1937:
Jly 31, Marriage at St
Marks Church of England Hall Road Norwich
Herbert Walter Tong, age 22, Bachelor
- Joiner of 25 Trafalgar Street
Gladis Mary Agnis Housego age 17: Spinster
of 18 Jubilee Terrace
Father: John Henry Tong - Coal Merchant
(Deceased)
Father: Frederic Housego - Boot &
Shoe Operator
Entry 322 - information
from file certificate
1954:
March 10, Marriage at The Register Office -
Sittingbourne, Kent, UK
William Tong formerly known as Herbert
Walter Tong - age 39 - Previous marriage
disolved - Builders Carpenter
Jane Tong formerly known as Queenie
May Goodwin - age 35 - Spinster - Housekeeper
Both Residing at : 2 Temporary Houses, Rectory
Road, Sittingbourne, Kent
Father: John Henry Tong - Deceaced -
Coal Merchant
Father: George Goodwin - Deceaced - Painter,
Royal Navy
Witnesses: G. Goodwin & W. M.
James
Entry 180 - -
information from file certificate
After the war
Herbert and Queenie lived at
2 Temporary
Houses, Rectory Road, Sittingbourne, Kent
13 Longride, Canterbury Road Estate, Sittingbourne,
Kent
1962:
July 16, - Herbert, Queenie and their 3 daughters
arrived in Sydney Australia after spending 7
weeks at sea on the S.S. Stratheden.
The Stratheden
was 23,732 tons, commissioned in 1937. Like
many other passenger ships, she was used as
a troop ship during World War Two. After the
war, she was placed on the Australia run, carrying
passengers between Britain, its colonies and
Australia. The Stratheden was one of five ships
of the "Strath" class; the others
were the Strathaird, Strathnaver, Strathmore
and Strathallan.
It was an imposing ship, with large single funnel
and a speed of 19 knots. She had a crew of 653
and could carry 527 first and 453 tourist-class
passengers. The passengers were housed on three
decks - C, D & E with the verandah, Dance
room and swimming pool on the B deck and the
dining room on F deck.
P&O sold the ship in 1967 and she was renamed
the Marianna Latsi. She was broken
up and sold for scrap in 1969.
Memories ......
I can remember the day that Dad decided to change
our surname from Tong to Kent. We were in a
rental property in Townsville – Jean had
just left – and we were also leaving.
Dad said let’s have a fresh start and
get rid of this Tong name – What shall
we change it to? There was a calendar on the
wall that my Aunt Min had sent us – The
Kent Messenger – so that’s where
it came from. We moved to Yeppoon with three
of us with the Kent name, but Sandra kept Tong
which made it very awkward for Mum to explain
to neighbours. - Christina Kent (formerly
Tong)
1999:
- Newspaper cutting
Kent: William
(Bill) of ***** Art Gallery, ******** Seaforth.
The relatives and friends of the late Bill Kent,
dearly loved husband of Jane, dearly loved father
and father in-law of Christina, Jean and Robert
Nielsen, and Sandra and David Daniel, dearly
love grandfather Kristina Pearce and Adrian
Jensen, Marilyn and Russell Bennett, Lilian
Matthews and Joe Parrotta, Andrew Nielsen and
Kelli Lee, Mitchell Nielsen, Steven and Kellee
Daniel, Lynda and Bob Doyle, Sharon and Darren
Young, Audra Daniel and James Muphy, and Paula
and Dale Fortesue, dearly loved great grandfather
of their respective families, and good friend
of Bill Odger are respectfully advised that
his funeral service will commence at 12 noon
(Wednesday 10/3/1999) at the graveside Walkerston
Cemetery
Below is
Bill's daughters memories of their
Dad and the stories he have mentioned of his
life.....
William
Kent - December 22, 1914 - March 7,
1999
Bill
was born December 22, 1914 in
Norwich, England, his father fought in the First
World War and after the war he worked as a coalman,
with an open horse drawn carriage he pass away
when Bill was just 11 years old.
One of Tina's favourite stories of her Dad was
when he would tell her of his boyhood games,
such as Conkers, and collecting cigarette cards
and also about the toys he made, diabalos, hoops,
marble bridges, trolleys and spinning tops.
He and his special friend Frankie, used to go
to the river with a couple of paraffin cans
tied together to use as Floats, and this was
how he taught himself to swim.
Bill's strong character started to show through
at an early age and as money was very scarce
he soon learnt to improvise and to make do to
get a step ahead. Bill was devastated when his
best friend was run over and killed and even
though he was never allowed to see him he always
remembered him as his best friend. Bill's boyhood
days came to an end abruptly at the age of 14,
although he was intelligent enough to have to
have won a scholarship for higher education
he wasn't able to take it because his mother
was a widow and didn't think she would be able
to afford, so Bill had to go to work. Many years
later Bill found out that there was a special
concession available for widows, he always regretted
missing out on his education.
Bill's first job was sweeping factory floors
and being a general dogsbody for 14 hours a
day 6 1/2 days a weeks and his wages was 7 shillings
and 6 pence. This he gave to his mum, she gave
him 6 pence for himself, when given this he
would high tail it to the shops for a 30 pac
of cigarettes then off to the pictures where
the screen was so close to your face you had
to move your head from side to side to see the
picture.Not much of a reward for 77 hours a
week
Bill nursed his crippled mother for 3 years,
she passed away when he was 15, after her funeral
he packed his bags and left.
Bill's strong character made him determined
him to weather the depression years and he had
to fight hard to retain his place in the workforce.
If you had to take less pay to keep your job,
he did, to keep his job, this happened repeatedly.
If you left your job you could not get the dole,
if you were lucky enough to get the dole you
had to stand in a queue a mile long 3 times
a week to get your pay.
When the 2nd world war came Bill and his mates
joined up hoping for a place to stay and 3 meals
a day, but they were sadly mistaken. The British
Army's treatment of the common soldier was shocking,
they had very little rations, the uniforms were
either to tight or too baggy, the latrines were
a pole over a trench. In freezing weather they
were housed in a barn with no windows and steel
beds with diamond shaped wire with no mattresses.
The men went to bed in full uniform to keep
warm, needless to say the soldiers on Parade
in the morning had diamond shapes all over their
over-coats. All soldiers had to be clean shaven
and this was done in freezing cold water, and
if any stubble was left you were immediately
put on "Jankers", anything you did
wrong you were on "Jankers", that
is how the army got the potatoes peeled.The
training was pretty hard, the system was sadistic
and Bill and his friends decided that if this
is how the British Army was going to treat their
soldiers then they were better off as POWs.
The only good thing that came out of the Army
for Bill was that he meet his wife Jane. Bill
was mending a fence one day and along came this
beautiful girl driving a truck, she stopped
for a while and said "AH! We'll soon knock
that over" and when Bill recovered from
the shock of this beautiful lady they became
friends and they hit it off straight away. Together
they spent a lots of their time getting back
at the Army with lots of high jinks being played
on officers, When Bill was courting Jane he
would take the officers jeep and leave it on
top of the ramp, when questioned the next morning
how Bill had come to visit her, Jane quickly
said "oh he came over on a bike!".
The Army took 7 years of his life.
Bill and Jane were married for almost 60 years
at the time of his death. Of course Jane would
be the first to admit Bill wasn't the easiest
of men to live with, but he was a very hard
working man who always put his family first,
and provided a good home for them where ever
they went. Together Jane and Bill had three
lovely daughters Jean, Sandra and Christina.
As things became easier in England Bill bought
a car "Austin 7" and the family spent
numerous holidays traveling all over England
in the "Austin 7" When Christmas time
was near Bill always bought or made beautiful
gifts. One that will always be remembered with
sadness is the Doll's House which the girls
left behind. It truly was a work of art complete
with carpet, wallpaper, a staircase and even
had electric lights that really worked it was
like a miniature house.
Bill then decided to take a big step in his
life and the lives of his family, they all immigrated
to Australia in 1962. Everything was left behind
as they had to start again in Australia.
Jobs were not easy to get and they spent lots
of time traveling up and down the Queensland
Coast until finally stopping at Mackay. He turned
to Sandra and said "if we both get jobs
we will stay" and they did. Bill began
work in the building industry and worked on
many projects in the district. He then decided
to have a go on his own and along with daughter
Tina they built several houses in the district,
including their present home, where other family
members became involved.
Bill was a Jack of all Trades, and during his
life he tried his hand at many trades such as
radio and TV repairs, Electrical work, Plumbing
and Horse Breaking and mastered most of them.
Tina's description of Dad is
as follows: Dad has a distinctive personality,
a strong Union believer, a booming voice and
never one to sit shyly in the corner. He loved
his family and friends around him and was known
to have many a verbal debate on any subject.
He was extremely intelligent and new of all
the latest technology and political sports issues,
also he would turn the TV up loud and still
carry on a conversation on any subject and still
have one ear tuned the TV and he could give
you the scores in the cricket or what ever he
was watching at the time, whilst debating an
entirely different topic. His mathematic mind
was very alert even at 80 he could multiply
4 Numeral 4 times in his head and think nothing
of it. in 1995 he bought himself a computer,
did all his own programming and even did the
adds on the internet for Tina's Art Gallery.
Bill, Jane and Tina, had their last holiday
together in 1996 and Bill was enchanted with
the Chinese Gardens in Sydney.
Bills family always came first, he is survived
by his Wife, Jane, Daughters Jean, Sandra and
Christina and their families, 12 Grandchildren
and 10 Great Grandchildren.
One of Bill's favourite peace's of music was
'Moonlight Sonata'
No doubt there will be many people that will
treasure special memories of Bill. This hard
working man, with a Booming voice, had a gentleness
kindness to his family and friends that have
not gone unnoticed.
Tenderly and reverently as we bid Bill Farewell,
let us remember, his kindness, his laughter,
the touch of his hand, and his willingness to
be helpful to all.
More on Queenie May Goodwin
/ Jane Kent
|
Jane
served in the British Army as a Lorry
Driver |
| |
Jane's Parents
George Richard Goodwin born about 1875
married Catherine Jane Johnson born abt
1875at Plymouth in 1896 in the district of Stoke
Damerel Plymouth, UK
Eulogy of Jane Kent (formerly
Queenie May Goodwin) - Read by Andrew (her
Grandson)
Jean Sandra and Christina have put together
a few words about Nana's live, She was Wife,
Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, so
I will simply call her by her name.
Jane was born in Teynham
Kent on May 23, 1918. She was the youngest of
a large family. She always asked her mother
if she was the 13th child, but she would never
say.
Her father George Goodwin was a sailor, her
mother Catherine Jane (maiden name Johnston)
saved up for a down payment for a house in Teynham
- the 'Old Vicarage' - where Jane spent her
early years. This old house was of over 700
years held very fond memories for Jane.
Jane was a shy country girl who did not like
school very much. She reckoned she and her brother
Ted nicknamed 'Babs' never went to school on
Fridays because this is when her mother went
to town. They used to climb to the top of a
huge elm tree, and with their Bill's binoculars
they could see the coast of France 22 miles
away.
Although shy, Jane had plenty of gumption. At
14 she found daily work in a mental home. At
15 she scanned to newspapers and picked out
a suitable situation. She was to work and live
in Huge Mansion as a second house-maid. She
would see that Fox Hounds Meets with the men
in Red and the Women in black, the lovely horses
and the hounds, and at dinner at night she would
help to wait table. The work was hard and long
- 6 in the morning till late at night.
She worked in quite a few mansions as Parlor
Maid, Private Ladies Maid and as a Nanny.
When the war stared, everyone was ordered to
do something to help the war effort, so she
went home to Sittingbourne to work in a Paper
Mill. she worked shift work, and Jane said that
she looked older than she did now. Being cooped
up wasn't for Jane, so she joined the Amy. She
was VERY determined to have to have the job
she wanted so she put - Driver - Driver - Driver
on all the forms.
When asked who couldn't drive Jane kept her
hand down. She'd never driven a truck in her
life but she knew what she wanted and didn't
want to miss out.
Funny enough, she was the only one to pass the
driving test !
Jane drove all sorts of vehicles, from Jeeps
to Ten-Tone Trucks to Gun Carriages to Tanks.
Her job took her all over Britain in all weathers.
In those days there was no power steering and
no Sychromesh Gears just crash gearboxes, which,
for the un-initiated, meant the vehicle was
momentarily out of gear while you revved the
accelerator and Banged the lever in gear. Jane
said that she had a permanent corn on her hand
from Thumping the gear lever so much. Her most
terrifying memory is of driving up an extremely
steep hill in Scotland, in Treacherously Icy
conditions.
Jane was only 5 foot 3 and very slight, so this
work was very hard. She said civilian truck
drivers used to hate the Army woman drivers.
One Jeep she had, had been sabotaged. The King
pin dropped out and she lost her steering. She
was thrown out of her open roofed Jeep and landed
on a thorny Blackberry Bush, which scratched
her to pieces, but also saved her life. The
only sympathy she got from her sergeant in hospital
later was, "OH I EXPECT YOU WERE DRIVING
TO FAST !!!"
The accident lead to a formal Court Martial
where she was marched between two Red-Caps in
front of a bench of officers where her claim
of sabotage was vindicated. For a shy person,
this was a terrifying ordeal but she came through
with flying colours.
It was during her time in the Army that she
first met Bill, and it was love at first sight.
The relationship was one of exciting escapades.
After the war, they settled down in Settingborourne,
England and had three children Jean, Sandra
and Christina (called Tina). It was during this
time that rationing was part of life. Things
were tough. At this time they experienced the
worst winter on record, and Bill and Jane would
wheel the pram along the railway lines picking
up pieces of coal for the fire.
Jane took lots of jobs to help out, Hop picking,
Strawberry picking and Cherry picking, which
involved moving 40 foot ladders. Then her driving
skills came to the fore, and she got a job delivering
milk, bread and then groceries. Jane had very
high dress standards and always wore high heels,
crisp uniforms and make-up. Many a Wolf Whistle
with her beautiful figure and chestnut hair!
Even while keeping a house running, looking
after three children and working full time,
Jane still found time to be compassionate to
an elderly next door neighbour, who was bedridden
and left to her own devices all day. She would
look in on her every day, make up a fire for
her and cook a hot meal for her while other
women on the estate who didn't go out to work
did nothing. That's the sort of caring person
Jane was.
The next major turning point in Jane's life
was the decision to emigrated to Australia.
She didn't really want to leave as she would
be leaving her beloved sister, Win. She let
herself be swept along with the excitement of
the intended journey.
Life was very hard for Jane in Townsville. Bill
had a stroke from the stress of the move and
it was up to Jane to hold the family together.
Every day she had to walk two mile to her job
as a maid in a hotel. She would do the shopping
and walk home along the beach cooling her aching
feet in the sea. She would cook and clean and
walk back for the afternoon shift and come home
after dark stepping over drunks and sometime
being harassed. She paid off a push-bike and
felt safer after that.
Bill and Jane eventually settled in Miclere
outside Mackay in a old house that They and
Tins built up room by room, over 11 years. Jane
loved animals and was greatly distressed when
she found a sack of puppies dumped outside her
home in Miclere. She took them in and ended
up with seven dogs and three cats. Just as well
she lived in the country.
Her own consuming passion was gardening. Everywhere
she had ever lived she made beautiful gardens.
It was her family's great joy to visit and walk
around the garden with her.
Later they moved to their present address along
the ******* Road which had ten acres where they
could keep horses. The house was built entirely
by hand by Bill, Jane and Tina, and sometimes
other family members lent a hand. The lounge
room was big enough to accommodate an expanding
family. Every Christmas it would be the tradition
to go to Bill and Jane's home, and Jane would
always make a beautiful decorative table, with
pride.
Jane's most significant Characteristic was her
selflessness. She would always put other people's
needs and feelings before her own. Even when
she was sick or in hospital, she would always
worry about others, and didn't want to bother
people. She made everyone welcome and LOVED
US ALL.
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