1922-2000
Father
John Hamline (Jack) Hosie
Mother
Minnie Florence Isabel Larkings
Siblings
Keith Hamline, William James Austin, Leith Marsh
Married
Children
Barry James, Jeanette Ann
Isabel’s Life
Isabel was the second child and only daughter of John (Jack) Hosie and Minnie Larkings, they resided at ‘Tarbolton’ on Yambora Road, Tullamore. Jack’s father, Gustavus took up country on Yambora Road in 1914 when Bulbodney was carved up.
In 1890 Minnie’s father James (Jim) Larkings leased and subsequently purchased acreage in the Bulbodney Parish in the 1890’s. James and his family later made their home at ‘Roseneath’, Albert.
James’ father, Joseph came to Australia at the age of 5, arriving on 27 November 1838 on the ‘Lady Nugent’ from Frede, Sussex, accompanied by his father, James ‘Larkins’, his mother, Winifred Turner and siblings James, Thomas, Mary and Martha and were sponsored by Doctor Gibson of Goulburn. Joseph’s calling was that of Gardener and Winifred’s, Seamstress.
Isabel led the life of the daughter of a pioneering family. In 1944, she married Willaim James Byrnes. A neighbour who had taken up land on Yambora Road at the same time as her grandfather, Gustavus Hosie. William had recently been widowed in 1943, Isabel was assisting him with domestic duties when the inevitable love story evolved. They married in Orange and made their home at Merrimee, Tullamore where they had two children Jannette and Barry.
Isabel often talked about living at Tarbolton where Pop Hosie would wind up the gramophone. They had a verandah wrapping around the house, except the Kitchen was in the way, so they would open both kitchen doors and Isabel and her brother Jim (Tex) would dance unimpeded around and around the house.
The Yambora crowd would organise bush picnics, a social thing but it would allow Isabel to indulge in her passion, running, she was fit, and she was fast. Isabel’s rival was her cousin, Kathleen Dunn.
Isabel was an excellent horse woman and rode often, mustering sheep and cattle, helping in the paddocks, for the joy of it. Usually with her little dog, Jack.
At shearing time Isabel would provide all the meals for the shearers and shed hands, breakfast through to dinner. Some of the shearers would camp at the house. She would then take the meals down to the shed, quite a distance and she usually walked.
On one of these excursions to the shed, Barry and his cousin Ralph D’elboux found a full jar of Vegemite that she had put aside for the shearers. They hid away and ate the entire jar; Isabel was quite perplexed at the missing jar but she never found out what happened.
The Shearers would often tie their dogs up at the house. Barry and Ralph let one off the chain and it killed one of Isabel’s precious hens. When Isabel returned, was incensed, but so the boys would not get into more trouble from Bill she had them bury it.
Isabel, Bill and Barry were heading out to the back paddock in the old ute, they crossed creek crossing and Bill got out to open the gate asking Isabel to drive through, Isabel had not often drive and reluctantly moved over to the driver’s seat. Barry was appalled and demanded ‘Do we have to be in it?’ and demanded to be allowed to get out. Isabel eased through the gate but halfway through and turned the steering wheel hard right and kept going. She managed to take out to panels of fencing that were rolled up under the ute. Bill had to walk all the way back to the house to get some pliers and all the way back.
Isabel, Bill and their family moved to Billabong Creek, near Parkes where they established and worked a market garden until they retired into Parkes prior to 1958. Bill was still trading in vast amounts of sheep, sending them around the stock routes, his partner had a block near Parkes and they would hold them there for shearing and eventual sale.
Barry and his mate Billy Cant acquired a billy-cart. They were daring and they were dangerous, one day they were careening down a hill, took a corner too wide and ended up going through a neighbour’s picket fence. It was not pretty but Isabel came to the rescue, sorted them out and them made them repair the picket fence.
The Barry purchased a second hand motor bike; he was paying it off, he rebuilt the bike and was ready to test it. It was unregistered and he was unlicensed, so he would take a track through the briars, into the bush and out to the stock route. His father was not terribly impressed with the situation, but Isabel was courageous. She hopped up behind Barry and they took off down his normal track, but things went awry – Isabel ended up in Hospital, an hour or more.
Bill died in 1964. Isabel was only 42, Barry, 20 and Jeanette 11.
Isabel became involved in various charitable organisations in Parkes, one being the Civilian Widows where they raised money for charitable works.
Jenny Hosie/O’Brien, Isabel’s niece, remembers a child going to Parkes to stay at Isabel’s. Ann and Jen would walk down the street and look through Coles and Woolworths, having spaghetti on toast and orange cordial for lunch and going to the pool.
When Jen moved to Parkes for work in 1996, she came to know Isabel well. They shared a love of the history of their family and going through Isabel’s treasured photos.
Isabel died on July 20, 2000, and is buried with her husband, Bill, at Tullamore.
Written in collaboration with Isabel’s son, Barry Byrnes and Jennifer Hosie/O’Brien.