Thursday’s Special: Opposites — The Old Bakehouse

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

Stroud situated on the mid North Coast of NSW had its beginnings in the early 1800s. It was the town which was the headquarters of the Australian Agricultural Company. Roger’s father who lived in Brighton U.K. still had shares in it when I first met him in the 1990s. In 1824 the AA company received a grant of one million acres (4,000 square kilometers)  which reached as far north as Port Macquarie. This land was for agricultural use and Stroud thrived with the company’s storehouses located here. It was a Wild West type of town with the Australian Bushranger Thunderbolt ranging the area having met and married Mary Ann Bugg whose father ran a farm  in the area.

Stroud boasts numerous beautiful historical building which are constructed in a British tradition including Stroud House, St John’s Church and Quambi School. Not so flash it the original bakehouse which we purchased in 2006. Why did we buy it — the old ovens appealed to us and the shed still had all the flour working equipment.  The kitchen and the bathroom ran off each other.

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

The ovens

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

Looking from the lounge to the kitchen.

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

         “The kitchen. The bathroom. The yin and yang of the household.”
David C Holley, Write like no one is reading

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

The exterior of the house.

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

The rollers for taking the flour from the shed are just visible in the photo. Inside the brick floor to the left are the same old bricks that the chimney is made from.

© irene waters 2015

© irene waters 2015

We never lived there and no longer own it and I am told that in the wild weather of last month, when in nearby Dungog a few houses were washed away, that the old bakehouse has been irreparably damaged by the raging flood waters.

In response to Paula’s Opposites with quote – her prompt for the Thursday’s Special.

         

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About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
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5 Responses to Thursday’s Special: Opposites — The Old Bakehouse

  1. Paula's avatar Paula says:

    Then it was a good thing you did not use it after all and you sold it in time. A very interesting presentation. Thank you very much Irene.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Pingback: Thursday’s Special: Opposites | Lost in Translation

  3. An interesting post Irene.

    Like

  4. Charli Mills's avatar Charli Mills says:

    Old buildings have much to share. What an interesting memory conjured by the quote. Sorry to hear it was damaged in the flooding. Had it been flooded before?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Not to our knowledge. The flooding was beyond previous 100 year floodlines. This terror weather is hitting the States and all over the world. Quotes can make you like quite outside the square . I’d never thought of kitchens and bathrooms in this way but when you think about it , it makes a lot of sense yin and yang. 🙂

      Like

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