Stuart Leslie Skinner
Born 7th February, 1927 at Camberwell (VIC) the youngest son of Percival George and Ruby Amelia Skinner.

During late 1936 through to early 1937 nearly all schools (except Senior High Schools) were closed due to the Polio Epidemic. Children had to stay at home for 6 months in your own backyard and only allowed to go for a short walk with a parent. School work was picked up at each school by the parents which was eventually sent back to the school. Some lessons were conducted over the wireless (no television then). In 1939/40 Stuart attended Spring Road Central School in Malvern before going to Melbourne Boys High School to complete years 9 and 10 in 1941 and 1942. In late 1941 the U.S. Army and General MacArthur took over M.B.H.S. as their headquarters and we were moved out to Camberwell Co-Ed H.S. (where Beth was attending). The girls were then transferred to another school.

Stuart completed his Intermediate Certificate (eq to Year 10) at the end of 1942 and as it was wartime very few students continued their education beyond Year 10. Some did one more year to gain their Leaving Certificate. Not many students went on to University because you either had to win a scholarship or your parents had to pay for the university education. Stuart attended Sunday School and church at South Camberwell Methodist Church and the annual highlight was the picnic, always held on Melbourne Cup Day. You would catch a special train to go up to Ringwood - about 15 miles away. Stuart hung out with a group of 9 boys who went to school together and lived close by. They participated in a number of activities. Gardner's Creek was a favourite rendezvous. There was plenty of yabbies to be caught with a piece of meat tied onto a length of string and then you would light a fire and boil up a tin of water and cook and eat the yabbies (Stuart even then was allergic to shell fish so he just had bread and dripping).These were the depression years when money especially for pocket money was a "maybe" and only a penny or threepence if you were lucky. You got a fair amount of lollies for a penny, ice blocks and a frozen orange in summer.

We also had a flock of about 40 racing pigeons which were kept in a loft around at Jack Broadbent's place .We won a few races with them. We belonged to Hawthorn Pigeon Club. One way to pay for pigeon food was to sell 2 or 3 birds each Saturday morning to the bird shop at Camberwell Markets for 1/- (one shilling) each. The bird shop man would sell them as homing pigeon's (which they were) but as the buyer usually took them home, put them or it in a cage for 1 or 2 days then let them go out to fly around. Often they would fly back to our loft at Broadbent's. So we seldom lost a bird. Bee keeping was another activity the group did. We would go over to Ashburton Forest - now a fully residential area - and capture swarms of bees and bring them home, sometimes we would get stung. We made the hives to keep them in and when the time was right we would extract the honey from the frames and sell it to the neighbours - for money or pigeon food and lollies. Making and flying kites in Bowen St. Park was all the go, if you get a big enough piece of brown paper it was great otherwise you used a double sheet of newspaper and glue it into the frame. There was great rivalry amongst various gangs with the kites. One evil way to outdo your "enemy" was to glue powdered glass onto the first 10 or 15 feet of string to the kite and then when the kites were in the air you would cross the string of your "enemy's" kite and saw the string and away would go his kite. He would then have to chase after it or go home and make a new one.

We use to make billycarts and race them. The favourite venue was a downhill street which was a little dangerous because it crossed a major road but a look out was posted to ward off any real risks and you could then travel a further mile. In the summer we would play street cricket, cars were not as prolific as they are today. The stumps were an old kerosene drum case as a wicket. Each street would have its own team and we would play against one another. Winter was the time for the "footy" season and we all supported Camberwell who played in the district competition. You could either pay a penny to the outer ground or, as we did, send someone down the lane way at the side of the football ground early to loosen a few palings on the fence and then in the afternoon we would be able to sneak in. The officials at the ground must have been aware of the antic because they were always nailed back.

During wartime when you left school you had to register with the Manpower Authority who either :
(a) Approved your acceptance in a job which you had found or,
(b) placed you in a job in an "essential service".
Stuart left school at the end of 1942 and applied for and got a job as a junior clerk with ICIANZ Ltd at Deer Park in the western suburbs of Melbourne. His starting wage was $2.25 per week. I was left with about .60c after travel and board expenses were paid for enjoyment.

When Stuart was 17.5 yrs old in 1944 he applied to join the Navy (and he use to get seasick!!) but because he worked in an "essential service" he didn't get called up. However after turning 18 in 1945 he badgered the Personnel Manager into allowing him to join the Army, which he did at the end of June 1945. He did his basic training at Cowra in N.S.W. during which time - August 1945 - Japan surrendered. Training continued at Cunungra Jungle School in S.E Queensland. Just after completion of his training - whilst the army was deciding where to send us he was injured in a petrol drum explosion, burns to his left side and under left arm. Stuart was hospitalised on the outskirts of Brisbane for 4 weeks. Returned to Cunungra and a week later, January 1946 was aboard the "Duntroon". The destination was Rabaul where he was stationed until late 1946 then was returned to Melbourne and eventually discharged in February 1947. Returned to work at ICI and shortly after at a mutual friend's birthday party met Beth and so the friendship developed.

It was hard to settle down again at work but in 1949 he was transferred to Nobel Factory as a Paymaster and both work and romance really blossomed. In November 1948 Stuart and Beth announced their engagement and indicated they would be married during Easter on 8th April 1950. The marriage took place at the Holy Trinity Church of England in Surrey Hills. Beth's bridesmaids were cousins Margaret and Jean and Stuart's groomsmen were Dave Baker and Bruce Mayo. They honeymooned at Hepburn Springs, Vic. They first lived in rooms in Radnor St, Camberwell. Peter Leslie their first born arrived 27th March 1951 and not long after moved to 23 Dumfries St, Deer Park.

In 1953 Stuart became Cost Accountant at Nobel's and the year after a second child, Lorene Joy was born, 11th January 1954. May 1954 he was offered a transfer as an accountant to the I.C.I Ammonia Factory at Chester Hill in N.S.W. but first had to ask Beth if she would agree to the move. A big decision as we would not know anyone and it meant leaving all our family and friends. There were benefits, an increase in pay to 900 pounds per year and a house (38 Wallace St Sefton), came with the job. Stuart and Beth decided to go. Stuart stayed at Chester Hill Factory it was close to home until 1961 during which time Heather Lee was born on 19th October 1955. In 1958 the Ammonia Factory shut down and the Visqueen Plant was developed and ICI decided to sell the house at 38 Wallace St Sefton in 1960 so they brought it. Stuart transferred in 1962 to the Engineering Dept. as Project Accountant to the development of Botany's site. He was located in Sydney Office at Circular Quay, then the Botany site, back to Circular Quay and with the completion of the Olefines Project in Nov 1966 was offered the job as Works Accountant of the Olefines Plant at Botany. Subsequently the Polythene Plant was added to his responsibility.

In 1972 Stuart was asked to return to the Visqueen Plant at Chester Hill to revamp the accounting procedures there. Shortly after the company began to update and computerise its accounting procedures and he became involved in the overall development of the new system. In 1980 Stuart was appointed Senior Accountant Polyolefines Group, engaged in special projects which related to national stocks and preparation of the large insurance claims relating to the 1982 fires on the Botany site. In October 1982 he was seconded to Organic Group as Botany Site Accounting Manager for 4 months filling a temporary vacancy. Stuart retired in June 1983 after completing over 40 years with ICI.

In 1971 Stuart and Beth had their first overseas trip going to New Zealand on a self drive holiday. In 1976 saw them off to Britain and Europe visiting England, Scotland and Wales. In 1979 it was back to Britain, Ireland, a Rhine river cruise including touring the Scandinavian region and again in 1981 for Peter and Sue's wedding.

In 1983 shortly after Stuart retired and they went with Steph and Fred Lines to New Zealand on an organised tour. They met an American couple from Napa, California and in 1985 went to visit them. 1986 back to the U.K. again on the occasion of Jack's Christening. In 1992 Stuart and Beth went across to N.Z. to support Amanda in her swimming competition against N.Z. Unfortunately they have not been overseas since 1992 but have certainly enjoyed travel within Australia, camping safaris to Cape York and Alice Springs and the Top End which included the Kimberly's. Many trips to Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, South Aust and Kangaroo Island our most recent trip in 2001 with many of our oldest friends.

As of 2001 Stuart and Beth have 7 grandchildren. Kate and Jack, parents Peter and Sue, likewise Mike and Lorene have Amanda, Leigh and Melanie and Heather and Bill (now divorced) has Kelley and Aaron. Heather remarried a while later to Paul who has two children of his own but live with their mother. We are now great grandparents to Kelley's son Tristan, born in November 1998. During the time my kids were at school my free time was divided with being a general handyman at the Sefton Infants School, hanging pictures and general gardening. I was President of the Regents Park Primary School P.&C .for a number of years and then moved my interests to attending the P.& C. meetings at Sefton High School.

I was also very actively involved in the Scout Parents meetings and attending one or two Father and Daughter camps at Glengarry. Beth was a Brownie leader at 1st Sefton Brownies and then switched to the Guides and became known as Smokey. We enjoyed many memorable times helping out with bottle drives, cake stalls and lending a hand with the behind the scenes organisation. Many working bees were held to keep the halls in good shape and also allowed us to cement very good friendships over the years and a lot of these people are still our good friends today. I also enjoyed making things with my hands and the garage was my second home. I enjoyed playing golf and won several prizes with my prowess. Unfortunately in the last couple of years I have been unable to play due to my neck becoming sore after a game.

I have enjoyed watching sport, cricket, Rugby League and of course Australian Rules and spent many days enjoying watching my grandchildren take part in their various sporting activities. Swimming, cross country running, surf lifesaving, water polo, cricket, netball and triathlon.