But on January 18, and then again on January 21, this wasn’t the case at all for Parkes twins Marie Mullin and Merle Christie (nee Hornery).

The pair were born at “Niola” Parkes on January 18, 1927. 

For their 90^th birthday, this year, they celebrated with more than 70 friends and family with an afternoon lunch at the Parkes Services Club on January 21.

Their guests travelled from all over, including Darlington Point, Sydney, the North Coast, Central Coast and Emerald in Queensland.

The following details have been taken from an excerpt of the family’s history:

The twins were the youngest of a family of 11.

They lived at Gunningbland and were born at “Niola” Parkes on the 18th of January 1927.

They weighed 2 ½ and 3 LB and told by their eldest sister could fit in a shoe box.

They went to school at Gunningbland until 1940 then moved to Parkes School for 1 year.

Their father was a ganger on the Railway at Gunningbland.

We had several jobs over the years.

We worked at the shoe factory and glove factory in Court Street in the 1950’s where the telephone exchange used to be.

Also we worked at Ashcroft’s ice-block factory in Bogan Street.

We lived in Bogan Street at 71 in the next block up and rode our push bikes to and from work.

Merle worked at Cook’s Delicatessen in Clarinda Street for many years.

Then at Parkview Motel and Coach House and Littler’s Shop in Dalton Street (where the bottle shop is now).

Over the years Marie and I did house work for a lot of people around the town.

Then Marie and I took on the contract mail-run to Alectown town, in our Morris Minor.

We turned our home in Phoenix Street into a boarding house.

We had up to six boarders at one time.

That was the happiest working days of our lives.

Marie married Chris Siviour in 1971.

But sadly Chris was killed in a car accident in 1979.

Chris and Marie loved dancing.

Marie remained in Forbes about 25 years.

Became interested in carpet bowls for many years and won lots of trophies.

Marie also did voluntary hair dressing at the old people’s home for some years and did house work on a farm and cleaning at a school.

Marie also met Jimmy Pout and he was a great friend for Marie for 12 years.

Eventually Marie came back and lived in Cecile Street Parkes in 2002.

Marie married John Mullin. Since then they have travelled all over Australia and Tasmania by car.

John is 86 and still driving and loves driving.

I met Cliff on the 10th of June in 1975 and was engaged on 27th June (17 days) and married on 16th August 1975 (6 weeks later).

We do a lot of dancing and play indoor and outdoor bowls.

Cliff plays indoor bowls.

Cliff and I went to Fiji on the “Arcadia” for our Honeymoon and have travelled all over Australia to W.A. twice on bus trips and several times to Tasmania by boat and air.

Cliff’s family comes from Tasmania.

We lived in Belmore Avenue from 1975 to 1980.

We built a home in Jubilee Street in 1980 and lived there until 2010.

Then in 2010 we moved to Dalton Street where we are at present 2012.

Written by Merle and Marie

Our Cottage in Gunningbland 1920 - 1940

We lived in Gunningbland in a remarkable little three bedroom home, built by our father and helped by our eldest brothers and Mr Bamble.

The house was built of round pine boards and flat tin.

The foundations were made of sleepers which Dad bought off the railway (Dad was a foreman settler) for about 4 pence each.

The house had a very large kitchen with stove and fireplace at one end.

There were 11 children in our family.

Our mum was a wonderful cook and could make a meal out of anything.

Mum always had a beautiful garden of vegetables and flowers.

As things were pretty tough and a lot of mouths to feed, Mum sold vegetables to the neighbours around the district.

Dad built an underground well also a dam near the house for our water supply.

Dad also had grey hounds, he used to feed them on toast and fat and eggs.

We remember clearly the two main bedrooms had “built in wardrobes” “curtains across the corner on a curtain rod”

We remember clearly the split level between kitchen and dining room was a very high step.

We remember the older members of the family would all gather around the piano (Thelma playing) having a sing-song also playing cards.

There would be a lot of young people there and a tasty supper afterwards, but we can never remember any alcohol in the house.

Although Dad always had a few bets on the races.

Dad always had a roll of notes in the bed-post (brass).

It was a happy house. Mum always had some one calling for a chat on cup of tea.

The kitchen lino was painted by mum.

The lattice on the front (put on later was made by 5” x 2” slats).

We also had the biggest fern house, you could walk through it and the biggest drip-safe.

Mum also had 3 to 4 cows to milk, she used to separate and sell the butter, milk and eggs.

We had a big enamel dish on the stove and used to skin the cream off the top.

Mum also reared the calves and had quite a few pigs to eat all the scraps.

She use to smoke her own bacon and make brine for pickled pork.

We also remember a row of “Chrysanthemums” down the side of the vegetable garden down towards the old toilet hidden with a lot of bamboos.

Mum and Dad had an enormous vegetable garden and sold the vegetables.

Mum boarded the men at the wheat silos every year for mid-day lunch.

Marie and I used to run and meet them and get a piggy ride-back on their shoulders.

We had a big row of grape vines down the western side of the house and plenty of peach trees.

What a wonderful world it would be today if everyone worked like our Mum and Dad.

P.S. Our Mum had to milk the cows, because the cows wouldn’t let the milk down for Dad (he had no patience with them).

P.S Mum was a good cook.

Meat pies, sausage rolls, apple pies, lemon pies, plum puddings, her special was two rounds of pastry filled with jelly and icing on top, lovely custards and plenty of cream also rhubarb pies and also bacon and eggs.

Written by Merle and Marie