Toggle search box search Open main navigation menu Menu Close menu

Library

Austin, Frederick Charles “Chummy”

Frederick Charles Austin (born 29th November 1878, died 8th May 1953) was the son of Frederick Austin (18th August 1854, died March 14th 1919). Frederick senior was born in Paradise, the son of Joseph Austin and husband of Mabel Clues. Mabel Clues was the daughter of Thomas Clues of Campbelltown. Frederick Charles Austin junior was almost exclusively known as Chummy. He married Mary Anne Link (1880-1946) in 1900 and their first house was a cottage opposite Marybank near Fifth Creek in Morialta. Later the family lived in various rented houses along Bell’s Road (northern Stradbroke Rd) and Graves Road.1

Chummy and Mary had twelve children between 1902 and 1923.

The children’s names were; * Allen Esmond (1902) * Jessie Mabel (1904) * Robert Alfred (1906) * James Harold (1908) * Lillian Eleanor (1910) * Athleen and Kathleen (1912) * Edwin (1913) * Dorothy May (1915) * Gladys Evelyn (1918) * Frederick Gabriel (1921) * Marjorie (1923)

Frederick “Chummy” Austin was a pioneer bullocky in the Campbelltown area, although his father, Frederick snr was also a bullocky. Some claim the nickname Chummy comes from the name of the Austin Car which was nicknamed “The Chummy”.2

Chummy was renowned for treating his bullocks kindly; he never swore nor lashed at his animals and always spoke to them softly. He was featured in an article in the Australian Post about bullockies and his children said that:

“it is most unfair that the Australian Post should have chosen a photograph with a whip to illustrate an article on him, as one of the things their father was renowned for was being the only bullocky in Australia who never swore”3

An article in The Mail on the 24th June 1922 exclaimed at Chummy’s ability to remain civil with his bullocks:

“‘Why you don’t even swear,’ the scribe remarked in surprise to the man with the long handled whip. ‘There’s no need for that,’ he replied in the softest tone. ‘I treat all my bullocks well, and calling each by name they know exactly what I mean.’ ‘Been at this work long?’ ‘All my life; and there’s my boy at the back.’ Behind was another team in charge of a young lad, the proud son of his bullocky father…”

The same article also commented on his famed relationship with each and every bullock in his team:

“Come ‘e Brindle,” “Wo back Boxer,” “Get up Sharper,” “Steady Pilot.” He was talking to his team of bullocks in this fashion as these faithful animals yoked to a jinker, trudged along Flinders Street one sunny dinner hour this week, much to the curiosity of bystanders. 4

He used his bullocks to clear land for agriculture and sub-division and also to cart wood for industries around the Campbelltown and Norwood areas. He carted to Penfolds for the furnaces and brick works but after the Shepparton Saw Mill started in Barnes Road he took most of his product there. He originally carted from the Gorge, Montacute and Morialta to Shepparton’s Mill and then began carting from Fulham to the mill, with the average load being five tons but sometimes as much as nine tons in a single load. He also carted railway sleepers to Mile End. Chummy’s son Robert (Bert) worked with his father for several years. Bert left home when he was 16 but then returned home and bought a team of his own and carted from Henley Beach to Barnes Road, Payneham.

Chummy Austin Bullock Team

Mr F. Austin and his bullock team pulling large timber passing through Athelstone in 1909

Chummy broke in his own bullocks on Stradbroke Road, where at the time there were only two houses. Fred’s family tell that one particular bullock, Old Star, was “beautiful looking” and initially it took all day to get him shod. Chummy was known to graze his bullocks along the side of Stradbroke and Graves Roads. They were taken down to water at Fourth Creek night and morning:

“We used to drive the bullocks to Fourth Creek for watering, along a winding track through the bush that is now Baroota Avenue – outside the Heat’s house. We children used to ride bare-backed to the creek, we weren’t supposed to, but it was the easiest way. We would be tired after walking a mile each way to the Athelstone school, and so two of us might get on a lead bullock and the others would follow. When we got home our bullock would let us off by the dray so that we could jump on to it.” (Mrs Lil (Austin) Goldsworthy, Payneham, 1975. 5

Chummy was widely known as a great breaker and trainer of bullocks. A good bullock would sell for 10 -20 pounds. People in the country would buy bullocks for sinking dams and Chummy would keep the leaders and sell the rest. People would come to buy bullocks trained by him because they were sure to be well behaved:

“He used to leg rope them and shoe them – not exactly shoes, but bullock cues – a sort of half-moon. He made them himself. And the huge yokes for round their necks. When he broke in a new bullock he would yoke up with old bullocks on each side. One day a new bullock jumped right over one of the old ones – it was frightening to see.” (Robert, Frederick and Lillian Austin 1975)6

According to Chummy’s son Robert (Bert) Austin, Chummy was the last person to run a bullock team in Adelaide. In the 1920s there were four bullock teams working along Stradbroke Road – Emmerton, Amber, Hutcheson and Austin. Bert Austin claimed that Chummy had the last working Bullock team and drove them as late as 1946. Chummy’s daughter Lillian Goldsworthy was quoted as saying that the last time he drove the bullocks was during the 8 hours’ day procession, possibly in 1946.7 Evidence of the novelty of the appearance of a bullock team was shown by the report in The News in September 1936 of a team of bullocks hauling what they call an “old time” bullock wagon through the city streets for the floral pageant; Bullock Team in the City.

“Adelaide was treated to an unusual sight when a team of 10 bullocks, hauling an old-time bullock wagon, was driven slowly through the city streets. The team will draw the Thebarton float in the floral pageant, and today’s journey was made because doubts were raised about whether the team would be able to turn the corners satisfactorily.”  1922 'A RARE SIGHT IN THE CITY. BULLOCK ' TEAM "AT VICTORIA SQUARE.', The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), 24 June, p. 13. , viewed 17 Mar 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63946994

Chummy led a team of bullocks in several Adelaide processions. He sometimes carried a replica of Colonel Light’s cottage on his trolley.8

At one point in August 1903 Chummy nearly lost his entire team and his livelihood with it. The incident was reported in The Advertiser;

A Teamster’s Misfortune

“Mr A.A. Young, treasurer of the Richmond Band of Hope, writes, “An unfortunate occurrence happened to Mr Charles Austin of Fifth Creek, at Keswick last week. He, with his team of eight bullocks was journeying through Keswick and stopping there overnight. He turned the bullocks out to grass on some vacant land being unaware of the poisonous weeds the Cape Tulip growing there. On rising early in the morning he was startled to find some of his bullocks dead and others in a dying condition, and in the end only one survived. Great sympathy was expressed for Mr Austin on the loss of his means of livelihood and to assist him practically the Richmond Band of Hope gave a successful entertainment on Monday night in the Baptist Church. A capital programme, consisting of songs, duets, recitations and dialogue was placed before a large audience. At the close of the proceedings it was resolved to donate £1.10/ of the takings at the door to Mr Austin and to ask the editor of The Advertiser to receive it, and open a list on Mr Austin’s behalf, inviting other subscriptions. We have received 30/-, proceeds of the entertainment, and 1/- from ‘A Friend ‘.” 9

The money that was raised on behalf of Chummy Austin, in order to get him started again, is a sign of the esteem that he was held within the community at the time.

Frederick Chummy Austin worked his bullock team for about 50 years. Whatever people wanted hauled, ploughed, pushed over or pulled out, he would get his bullocks to do.10 When not working on the land Chummy could be found enthusiastically playing his button accordion at local dances. You can still see Chummy’s trail down the north-west side of Black Hill.

References

  1. Austin Folder, Local History Room, Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  2. Austin Folder, Local History Room, “Pioneering family receive top honour (The Messenger 25 March 1998) Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  3. Austin Folder, Local History Room, “Frederick Charles Austin” Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  4. The Mail 24th June 1922
  5. Austin Folder, Local History Room, “Mrs Lilian Goldsworthy” Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  6. Austin Folder, Local History Room, “Robert, Frederick and Lillian Austin, 1975” Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  7. Austin Folder, Local History Room, “Mrs Lilian Goldsworthy” Campbelltown Public Library, S.A. viewed 21 Sep 2017
  8. 1936 ‘BULLOCK TEAM IN CITY’, News (Adelaide, SA:1923-1954), 11 September, p.1., viewed 21 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132028117
  9. 1903 ‘A TEAMSTER’S MISFORTUNE.’, The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA: 1867-1922), 13 August, p. 4. (4 O’CLOCK EDITION.), viewed 21 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208758477
  10. Austin Folder, Local History Room, Campbelltown Public Library, S.A.  viewed 21 Sep 2017

Photo References

  1. State Library of South Australia (1909). Bullock Team.. [image] Available at: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+28786 [Accessed 23 Oct. 2017].
  2. 1922 ‘A RARE SIGHT IN THE CITY. BULLOCK ‘TEAM “AT VICTORIA SQUARE.’, The Mail Adelaide, SA: 1912-1954), 24 June, p. 13., viewed 21 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63946994