Hilda Lockwood

  General Notes:

Hilda began her education in the New South Wales state education system.
Hilda began schooling at the Kogarah Superior Public School and in early 1918, when the family moved to Forest Road, Bexley, New South Wales, Hilda was transferred to the Bexley Public School. During the Augaust school holidays in 1919 the family moved to Leichhardt and Hilda was transferred again, this time to Leichhardt Public School. When the family moved from Leichhartd to the Merrylands area, they lived in a house, in Cumberland Road, Greystanes, and Hilda was enrolled at the Greystanes Public School.
The family lived here for about two years and then moved to a house at Merrylands Road, Merrylands which necessitatad another school change for Hilda. This change was to the Merryloands Public School. In 1923 the family made the move to the Auburn area, first to Macquarie Road, then to Simpson Street, and later to Harrow Road. Hilda finished her primary education at the North Auburn Public School and undertook her secondary education at Auburn South Public School. ilda left school at the age of 14, and obtained a position in the Millinery Department of the Grace Bros store, at Broadway where she stayed until her marriage in 1929.
The couple made their first home at 5 Junction Street, Top Ryde, New South Wales, where they shared a house with Hilda's sister Marjorie and her husband Stan. It was while the couple were living here that the first of their five daughters, Kathleen, was born.
When Hilda and Nug left Ryde it was to be on their own and to these ends they moved west to Cambridge Street, Lidcombe, New South Wales.
From Cambridge Street the couple moved to St Hilliers Road, Auburn, where Marjorie their second daughter was born. The family next moved to Macquarie Road, Auburn and then to Helena Street, Auburn where they were living when their third daughter Jean was born. In December 1934 Hilda and Nug moved to Norval Street Auburn, to share a house with Hilda's sister Doris, her husband George Keep and their two children.
At this time rent sharing was very popular due to the fact that it made rents more affordable and as the Great Depression was in full swing it made a lot of sense.
In late 1935 Hilda and Nug moved from Norval Street, to a house in Mary Street, Auburn. It was while the family were here that the fourth daughter Margaret was born. The family stayed at this address until 1943 when a move was made to a house in Carnarvon Street, North Auburn. This house was just across the road from Behn's Dairy, which no longer exists and the site is now taken up mainly by the giant B.P. Petroleum Silverwater complex.
It was while the family were here that the fifth daughter, Carol was born. Carnarvon Street was to be home to the family until early 1951 when the final move was made for them to build their own home at 108 Guildford Road, Guildford. When the home at Guildford was well under way Nug along with some of his fellow workers at the Homebush Abattoir were lucky enough to win a lottery draw. His share was enough to enable Nug to pay cash for the building of his house.
Guildford Road was to be home to the family for many years and it was from this home that all of the girls were married. In 1969 Hilda was diagnosed as having Breast Cancer and was booked in to Parramatta Hospital where she was to undergo a Mastectomy.
In late March 1971 Hilda, who was not enjoying the best of health, was booked in to hospital, actually, into the Cameron Wing of St Vincents Hospital, to have a leaking valve in her heart replaced On the day after Hilda had her operation Nug suffered a massive heart attack at the Guildford home and passed away.
When Hilda came out of hospital, not only had the valve job been completed but doctors had also fitted her with a pacemaker which Hilda was to carry for the rest of her life. Hilda stayed on at the home at Guildford where she had shared so much with Nug and the family until 1980 when she decided that the time had come for her to enter a retirement home. The house at Guildford was put on the market and when it was sold Hilda moved into the Harold Hawkins Court which is a church run Retirement Village in Norton Street, Leichhardt, just around the corner from where she went to school many years before.
Hilda Stayed here, in a self-care unit, until about March 1992 her healthbegan to deteriorate rather badly and she was moved into a hostel unit. In September 1992 her health broke down completely and she was transferred into the Balmain District Hospital.

Hilda married Thomas Sydney George Smith on 16 Feb 1929 in Methodist Church, Harrow Rd, Auburn, Nsw, Australia.⁷¹ (Thomas Sydney George Smith died on 10 Apr 1971 in Guilford, NSW, Australia ⁷¹ and was buried in 221 and 222 Vt, Rose Garden, Rookwood Crematorium, Nsw.)