The community of Frogs Hollow was deeply saddened last month with loss of our longest standing resident, Madge Johnson.
Like many a member of our community who regularly walks the hood, your infectious smile and wave as we turned the corner at River Avenue will be dearly missed .
Madge would have turned 91 in June this year, and to say Madge led and interesting life would be an understatement.
The family have kindly supplied a copy Madge’s Eulogy which has been brilliantly written by family members.
There is only one thing I would add to what has been written, and that is we have lost a ‘Gift to the Neighbourhood’.
It goes without saying that the whole of Frogs Hollow passes on their condolences to the Johnson family. Our thoughts are with you all.
John Dulieu
EULOGY : Madge Johnson
We are all here today to farewell the longest residing icon in Fullers Bridge known to all as Frogs Hollow, she lived there most of the time from 1934 to the present. The longevity and respect she has shown throughout the years is evident by the numerous neighbours who are here to say their final farewell.
Of course we are talking about ` (Madge as we all fondly knew her), who was born on the 29th of June 1927 at Crown Street Women’s Hospital to Sylvia and Joseph Hall Dunlop. At the time of her birth she was number five of six children. There was: Norman, aged 7, Joseph, aged 6, Sylvia aged 4, Alexander aged 2 and a deceased male who was thought to be a twin or Alexander.
At aged two Madge’s parents moved to cheaper accommodation (because of the Great Depression) in Ryde. They stayed there until 1931 where they moved to a war service home in Badajoz Rd. Ryde. Madge’s parents’ marriage broke up due to the stress of the Great Depression.
On the 5th of November 1931, Madge’s younger brother Stanley Dunlop –was born in Crown Street Women’s Hospital.
In March-1932 – Madge remembers her older brother Norman, taking her to see the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the night Fireworks display. He carried Madge on his shoulders from their home at Badajoz Road Ryde, only a short distance to a high point for better viewing of this event. They went through acres of apple and peach orchards and farms on the corner of Wicks Road and Twin Roads. Madge perched up high on her elder Brother Norman’s shoulder said “it was just wonderful to see all the beautiful fireworks”.
Madge, aged (6) met lifelong friend Thelma (who was minding her grandmother’s cows in an open paddock) near Madge’s home. It started to thunderstorm and rain so Madge invited Thelma to shelter on her Verandah. 84 year best friend relationship.
In 1934 Madge’s mother walked to see land for sale at Fullers Bridge and then walked into Martin Place to pay a deposit on six blocks of land, including an old stone cottage, at Fullers Bridge. Madge and her family spent most of their later life living in a house on two of those blocks. Her mum and four of her children, including Madge, lived in the stone cottage for some time before that. The reason they could not move immediately into the old stone cottage, was because Mr. Harry and Mrs Mary Woods who were protected tenants.
Madge attended School at Chatswood Primary, sometimes if fund’s permitted (1 Penny each way on the bus). Otherwise Madge would have to walk to and from school some four kilometres. She attended Willoughby girls High briefly.
In 1936, Madge was taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital, requiring quite a few stiches after being hit in the head with a rock thrown by one of the boys living in a large corrugated iron shed in the bush, Her Royal North Shore Hospital number 0025 36 still remains to this day and she still got comments about her low number.
Madge at aged 12 years old left school and obtained a job at Henderson’s in Crow’s Nest, rewinding and the manufacturing transformers and other electricalgoods.
This journey she walked to and from Fullers Bridge every day. After some time when asked to prove her age, and if she had a permit to work, Madge was forced to resign.
When she was 13 years old, she obtained a Job at French’s Road Willoughby at E.K. Chapman’s where their main line of work was the manufacture of shoe laces for the war effort during the Second World War. Yet another long daily walk to and from Fullers Bridge.
Madge while attending the Kings Picture Theatre in Chatswood with close friend Thelma heard someone yells out “The Japs are coming in to Sydney”. The theatre immediately was closed and everyone was ordered out and they made their way home to Fullers Bridge. Now they had the threat of war on their doorstep.
Madge In her teenage years along with her best friend Thelma were regular patrons to the three picture Theatres in Chatswood mainly the Kings Picture Theatre. They also attended dances at Fairyland Picnic Grounds which was a short walk from their home in Fullers Bridge.
In December 1942 Madge met Cullen Powell Johnson at a Railway dance in Bathurst. Cullen, a young Sapper (Engineers Corps), was in an army training camp. Madge was in Bathurst to visit her older sister, Sylvia, who was working in an ammunition factory in Bathurst.
On the 16th of November 1946 Madge and Cullen married at St. Paul‘s Church, Chatswood. They moved to Geelong (Cullen’s home town) after the wedding.
In 1947, they moved back to Sydney and lived in River Avenue with Madge’s mother.
In October Madge and Cullen caught the bus to Chatswood because Madge was in labour and needed to get to the hospital to give birth to their eldest son, Leslie. Things were very different in those days!
The following year Cullen and Madge loaded up the family T Model Ford and took little Leslie to Bathurst, so they could earn some money pea picking in Yetholme, 25 klms from Bathurst and Oberon. It was very unpleasant trying to pick peas with a toddler in the freezing cold and living in a tent. They washed nappies in the creek and cooked over an open fireplace.
In 1950 when they had moved back to Hornsby in Sydney number two son, Norman Johnson was born. She told the story well, of how they drove from Hornsby to Chatswood in the T Model Ford, with no side curtains, in the pouring rain.
In 1951, 3rd son, Gary Stanley Johnson was born in Geelong because they were staying with Cullen‘s father and step mother at the time.
In 1953, 4th son, Malcolm Brian Johnson was born in Geelong Hospital.
In 1954 they all moved to Crofton Street, Geelong where Madeliene took in borders to supplement their meagre income. It was here that Leslie set fire to the garage workshop whilst playing with petrol. It was also here that Leslie dropped a piece of railway line on his father’s foot resulting in Cullen’s smashed foot.
In 1957 the family moved back to Sydney to build a house on two blocks, in Fullers Bridge one given to them by Madge’s mother, and the other purchased from her brother Joseph. They lived in the old stone cottage where her mother lived on one of the other blocks. In those days everyone had to trudge to the outside toilet in the freezing cold and they only had old phone books or newspapers cut into squares for toilet paper. It was still a great time of fond memories for the boys living with their grandmother. Madge somehow managed to cook all the meals on three kerosene primuses, all after doing a day’s work at the shoe lace factory.
They set about building their dream home on the two blocks of land.
Madge now starts work at Brian Garvey and Associates of Artarmon a mailing house, with long-life friend Thelma
The youngest of five boys, Robert, was born in 1963. That was it….the family was complete !.
In December 1968, eldest son, Leslie married Roselee Ricketts who on New Years’ Day 1972, produced the first grandchild, Karen. Finally a girl in the family! They went on to produce Shayne, Rick and Sharon.
The grandchildren kept increasing with a final tally of ten. The others were: Shawn, Stephanie, Renee, Nicky, Anthony and Ashleigh.
Madge cared for her mother and Sister Sylvia for a number of years, never once complaining.
That was Madge!
In January 2004 Cullen succumbed to cancer after a long battle. He managed to stay home, mainly because Madge cared for him for a number of years. This showed the tenacity of Madge.
Les and Roselee and their children have been in a unique situation being able to live next door to Madge and Cullen. The kids growing up, and popping in at any time to see Grandma and Grandpa, has always been very special to them.
Any family function was never complete unless Grandma made her special apple pies.
(We already miss them.)
Their grandchildren also enjoyed the special time with Grandma, always visiting her whenever they came to see Nana Rose and Click-pa.
One of the nicest of memories Roselee has of her mother in law was when they took Madge in her later years to Vietnam and they had to cross a huge road. Madge was told “whatever you do, just step off the paving, do not turn back, and keep on walking! “ Well, they stepped off ok, but Madge decided it was too scary and wanted to go back to the safety of the footpath. She just kept laughing her infectious laugh. So Les and Roselee put her in between them and escorted her to the other side, all the time listening to her laughing.
Madge worked tirelessly for St Vincent De Paul Society at the Chatswood shop for over forty years. She made many friends along the way. She only stopped volunteering there two years ago after her second knee replacement.
2014-June-15th-: My Life with Grandma by granddaughter Karen.
The gifts she gave me.
The gift of being spoilt- As the first born grandchild, and a granddaughter to a mother of 5 boys’, I think I must have been a well-received novelty. I was fortunate to have grown up living right beside my grandmother, and have always appreciated being able to ” pop” next door for a chat (and of course a homemade cookie). I was made to feel special and always welcome.
The gift of Life– While my parents gave me my life first, my Grandma gave me a second chance at it. My very first memory of Grandma was when she saved me from drowning in her swimming pool when I was just a toddler, Dad was ”minding” me and we were visiting Grandma. I asked Dad if I could go for a swim and he told me to get on my “Dinky Dipper”(A swimming vest). I could not find mine, so I put on my uncles, and it was several sizes too large. I then proceeded to jump into the pool, immediately slipping straight through the vest and settling comfortably on my back on the bottom of the pool. I can remember very clearly looking up and calmly wondering how I got there. The next second, I saw Grandma leap from her chair on the veranda, race down the stairs and plunge feet first into the water above me. I looked up at her dress flying up revealing her underwear; my last thought was “well that’s a bit rude”.
The gift of loving nature– I have always had a great fascination with nature and plants. Grandma-herself a Garden lover, never seemed to appreciate my constant desire to pick EVERY single one of her poppies the moment they opened. After being told numerous times to stop picking them, she eventually resorted to putting rabbit traps in the garden ……I would like to think they were never actually set, but pointed out to me as a simple scare tactic- which worked a treat,, as I was TERRIFIED to go in her garden after that (and had to satisfy myself only with the poppies I could reach from the path). But to this day, I am not 100 percent sure……
The gift of laughter— Grandma has probably the most unique sense of humour of anyone I have ever met. She has always been quick to see the funny side of pretty much anything, and her laughter always infectious. She is the only person I know who laughs when relating a story in which someone lost their leg……
The gift of fun–From my teens, we began to make use of the Lake house for holidays. It had been purchased as a ”weekender” right besides Grandma’s life-long friend “Thel”, who herself is an honorary grandmother to me. There are too many happy memories to count from holidays at Bermagui, a joy I have been privileged to share with my husband and my own children.
The gift of role model— Grandma showed me you can never lose when you always try your best and expect the best for yourself. She demonstrated how to be kind and give to others, even when it was a really hard thing to do because of your own problems. She reminded me that when someone slams the door in your face, you can always open a window. She proved that age is no barrier to a long fulfilled life. She validated my thoughts and theories on life in general, and she displayed that a quiet dignity in a difficult circumstances makes you an amazing person.
The gift of Love— Grandma gave the gift of love in warm apple pies, cookies, cuddles, stories, laughter, and support. She gave me the gift of love in clothes and jewellery and toys. She gave me the gift of love in life lessons and understanding.
But most of all she gave me simply, one of the greatest gifts in my life. I love you Grandma, so thank you for the gift of YOU.
Your Loving granddaughter Karen Lee Todman
This was written by third son Gary for Mum’s 80th birthday.
In 1927………………..a special gift arrived from heaven
Your name was Madeliene………and a figure so lean
A Dunlop born………..a sheep your mother has shorn
Along a dirt road you did travel….two cows and fence to unravel
Your best friend Thel………and you both raised hell
Your younger years were so tough…..But you were made of very strong stuff
Water you carted…….. Before the day started
On a dunny truck you rode……..
A factory you both toiled…….And life was unspoiled
Til Thel pinched the bosses tea…….and caused melee
He ranted and raved………And then sat wheezing
Thel was brave…………And sat with feelin
“I’ll just get me hat and coat because I am leavin”
A man you did marry…….he was the son of Harry
Pea picking you’ve been…….. The sights you have seen
Five sons you did bare……..some with no hair
All those boys you have raised…….you must be praised
With Cullen you worked side by side…….and built a loving home with pride
A brand new extension you did make…….Then it was time to take a short break
A party was had…….for all the lads
Frilly knickers on the line……..That took some time
It was in the morning…….Your mother and sister came storming
You all take a hike……..and get rid of those bikes
You arrived home all rested and happy……..then you see your new room, all black and crappy
The new room you built……….was all burnt to the hilt
Your life has been good ……..but also sad
You’ve given us love………and made our hearts glad
Many things have changed since 1927
BUT NOT MY MUM……..Our special gift from heaven