By Clive Wilson
As a small community, Lord Howe Island has had individuals or families who have made outstanding contributions to the wellbeing of the Island.
Charlie Thomas Retmock and his wife, formerly Amelia Dignam, and their family have played a great part in the wellbeing of this community.
Whilst they have faced their share of difficulties, they and their children, the late Hazel Payten and Bill Retmock, have made an outstanding contribution to the various aspects of Island life. Charles and Amelia were married in 1915 and their two children, Hazel and Bill, also made outstanding contributions in Island community events and were strongly supported by their parents.
Sadly, Uncle Charlie’s younger brother, Gordon, succumbed to a bicycle accident on the Island at a young age, and the sadness of his loss left a very large hole in the family and the Island’s wellbeing.
Like most Islanders they had nicknames. Uncle Charlie was “Stumpy” and Auntie Millie, as she was known, was often called by her nickname, “Stitch”.
When the Island’s cricket team was formed in approximately 1910, and on through the period until the 1970s, Uncle Charlie was an umpire and daughter, Hazel a score-keeper. Both played strong supporting roles in the success of the game on the Island.
The Retmocks were strong supporters of the Anglican Church on the Island and also had a strong Christian outlook. Uncle Charlie was, for many years, a church warden and one of the leading officers of the Anglican Church on the Island.
During the Second World War, when man-power was in short supply, Uncle Charlie was a crew member (along with Herbert Wilson) in the Dawn. He also gave great support to the community as the Burns Philp Agent, then as the Island Post Master, and would often be seen riding up and down Lagoon Road on the Island generally delivering telegrams and tending to communication needs.
It came as a great shock on Australia Day in 1959, when Uncle Charlie, while participating in Tug-O-War on the beach opposite the DCA property, collapsed and passed away very quickly. He has been sadly missed by his family and the island community since that black day.
He and his family held grazing rights over much of the land surrounding what is now Middle Beach Road, and a number of families, who now call their holdings ‘home’, owe much to Charlie’s supportive attitude: the initial school teacher’s residence (now home to Rod and Lisa Oxley), the Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital built in 1938, Lagoon Landing Apartments, the current Retmock family home, the Island War Memorial, and the residence for the doctor were all part of their original property.
Uncle Charlie was a founding member of the Lord Howe Island Bowling Club which, of course, is still a going concern today.
All three Island churches on Middle Beach Road stand today on land which was part of his holding.
In conclusion I would like to pay a tribute to Uncle Charlie for his very generous attitude with regard to his land. The three churches stand as a memorial to his generosity and to his helpfulness towards his neighbours in general.
