THE RANKIN FAMILY
by Alvyn Hopgood
Not much has been written about the Rankin family of Milang. Charles Gavin (Guy) Rankin and his wife Eleanor lived on the west corner of Coxe and Watson Streets. Guy had a garden block on the north corner of Coxe and Stirling Streets, supplied by a windmill and tank. Guy and Eleanor had four children: Doris (who became Mrs Box), Claude, Ern and Gavin.
Guy’s main employment was on farms in the district and he may have also helped on the river trade. They were a quiet couple and were very well respected. When I was collecting for the School Patriotic Fund (SPF), it was always a pleasure to call on them, as they would spend time chatting to us youngsters. I think Guy did quite a lot of his work as a farmhand at Goldsworthy’s, a property two kilometres towards Point Sturt.
Guy’s garden was a prize affair with many vegetables, one stand-out was his tree onions; the entire garden was watered with bore water. During the 1940s, the Hopgood boys, Mervyn and myself, trapped rabbits for pocket money, and we always supplied rabbits to the Rankins on a regular basis.
Guy and Eleanor’s daughter, Doris, left Milang when she married and so did Claude, but Ern and Gavin stayed in Milang all their lives. Guy’s brother, Dave, was a long-distance runner. I am not aware of any of the Rankins playing sport, except for Gavin who played lawn bowls.
Ern Ranking was a master small boat builder, steel fabricator and repair man of exceptional ability. He remained single all his life. He was always helpful around the town when asked. Gavin, I believe, worked as a mechanic all of his working life, for Norm Ferguson Motor Garage in Milang, and was known for his excellent tradesmanship. Gavin was also very interested in motorbikes and had a fine machine – a Douglas, which he rode for many years.
Guy, Eleanor, Ern and Gavin are all buried in Milang Cemetery, dying 6-9-63, 31-1-60, 14-5-88 and 10-1-77 respectively.
