Dad got out of hospital with TB in Dec 1936. Worked on Harbour Bridge collecting toll for about 6 weeks and then was sent to work at Termeil in Jan 1937. He rented a house in Ulladulla for Mum to come to but first Doris and then Mum got diphtheria and when they both recovered they all went straight to Termeil to live in tents in mid 1937. This was the first time Mum had lived in a tent. Most of the road workers were from Helensburgh on unemployment relief. Dad was paymaster and had to walk along the road each day making payments. He once told me it was the best time of his life....probably not surprising after spending 10 months in hospital. They left Termeil in Jan 1938. Back to Top
[The deeds show that lot 131 (the eastern one) was purchased on 12/10/1949 and lot 132 on 17/10/1951. Each block is 140 ft by 40 ft. The land was originally a Crown Grant to Mary Ann Cooper on 9/6/1904....see later notes on Coopers Hill]
[All the land on the hill was subdivided by the 'Federal Land Syndicate' in 1927. There were 377 blocks each 40ft by 140 ft. They were all offered for 20 pounds each. The roads weren't built...just the blocks surveyed. This why all the roads have 'federal' connotations.]
While building, we stayed in 'Byrd's cottage'. (Mum told me in 1993 that that was where I was conceived...'started' in her terms..... but I'm not sure if this timing is right.)
Bert Reed suggested building the house instead of just a garage as originally planned. [There are plans for a different, smaller house than was finally built.] Orfords were building at the same time. (Orfords is the house uphill from ours, opposite the second block, with a large concrete water tank forming the patio - removed in 2002.) We were the only two houses on the lower part of the hill. There were no houses in Commonwealth Ave except Mrs. Mac's (McDonald) just below, the timber yard and the old fisherman's house next to the Garage. The church was built in 1951 and the Buffalo Hall in about 1953. (It had RAOOB....Royal Australian Order of Buffaloes across the front of it)
This view is taken from the bottom of the hill, showing Mrs Mac's house on the left. It was difficult getting materials because of post war shortages. Building started about 1950. Water for concrete was obtained in kerosene tins from Racecourse creek. (You can still see the small weir on the upstream side of the highway) All concrete was hand mixed.
The road up the hill was built about 1953 -- all by hand. It was just two very steep concrete tracks through the bush. Dad Morgan obtained some explosives from Helensburgh mine and this was used to blast some of the road.
At about the same time, the Orfords bulldozed a track to their house. This is the now overgrown part of Canberra Cres towards the highway. Because we had built our own concrete road up the hill, we seldom used Orfords track until the 1970s.
MUM'S MEMORIES - BEFORE THE HOUSE
Mum had holidayed at Burrill when she was a teenager (late nineteen twenties?), staying at Byrd's cottage. This was the second cottage on the left of the highway just after Princess Ave. Byrd's were from Helensburgh. It was demolished in 1995.
Dad in doorway, Bill, Marian and Doris at Termeil.
THE BUILDING of BURRILL
FROM TALKING TO MUM 1992.......
Bought 2 blocks in 1949 for 50 & 40 pounds. Lots 131 & 132 in Deposited Plan 15648
(Left).The frame is erected in 1951 Bill, Dad (on ladder) and Bert Reed on the roof. Greg being held by either Mum or Doris. (Right)During construction the family still had time for tennis. From left to right is
Mum, Marian holding Greg, Dad,Doris, Lynne, Bert, Larraine, Bill, Phil, Burt, Dad Morgan.
All materials for the house were either dumped at Mrs. Mac's to be carried up or the timber was delivered by George Mathews by driving his truck down through the bush from the top of the hill. (Braidwood Ave.)
Our house is visible above, with only some of the fibro installed.
The road will be built up the hill from where the car is parked on the right. Note the old telegraph line poles with many conductors.
At work on road construction. On the right, Bill, in his school uniform. The timber bridge over the gutter at the bottom is visible.
Looking up to Orford's house. Greg in foreground c.1953