Jack Woodward

History
Immigration

Carvings
on site

Residents
in the past

1900 - 1920

1950 - 1984

Jack Chouler Woodward moved into a house at the Quarantine Station in 1925. His stepfather was on the staff. The Manly Hospital was just being built at this time.

Jack had a bike which he rode to school, 2 miles each way. He learned to play the violin so music practice was part of daily life.

Jack's favourite pastime was fishing down the gully where a steep and slippery track led down to the rocks below. Jack would tie himself with a rope to a big iron stake in the rocks and fish whilst the rolling waves came in. Jack caught   yellow bellies, taylor, bream - and gutted them for the family. He sold some in Manly for 1/- (one shilling). Jack made his own rod and fishing tackle.
He also swam and rowed. There was a natural swimming pool in the gully and children swam with no bathers.

During active Quarantine,  Jack stayed home from school and acted as switchboard officer at the Head Office. He rode his bike up to the big gates for messages and parcels. The chefs and cooks that came off the ships cooked for the passengers and they gave Jack big roast dinners.

Jack and his friends (one later became Sir Roden Cutler) would make barbecues at Store Beach and have swimming parties at Manly Baths.

He went to the Cinema every Saturday night in Manly wearing very shiny shoes.

War broke out in 1939 and Jack enlisted in the army serving through until 1944. He wrote to his sister, Gwen Woodward, every week.

Jack was a Warrant Officer in the army and served in northern parts of Australia as well as Papua New Guinea.

Jack  Woodward on the beach
at the Quarantine Station

Jack with friends at Collins Flat  Beach
near theQuarantine Station
January 1940 - Jack was 20 yrs old
Back Row : Jack Batty, Bruce Bones
Front : Eileen Cameron, Jack Woodward and Peggy Morton

Jack Woodward in Army uniform.


Signing the registry.
Marriage of Jack Woodward and Eleanor Harris
in Camberwell, Victoria.

Whilst at home in the Quarantine Station in 1940, Jack noticed a shipload of British evacuee children arriving on the ship "M.S. Batory". The eldest of the children was Eleanor Harris who was 14 at the time. Staff families were not supposed to mingle with the passengers but somehow they did from time to time. Eleanor and Jack became friendly and they wrote regularly to each other throughout the war.

Eventually, the war ended and Jack and Eleanor were able to marry. Eleanor had moved to Melbourne after the time she spent at the Quarantine Station and they were married in Camberwell.

Thanks to their son, Anthony Woodward, and Jack's sister, Gwen Worthington (Née Woodward), who have provided the story and photographs on this page.

1900 - 1920

1950 - 1984