BROTHERS Michael and Steven Rawle took a walk down memory lane on their recent visit to Rosewood.
Rosewood was the brothers’ hometown during their childhood as their father, Dr Ken Rawle, had a medical practice there for 15 years.
Michael said he travelled with his brother Steven from their homes in the Blue Mountains making their way up the coast to get to their main destination of Rosewood, the place of their childhood.
“In the late 1940s, our father Ken completed his medical degree at the Sydney University, he then went on to finish his internship at the Brisbane Mater Hospital.
“During this time, he saw that there was an opportunity to open a medical practice in Rosewood.”
In 1949, Dr Rawle lived in the Rising Sun Hotel and set up his practice in rented small rooms in the main street.
“In November of 1950, our father married our mother Marie in Sydney and together they moved to Rosewood and bought a house in Matthew Street, where Dad set up consultation rooms in their home.
“In 1958, Mum and Dad built a house further up the road in Matthew Street, they moved there and again set up consultation rooms at the home.”
Dr Rawle’s practice tended to operate on a 24/7 basis.
“It was a general practice where our father looked after all medical needs at any time of the day,” Michael said.
“People never needed to make an appointment they knew that they could just turn up and our father would look after them.
“He would consult with women during their pregnancies and would be there with them to assist in delivering the baby.”
Michael and Steven grew up in a family of six children and said that their childhood memories were full of laughter and joy.
They agreed that Rosewood was the perfect country town to grow up in.
“The four oldest children, which include Steven and I, attended St Brigid’s Catholic School, we recall the nuns and the school as being a really nice place to learn,” Michael said.
“We recall playing in Harding’s Paddock alongside cattle, the old coal trains, walking and exploring in the open spaces and venturing up to a place we called Rocky Glen.
“We would all wander as free as a bird.
“Everyone was so friendly; we had friends everywhere who we would play with from dawn to dark.”
The brothers also remember people coming in and out of the home all the time, as their father would attend to their medical needs. One of Dr Ken’s interests was films and he was often seen at the Rosewood Cinema.
“If families came to our home to look for our father and he was not there, they knew to go straight to the cinema, because this was his favourite place to be, watching movies and catching up with the locals,” Michael said.
“We would also go to the cinema often as a family to watch the latest movie and to share a great night out together.”
In 1964, Ken and Marie decided it was time to move on so they packed up their belongings and moved to New South Wales with their children.
“Our youngest sibling was only one when the family left Rosewood and the oldest child was 13.
“We all piled up in the family station wagon and set off.
“It has been 60 years since we have both come back to Rosewood, and returning here was really special as it was great to meet the locals; some whom remember our father.”
The brothers spent a few days researching and reminiscing before they set off to Toowoomba and back on the inland route to the Blue Mountains.
