Yvonne Clayton Oral History (1948-2013)

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DescriptionThis interview consists of two audio recordings and transcripts. Yvonne Clayton was interviewed on 22 March 2006 at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Shirley Kingsford McLeod. This is part of the Bonnyrigg Housing Estate Oral History ProjectInterview SummaryYvonne Clayton was born on 24 January 1948 and was a Wiradjiri woman. She and her eight siblings grew up on a mission at Wattle Hill near Leeton, around the rich irrigation area of the south western area of New South Wales, where fruit is grown abundantly. A large Letona fruit factory is one of the main sites of the area. Consequently the family always had plenty of good healthy fruit and yabbies to sustain them. They were so adept at catching yabbies that they sold them to locals for twenty cents a bucket.

Then her father left the family and moved away. He had served with the Australian Army and had been one of The Rats of Tobruk. He found the return to peace unsettling because of his Aboriginality. He felt unwanted in his own country and a poem telling about this time of his life was written by one of Yvonne’s sisters. His leaving of the family was to change their lives considerably.

Yvonne attended Leeton Public School until 1958 and when she was aged 10 she was taken from her mother and sent to Cootamundra Girls’ Home. Six of the children were removed by the Welfare Board and sent to various towns. The boys went to accommodations in Kempsey and the girls, including Yvonne, went to Cootamundra. She remained there for six years and gives a sad description of life there as appalling. The children were sent out to work for white families and in some cases were abused. Some of the girls became pregnant and their babies were taken from them with birth dates and other information deleted so that they had no chance to later look for their past. Later she searched and found her mother and a firm friendship developed.

While at Cootamundra Girl’s Home she was schooled at Cootamundra Public School and then Cootamundra High School before moving on. Yvonne had requested, and been given, a position with a family at Temora where she did general housekeeping. She also gained an Intermediate Certificate and became a telephonist. She moved to Sydney, studied at Milperra College and applied for a position at Liverpool in a women’s refuge. A few years later ill health forced her to quit her job.

In the following years she raised a family of three boys and at the time of this interview she was living in public housing at Bonnyrigg. There is major development planned for the area and Yvonne is very forthcoming in her opinions of the changes and life in general. Yvonne has very strong ideas of many things and also gives wonderful descriptions of the Bonnyrigg area and its growth over the years she lived there. She describes the building of churches and schools in the area but she has fears how her life may change with the impending new development.

In the interview, Yvonne is very articulate and able to push a point when necessary. She is observant of life and has seen much in her lifetime which she forthrightly details in this interview. She is most proud of her Aboriginality.

Transcript

Interview Transcript - Yvonne Clayton - Part 2

Interview Transcript - Yvonne Clayton - Part 1

Audio

Interview with Yvonne Clayton - Part 2

Interview with Yvonne Clayton - Part 1

Publication

Bonnyrigg Stories 2006

Details

IntervieweeYvonne ClaytonInterviewerShirley Kingsford McLeodDate of interview22/03/2006DurationTotal interview 01:38:23Transcripts availableYesRightsFairfield City Council Access ConditionsAccess open for research, written permission required for personal copies and public use

Connections

Oral History ProjectAll Oral HistoriesThe Way We Were - People of FairfieldBonnyrigg Housing Estate