GREAT great grandfather Dave Lamb held his newborn great great grandson Kashton for the first time last Sunday, 10 April.

What a moment of wonder.

A moment spent wondering what this little man will experience in a world so different to that of his very-great grandfather, who will be 93 in August.

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In Dave’s family line, little Kashton Mathew Metham was born to Chloe, 19, who was born to Kandy, who was born to Kathy, who was born to Dave and Lorna, back in 1958.

Until Sunday, Dave had only seen photos of “the whelp” as he sweetly joked, but with family arranging transport, the fifth generation newborn met his elderly relative for that all-important first cuddle.

“The world has changed tremendously,” mused Dave to News Of The Area.

Born in Grafton in 1929, Dave Lamb went to Glenferneigh School.

“The original building is still there but not functioning as a school.”

Dave’s first job was as an apprentice jockey in Sydney, which he describes as “a disaster”.

“I had horses at home.

“In those days we had what were called campdrafting horses; we worked the stock on horseback, working out the saleable cattle.

“I was minding horses at Ebor Hotel for Mervyn Freeman, a well-known horseman, and a bloke called him up and asked if I’d like to be an apprentice jockey.

“I was fifteen and very lightweight, so off I went.

“It didn’t last long…I got too big,” he laughs.

Dave met his beautiful wife Lorna Panton, who passed in 2017, in Narrabri.

He’d often visit his mate Mick Ellis, who boarded for work in that “big family town out West”.

One evening a violent thunderstorm came in and Dave boarded over for the night.

In the morning Dave asked the boarding house owner if he could thank the young lady who had prepared the meal.

“I went into the kitchen and offered her any help and she said ‘OK’ and threw me a cloth to do the wiping up.

“It turned out that I was wiping up for her for the next almost-65 years,” he laughs.

Married in 1953, Dave and Lorna had four children – three boys and a girl.

“They all still live in and around Coffs.”

And that includes his great great grandson, Kashton.

So with cars organised by the family, Dave and Kasthon caught up for a cuddle last Sunday – there’s a lot to talk about when you have 92 years of life lessons to download.

By Andrea FERRARI