TREVOR’S STORY:  JUST A SMALL SLICE OF A FASCINATING LIFE

What a life Trevor Wrigley had…from the day he was born in Coonamble in 1926, life’s adventures began for Trevor.

Trevor came into this world a fighter.  Against all odds, he survived a very difficult birth and wasn’t expected to live.  A mid-wife at the hospital picked him up from a pile of dirty linen and nursed him back to life.  Trevor lived with her during his early childhood and called her ‘Granny Smith’.  Bill and Granny Smith were always in Trevor’s parents’ life.

The depression came along.  Trevor and his parents moved to Sydney, leaving his sister Beaulah with Granny Smith.  His family had a great love of horses and when Trevor was fourteen he was put into an apprenticeship at stables in Randwick to become a jockey.  These were very hard times for a teenager.

The Australian Army enlisted him for duty to defend our country against the Japanese.  He was a very reluctant soldier.  He was a pacifist and absolutely terrified of weight gain, which would of course end his riding career.  The prisoner of war break out at Cowra was his first conflict with the enemy.  Trevor and a couple of mates were found taking refuge under the nurses’ quarters.  Of course, they were protecting the women!

At age 21 Trevor married a nurse, Pat McInnes.  He had grown into a vibrant young man with dreams and goals but, due to the dreaded weight gain from the Army, riding in the Melbourne Cup was out.

He and Pat set up house in Ipswich, Queensland.  He was a tireless worker and would ride trackwork at 4am each morning before running to catch the miners’ train to work in the coal mines.  He was big into the coal miners union and also worked in one of the last mines to have pit ponies.  He was trapped in an underground cave-in and escaped by his own physical efforts, also saving a mate.

Soon Trevor and Pat had a family of four children; Marie, Betty, Jimmy and Ian.  The marriage had become strained to say the least.  All business transactions were conducted in his office – the local public bar.  He loved the office!  In an attempt to save his marriage he was forced to embark on a new career.

Trevor accepted a position (without any experience) as Station Manager on a remote property west of his birthplace, Coonamble.  He went to the property first to prepare for his young family to join him.  He encouraged Pat to come, his letter to her saying, ‘just come, don’t worry about a thing, just come with the kids.  Everything is provided for, food, linen, everything!!’  After a very long steam train trip, Pat and the four kids finally arrived at the property called ‘Mimosa’.  The ‘Managers Residence’ turned out to be the shearers’ quarters – no power, no sheets, no blankets and a long drought.  Not exactly five star.  But they were together as a family, battling once again.

The kids had schooling by correspondence and Trevor taught himself ‘Property Management’ by correspondence too.  And the only beer was Pat’s home brewed ginger beer.  Fresh meet was requested from the property owner and a lamb was chosen.  Being a pacifist and animal lover, Trevor had never killed anything in his life.  Thirteen hours later the deed was done and the young family turned vegetarian for several months.

Life was hard but in the paddock was an unbroken stallion called ‘Carrable’.  Dreams of an almighty winner came again.  Trevor broke the horse in and also made a race-track to train Carrable.  Pat, with the kids in an old ute, would chase the kangaroos and emus off the track so Carrable could be trained to race.  This horse showed promise. 

The young Wrigley family packed up and moved into Coonamble with Carrable where horse training became Trevor’s life.  Carrable was unbeatable in country NSW so it was time to conquer Sydney where, sadly, Carrable broke down.  The office-work at the bar had re-established itself and Trevor had become a notable horse trainer.  During these training years the family moved house many times and another son, Bertie, was born.  Other occupations were had and the years flew by.  Trevor and Pat were divorced after 33 years of marriage.

After a lot of soul searching, and realising what he had lost, a new life began for Trevor.  He befriended another fabulous woman, Sue, who was also a nurse.  Sue had a large family of nine children who all embraced and loved Trevor.  Sue’s daughter Orlean became his daughter, and Orlean’s children became his second lot of grandchildren. 

In fact, Trevor had one life and two families.  In his first family he had nine grandchildren; Jodie, Victor, Jaden, Bonnie, Ralph, Scott, Mickaela, Marnie and Luke; and four great-grandchildren.  In his second family four grandchildren – Selwyn, Carrie, Kyleen and Shayla – and five great-grandchildren.

Trevor was a great character and story teller, who loved to laugh and have a fun time.  He attracted countless friends from all walks of life.

Trevor regarded himself as a ‘wheel-barrow Catholic’ – one who had to be pushed into church.  Needless to say it had been years since he was inside one.  It was his wish that the Salvation Army conduct his service, they were his favourite charity.

He was strong willed, independent and always had good morals.  His sense of humour was the essence of his character and his life.

.added 13/6/2006