Locked out, p.6
Locked Out, page 6
‘I would like to go, Jo, and Wynnie will hopefully see it as I’m doing something positive to see an end to it so that we can all get back to work,’ Henry replied with some urgency about him.
‘Okay, I’ll pick you up at six o’clock,’ Jo uttered.
‘Thanks, Jo. I’ll see ya then,’ Henry replied with a smile.
That afternoon, Henry approached Wynnie as she was preparing some vegetables for their dinner that night. ‘I’m going with your dad and some of the other lodge representatives to Cessnock tonight to attend a meeting with our local Federal Labour Party member, Red Theodor. Jo will pick me up at six o’clock.’
‘Since when has Dad become a lodge representative again?’ Wynnie asked.
‘Since Dave, our current lodge secretary, became sick and Jo was asked to step in until Dave recovered,’ Henry replied.
With an air of sarcasm, Wynnie asked, ‘What do you hope to do? Mr Theodore is a Federal Labour Party candidate. I have heard him on the wireless spruiking what he will do for the miners when the Labour Party get into office following the election in October. Don’t you think that it’ll be a little late by then, Henry?’
‘I really don’t know, Wynnie,’ Henry mumbled.
Henry’s head noticeably dropped as he turned to walk away. Wynnie, feeling sorry for him, took his arm and pulled him back into her bosom. ‘I know that you feel bad about our situation, just married and a baby on the way. But this wasn’t your doing, Henry, and quite frankly, you have no say in its outcome. So, don’t feel that you have to try to prove anything to me. You know what I feel about the mine and what I would like you to do.’
‘I know, but I feel that this is a better way than how John and his lot are going about it,’ Henry replied.
Wynnie pulled back and looking Henry squarely in the eyes, asked, ‘I couldn’t help hearing some of what you were talking to John and his mate about, something about a meeting at Tatt’s tonight, and it is better fighting them than waiting on the Federal election later this year. I think he has a point in one way. We could all starve to death before the Federal election in October. But I didn’t catch who it was they were going to meet with.’
‘They are backing the Communist Party. He and his mate are attending one of their meetings at Tatt’s tonight to join them,’ Henry explained.
‘Is that what he said he was definitely going to do, or was he just talking to you hoping that you would go with him tonight to listen to what they had to say?’ Wynnie asked with a concerned look on her face.
‘He wanted me to go with them and he said that they are going to join the Commos,’ Henry confirmed.
‘So, there are two different groups of mineworkers working in different directions, not as one?’ Wynnie responded.
‘Yes, it seems so,’ Henry replied.
‘That’s a prescription for failure if I’ve ever heard one. What is John thinking? Dad has been through these things before, so why is John following the Communist Party? Does Dad know?’ Wynnie asked.
‘Yes, well, only since I told him this afternoon,’ Henry answered.
‘I hope he sets John straight. In any case, I had better get on with dinner if Dad is picking you up at six o’clock,’ Wynnie said with a worried look on her face as she turned and walked off.
Right on the dot of six o’clock, Jo pulled up in Henry’s backyard from the alley in his Hudson Super Six and beeped the horn.
‘Have you got a couple of shillings for a drink?’ Wynnie asked as she handed Henry his jacket.
‘No, but I won’t need a drink…or the jacket,’ Henry replied.
‘It will get cool later tonight. We are into autumn unless it has slipped your mind with everything that’s going on. Wait a minute,’ she said and then skipped the few paces to the other side of the kitchen. While looking back at Henry, she reached into the back of the cupboard and pulled out an old biscuit tin. Quickly opening it, she withdrew two shillings and tuppence. As she handed the coins to Henry, she said with a smirk, ‘Now, I’ll have to find a new hiding place.’
Taking the money, Henry kissed her on the lips and then with a big smile, pushed his way through the backdoor and hurried across to the car where Jo was patiently waiting.
‘All set, Henry?’ Jo muttered.
‘Yes, Jo,’ Henry replied.
Their journey to Cessnock took them only twenty minutes or so and Jo pulled his pride and joy into the back of the Cessnock Hotel on Wollombi Road, parking it well away from other vehicles. They then walked in through the back entrance and down the hallway to the main bar.
The other lodge representatives were already there and standing together, each supping on a black beer talking, while looking out through the big front windows onto Wollombi Road where it intersects with Vincent Street, the main shopping centre of the town.
‘I’ll get us a beer,’ Henry mumbled feeling a bit uncomfortable as the others turned in unison and stared across at him and Jo.
‘Do you have enough money?’ Jo asked.
‘Yes,’ Henry muttered looking down at his two shillings and tuppence that he had quickly retrieved from his trouser pocket.
‘I’ll buy the next few rounds, Henry,’ Jo said looking down at the coins nestled in Henry’s palm.
Jo left Henry to get the beers while he hurried across the room to explain Henry’s presence to the other lodge representatives. Several minutes later, Henry joined them and handed Jo his beer to the crescendo of “G’day, Henry” from the others.
Only several sups of beer later, Henry’s attention was drawn to the front doors as Red Theodor entered. With the air of a movie star, he stood blocking the doorway for several moments while looking about the room, before finally moving forward into the room allowing his two advisors to also enter. One of his advisors, a big man, immediately pointed out Jo’s group standing near the windows. As Red and that man strode across the room towards the Rothbury group, the other man, a small round fellow with a very bald head, rushed headlong towards the counter with a gate that reminded Henry of a wombat with its red bushy nose, thick torso, and very short stubby legs.
‘How are you all, gentlemen?’ Red emphatically roared as he quickly approached Henry with his outstretched hand.
Taking his hand, Henry muttered, ‘Nice to meet you, Mr Theodor.’
Without stopping to look Henry in the eye, Red then methodically did the rounds shaking each man’s hand.
‘Here you are, Mr Theodor,’ his little advisor, or as it was later pointed out, his driver, said in a soft squeaky voice as he handed a pint of black to his boss.
‘Only got a few minutes, gentlemen,’ Red said before skolling half his beer and scanning all the faces before him. ‘Several more stops to make before I can head home for a well-earned rest tonight.’
‘Has Scullin spoken to Bavin about what the NCPA have done? If not, when will he be doing so?’ Jo asked Red.
‘Mr Scullin is the leader of the Federal Labour Party, not the New South Wales Labour Party. As the Conservative Party Premier of New South Wales, Bavin has no reason to listen to anything that Mr Scullin has to say,’ Red retorted without a look in Jo’s direction.
Jo took a long sup on his beer as he leant back against the wall watching Red spin his web.
Over the course of the following twenty minutes, Red downed several pints and in between told those gathered before him, ‘I’ll tell you, gentlemen, what I have been telling all of you. When you vote the Federal Labour Party into power in October this year, we will reopen all of the collieries on the same wages and conditions that prevailed before this dastardly lockout took place with a single stroke of a pen.’ He then gulped down an almost full pint and looking to his two offsiders, said, ‘Now, let us be off to spread the good news to our other loyal Labour Party members.’ The other two downed the remains of their beer and fell into line as Red headed for the door.
Dumbfounded by the whole event, Henry looked at Jo and said, ‘I really can’t see how on earth that little guy reaches the car pedals.’
All present broke into laughter and then skolled their remaining beer before wishing each other a quick, “See ya”, and headed off to their vehicles.
On the drive home, Henry asked Jo, ‘Do you think Red means what he says, or just says what he believes his audience wants to hear?’
‘I suppose we can only wait and see, Henry. I can’t say that I have ever trusted any politician, regardless of their political persuasion. But under the circumstances, what choice do we have?’
Twenty minutes or so later, Jo quietly pulled his car into Henry’s backyard and slowly came to a halt. ‘What’s wrong, Jo? Why are you being so quiet?’ Henry muttered.
‘I don’t want to wake Wynnie. With a baby in the basket, she needs her sleep,’ Jo replied.
Just as Jo finished talking, Wynnie opened the back door and poked her head out. Then wrapping her dressing gown tight about her torso, she skipped across to the car and opened her father’s side door. ‘How did it go? Are they able to put an end to the lockout straight away?’
‘Henry will tell you all about it. Now, get back inside out of the cold,’ Jo mumbled while looking across at Henry.
Henry got out of the car and said, ‘Night, Jo,’ then walked around to the other side to loop his arm in Wynnie’s and lead her back to the house. Immediately after getting inside, Wynnie turned to Henry and asked, ‘Did anything worthwhile come out of it?’
‘Yes, Red promised that if voted into power, the Labour Party would immediately reopen the collieries and reinstate our original wages and conditions,’ Henry said with assurance.
‘That is what he says on the wireless every day but can you believe him? You were there. Did he mean it or just mouth the words?’ Wynnie retorted.
Henry, remembering the way in which Red addressed him when he shook his hand and the way he answered Jo’s questioning, made him realise that Wynnie’s opinion of him was quite correct. So, rather than agree with her opinion of him, he chose to reassure her by replying, ‘He believes in what he says, Wynnie.’
‘Yes, he may, but what I’m asking you, Henry, is do you believe him?’ Wynnie asked.
‘Yes, I do,’ Henry said with tongue in cheek.
‘Did the other union members mind your being there?’ Wynnie asked.
‘No, they were happy for me to attend, another pair of ears you know, and besides, it was your father who invited me. What could they say?’ Henry muttered.
‘So, John would have been better to go with you and Dad to listen to Red Theodor than to attend the Communist Party meeting?’ Wynnie said.
‘I’m sure he would have felt more confident after hearing what Red had to say than anything he heard at the Communist Party meeting,’ Henry replied.
Noticing that Henry was reticent as he coyly answered her questions, Wynnie said, ‘I would still feel better if you at least ask your father to look out for work on a dairy farm. You don’t have to start straight away but at least the farmers will know that you are looking. If things go bad with the mines, you will at least have a foot in the door with the local farmers.’
Not wanting to talk anymore about their situation with Wynnie, Henry responded, ‘I’ll drive out to the farm and speak with Dad first thing in the morning. Now, let’s get to bed.’
Wynnie reluctantly agreed to give it a rest as she was pleased that Henry at least had agreed to go out to speak with his father the next day. They went to the bedroom and got changed into their pyjamas before Henry turned out the light and they both slipped into bed. Henry feeling that he had satisfied Wynnie for the time being, rolled over and slid his arm across Wynnie’s waist before sliding it further down to pull her nighty up and slip her panties down. Wynnie rolled over fifteen minutes later totally unsatisfied after allowing Henry to have his way with her as tears engulfed her eyes before running down her face and dropping onto her pillow as she silently went to sleep.
The following morning, Henry was up early and without stopping for breakfast and another uncomfortable conversation with Wynnie, he got into his old car and drove up to his father’s farm to arrive just as his father and brothers were finishing off after the morning’s milking.
‘What brings you up here so early?’ Bill asked.
‘You know what’s going on with the mines at the moment?’ Henry replied.
‘Yes, but that will be resolved soon I’m sure,’ Bill replied.
‘I’m sure it will too after talking to Red Theodor last night…’ Henry replied.
‘The Federal politician!’ Bill exclaimed.
‘Yes, Jo took me along to a meeting they had with him at the Cessnock Hotel,’ Henry couldn’t help but boast.
‘What’s he like?’ Bill asked.
‘Like all politicians, I suppose, spruiking what they are going to do for you provided you vote for them at the next election,’ Henry replied.
‘Well, at least you have learnt that much about them; you can never trust them,’ Bill said.
‘Wynnie is getting very worried that the mines are going to be closed for a long time and we won’t have the money to live, you know, with the baby coming and all,’ Henry explained.
‘Do you need some money to tide you over?’ Bill asked.
‘No, she wants me to look for a job in the dairy industry, you know, a job on a dairy farm. Not this farm as I know it will only sustain you and my brothers. But she asked me to ask you to let the other dairy farmers around the Hunter Valley know that I am available to work for them if we don’t go back to work at the mine soon,’ Henry answered.
‘Oh, I think it will blow over soon, Henry. Wynnie is pregnant and prone to worrying. All women are the same when pregnant. But I’ll keep my eyes open for any opportunities for you. Now have you had breakfast?’ Bill said.
‘Well, no. I came straight up here rather than get into another conversation with Wynnie over the mines,’ Henry replied.
‘Come up to the house and have breakfast with us. Fresh eggs and bacon with a hot cup of tea to wash it down, just like when you lived here,’ Bill said as he smacked his lips and headed for the farmhouse. Henry followed in anticipation of what Bill had promised.
As the family sat together around the huge table just off the kitchen, Henry could smell the bacon and eggs as his mother cooked them and his mouth was watering as she placed a plateful in front of him. ‘Don’t wait for us,’ his father said as Henry eyed his breakfast.
Henry took a thick slice of toast from the plate in the centre of the table and lathered it with butter before tucking in.
During the meal, there was little talk as each family member savoured the food fresh from Bill’s farm.
Following breakfast, Henry followed Bill and his two brothers, Don and Mal, out onto the front porch to sit and talk for a while before getting on with the rest of the day’s chores.
After Henry had told them of the meeting with Red and Bill had again assured him that he would get the word around the many dairy farmers in the area that he may be available for work soon, Henry bid them farewell and drove back to his home. He was immediately beseeched by Wynnie who wanted to know if he had made it clear to his father that he was looking for work back in the dairy industry.
‘Yes, of course, I did. I told you that is what I was going out to the farm to do,’ Henry replied.
‘Did you make it plain to your father that you are ready to take a job as soon as one is available?’ Wynnie asked.
‘Yes, of course, I did, Wynnie. Why don’t you accept what I say?’ Henry bemoaned.
‘Because you seem to have this unfounded loyalty to your fellow miners,’ she scoffed.
This form of sarcasm hit home with Henry as he had not made it plain that he wanted a job now and feeling guilty about that, he gave Wynnie a dismissive look before turning and walking out through the back door to sit in the sun just outside the back of the house.
Wynnie could plainly see that she had upset him but chose to stay inside and keep quiet for the remainder of the day.
At dinner that night, there was very little chatter between them as they silently ate their meal.
Chapter 5
Conflicting Resolutions
John stumbled out onto the front verandah the following morning shielding his eyes from the sun’s bright rays, and sat down opposite his father.
‘How did your meeting go up at Tatt’s last night?’ Jo asked.
‘How do you know where I went? Oh, Henry told you?’ John replied with a hint of sarcasm.
‘John, I can’t make you do as I say anymore,’ Jo commenced saying.
‘That’s for sure,’ John interjected.
‘But what I can do is offer you advice. What you do with it is up to you,’ Jo continued.
‘I don’t think there is anything that you can say that will convince me that the colliery owners and Conservative Government give a shit about the proletat,’ John said.
‘You mean proletariat, John. It’s a word used by the Commos that refers to wage earners, like us miners, who depend on being able to sell our labour to the wealthy capitalists,’ Jo said while trying not to sound condescending.
‘Yeh, well, the colliery owners and government are only seeking to satisfy their own greed. People like us don’t mean a bloody thing to those bastards. They see us as shit to be used to put more money into their own pockets,’ John spat.
‘That may be so, but there is a right way and a wrong way to go about things,’ Jo retorted.
‘So, what do your bloody useless Central Council intend to do to get us all back to work? On our original meagre wages and conditions at least,’ John sneered.
‘Red Theodore spoke to several of us from the Rothbury Lodge at the Cessnock Hotel last night. He has promised that if the Labour Party gained power in the October Federal election, they would immediately reopen the collieries and restore our original wages and conditions,’ Jo explained.
‘So, what do we live on until October? And, what if the Labour Party doesn’t win the Federal election?’ John scoffed.
