DescriptionThis interview consists of two audio recordings and transcripts. Dave Humphries was interviewed on 21 August 2002 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Diana Giese. Interview SummaryDave Humphries was born at Millers Point on the southern shore of the city of Sydney, near where the Harbour Bridge stands. The family moved to Daceyville and when his father, who was a Commonwealth Police Officer, was posted to Moorebank, they moved to Moore Street Liverpool. Dave attended many schools in his young life including Daceyville, Liverpool, Coogee, Paddington and Cleveland Schools and left at the age of 14. Later after he married he lived near the beaches at Coogee and Bondi, but, as his son was asthmatic, they were advised to move away from the sea and so they ended up in Mount Pritchard.
Dave firstly worked at Bradford Mills on Parramatta Road which later became Bonds Industries. Then he moved to Australian Woollen Mills at Marrickville. At both places he worked on machines which made cloth. He then moved to Hagen and Blackburn Woollen Mills where he remained until he joined the Army during World War Two.
Dave served in the army during the Second World War and rose to commission rank leaving at the end of the war in 1945. He worked as a partner in a real estate and business broking for about a year and a half and then joined MacRobertson’s, working mainly in the country areas taking orders for their chocolate products.
Cabravale Servicemen’s Club had been established in 1925, after World War One was over, as a means for ex-servicemen to have comradeship. David describes in this interview how he joined the club in 1963. He tells how their first building was brought down from Dubbo and how the club grew. He also tells of the support they gave and continue to give to various sports and sporting clubs in the district, including lawn bowls, junior rugby league, netball, cricket and fishing.
Dave’s interview describes the history of the formation of the club and its importance to the district. He also tells of the many migrants who have joined the club from all over the world. The story makes an interesting history of CabraVale Diggers Club.
Oral History ProjectThe Way We Were - People of FairfieldAll Oral Histories
Dave Humphries Oral History (1922-2004). Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 12/03/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1426
