When we last left the Hoschke family they were continuing to build on their farming successes and remained dedicated community members, with many of the sons solidifying their standing in the community. Remembering that farming in the valley would have been very labour intensive and localised, the Hoschke’s along with other settlers recognised their strength in connection.

The 1920’s were a period of maturity and consolidation after decades of pioneering, Amandus and Mary would have been enjoying the fruits of their hard work over the years and no doubt looked at their children and grand children with great pride. Amandus and Mary already had 28 grandchildren, the Great War had ended and life was returning to some semblance of normality. Little did they know the loss and pain that this decade would also bring.

1920

The Hoschke name features very strongly in local print media from the beginning of this decade, the community dedication and sporting prowess of the family showed they continued to go from strength to strength.

The shadow of World War I still hung heavily over the valley in 1920.

• Many local men had enlisted; some did not return, and others came home changed
• By 1920, the community was:
  • Supporting returned soldiers reintegrating into farming life
  • Coping with grief and loss
  • Participating in early ANZAC commemorations, which were becoming annual traditions

This period brought a mix of pride, hardship, and quiet resilience to small districts like Orara.

Harold was mentioned in the rifle club – this club was very important as out of a membership of about 100, some 50 Coffs riflemen had gone to the front line in World War 1, something the district was very proud of. It was said that the founder of the club Mr W Newhaus had made marksmen out of the lads who had not known one end of the rifle from the other a few months previously. Harold participated in the musketry course, scoring 4th at 200 and 500 yards.

George Hoschke was nominated and elected as a director of the Orara Cooperative Dairy Company owning to the retirement of existing directors.

Edward (Ted) Hoschke was playing cricket for Macksville, although he was out lbw after only 8 runs in February of 1920.

Fred Hoschke continued his tender for delivering the mail from Dairyville to Upper Orara three times a week and Upper Orara to Dairyville four times a week. His contract was to use a sulky and horse and he was to be paid 66 pounds per annum for the next two years.

Clunie Hoschke placed in the local show for her jams jellies and preserves, including peach jam, grape jam, plum jam, passionfruit jam, apple jam, loquat jam & cape gooseberry jam, marmalade, tomato jam, grape, plum, passionfruit, apple, orange and lemon jelly, I am exhausted at the thought of all that stirring!

Also in March of 1920, there was a football club formed at Karangi, which of course Fred Hoschke was involved in. He was also elected on the Coffs Harbour Agricultural Show Committee for the following year and Amandus Ludwig Hoschke was involved in a campaign to raise funds for Maclean Hospital.

At the beginning of May the fourth child of Mary and William Tait, Edward Arthur Tait was born in Wellington, NSW. He was their fourth child born in 5 1/2 years.

Walter Hoschke, eldest son of Frank and Henrietta, was operated on for an abscess on his lung and spent his 16th birthday in hospital recovering.

1921

1921 continued with many mentions of sporting and community connection for the Hoschke family.

By March, Ted Hoschke met with a dangerous accident at Macksville when a rifle exploded and a bullet was lodged in his stomach, local papers reported he was in Kempsey Hospital in a serious condition. A later report provided more detail; On Saturday last, about dinner-time, Mr. E. T. Hoschke, local representative of W; Seccombe, seed merchant, Coffs Harbour, left his. home near the railway station with a pea rifle in his hand for the purpose of shooting a crow. He successfully descended a steep bank a few yards from the back of his house, but the bird got away before he could get a shot in. In returning up the bank, which was slippery, Mr. Hoschke slipped and fell on the rifle, which went off, the bullet entering, his stomach.

On the advice of Dr. Hobson, he was taken immediately to the Kempsey Hospital in Bob King’s motor car, and an operation disclosed that the bowels had been perforated several times. Although it was stated that he had only a 50 to 1 chance, we are pleased to be able to report that advices yesterday showed great hopefulness for his ultimate recovery. By April, it was reported that he was on the road to recovery.

Ernest and Ellen Hoschke welcomed their third and last child, a son named George Edward Hoschke, born in Sydney, although the family would shortly after transfer with Ernest’s role as a linesman with them PMG to Newcastle and then Quirindi in QLD.

Marriage of Ethel Bertha Manson and Finley James Kerr – Ethel was Clunie Hoschke’s youngest sister and Elsie Fred and Clunie’s eldest child was chosen to be one of her aunt’s bridesmaids.

George William Hoschke was heavily involved with the Parents and Citizen’s Association, and chaired several meetings and no doubt he was also involved in the correspondence tabled at those meetings advocating for resources for the local school and community.

Amandus Ludwig Hoschke continued his role as a teacher, he and Helen welcomed their daughter Nancey Evelyn Hoschke in August, although by December of 1921 he was unwell and his illness was reported in the Grafton Argus, it was said he would be spending the major portion of his summer vacation in Maclean Hospital.

The year ended with the birth of Mary and William Tait’s youngest child Jean Isobel Tait, daughter of May and William Tait in Wellington, NSW.

1922

1922 would begin as many others, with Fred & Clunie winning at the local show for their fruit, jams, jelllies and preserves.

Lionel Hoschke, 2nd son of Frank and Henrietta Hoschke was one of the local students who successfully passed the Qualifying Certificate Examination, which marked the successful completion of his primary schooling and would have meant he may have been eligible for a bursary to attend high school.

By the beginning of February, the valley was rocked with the death of Frederick Amandus Hoschke in Karangi, aged 48 years. Fred was attempting to cross Wongiwomble Creek at Karangi when he drowned and he left a community traumatised, from his widow and 5 young children, the the boys that attempted in vain to rescue both Fred and his two horses, the the community in the valley who all would have known Fred as a upstanding member of their community and the mail contractor.

The next few months there were numerous articles printed about this tragic death in newspapers across the country and after a Magisterial Enquiry into Fred’s death, bravery awards were issued to the boys of Buchanan who tried to save him that fateful day.

Several of the Hoschke family were involved in education, Ernest’s wife Ellen was for a time teaching at Upper Orara School and Amandus Ludwig Hoschke, who was teaching at Woombah School, was involved in the Teachers Federation and promoted to Class IIA, although his health continued to suffer. George Hoschke continued in his role as President of the Parents & Citizen’s Association and presided over the Empire Day picnic celebrations at the school.

Shortly before Christmas, Harold Hoschke met with an accident while working on the breakwater at Coffs Harbour when a truck ran over one of his legs, injuring it badly, and he was taken to hospital.

1923

1923 began with more academic achievements for Mary and Amandus’ grandchildren, Irene Hoschke, daughter of Harold and Alice Hoschke passed her Qualifying Certificate Examination, given her parent’s recent separation and the fact she was being cared for by extended family, this result is to be celebrated. Lionel Edgar Hoschke was appointed in the Telegraph Branch with the Commonwealth Public Service.

Amandus Ludwig Hoschke was transferred from Woombah School to Cudgera, and a few short weeks later tendered his resignation on grounds of his continued poor health.

By mid February, Jessie Caroline Davis, nee Hoschke, eldest daughter of Amandus and Mary, suffered the tragic loss of her husband George Davis at the age of 56 after a long and painful illness. “He underwent an operation in Sydney nearly a year ago, which only gave relief temporarily, and the end was not unexpected. The late Mr. Davis had been a resident of Upper Orara for many years, where he has been highly respected by all who knew him. A loving wife and family of seven are left to mourn their loss, together with a number of brothers and sisters.” Daily Examiner, NSW

Lionel and Walter Hoschke were successful in attaining their Bronze Medallion with the Coffs Harbour Surf Life Saving Club in March of 1923.

Tragically, by May came the sad news that Amandus Ludwig Hoschke has passed away at his parents home. His obituary noted that for a long time he had been suffering from an incurable complaint, which he bore with exemplary patience.

Three short months after Amandus Ludwig’s passing, his mother Mary, the matriarch of the Hoschke family passed away at her home. It was reported that she had been unwell, although she had attended church on the morning before her death, although she reportedly said to her family, that if it were not for her coat, she couldn’t have sat through the church service due to feeling cold. Not long afterwards, she experienced a recurrence of earlier heart trouble and a doctor was summonsed from Coffs, alas she had passed by the time he arrived.

“The late Mrs. Hoschke, was one of the first women to brave the privations of the Orara scrub some 57 years ago. She battled through like many other plucky bush wives, and reared a family of thirteen. She saw her family (ten of whom are still alive) grow into Australians of the best type and was generally loved and respected by her neighbours, though of late years the had been saddened by bereavement amongst her children, one son being drowned under tragic circumstances during the last big flood.” Coffs Harbour Advocate.

1924

Edith Hoschke won 1st prize in the 50 yards Club Championship for the Coffs Harbour Swimming Club at Saltwater Creek.

There was also much celebration with the opening of a new school at Upper Orara, the opening presided over by George Hoschke, who has been instrumental in his role with the P&C in advocating for improved resources over many years.

The family participation in

1925

Nellie & Irene Hoschke continued to excel, placing 3rd and 4th at a swimming carnival held at Saltwater Creek in Coffs Harbour, NSW.

In March of 1925 Clunie Hoschke, who, assisted by her elder children, had continued undertaking the Karangi – Dairyville – Upper Orara mail service has handed the contract back. “Mr. D. Small said he had known Mrs. Hoschke since she was a little girl and had always found her kindhearted and ready to do a good turn, and he felt sure her little acts of kindness would be missed by many, as nothing in regard to mail matters was too much for her to do for you. She had become very popular with everybody with whom she had any dealings, and during the 14 years the family had conducted the mail run he did not think anybody had a fault to find.” Coffs Harbour Advocate

By mid May, on a Friday night, in the Empire Hall, the many friends of Miss Edith Hoschke assembled to bid her farewell prior to her departure for Sydney. Messrs. W. Cur-ran and R. Fern spoke on behalf of the Jetty Surf Club, Miss Hoschke being a prominent member of the Lady Life Savers, whilst Mr. Reg Young eulogised Miss Hoschke’s good qualities and the work she had rendered to the Jetty Tennis Club. Daily Examiner

1926

1926 started with the divorce of Harold and Alice Hoschke listed in the Sydney Morning Herald after their separation a few years earlier.

There was much excitement when Elizabeth Hoschke, wife of George, won a Chandler motor car valued at 595 pounds in the Fireman’s Art Union! It was a beautiful car by all accounts and was of course driven home by Mr George Hoschke!

The entertainment continued in September when Arthur gave chase to a horse that bolted and managed to bring the horse and sulky to a standstill with no damage, we have told the full story here if you like a good laugh!

1927

The local paper reported that Mr Amandus Hoschke of Ferndale, passed his 83rd milestone on New Years Day, he was reported as still being hale and hearty and could be seen mowing his lawn or gardening almost any day!

Helen, the widow of Amandus Ludwig Hoschke, had by this time relocated to Sydney with her baby Nancey and was trying to make a living. She went back to school to learn Stage II Dressmaking so she could teach this vital skill to young girls and support herself and her daughter.

Carl Hoschke was awarded his permit to enrol in high school.

1928

In July of 1928, six years after being widowed, Mrs Clunie Bain Hoschke nee Manson, remarried to Issac Arthur Gould and they left the region afterwards heading towards the Wagga Wagga district where Issac was hoping to buy a sheep property.

The Hoschke family would once again settle into their new life with both Mary and Amandus now gone, and there continued many mentions of various grandchildren for academic, sporting and social outings.

In November it was noted that Mr. Arthur Hoschke is the successful tenderer for the carriage of mails between Karangi and Dalryville for the new contract to commence In the new year. Coffs Harbour Advocate

Once again demonstrating the desire for innovation, Ernest commenced growing a new crop – bananas. “Mr. E. Hoschke, of “Nungoby,” on South Branch, has a very fine banana plantation coming on. He has 440 plants, most of which are starting to bear. These look exceedingly well and will compare favorably with any other plants in the district. He also has a number of citrus fruit trees and passionfruit vines. Mr. Hoschke is to be congratulated on the perfect order of his plantation, and we wish him every success.” Coffs Harbour Advocate

1929