THE PENDER JUBILEE

I was given a poem, by Don Wellsmore, written by a local, called The Moonbah Monument, which I will include here, as I feel it reflects the people my father used to talk about.

At a meeting once at Moonbah

They had Leo in the chair

And the Pentergasts and the Thompsons

And the Barrys all were there

And the chair suggested softly

They should memorize the past

To the clan of Pendergast

Then up reared a lanky Pender

And he shook his scraggy head

And he Ummd a bit and Ahhd a bit

And finally he said

I've just had a yarn to Dooley

And to Darky and to Fred

And we think its fair and fitting

Just to do what Leo said

For the Wollondibby Penders

Were the real Pioneering Blokes

They had cattle here ten years before

The Thompsons and the Stokes

We will carve their names in Granite

And the spot that's made for it

Is the road past Dooley's Woolshed

Be the old Potato Pit

But a Thompson rose in anger

( He was primed up pretty well )

That's the biggest lie of many

That I've heard a Pender tell

For the first men on the Moonbah

And across the Snowy shore

Were old Stokes and Harry Thompson

Back in eighteen twenty-four

Let us freeze the facts in Marble

As a tribute to the past

But by Christ we'll name a Thompson

Not a bloody Pendergast

Now this annoyed young Bluey Barry

( Who had had a few that night )

He was married to a Thompson

And was spoiling for a fight

If the Thompsons crossed the Snowy

You can bet one thing for sure

They'd be duffing Barry Cattle

Or escaping from the law

Due to certain circumstances

( It's a point I would not stress )

This young Aloysius Barry

Was a Pender-----More or less

So the Thompsons all reacted

Just as Bluey thought they might

That's the last recorded minute

Of the meeting held that night

For a Thompson punched a Pender

And a Barry lent a hand

And the Penders fought the Thompsons

Just as long as they could stand

And the Thompsons fought the Penders

Until they could fight no more

And the Moonbah ran a banker

With their mingled blood and gore

And now down by Kosciusko

Where the reed beds sweep and sway

There are many many monuments

Beside the Barry Way

Where the Wild dogs and the Wombats

And the tourists come to stare

At the Pendergasts and the Thompsons

And a Barry -------here and there      

For anyone that does not know the families, Pendergasts, Pender, and Pender’s are all the one family. And Leo, is Leo Barry, local council member for over 30 years or more and the man that pushed the opening of the Barry Way, and the Snowy Mountains – Hydro - Electric works and Dams, and a very good friend of my parents. Leo was awarded the O.B.E. for his work. It was from Leo and my father that I heard many stories of the people of the Area.  Leo was a bit of an expert on the history of the area.

The reference to THE POTATO PATCH is the little old house between the Moonbah Graveyard and the Moonbah  River, which was owned by Thomas and Elizabeth Pendergast who donated the Church and Cemetery land. Today a large rock and brass inscription are in place at the Church and in front of the property  

The Potato Patch  MOONBAH

The Potato Patch Plaque  MOONBAH

The Catholic Church  MOONBAH

The Catholic Church Plaque  MOONBAH

DON WELLSMORE ALSO PASSED ON ANOTHER LOCAL POEM NAMED

THE PENDER JUBILEE

Did you hear about the gathering of the Pender’s----- down at Jindabyne

To pay homage to their ancestors -------of a not forgotten time

They collected in the churchyard------Family given long ago

Father Foley said the Mass, ---Attending there was Father Flynn

The Moonbah Church was crowded----Hard to fit the Penders in

The Kin folk and relations, ------they filled up every pew

And Pender knelt with Pender-----That before they never knew

They came up from the Snowy-------They came from far and wide

Some came in motor cars------and some they had to ride

Quite a few came from Omeo-----We knew they'd come for sure

Cos Penders were the first ones there --------in 1834

Gathering in the Churchyard------They said a silent Prayer

For the long departed Penders------That were buried there

Six generations resting-----each in his well marked grave

To know the direct descendants-----they wore a Patch of Green

A better badge to mark a Pender----there never has been  seen

Great to see them ask------Are you a son of John, Tom or Harry

or do you wear that Green------Because you are a Barry

They left that hallowed spot----and gathered down the hill

For a most important task------done by Harry P. and Bill

With quiet dignity ------they unveiled a lasting Plaque

On the site of Tom and Liza's Hut----built of mud and bark

All the speakers told the story----of their vision and their dream

To pioneer the land------along this Snowy Mountain Stream

Of how they battled------- to clear these rocky slopes

With sweat and tears------and strong undoubting hopes.

So when in your motor cars-----you pass along this way

Spare a thought -----for those that did it in a dray

Pause a moment at this spot-------no matter where you are from

And think about the hardships-----shared by Lisa and her Tom

And when the ceremony was over------everyone let out a cheer

One voice was heard to shout----Down to the races and  open up the beer

            Whether one for riding-------or watching on a course

And as for beer------Well the day was mighty hot

And I never knew a Pender-----That didn't like a drop

So they gathered up their families-----and all went along

To that racetrack they had made------on the shore of Jillamatong

The horses were all saddled up----all ready for the race

The crowd all gathered round-----and each took up a place

To watch their local champions------of Snowy Mountains breed

Come racing around the lakeside-------was a sight indeed

They even had a race -------for those of local pedigree

The horses that they lined up----were a joy to see

Ned Pendergast he won it----by a goodly margin clear

Collected up his winnings -----and went to have a beer

I left the busy crowd -----and climbed a nearby hill

I was enjoying peace and quietness----and all was very still

I thought I saw the Man from Snowy River------riding thru the haze

To come and join the local horsemen------on this pleasant day

I'm sure that Banjo wouldn't mind-----if he joined this  Pender band

Or even if by chance------Clancy came to lend a hand

For horsemen love to be with horsemen-----no matter what they do

And the old time Snowy riders ------would love to join this Pender crew

But, then I realized------------the man from Snowy River was not here

So slowly down the hill I went-----to have another beer

And hoped that when those Old time Penders ride------That Clancy

And The man from Snowy River-----are riding by their side.

I asked an ancient Pendergast-----Why he looked so well

Proudly lifting up his voice-----He said, Nothing much to tell

I'm sturdy now and good--------for many years to come

Cause I'M Snowy Mountains raised------on Brumby milk and Rum.

That night they went to Jindabyne-----down to the local hall

Where everything was laid out-------for their Pioneer Ball

The place was crowded out------The time they had was grand

As they danced to the music-----of the Big Country Band

One man, whose wish it was-------to get this venture started

To honour those early Pender Pioneers-------so long ago departed

To him,   From us------------a vote of thanks,    we gladly wish to carry

An old time pioneer himself------Good old Leo Barry

Tom and Elizabeth Pendergast donated the land for the Church and Cemetery at Moonbah and their old house is between the Graveyard and the Moonbah creek. It was called The Potato Pit .  On the road outside is a large rock with a plaque on it for them and also one just inside the gate to the church, as shown above

My Father sitting down. I always thought he had a towel around his neck (For swimming in the Lake) but believe now that its his shirt, which shows he was dressed up for the Photo. The lady in the center is Henry jnr wife Harriett, and Sissy on the right.

In the rear left of the photo can be seen the property of the Wellsmore's, with two home paddocks on the right of the buildings. This photo was taken about 1905.

This photo shows the eastern side of the lake below Henry's property .

The building right center is the Judges box for the races held every New Years day. They race from the top left     hand corner of the photo to the judges box.

The center of photo shows The Rocks

This shot shows the Western side of the lake, and the left center would face onto Wellsmore's property.

My father used to tell stories of how he shot ducks on the lake. As a kid I walked around this lake dozens of times trying to shoot ducks that were there in their hundreds, as I approached they just swam across the lake. When I hid in the rocks and sent my girlfriend around they would fly around but give the rocks a wide berth, so as I could not take a shot. After about a week I suggested to my father he may have been liberal with the truth as I was quite sure the ducks could not be shot.

That afternoon we started to walk around the lake and Dad dropped down in the reeds in the center of the photo. We walked around the other side and the ducks all flew over Dad who stood up and dropped about  a dozen. I found it hard to accept that I had wasted a week but Dad had done it in 15 minutes, but was in fact rather proud of him. We had roast duck for a couple of meals, which made it all worth while.