James Arthur Putland

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Doug Hooper who notes: He was actually christened 'James Arthur' but he altered it to A.J. He went to Galaquil School with his brothers and sisters and as a boy, swam in the Yarriambiac Creek where he also caught fish and yabbies. Fond of fishing and shooting, he was a member of the Berriwillock Rifle Club.

Arthur joined the first A.I.F. 46th Battalion, World War 1, and served in France and Belgium.

On March 31, 1925 he married Esther Erskine, the daughter of William and Jane Hillgrove of Birchip. Esther's sister Janet and Gordon R.L. Putland witnessed the marriage.

Arthur and this brother Horace began share farming a property near 'Prospect' and in about 1924 Arthur bought 800 acres, a portion of 'Springfield Station', which was sited 10 miles northeast of Berriwillock. The Putlands had good horse teams of Clydesdale stock and at first used an eight-horse team, later changing to ten horses in tandem. Shorthorn cows were milked and cream sent off by rail, sheep and fat lambs were raised and oats grown for feed and chaff.

Horace and Arthur worked in partnership for a number of years. In 1926 Arthur bought a new Chevrolet 4 cylinder car but it was many years before they had another new car. Before the advent of cars and trucks all commodities and produce were carted by horses and wagons.

The years at 'Springfield' were hard for Esther too. There was no water connected to the house, no electricity, no telephone and no mail delivery. Once a week a trip would be made to Berriwillock and after the arrival of the car the family attended Church and Sunday school.

The boys drove a horse and gig the 4 miles to Tyrell Creek School and rode their bicycles when the school was moved one mile nearer to their home.

Outings and holidays were rare and special treats so that the yearly school sports, the Christmas concert and the holiday taken every five years by the family were events anticipated and enjoyed with very real appreciation. Home entertainments were family singsongs around the organ, reading, or listening to the battery wireless.

In winter the rainfall totalled 10-12 inches per annum and there were plenty of white frosts. Summer brought heat both day and night, and the fine, loose soil, which in winter became sticky mud was, in summer, dust that would blow very easily. The Mallee dust storms can be quite frightening to a new-comer - every-thing grows dark and even the fowls go to roost in the day time - and the resultant dust, over everything, is a housewife's nightmare.

On a wet year the Tyrell Creek on one side of the property and the Lalbert Creek on the other would usually flood. This was about the only time these creeks flowed and when in flood, they would flood about 1 mile wide through the line of box trees, which marked their course.

Arthur always had a sheep dog or two and with his very powerful whistle (which none of the boys could equal) he would control the dog with a series of trills or a blast, followed by voice commands which were rather terse when things went wrong.

Arthur believed that the Mallee would prosper and in the late forties and early fifties it was clear of debt for the first time in 20 years. Sadly he was not to enjoy the prosperous times for he became ill in 1951 and died in the Birchip hospital on June 13,1952 at the age of 58 years. He is buried at Berriwillock Cemetery.

Esther has more than one link with the Putland family for her sister Beth married Gordon R.L. Putland and her brother Allan married Ruby Putland. After the hard times of droughts, depression and other difficulties and the early loss of her partner, Esther moved to Western Australia to be with her sons who all went 'west'. This was much better than 'sitting in Bendigo waiting for letters that would never come.'

James married Esther Erskine Hillgrove on 31 Mar 1925 in Birchip, Victoria Australia. (Esther Erskine Hillgrove was born circa 1895.)