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David and Merle Marsden

When the Marsden’s moved to Paynesville the Islanders organised a Farewell afternoon tea. Read Mark Brennan’s tribute on behalf of us all Click here

Merle along with her husband David of 61 years has had a long, if not continuous relationship with the Island.

Those of us working on the Island’s newsletter have come to appreciate just how interested newcomers are with our past. But as time goes by it becomes less likely to find Islanders who spent their childhood here and are willing and able to give us that past. Merle Marsden kindly gave us her time recently.

There are only a few Island Primary School students left to tell the tale. One of those students is Merle Marsden (nee Jewkes). Merle explains to us her father could not find work in the city and decided to try his luck on the Island. Those of us who did not go through the Depression find it difficult to accept the experience of a huge part of the population not having access to money, food, shelter. The Jewkes family sought refuge here in the early 30’s. Merle however can’t talk definitively about their financial situation because, as she says. ”In those days children just weren’t privy to family problems. On the other hand she was aware that they were “as poor as church mice “
Merle attended the Island’s school for about twelve months during ’33 and ’34 along with others who lived in the area. Linda Fleischer and Irene Bould come most easily to mind. Merle recalls that even though Irene was too young to be enrolled, her mother used to drop her off at the school and the pupils would to baby-sit her. Other former pupils still in the area are Jean Ray, Betty Day and Albert Ahyee. ( The school site is at the intersection of Gravelly Pt and Centre Roads where the Siaccis and others planted those startling coral gums years ago in celebration of “ Back to RI in ‘88 )
Just as any of us might Merle had her favourite teacher. She fondly remembers a Miss Hattie Greenwood, who was a grand-child of the pioneer settlers Uriah & Martha Hoddinott. She used to stay at the pub during the week, cycle to school each day, then cycle home to Bengworden on weekends.

As always photos help with piecing together personal memories

Merle remembers living in a house just past the school which she thinks they probably rented. She is more definite however that the front window looked out on the lake where she swam with friends. What else she remembers most tellingly however is that to reach the water they had to walk through swamp, now gone..

Click on photos

Here is a shot of Merle’s mother in a wheelchair with Irene Bould’s sister on the left and Aunt Elsie on the right. Elsie’s son, James Robb lives on the Island now.

The other shot has Merle on the right with her dog Brownie.
She can not recall the other person with her.

Other shots from Merle’s photo albums give us a taste of life in the thirties and capture shots of people still with connection to the Island.

Grandfather, Father and Merle

The gathering of friends
( from R to L ) Father, Charlie Oakleigh, Elsie Robb (James Robb’s Mother) a Miss Eggbirt, Mrs Thompson, Audrey ? who used to stay with Mrs T over holidays. Merle was friendly with her.

There was a particular boy Merle used to see quite a bit and he would take her for a “spin”. For the life of her she cannot remember his name. ( could not have been much of a romance )

Then there was a Mr. Jenkins, a tailor by trade who earned a living by offering his skills to Islanders. Even some mainlanders would give him work. Here he is seen taking young ladies to get the mail.

Merle’s parents used to borrow a jinker occasionally to drive around the Island

This was THE social event of the year: The Paynesville Regatta. Mother, maybe Irene Bould’s sister, Mr Jenkins, Miss Austin ( Mr Jenkins friend ) Mr Jenkins used to board with Merle’s parents.


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Now we get to the big mystery of THE CAR: “Where this wonderful vehicle came from I just don’t know. It does not fit with being poor “
When Merle’s father died in ’38 she and her Mother moved back to Melbourne. They both maintained their association with the island over the following years along with husband David. When he retired in ’81 they moved back to the Island.
It was then that both Merle and David became involved in contributing to the Island through Landcare, RIAL and other activities. Merle and David moved to Paynesville recently. We thank them for letting us be a part of their past.
We hope Merle and David will find time to share their experience of the time on the Island from ’81 on. Particularly David‘s activities involving the BRIDGE debate . ( Editor : BRIDGE; the ugliest word in the English language)