MORWELL BRIDGE  (Contrib. M. Lynch)

Mrs. Bartlett gave a brief history of the efforts to establish (and in later years to retain) a school in the area.  In 1879, Samuel Vary and others petitioned for a school to replace a privately conducted small school.   Also, many children could not attend school in Morwell as the Railway authorities had forbidden them to walk along or cross the railway line, which was their only way of getting to school.

In 1881, Mr. Henry Godridge offered a room for use as a school and in 1883 Mr. Varden commenced as a part time teacher.

During 1908 and 1909, parents objected to the part time status of the school and so full time education began.  Shortly after, a new school was built and when, in 1944, the building was burnt down, the school was re-sited at Morwell West.

Mrs. Bartlett arrived in Morwell West in 1928, at about the same time as many other families who decided to build their own homes instead of living in the S.E.C. houses in Yallourn.   She recalled the house which was not finished when they moved in and how it was built , bit by bit, as her father could afford to buy the materials needed.    Many of the homes were built on land leased from Mr. J. Kaye at 2/- a week.   Mr. Kaye later provided a water supply to the residents, as well as selling milk to them.  The football ground and tennis courts were also on his property and were available for players to use at any time.

For many years there was no public transport other than hire cars  which most families could not afford, so people used to walk to Morwell for shopping.  Mr. Meredith's father had a truck which was used at weekends to take people to the movies in Morwell and, later, Yallourn until public transport became available.

During the 1934 "Big Flood", both bridges over the Morwell River were completely covered and a rescue boat was brought in to rescue a stranded worker, didn't realize that it had rowed right over the bridge.

Mr. Meredith believes that small communities were, and still are, great places to grow up in.  He recounted many funny incidents in life at Morwell Bridge and told how everyone  made their own amusements.  For children, there was school, the sand-pits where they could play all day and the swimming holes in the river.  The adults played cards, ran dances in the school building, organized concerts and played sports.

The S.E.C.had already announced that Morwell Bridge would eventually become part of their Works Area, and so, after the 1944 fire destroyed the school building, the new one was erected at Morwell West.  Gone were the days when pupils could boast in later life they they were M.B.E.'s (Morwell Bridge educated).  Today, all that remains of the once happy community are memories.

Mr. Whyte thanked our two Speakers, and during supper we were able to look at the photographs and school records of the area we had just heard about.