When I asked people on our facebook page who I could interview, Charlie McCuish was suggested as someone I could talk to about his life and memories.
I bumped into Charlie at the Showground Office a few weeks back, and so it came that he became the first interviewee in a series of Natimuk memories.
Charlie McCuish almost grew up in Melbourne. His dad died in 1945, when he was seven. Mother Olive could not handle Glenmore, the Creek Road farm on her own, and Melbourne based sister Myrtle invited her to relocate with the three kids, Charlie, Isabel and Angus …
Here is a gallery of the photos Charlie showed me at his place, Glenmore, on the Creek Road, the few he could dig out in time for our Sunday morning catch up..
Four generations of McCuish: Charlie, Matthew, Charlie Noel and Chas. ( from left to right)
Shearing at Glenmore, the McCuish property on Creek Road, Natimuk (1937). From left: Bill Weidner, Bill Morrison ( leaning),Neil Scott and Charlie Weidner.
Lou Lang (dressed as a woman), Angus and Charlie ( wearing cap). The driver is Eric Werner. The German wagon was used to move the Werner family from South Australia to the Wimmera in the 1870’s. This is a 1947 re-enactment. the Gladigau house, behind the wagon, now belongs to Eric and Sonia Jones.
Charlie Senior used this treshing machine for contract work in the area.
Hay carting at Glenmore during WW2. From left: Charlie senior, Stan McLean (on leave), Kevin Homden.
Charlie McCuish Senior at the beach in Portland
Olive McCuish, nee Homden.
Olive McCuish and her sister Myrtle Bailey, in Melbourne.
Charlie McCuish Senior inspecting a heavy oat crop damaged by wind and rain.
Arapiles 