Joy Mary Rivett was born on 13 August 1920.
On International Women’s Day, she would top the list of women whom I most admire.
She died on 21 January 2007.
This her story.
“I was born into a middle-class Bathurst (NSW) family. The lineage of both my parents was successful entrepreneurs and business owners. My maternal grandfather, Henry Phillip Australia Mugridge, owned the largest timber-getting, saw-milling and building firm in Bathurst. He was innovative, being the first to introduce phone connections within his business. He was a friend and business partner of Ben Chifley and chair of the local eight hour day committee. A surprising role for a business owner but probably reflecting his family roots in the Primitive Methodist Church. A number of buildings, which the Mugridge brothers built in Bathurst, are now heritage buildings.
My paternal grandfather was a third-generation wagon-builder and the skills of carpentry, iron-working and sign-writing were dispersed throughout the family. Wagons built by the Rivett family were sold throughout the colonies and it was said that there were more Rivetts (pronounced rivets) in Kelso, (a suburb of Bathurst), than there were in the Kelso Bridge.
Yet it was the women who were the strongest influence on my life. My maternal aunt, whom I lived with during some of my formative years, created a very successful business during and after the Second World War. She produced and packaged quality chocolates distributed through prestige retailers. Large quantities of her chocolates were bought by American soldiers who used them to impress young Australian companions. It was my paternal grandmother who, after the death of her husband, managed the wagon building business until it folded, a result of the production in Australia of the motorized vehicle. It was said of my grandmother that ‘Mrs. Rivett was considered a woman of sound judgment and great common sense, and it was considered that her wise counsels had much to do with the ensuing success of the business over which she exercised a controlling influence’
Of equal significance was the influence of my maternal grandmother whose deep faith and passion for her grandchildren provided a sustaining foundation for the challenges ahead. Also the family love of music and in particular, Christian hymns, propelled me along the path of becoming a competent pianist and organist. To this day, there is a piano at the entrance to the Bathurst Museum, built by my Rivett ancestors in England and transported by dray across the Blue Mountains.
On this piano I had my first lessons and playing became a lifetime joy. The passion began when I arrived at church one Sunday. The minister advised me that there was no pianist for that morning. As he knew I was learning to play the piano, he enquired as to whether I would be able to play. I told him that I only knew one hymn. I played that same hymn four times during the service. I retired from playing the piano and organ when I reached the age of 80, with many tunes known by heart.
The one deep pain in my early life was that my father, whom I loved deeply, was not able to successfully transition from a wagon maker to a car maker. Consequently he found solace only in alcohol and little understanding from our family. Ultimately he lived a sad life and was forced to live and die alone.
Space does not permit for me to explore my own business career and the influences I had on following generations. That may require another memoir for my son to write."
Graham Jensen
March 2024
On International Women’s Day, she would top the list of women whom I most admire.
She died on 21 January 2007.
This her story.
“I was born into a middle-class Bathurst (NSW) family. The lineage of both my parents was successful entrepreneurs and business owners. My maternal grandfather, Henry Phillip Australia Mugridge, owned the largest timber-getting, saw-milling and building firm in Bathurst. He was innovative, being the first to introduce phone connections within his business. He was a friend and business partner of Ben Chifley and chair of the local eight hour day committee. A surprising role for a business owner but probably reflecting his family roots in the Primitive Methodist Church. A number of buildings, which the Mugridge brothers built in Bathurst, are now heritage buildings.
My paternal grandfather was a third-generation wagon-builder and the skills of carpentry, iron-working and sign-writing were dispersed throughout the family. Wagons built by the Rivett family were sold throughout the colonies and it was said that there were more Rivetts (pronounced rivets) in Kelso, (a suburb of Bathurst), than there were in the Kelso Bridge.
Yet it was the women who were the strongest influence on my life. My maternal aunt, whom I lived with during some of my formative years, created a very successful business during and after the Second World War. She produced and packaged quality chocolates distributed through prestige retailers. Large quantities of her chocolates were bought by American soldiers who used them to impress young Australian companions. It was my paternal grandmother who, after the death of her husband, managed the wagon building business until it folded, a result of the production in Australia of the motorized vehicle. It was said of my grandmother that ‘Mrs. Rivett was considered a woman of sound judgment and great common sense, and it was considered that her wise counsels had much to do with the ensuing success of the business over which she exercised a controlling influence’
Of equal significance was the influence of my maternal grandmother whose deep faith and passion for her grandchildren provided a sustaining foundation for the challenges ahead. Also the family love of music and in particular, Christian hymns, propelled me along the path of becoming a competent pianist and organist. To this day, there is a piano at the entrance to the Bathurst Museum, built by my Rivett ancestors in England and transported by dray across the Blue Mountains.
On this piano I had my first lessons and playing became a lifetime joy. The passion began when I arrived at church one Sunday. The minister advised me that there was no pianist for that morning. As he knew I was learning to play the piano, he enquired as to whether I would be able to play. I told him that I only knew one hymn. I played that same hymn four times during the service. I retired from playing the piano and organ when I reached the age of 80, with many tunes known by heart.
The one deep pain in my early life was that my father, whom I loved deeply, was not able to successfully transition from a wagon maker to a car maker. Consequently he found solace only in alcohol and little understanding from our family. Ultimately he lived a sad life and was forced to live and die alone.
Space does not permit for me to explore my own business career and the influences I had on following generations. That may require another memoir for my son to write."
Graham Jensen
March 2024