In grandpa’s footsteps

By Lia Bichel
DAVID Lyons’ grandfather Sydney Jones was a fighter, hard worker, and quite the ladies’ man.
Mr Lyons has been retracing his English grandfather’s footsteps from his adventures in the Pakenham area during the 1920s.
The adventure started in 1924, when Mr Jones told his brother he would follow him to Australia from Bolton, England, after a campaign was set up to replace the labour lost during the World War I.
They signed documents and had their medical, but Mr Jones’ brother was refused entry because he had flat feet.
At 19 years, Mr Jones was forced to come to Australia and leave his brother behind.
Mr Lyons initially intended to write a 12-page brief about his grandfather’s past for his two sons.
As the researching progressed, and Mr Lyons met people who shared an interest in his grandfather’s story, he decided to write a book.
Mr Lyons flew from Sydney to Melbourne and made his way to Gembrook, where his grandfather worked for a short time.
“I got a feel for how life was like in Gembrook,” Mr Lyons said.
Mr Lyons also ventured to Kooweerup, where his grandfather befriended a man named Edmond Taylor and a lady nicknamed the Red Ocre Queen.
He also travelled to Nar Nar Goon, where his grandfather lived next door to the Short family.
“He became close to the Shorts,” Mr Lyon said. “After my grandfather went back to England, Mrs Short wrote him asking him to come back and consider marriage because her husband died.”
Mr Lyons said his grandfather never returned to Australia, but his heart never left.
Mr Jones returned to England in 1927 to take revenge on his brother-in-law, who forced Mr Jones’ sister into and getting an abortion that ultimately ended her life.
Mr Lyons said his grandfather never carried through with the reprisal. He died in 1997.
Mr Lyons said he would continue to research his grandfather’s life in the Pakenham area, and search for people who knew him, Mr Taylor, the Red Ocre Queen, or about a quarry in the area that may have been used by the penal system in 1925.
Mr Lyons said the whereabouts of the quarry could help him with his book, which may take years to finish.
“It might take five years,” he said. “I’m in no hurry to finish it, but it’s all very exciting.”