September 30 2021 Holds Special Memories For Me.
Harold passed away on September 30 2011, aged 71. Lung cancer had taken him far too soon.
Over the past ten years since Harold’s passing, I have missed Harold’s company, his Yorkshire accent, his love of football, our travels together and his larrikin personality.
Harry, my 11 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was named after Harold and Prince Harry. When William passed unexpectedly on August 6, 2012 Rhonda, who is my Cavalier lady in Wollongong, had decided that my next male dog would be called Harry. Harry became my seventh Cavalier. I met Harry briefly at Rhonda’s home when on a road trip down to Eden, NSW in late September 2012.
I was recommitting my bottle, with the story of my Scottish Grannie’s life in it, out of Eden on September 30 2012. On this day, I also committed to the ocean a bottle with my Yorkshire connections , Harold and my great grandfather , William Field ( 1831-1903?), who was born in Wakefield , Yorkshire in 1831. Watch my 8 minute You Tube Anne’s Adventure. This is the story of my bottle adventure, which had started in Albany, Western Australia in mid-April 2012.
I became Harry’s Mum in October 2012. He was a good looking boy, who had a wonderful personality. Harry and I had 8 wonderful years together.
Harold had an adventurous life. Whist he left school at a young age to work in the coal mines in Yorkshire, he got to see and do a lot in his lifetime- he became well educated in “the school of life.” His life interest was football –the round ball game in which he played goalkeeper. (Harold was called Archie in his English football days.) He was a lifetime supporter of Leeds United . i am certain that Harold would be kicking footballs balls in heaven to know that Leeds United were back in the Premier League in 2021.
I have many fond memories from both our Australian and overseas travels, but i will mention only a few .
One: On New Year’s Eve in Paris on December 31 1983, we dined in a long established and well known French restaurant , Maison Prunier -Traktir 16 Avenue Victor Hugo 75116 Paris. After a 3 course dinner , we walked towards the Arc de Triumph to watch the cars circling the Arc and sounding their car horns at midnight . We spoiled ourselves by staying at the Meridian Hotel in Paris for one night, before leaving the next day by train for Lille, in northern France. We were travelling from Lille by train, so that we could then visit Ypres in Belgium. I particularly wanted to visit Menin Gate, where a relative who fought in World War 1, and was killed in the Somme in 1917, was commemorated.
We left Lille on a high speed train for Paris. Harold was having a drink when the ticket collector came through the bar. He came scurrying back to me for his ticket, as he thought he was going to be thrown off the train! I explained to the ticket collector, in my limited French, that i had his ticket…… From Paris we flew to London, and then travelled by train to Wakefield to visit his mother, Muriel. This was the first time Harold had seen his mother since he immigrated to Australia. She passed away in February 1985.
Two: On a day trip from Cairns in late August / September 1988, we visited Green Island. A British Naval carrier was travelling to Sydney for a naval operation and had stopped off the Queensland coast. The carrier tendered in the sailors to Green Island. Harold went to the end of the wharf and called out to the sailors “any Yorkies here follow me to the pub lads.” I was decamped to the beach chatting to some American ladies – for some time!
Three: January 1994 on a wonderful road trip from Perth to Monkey Mia (after New Years Eve on Rottnest Island) we enjoyed a number of days on this stunning beach. To watch the dolphins being fed, and enjoy a sunset cruise -sheer wonderment and enjoyment of the beauty of the Western Australian coast.
Four: Harold and I sat behind the goal on September 30, 2001 for the noon kick-off at the Football Olympic Stadium, at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush. I still have the tickets, which showed that our seats were 1 and 2 in Row 9 aisle 126 entered from Gate K and the ticket cost S230 ! Harold always played goalkeeper, so this was a bonus for him. The world’s sporting photographers were behind the fence and directly in front of us. They were hopeful of getting that perfect photo in the Olympic Gold Final match of Spain v Cameroon! A great match, but a much greater atmosphere from the packed stadium.
Five: In early September 2003, Harold and i flew to Brome via Alice Springs from Sydney. A magnificent week in such a beautiful place on the Western Australian Coast. The sunsets over Cable Beach were stunning . And of course, our day out fishing in the Indian Ocean was both very enjoyable and profitable in the numbers of fish caught. Returning to Broome, a whale breached out of the Indian Ocean –a beautiful scene and one which I still reflect on today.
Six: I was invited to represent Harold for the 50th Anniversary of his colliery team , Fryston Colliery Welfare winning the West Riding Country FA Challenge Cup in Yorkshire , England on May 22 1963. The organisers had managed to get the trophy, and most members of the team back together again, for this wonderful occasion on May 25 2013 at Fryston Colliery Welfare in Castleford, Yorkshire, England. Professor Dave Waddington, son of the team’s captain, Peter Waddington, wrote the history of Fryston Colliery Welfare, which he called “Coal, Goals and Ashes.” I was presented with a signed copy of Dave’s book , as well as a lovely gift to mark this occasion. It is a fitting tribute to Harold, as the team’s highly competent goalkeeper, that he appears on the book cover.
My Cavalier King Charles Spaniels also played an important part in Harold’s life. Harold came with me to collect Raine at a Cavalier dog show in Erskine Park, in Western Sydney in September 2001. In his broad Yorkshire accent, he said to Rhonda when we were collecting Raine, “she is bloody beautiful “. Rhonda and I still talk about this today. Rain was born in April -April rain and an e was added to her name! William joined Raine soon after to keep her company. (William was named after my Yorkshire great grandfather) And Angus McTavish, a tri – coloured Cavalier arrived on December 5 2004 to make a happy trio of Cavaliers! Christine, who was from Scotland, was usually called Jimmy by Harold. She added McTavish to Angus’s name to provide a longer Scottish name! Sadly, my beautiful Angus died on July 4 2007.
Poor health troubled Harold from the late 1990’s onwards. Kicking too many footballs and working in Yorkshire coal mines, greatly troubled his shin splints. And then there was the hip operation in Sutherland Hospital in mid-2007, and the blood clots in the lungs in early 2008, which prevented him from going on a 10 day Pacific cruise on the Pacific Dawn.
A s a ten pound Pom, he took to Australia -he loved surfing , riding his Jackson Plank surfboard , fishing , a day at the races and of course, his beloved football .
I recall one of his significant sayings “it is not what colour you are, it is what is under the shirt – in the heart that counts. “ This summed up the measure of the man, whom i first met in Shellharbour at a Surf Club dance on May 28, 1976. Harold had much pride in the England shirt, and would have loved to have worn one in professional football – this was not to be.
An adventurous and full life, well lived my Yorkshire lad.
The Great Barrier Reef and Airlie Beach photos were taken in the 90’s.
Great Barrier Reef 
Michelmas Cay – Great Barrier Reef 
Fishing Trip – Airlie Beach 
On the beach in Monkey Mia, Western Australia – January 1994
