive extensions to the Yallourn Power Station meant that an influx of construction workers and their families urgently needed houses. As a result, Brown Coal Mine underwent a transformation. In 1947 its name was changed to Yallourn North.

In 1950 the SEC built a new subdivision for 275 houses, some of which had been prefabricated in England. Private estates were also developed. Many of the new residents were migrants from a variety of countries. The population increased rapidly, reaching 1457 in 1954, swamping the identity of the displaced persons and identity of the ‘Coalies’. Over 1000 residents were in camps and hostels. The symbolic end of the shanty town of Brown Coal Mine occurred in 1950 when a landslide caused a large section of the main street to fall into the open cut. Yallourn North experienced another expansion in the 1970s when the SEC demolished its model town of Yallourn and some of the former residents relocated to Yallourn North. As part of the resettlement program, the SEC provided facilities such as a swimming pool, football oval and netball courts for the town. The town also has a public hall, medical centre, hotel, school (96 pupils, 2014), Anglican, Catholic, Serbian and Uniting churches and a shopping centre. A recreation hall built in 1948 by the SEC for the single men’s camp has been kept as the Old Brown Coal Mine Museum.

The original open cut is no longer mined for brown coal, but the town of Yallourn North continues to overlook the extensive Yallourn open cut and Yallourn W power station. The former shanty town overlived its planned counterpart, Yallourn, now submerged in the open cut.

Census populations for Yallourn North have been:

CENSUS DATE POPULATION 1954 1457 1971 1808 1986 1359 1996 1216 2006 1159 2011 1059 Further Reading K. Ringin, The old Brown Coal Mine, Moe, 1986 Josef Sestokas, Welcome to little Europe: displaced persons and the North Camp, Sale, 2010