Page 12 - Built on Integrity

formation

1920s to 1950s

from Austin’s early life

Cundletown By 1921, when Austin William Edwards started
working in Sydney as a builder in his own right, he
had already lived a full life and travelled to countries
around the around the world, including England, Scotland,

Egypt and Turkey.
world north-west of Taree, he was one of eight boys and
Born in March 1894 in Cundletown, west to

two girls. Education for AW consisted of a bush
Austin and friends
prospecting for gold school at Manning River and then at Dumaresq
in Sofala, c1930. Austin Island. At 16 Austin began a Carpentry and Joinery
is standing at the far
right of the back row. Apprenticeship with a local Taree builder, William
Rigby. One of his brothers Silas, “Si”, was also
apprenticed to Rigby.
He worked for Rigby for 2 years before the
lure of larger construction projects prompted
him to move to Sydney, where he joined the
Government Architects’ Branch and completed his
apprenticeship. One of his first jobs was the new,
6‑storey Department of Education Building fronting
Quay and Loftus Streets in Sydney.
Compulsory military training had been in place
since 1911. Austin and all other young men were
required to join the Citizen Military Forces which
required attendance at parades for 2 hours every
week, 3 hours every other Saturday afternoon

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