“Where we lived was a village called Wallabadah. That name was very hard to learn.”

These memories – hand-written across 100 pages in 1991, just five years before her death –  would later form a published book recalling Sylvia’s early years in Wallabadah and Tamworth.

Sylvia was born in Quirindi in 1905 to Florence Edith Carter and Walter Charles Cullen. She went on to become a nurse at Tamworth Hospital, where she met her husband Neville Woodley when he was suffering from Rheumatic fever.

It was important to Sylvia, who went on to become a mother of three, that those around her knew about her early years and the history of the region – from her first memories of life as “frost on the wood heaps, the mint under the tank tap and the sand and earth around the back steps of our house, my baby brother Tommie, my sister Florrie and eldest brother Albert” – right up to her marriage in 1935.

So in 1991, Sylvia began writing down these memories, amounting to some 50,000 words.

Just before she passed away in 1996, at the age of 91, her son Warren Woodley promised her that he would see that they were published.

The pages were handed to a number of people to decipher over a course of years, before Warren contacted Gunnedah author Cate Clark, who finalised the transcription of Sylvia’s fascinating stories. 

On Wednesday night, Warren, surrounded by close friends and family, officially delivered on his promise by launching his mother’s book of memoirs at Tamworth City Library.

“She had an amazing memory – all the people, all her life, what they did, where they went, what their names were, even if they were neighbours that lived 100 years ago,” Warren said.

“She died before she finished. 

“When we got hold of the thick folder with all the pages in it, I looked at it and thought, I can’t read all that because I’m not good at deciphering other people’s writing.

“I always get done what I want to do, and there’s got to be a way of doing it, so I went to a secretarial service. That didn’t work.

“But when things get really important to you, you’ve got to make it happen.

“I thought, I’m not game not to do this because imagine if I see her after I pass away and she says, ‘And how did you go with my memoirs?’ So this, of course, is the book that came out.”

The 173-page book details her early years when her father worked as a farrier and blacksmith. Sylvia recalls buying treats from the Wallabadah shop, which remains on Coach St today, to her first day at school, and her father starting the Wallabadah Band.

The book is a memorable account of the communities of Wallabadah and Tamworth, and to the people who lived in them from the time of the Great War until the end of the Great Depression.

The Cullen family spent some time in Sydney when Sylvia’s father went to a training camp at Holsworthy in 1915.

Her father arrived back from the war in Sydney in 1919, before the family moved back to Wallabadah where Walter wanted to buy back his blacksmith shop in Coach Street.

Sylvia began her nursing studies at Tamworth Hospital in 1927. She enjoyed visiting the Capitol Theatre and heading back to Wallabadah on her occasional days off.

Throughout the book, there are references and photographs of old buildings and sites that still remain, in one form or another, today.

Sylvia’s final memoir was about her friend Hazel Pankhurst, who she had trained with in the late 1920s and early 30s. There is also a paragraph relating to her husband Neville’s attempt to enlist into armed service at the outbreak of WWII. 

Author Cate Clark describes Sylvia as “strong, determined, passionate about her family, passionate about her work”.

“Her recall was astonishing,” Cate said.

“I’m passionate about local history.

“I’m passionate about getting recollections of people, telling stories through their eyes. I learned so much about Wallabadah and Tamworth.”

Cate said a highlight was getting a tour of Wallabadah with Warren.

“I got a real sense of who they were – the school they went to, the post office they talked about, the shops they used, she said.

“For me, local history begins with people.

“I’m so pleased (Warren) rang (late last year) because I’ve learned so much.

“What Sylvia has taught me about the Tamworth and Wallabadah region, you can’t buy that.”

Warren, on behalf of siblings, thanks his mother in the book at the end of her reminiscences. 

“Mum, thank you for this wonderful history, for writing it all down,” it reads.

“It was a fantastic effort. 

“Ted, Caroline and I love you and will see you later – when we will all be together once again.”

Warren told The Leader this week that it was a privilege to bring his mother’s memoirs to life. 

“It’s something that I promised my mum,” he said.

“It’s many years ago since we talked about it.

“I’m just so happy, at long last, I can share her experiences of her own life.”

Warren remembers his mother as a determined woman with strong Christian and family values.

"She was a beautiful Christian lady who trained as a nurse, helped people all her life, with memories that are just so beautiful to read,” he said.

Family, friends and local historians rolled out to the book launch on Wednesday night, where Warren gifted Tamworth City Library with one of the books. 

Anyone who is interested to find out more about the history of Wallabadah and Tamworth, or would like to purchase the book of Sylvia’s memoirs, can contact Warren Woodley directly on 0429 777 132.