Arthur Frank Hiscock

  General Notes:

Argus (Melbourne, Vic) Wednesday 12 May 1926
LOCH, Monday, The Loch club renewed its activities at a picnic meeting on Saturday, when a good attendance of members and supporters and a contingent from the Bena club participated. T. H. Fordyen was appointed captain of the Loch team. In an inter-club match Bena defeated Loch, and the following won trophies, over the 200 and 300 yards:-Open Aggregate - Captain . H. Hennessy (Bena). Loch Club Aggregate- H. G. Wallace Novice, over 200 yards - A. F. Hiscock. Open, 3OO yards- M. Rawlings.

Electoral Roll: -
1931 - "Pine Lodge", Loch, Vic - farmer.
1936 - Ruby, Vic - farmer.

Arthur Frank HISCOCK
Arthur was born on the 4th March 1907 in Netherby, Victoria. He was the second child in a family of 2 boys and 2 girls. When he was about 5 the family moved to Loch where his father rented a property and grew onions and potatoes.
When Arthur started at the Loch State School the Headmaster at the time was a Mr F.W. Clarke. He was a strict and stern disciplinarian.
If any of the boys misbehaved, Mr Clarke would make them lean over their desks and they would be strapped. The punishment for girls was to stand in the corner of the room with their hands on their heads for the rest of the day, plus write out a hundred lines before going home.
Homework was often set for arithmetic and spelling. Punishment could be expected if it was not done.
Each morning the children were all lined up for marching and drilling. They all had to march down the main street and if they weren't straight armed, would get a whack with the cane.
A lot of the children had travelled quite a distance to walk to school already, but no one was excused.
When the First World War broke out, the children all had to learn patriotic songs, the flag would be raised, and every morning they would march down to the Post Office and back, singing all the time.
Mr G Mercovich the new Headmaster took over in 1917 and he was remembered much more fondly than Mr Clarke.
When the 1914 -18 War ended in November 1918 the children went to school as usual in the morning. Apparently all the parents were notified for a picnic up on a hill. They all sat around in a circle and shared food bought along by the adults, all thoroughly enjoying this wonderful treat.
The family next moved to Ruby about 1936 where they purchased a property and milked cows.
Arthur occasionally went to relatives in the city and while there enjoyed going to the cricket and football. He followed the Hawthorn football team, probably influenced by the fact that his maternal grand-father had been a mayor of Hawthorn. His Great Uncle Thomas Underwood Groube had played cricket for Victoria and one Test match against England. Arthur's other hobby was reading.
A favourite meeting place for the community at Ruby was the steam train from Melbourne arriving each week day with the mail. This is where Arthur met Elsie for the first time and a romance developed although Elsie was only about sixteen at the time. They eventually got engaged and Arthur purchased a property at Foster North and milked cows on it. Although the distance between Ruby and Foster North isn't far for these days, they mostly wrote to each other and occasionally visited.
The Second World War started, but Arthur was exempt as men were needed on farms to keep the troops and the country supplied with food.
Arthur and Elsie married on the 10th February 1940 on a scorching hot day. The reception was held at his parents home. His mother had been rushing around preparing things when she slipped, fell and hurt her leg. She stayed at home during the wedding service but later after the refreshments were served, she went to hospital and found that she had broken her leg.
Arthur and Elsie went to Tasmania for their honeymoon and enjoyed a relaxing two weeks holiday. They returned home to settle into married life on the farm at Foster North. The cows were all milked by hand as these were the days before electricity. Horses were used to do the work around the farm.
The three eldest girls Jean, Merle and Gwen had arrived by the time they shifted to a larger property at Fish Creek about 1947. Another daughter Pam, was added to the family.
The electricity was connected in 1951 which made life easier with milking machines.
The family moved again to Longwarry in 1953 onto a smaller property. This was nearer to public transport, and, as Arthur and Elsie never owned a motor car, it made life easier for when the girls started work.
Not long after the move, a son, Ray, was born to complete the family.
Tractors were readily available and one was purchased which helped ease the workload for Elsie and Arthur.
Eventually Arthur was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, so had to sell the farm. They moved to Dandenong, rented a house, and Arthur got a job as a cleaner in the Psychiatric Hospital.
After a few years Arthur's health deteriorated, he retired and they bought a house at Healesville. Arthur died in 1970.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Dairy Farmer.

• Education: Loch State School.

Arthur married Elsie Mavis Stephens, daughter of William (Bill) Stephens and Elizabeth Annie (Liz) Robinson, on 10 Feb 1940 in Leongatha, South Gippsland, Victoria Australia. (Elsie Mavis Stephens was born on 26 Sep 1919 in Ruby, Victoria Australia, died on 5 May 1974 in Healesville, Victoria Australia and was buried on 8 May 1974 in Springvale Crematorium, Victoria Australia Bolingbroke Lawn - Lawn Grave, Row E Grave B.)