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Sylvia Emmett Interview

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Frederick Adrian Dwyer

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Telling it as it was

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Sylvia Emmett Oral History

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BiographySylvia Emmett, nee Sparkes, was born 1914, at Miranda. Her parents were John Phelps Sparkes, born 1890, a pioneer of Sylvania and Jemima Sparkes (nee Milne). Sylvia married Ron Emmett in 1941.SynopsisSylvia Emmett talks about her family and the early years in Miranda. Includes when her grandparents John and Mary Sparkes moved to Shire they lived at Sylvania, then Miranda John Sparkes worked for Council as a ganger under overseer Fred Dwyer. Mother's family moved to Shire and possibly lived in a tent at Cronulla Beach before moving to Miranda the family had poultry and some gardening. Father died at work with road watering cart when the horse shied mother had to go to work to support the children: worked for Mr Monro at the Cecil Hotel under a French chef family lived with grandmother for 12 months until house built by Mr Sorenson after five years mother married the local butcher, Billy Mac (William McDonald), who learnt his trade under the Stapletons. Includes siblings Sid and Mima Florence. Includes Miranda School, teachers Mrs McCarron, Miss Moon later attended Sutherland Intermediate High for two years. Includes local identities Matron Gould, Nurse Conroy, Sister Johnson, Miss Downs, Nurse Hemming Mr Hanley, baker Mr Fraser, grocer Miss Jesson in the Post Office Miss Wilmott, dressmaker Mr Shaw, banker, married to Miss Palms and father was the minister at Sutherland Misses Jones at the Sunday School Smith's Hay and Corn Stall, run by Mr Smith and sons Bill and Norm Mrs Porter, Doris Barnidge's mother, had a shop with sweets and vegetables and hot pies Mr Bagshaw, estate agent Mortlock's sold soft drinks, icecream and sweets, daughter Grace and sons Ted and Jack Mortlock Mr Porter, electrician Lehane family Miss Mondel Val and Alice Fenton Ruby Every and Violet Page had poultry farms. Also includes food deliveries gypsies Billy Mac joined the RSL mother member of the Hospital Auxiliary and later Port Hacking Ladies Bowling Club swimming at Gunnamatta first School of Arts at Miranda.

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Sylvia Emmett Interview

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Sylvia Emmett Interview Log Sheet

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Oral History AudioSylvia Emmett InterviewDate of interview12 October 1994IntervieweeSylvia EmmettDate of birth5th October 1914InterviewerMerle Kavanagh

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PeopleFrederick Adrian DwyerPlaceHotel Cecil, CronullaMirandaSubjectsEmmett, SylviaCollectionTelling it as it was