Ruby Janson nee Reynolds: family

Ruby Janson nee Reynolds (a descendant of Darug grandmother Mary Thomas from Wilberforce) runs a hotel with her husband Walter Janson at Jones Island Taree. The children go to buy lollies in town and the two darker boys, Neville and Ken are told to wait outside the shop because ”we don’t serve Blackfellas here.” Neville Janson’s brother Noel pulls his younger brother’s shorts down “look he’s white not black, he’s got a white bum”. The children don’t wear shoes until they are 8 years old. 

The family then move to Chatswood. The family of 20 plus, live in one big house with a farmyard of chooks, horses, goats, dogs and garden. They ride horses down the Lane Cove River Park to shoot rabbits for dinner. Neville picks up oysters from the river bank and fishes and catches crabs.

  • Neville Janson, 1928