TIMELESS WOLLONGONG

At the time of the Mount Kembla mine disaster on July 31, 1902, a 23-year-old miner named George Ramsey was working in area No 6. He knocked off work an hour earlier, at 1.45pm, as he was to meet a friend from Sydney. As he was walking out he felt a big blast of hot air. He ran only about 300 yards before being overtaken by gas.

Another miner assisted him for some of the way, but had to give up as he too was overcome. George Ramsey then crawled low to the ground avoiding the deadly gas before finally reaching an entrance and fresh air sometime after 5pm.

In July 1962, when interviewed by the miners' newspaper Common Cause, he recalled his lucky escape from the mine in 1902. He said that the evidence he gave at the Royal Commission did not suit the mine boss. For telling the truth under oath he soon after lost his job at the mine.

In 1907 he married his sweetheart Josephine Kennedy at Wollongong.

On Saturday evening of December 9, 1911, George Ramsey, then about 3, along with John Laidlaw, 49, a rescuer at the disaster and William Henry Watchers, 27, a fisherman, John Dowling, 25, a miner, and Charles Bourke went fishing in a boat on Lake Illawarra. The men had been fishing near the mouth of the lake and around 8am on Sunday they turned to head home. Approaching Gooseberry Island, William Watchers hoisted the sails. With the weather turning squally Charles Bourke went to the bow of the boat to try to lower the sail, but the strong wind prevented it being lowered. In no time Bourke was up to his armpits in water before he let go. On turning he noticed the boat capsizing. It was Ramsey and Bourke who tried to keep the others afloat. In the meantime, local farmer Joseph Burgess saw what was happening, jumped on his horse and rode to Eugene Nicolle jnr who launched the Nicolle boat. Nicolle picked up Bourke, but George Ramsey, a strong swimmer declined, deciding to swim the mile to shore. It was unfortunate that Watchers, Laidlaw and Dowling all drowned.

Another 30 years would pass until George Ramsey's next escape. By then he was 62 and working at the steelworks as a rigger. On Wednesday December 17, 1941, he along with George Albert Caines, 43, and Michael Rougham, 33, were about 24 feet up on the roof of the sub-station at the bloom mill when suddenly the timbers of the roof gave way under them with the men riding the roof to the ground. George Caines died the following day from a fractured skull and spine. Michael Rougham fractured an arm and thigh while George Ramsey injured both hips and right hand.

Just over two years later, on March 22, 1944, George Ramsey again witnessed another tragedy. By then he was 65 and still working at the steelworks as a carpenter. He and 22-year-old Elvin Raymond Jenkin were riding their bikes along Port Road about 11.45pm. Ramsay was riding on the shoulder and Jenkin was riding nearest the edge of the bitumen. Car lights loomed up behind them and the approaching car knocked young Elvin Jenkin off his bike, throwing him on to the embankment. Unfortunately the young lad died the following day in hospital. At least four other cyclists and motorists who witnessed the accident and gave evidence at the inquest all stated that the riders were travelling on the appropriate shoulder of the road when the car struck the young man from behind.

George Ramsey died at the age of 84, just 15 months after his interview and photograph appeared in the Common Cause. He enjoyed a long and full life although marked with tragedy and lucky escapes.

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM. Call 0409 832 854 or email  sycado6@bigpond.net.au