Wilson, Ollie

DESCRIPTION

NameWilson, OllieOccupationBlacksmithPlace of ResidenceAlbion Park.BiographyEdwin Oliver 'Ollie' Wilson was born in 1877 in Parkes, NSW, to Henry and Elizabeth Wilson (nee White)

He married Elsie Jane King (daughter of John King and Eliza Bradney) at All Saints Church, Albion Park in 1908. Eliza was the daughter of John Bradney and Ann Pugh Nichols of Jamberoo.

Ollie and Elsie had several children;

Edna b.1909 (married James Sidney Smith, died 1999, Albion Park)
Allen b.1911 (died 1911)
James Lyle b.1912 (married James Kelsey Gear, died 1973, Albion Park)
Edwin b.1915
Gwyneth Olive b.1916 (married John Wilson, died 1996, Albion Park)
Stanley Neville b.1918 (married Celie Eunice Hartley, died 1999, Albion Park)
Phyllis b.1920 (married William Everett Goodwin, died 1997, Albion Park)
Charles G b.1922 (died 1933, Albion Park)
Kevin Clintock b.1923 (married Hazel Amy Herbert, died 2016, QLD)
Maxwell Owen b.1926 (married Ruby Mary Anderson, died 1986, Albion Park)

Ollie operated a blacksmith shop between WG Harris & Sons Garage and the narrow laneway to the Albion Park Showground.

The front portion of his shop was for shoeing horses. Inside was covered with livestock fire brands he had made over the years, and were burnt into the wood. Smiths’ when finished, would always try the red-hot brand in softwood, never hardwood, before the owner picked up the brand. The back section of the shop was originally used as a wheelwright’s area.

Ollie was a well-built man, always wearing a dark flannel shirt, long trousers and of course the leather apron.

Local identity Jack Martin went to Ollie's shop in 1939. The pony he had was rather timid of strangers. Ollie would come up to the pony in the shed and with his large half cupped hand would rub over the pony’s eyes, patting him and saying ‘You’re a wild man pony you are’. Ollie seemed to gain the pony’s confidence. He taught Jack to always stand at the side of the pony he was working on, holding the head up towards him. Jack spend many hours watching Ollie take a length of steel, heating it, cutting off the right length and forming a horse shoe. All shoes were burnt on hot to make a perfect fit, then cooled in a drum of water before nailing it.

During the war, steel was hard to obtain. Ollie had farmers bringing in any old large wood rasps or similar steel to use on points of ploughshares.

Ollie passed away in 1945 and his son Jim took over the farrier and smiths business for a while.

Sadly Elsie Wilson died a result of childbirth in 1933. The baby son lived a few short hours.

External LinkAlbion Park 1909Obituary Mr Thomas Arthur Wilson 1936Death of Mr O Wilson 1945Wedding Bells 1908Tiger Cat Shot 1922Wedding 1908Albion Park Death Mrs EO Wilson 1933Albion Park News Mr and Mrs Wilson Honored 1936

Photograph

Wilson Family Home

Ollie Wilson's Blacksmith's Shop

Ollie Wilson's residence, Albion Park

Object

Debutantes Albion Park

Miners Pick

Draught Horse Shoes - Cooby Farm

Family

Bradney

Collection

Gear Family Collection

Ollie Wilson's Blacksmith Shop, Albion Park.

CONNECTIONS

CollectionPeopleGear Family CollectionFamilyWilson (Ollie)BradneyLocalityAlbion Park

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Wilson, Ollie