Isla Jean Usher

Isla Jean Usher (now Neilson)

Born Sunday 8 am, 30 August 1925

at Winchelsea Hospital “Memingoort”, 37 Willis Street, Winchelsea. Sarah ‘Annie’ Stephenson was the nurse & Dr Arthur Eddie (resident medical practitioner in Winchelsea from 1888 until 1930

Mother: Lillian Emily Daye

Lillian Seamstress in factory making suits

Father: Thomas Henry Usher

Thomas was a farmer & farm manager

I lived on a farm at Buckley for a short time, which is approx 20km from Winchelsea. Our extended family had been living and farming in the Willow Grove and Tanjil areas, Dad was also in this area prior to him moving to Buckley

Sometime after I was born the family sold their farming property and we moved to Harold St Thomastown When I was around 2 years or thereabouts we moved to 3 Shakespeare Av Preston & my Grandparents moved in to 50 Queen St Reservoir. Both of the original houses are still standing today

I went to Tyler St State School in Preston, starting in 1931. At the time, my name Isla, was not as commonly known as today & people used to all call me Is-La, rather than Isla, so I preferred to use my middle name Jean.

(Recently it was announced for 2024/5 that Isla is the most popular girls name in Australia). 

I got top marks at Tyler St School for knitting, needle work & sewing, which was all by hand of course, we had to make mostly baby’s clothes, that’s how we were taught at school. I remember we had to bring our own wool (white) and knitting needles, (mine were made from a milk solid, Casein). My mother had taught me how to knit using wooden meat skewers.

I did well with other subjects, passing them all, but I enjoyed the craft, the practical subjects the most. 

I enjoyed my time at Tyler St, my siblings Desmond, Shirley & Marjorie also attended Tyler St we were all 2 years apart in age. I think because we had good teachers & they encouraged us, this set me up for a life of always wanting to learn new skills & knowledge

I also had piano lessons during this time every Saturday, later I passed tests to receive my London Certificate & then my Trinity Certificate in East Melb

I also went to Sunday school in Joffra St off Tyler St  - the Minister was Mr Mayne, Presbyterian

There were 56 children in a grade. You could go to 8 grade, but I went to 6 grade. 

After Tyler St Primary, I went to the Preston Girls High School, our school uniform was supplied but I had to make my own Hockey uniform, the school supplied the material, not having a sewing machine I had to hand sew it.

I assume back then, because most people made their clothes. Hockey uniforms, unlike today would not be mass produced nor was the demand as great, so making it yourself was accepted as normal.

I then went to the Collingwood Domestic Arts College for one year, where they taught mostly cooking.

Now 14 yrs old, I went to Stotts Business College, on the corner of Glenferrie & Hawthorn Rd Hawthorn, for nine months. I learnt to touch-type on an Underwood Typewriter.

By the age of 15 years old I was working. I worked at a few companies including the Aust. Wool Board & Malcolm Moore Engineering.

WW2 began in 1939, as I approached 19, which was the minimum age requirement for joining the ADF, I was eager to join the war effort, I convinced my father to sign the enrolment paperwork.  I joined the AWAS, Australian Women’s Army Service. After training at the Darley Camp, in Sunbury, I was based at Camp Pell, in charge of a hut with 14 other women & working at Wesley College, which the Army had taken over. My job posting was with the Army Proof & Experimental Munitions Division, typing up the specifications & detonation test results of the ordinance. They referred to me in the office as Bombardier. On November 20, 1944, I was promoted to the rank of Corporal VF513888.