Terence (Terry) John Apps Oral History

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DescriptionThis interview consists of six audio recordings and transcripts. Terence (Terry) John Apps was interviewed on 19 June 2002 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod.
Interview SummaryTerence (Terry) Apps was born at Harden in NSW in August 1937. His parents were both born at Young and there were 9 children in their family. His parents had also come from large families. His father worked at Burrinjuck Dam and later joined the railways.

At first Terry’s parents and their family lived at his grandfather’s house, also in Young, in a house which had no hot water or electricity. It was a corrugated iron house and sat on about 10,000 acres. They used kerosene lanterns and lamps and the only refrigeration they had was a cool safe. Terry goes into much detail in his interview of their life on the farm and their use of heated up stones to keep their beds warm in winter. They moved a few miles away to Murrumburrah in 1937 where he was educated. While he was in school he worked on a milk run which he helped run from the age of 11. He began driving at the age of 15 in his boss' Austin A40 utility at the dairy. At the age of 16 he began working for the railways as a call boy. Terry worked with the railway for many years, holding various positions.

At Harden, Terry decided to learn boxing as he felt he was being bullied. He was quite successful and won many trophies. He also played rugby league and hockey. Terry played basketball and learnt to go-cart.

Terry had a serious case of pneumonia while he was in Newcastle and when he had recovered he transferred to Chullora in Sydney where he was forced to find his own accommodation at a hostel. He was then sent to work in Wollongong mainly driving trucks. Here he played tennis and also learnt to play poker. At Hillston he also was taught how to play lawn bowls.

Terry’s father was an ambulance driver in Harden and Terry joined also as a volunteer driver. His father also broke horses for the Light Horse and Terry had much experience in his lifetime working with horses.

Terry spent much of his spare time dancing. This was in the time of Rock and Roll. He met his future wife and they married at Bankstown Clerk of Petty Sessions. They lived in a caravan behind his wife’s sister’s home and later they built their own home in Lansvale where he spent much time gardening.

Terry describes what a typical Australian bush Christmas was like in the days where there was little money to go around. He also tells us of how ‘cracker night’ was celebrated.

Terry worked at the Fairfield Museum as a gardener and educator.

Transcript