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Eva Stone (nee Jeffress) Oral History (1894-2001)
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DescriptionThis interview consists of eight audio recordings and transcripts. Eva Stone (nee Jeffress) was interviewed over four sessions (9 & 17 October 1989; 09 January and 06 February 1990) at her home in Smart Street, Fairfield, by Jo Morris.
Interview SummaryEva Stone was born in Smart Street, Fairfield on 8 November 1894. Eva’s grandfather, William Jeffress, migrated to Australia from England, with his wife and two children. One of their children, Edward Wesley Jeffress married Mary Ann Garlick in 1888. For twenty pounds, Edward and Mary Ann bought the block of land that is now 61 and 63 Smart Street, Fairfield, on which Caversham stood. Mary Ann Garlick had also migrated to Australia from England, on an eight-week voyage by ship in 1885.
Edward and Mary Ann had two children, both born in Caversham: Annie (born 1892) and Eva (born 1894). At the time, the surrounding area was bush land, and there were only three houses on Smart Street.
At the age of five, Eva began school at Fairfield Public School, a one-building school that accommodated children of all ages. The schoolmaster was Mr Willis and his house was within the school grounds, facing The Horsley Drive. Eva left school at age 14.
Eva’s father was a Salvationist, and her mother, Mary Ann was a Methodist, so religion played a large part in the upbringing of Annie and Eva. The family was also very musical and Edward played the accordion and sang, and sometimes danced while he was playing. Annie also played the accordion and both she and Eva were leaders in the Methodist church choir. From age 12, Eva learnt to play the organ, read music and sing, and she performed in concerts and plays at the Fairfield School of Arts.
In their yard, Annie and Eva played games such as hopscotch and drop the handkerchief. As teenagers they would go swimming in Prospect Creek and attend gatherings at Latty’s Pleasure Grounds. Eva remembers: '…we would take the boat, and we’d go up the river and pack our lunch. With our best boyfriend, we would go up there. With the billy tea…most beautiful when it was flavoured with smoke… '
There were grape vines around the house, and a well out the back, where the family took drinking water and kept butter in a bucket to keep it cool during summer. In later years the family bought an ice chest and the ice was delivered wrapped in a hessian bag.
Eva and Annie carried water from a nearby pond every morning for washing, as there was no plumbing in the cottage. Vegetables were bought from a Chinese market garden and from about 1911, meat was delivered to the house by George Paine, the local butcher. Wood was also delivered by horse and cart by Mr Putsley from the woodyard. The postman delivered the mail twice a day and blew his whistle outside the house to let the family know the mail was delivered. Milk, bread, bacon, cheese and butter were also delivered, by Mr Eddy from Nelson & Eddy’s Store. If the family paid cash, the girls were given a small bag of lollies.
In 1925 Eva married Alfred Ernest Stone, a storeman and packer. During World War I, Alfred’s lungs had been damaged by gassing in the trenches, and as a result he died in 1937. Eva struggled alone to raise their three children, Malcolm, Gordon and Joan (all born in the front bedroom of Caversham, where Eva had herself been born). Gordon remembers living in Caversham until he was aged 12, and then the family moved to a house they built next door. Eva searched for discarded newspapers to light the wood stove, and traded coupons for food. To keep down costs, she grew her own vegetables, kept goats to produce milk, and also chickens and ducks that she would fatten up to eat at Christmas. They had a dog named Patch, and Joan used to dress him up in a baby’s coat and bonnet and wheel him up the street in a pram.
Interview SummaryEva Stone was born in Smart Street, Fairfield on 8 November 1894. Eva’s grandfather, William Jeffress, migrated to Australia from England, with his wife and two children. One of their children, Edward Wesley Jeffress married Mary Ann Garlick in 1888. For twenty pounds, Edward and Mary Ann bought the block of land that is now 61 and 63 Smart Street, Fairfield, on which Caversham stood. Mary Ann Garlick had also migrated to Australia from England, on an eight-week voyage by ship in 1885.
Edward and Mary Ann had two children, both born in Caversham: Annie (born 1892) and Eva (born 1894). At the time, the surrounding area was bush land, and there were only three houses on Smart Street.
At the age of five, Eva began school at Fairfield Public School, a one-building school that accommodated children of all ages. The schoolmaster was Mr Willis and his house was within the school grounds, facing The Horsley Drive. Eva left school at age 14.
Eva’s father was a Salvationist, and her mother, Mary Ann was a Methodist, so religion played a large part in the upbringing of Annie and Eva. The family was also very musical and Edward played the accordion and sang, and sometimes danced while he was playing. Annie also played the accordion and both she and Eva were leaders in the Methodist church choir. From age 12, Eva learnt to play the organ, read music and sing, and she performed in concerts and plays at the Fairfield School of Arts.
In their yard, Annie and Eva played games such as hopscotch and drop the handkerchief. As teenagers they would go swimming in Prospect Creek and attend gatherings at Latty’s Pleasure Grounds. Eva remembers: '…we would take the boat, and we’d go up the river and pack our lunch. With our best boyfriend, we would go up there. With the billy tea…most beautiful when it was flavoured with smoke… '
There were grape vines around the house, and a well out the back, where the family took drinking water and kept butter in a bucket to keep it cool during summer. In later years the family bought an ice chest and the ice was delivered wrapped in a hessian bag.
Eva and Annie carried water from a nearby pond every morning for washing, as there was no plumbing in the cottage. Vegetables were bought from a Chinese market garden and from about 1911, meat was delivered to the house by George Paine, the local butcher. Wood was also delivered by horse and cart by Mr Putsley from the woodyard. The postman delivered the mail twice a day and blew his whistle outside the house to let the family know the mail was delivered. Milk, bread, bacon, cheese and butter were also delivered, by Mr Eddy from Nelson & Eddy’s Store. If the family paid cash, the girls were given a small bag of lollies.
In 1925 Eva married Alfred Ernest Stone, a storeman and packer. During World War I, Alfred’s lungs had been damaged by gassing in the trenches, and as a result he died in 1937. Eva struggled alone to raise their three children, Malcolm, Gordon and Joan (all born in the front bedroom of Caversham, where Eva had herself been born). Gordon remembers living in Caversham until he was aged 12, and then the family moved to a house they built next door. Eva searched for discarded newspapers to light the wood stove, and traded coupons for food. To keep down costs, she grew her own vegetables, kept goats to produce milk, and also chickens and ducks that she would fatten up to eat at Christmas. They had a dog named Patch, and Joan used to dress him up in a baby’s coat and bonnet and wheel him up the street in a pram.
Details
IntervieweeEva Stone (Jeffress)InterviewerJo MorrisDate of interview09/10/1989DurationTotal interview: 04:08:38Transcripts availableYesRightsFairfield City CouncilAccess ConditionsAccess open for research, written permission required for personal copies and public useNotesIntetrviews took place at five different dates (09/10/1989; 17/10/1989; 19/01/1990 & 06/02/1990).
Eva Stone died in 2001, aged 106, having lived all her life in Fairfield, for 97 years at Smart Street, and the majority of it in Caversham.
Eva Stone died in 2001, aged 106, having lived all her life in Fairfield, for 97 years at Smart Street, and the majority of it in Caversham.
Connections
Oral History ProjectThe Way We Were - People of FairfieldCollectionAll Oral HistoriesPeopleEva Stone (nee Jeffress)
Eva Stone (nee Jeffress) Oral History (1894-2001). Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 02/09/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/2771