On the Grapevine

He later joined the home fleet of the Royal Navy on Russian convoys.

“Life in the navy was relatively good at the time,” recalled Charlie.

Charlie met his future wife, Doreen, at a local pub, and the couple’s first date was to London’s popular speedway.

While Doreen knew little about motorbikes, she soon learned to ride as a passenger with Charlie on his bike.

The couple married on April 5, 1947, and produced three children, Alan, Susan and Gary, before migrating to Australia.

The family of five commenced an exciting six-week journey aboard a British migrant ship on Christmas Eve 1961, with stopovers at Gibraltar, Cairo, Aden and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) before disembarking in Fremantle and, finally, Melbourne.

Sponsored by Doreen’s brother Tony, who had migrated earlier for a “better life”, the family moved in with him and quickly settled despite the house being quite full.

Leaving behind a job with an engineering firm that built the London Bus, Charlie secured work with Massey Feguson upon arrival and the family later found accommodation in Altona.

Charlie was happy down under, and while initially he received higher pay in London, it was not long before his wages increased as he gained additional skills and worked the night shift to ensure he was paid well.

Was Australia what they both expected.

“I loved it the moment we stepped ashore.” reminisced Doreen, who found work while the children were at school.

Charlie enjoyed his job and workmates. Eventually, most family members migrated to Australia, too, making it even better.

In the years after their arrival, the couple produced two more sons, Wayne and Craig.

The Holt brood embraced the Australian way of life, and the four boys loved their footy and joined the Sunshine Football Club.

Charlie was nominated for the committee and was appointed treasurer and then president of the juniors.

He later became vice president.

“My boys were involved, so I felt I should show an interest and help out,” said Charlie.

After Charlie retired, the couple travelled extensively around their new country, particularly in NSW and Queensland.

However, they never returned to the United Kingdom.

“We didn’t need to, as we had all our family here, and we just loved Australia.” chorused Charlie and Doreen.

The couple built a strong, loving relationship from the very day they met.

Now, with Charlie celebrating his 100th birthday and Doreen, aged 95, not far behind, they remain together as residents of Cobram Regional Care, where they have a double room.

Charlie and Doreen enjoy activities at the aged care facility. However, a few years ago, Charlie admitted he was a ‘little bored’ and took up ‘sparkling art’ design in the form of a bird, which turned out remarkably well and was entered in the Cobram show.

For the past two years, Charlie has taken out two first placings and a second place at the show.

Keeping up with her husband, Doreen has also exhibited her fine knitting skills at the show.

In celebration of his 100th birthday, Charlie and his family, including his 13 grandchildren, enjoyed lunch at the Sporties Club on a day that will be long remembered by them all.

Footnote: A source of immense pride for Charlie was to receive letters of congratulations from King Charles 111, Australian Governor-General David Hurley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Victorian Governor Margaret Gardener and Premier Jacinta Allen.

Ray — MMGCC leader of the pack

Ray Findlay of Cobram was born in Ballarat in 1938 and attended Ballarat Technical College until leaving at the end of Year 9 to take up an apprenticeship in fitting and turning.

Five years later, he was ready to apply his newfound skills, commencing with a small machine manufacturer, followed by the Victorian Railways and after a variety of farm work.

“I would have a go at anything when I was younger,” he said.

In 1957, Ray was called up for national service, and in 1960, he met and married Loris.

The couple later produced two sons, Barry and Geoffrey, and a daughter, Helen.

In 1986, the couple moved to Cobram, where Ray began a successful lawn mowing business before selling it and going to work at Murray Goulburn.

Loris passed away some years ago, and while their daughter Helen has had to adapt to a life as a disabled with a serious sight condition, father and daughter and Helen’s cat Rosie enjoy rare companionship.

Golf became more than a passing interest for Ray while playing in his teens at Port Arlington Golf Club, and he continued to play over the years.

On retirement, he would play at Cobram Barooga Golf Club twice a week.

“The old course was the best-prepared golf course along the river during those days. It was fantastic,” Ray said.

In what could be something of a record, Ray maintained a single-figure handicap for nearly 40 years.

While playing his last round before giving the game away at Christmas 2021, Ray broke his handicap.

“I went out on a high at the age of 83 years. So, I guess that was pretty good,” laughed Ray.

Ray is regarded in high esteem by the ‘boys of the MMGCC’ group. The group started about 17-18 years ago with just two-three golfers dropping in on a Monday morning at his home for coffee.

Several had lost their wives and partners; others could no longer play golf and needed some male company. So began the Monday Morning Gentleman’s Coffee Club.

Today, the group has 12 members, including ‘three Poms’ who maintain a strong friendship and camaraderie and demonstrate a desire to solve the world’s problems.

Ray is always electing to take the side of the ‘underdog’.

Membership of the group is by invitation only.

Everyone has a tale to tell of their success on the golf course, and Ray is no exception; the one that came to mind most readily was winning the 54-hole stroke event over two days at a seniors tournament at Cobram Barooga at the grand old age of 80 years.

No mean feat for an octogenarian.

Thank you to Cobram crafters

A huge thank you to the talented craftswomen of Cobram and Barooga for bringing the Christmas spirit to town with their creative hand-knitted and crocheted bollard covers.

Locals and visitors have expressed numerous comments to the town, and the colourful festive covers have given the main street a wonderful lift during the festive season that had been lacking previously.

Cobram’s Spataro sisters Issy, 13, and Olivia, 10, like many youngsters in the town, had their favourites.

“They are nice and vibrant and add more colour to the town. People like them, and local people made them too,” the girls chorused.