JOHN Boyd migrated from England as a roof slater in 1911, disembarking in Sydney with wife Ellen and two children Reg and Wilf.
John worked around the city slating the roof at the Randwick Racecourse and churches in the Parramatta district. Seeking a new beginning John shifted the family to Orange Grove (between Salt Ash and Lemon Tree Passage), where they moved into a large boarding house, then into a slab hut where they were caretakers of a dairy farm and 78 orange trees.
In 1915 the family moved to Lemon Tree where they market gardened, fished and farmed oysters.
The family continued to grow with the addition of John, Jean, Cecil, Norm, Eva and Doris.
As their father became ill and had difficulty working, Cec and his brothers market gardened, farmed the oysters and netted the creek.
At the time their produce was ferried by Korsmans to Salt Ash and then to Newcastle market.
Two ferries ran from Salt Ash to Nelson Bay as there was no road access.
The family lived mainly off the land all working just to keep a good table.
Many a time the boys would take their dogs and hunt wallabies for meat.
They would also shoot parrots when they flocked in the gum blossom.
Wild ducks also graced the table.
Fish were in great abundance, even the family dog would catch fish that had been caught in the creek’s weeds at low tide.
Sons Cec and Norm cannot remember any of the eight children ever visiting a doctor as the family simply toughed it out if they became ill.
A dentist did come occasionally via ferry from Nelson Bay and Cec can well remember the time that he suffered severe toothache.
Cec was rowed out to the ferry by his brother for an extraction on the moving vessel.
Teeth were pulled for 1/- and Cec was dropped off on the shore at Lemon Tree, from where he had to walk back home, through the mud and mangroves, with a throbbing jaw.
The boys eventually bought their own leases around the Port where they were well known and respected for their honesty and hard work.
Cec had leases at Bundabah, Pindimar, Salamander and some in Tilligerry Creek.
His first shipment of his own oysters was on 3 October 1950; 1 bag £7.10.0 to E. Lawrence, Sydney.
Total earnings in 1953-54 amounted to £837.10.0
After a day’s work it was time to relax and listen to the crackling radio, particularly when Bradman was batting.
The oystermen made their own entertainment by playing cards or holding dances in the boat sheds all around the inner harbour.
The high and low tides controlled not only their work schedule but also when to organise dances.
High water lapping through the floorboards of the shed would bring the dancing to an early close.
To play cricket Cec had to row to Bob’s Farm wharf and struggle through the mangroves and sand to Anna Bay.
After working for his father, son Cec worked for Denzil Crawford at Lemon Tree (1940-50).
In 1950 Cec began shipping his own oysters selling his first bag to E. Lawrence of Camperdown for £7.10.0.
Brother Norm was brought into a partnership with Cec and the pair worked Salamander, Bundabar, Pindimar, Bull Island and upper Tilligerry Creek.
Cec purchased a lease from D Rooke in 1957 for $25.
In 1967 he sold out to Hans Mersma.
The brothers Cec and Norm Boyd shared their entire lifetime through the hard times and the good times with their respective wives Olive and Eva and families in Lemon Tree Passage, a place they loved and called home.
By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE
