OBITUARY

Carl Robert Bryant

22 September 1928 – 13 November 2023

Carl Bryant was born in Hastings and was a descendant of three pioneering Western Port families: the Bryants, the Barclays and the Graydens. He passed away on 13 November 2023 in The Bays, Hastings where he had been a resident for several months. He was 95. In accordance with Carl’s wishes, no funeral service was held but he was interred in the Tyabb cemetery, Hastings, on 21 November. This tribute is based on information provided by his daughter, Jenny.                    

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Carl Robert Bryant was born at the family home in Victoria Street, Hastings on 22 September, 1928. His parents were Coralina (nee Barclay) and Owen Bryant and Carl was the nineth of ten children. Carl’s ancestors were fishermen on Western Port Bay and, before that, Coode Island in Port Phillip Bay, Denmark in Western Australia and, further back, the Orkney Isles in Scotland.

Carl attended Hastings Primary School where, when he was ten years old, The Headmaster demanded that he start wearing shoes. It was the Depression years and times were tough; in fact, at home Carl’s blanket was a cut-open sack. From the age of six he milked two cows each morning before heading to school

The bushland and creeks around Hastings were Carl’s favourite playground, especially along Warrangine Creek where his uncle grazed cattle and his father (Owen) and brothers cut timber for firewood which they sold. The eel pond, near where the creek runs into Western Port Bay, was of special interest to Carl and his best mate (‘Todd’ Farmer); fires would be lit in the vicinity to attract the eels to the surface.

At the age of 16 Carl entered the workforce, starting as a station attendant at Stony Point Railway station. A daily commute from Hastings by pushbike was required. This was only a short stint as the family’s connection with the fishing industry was too strong to be ignored. Initially, Carl worked on the ‘Julie Burgess’, a Bass Strait cray boat, and then the ‘William Flair’ which involved crayfishing off southern and south west Tasmania. Carl thought this to be ‘a dreadful place’ with terrible weather including very rough seas. Consequently, he returned to Melbourne, bought a motorbike, and travelled down to Port Welshpool where he obtained a job long-lining sharks on the ‘Volita’. His 21st birthday was spent at sea.

Carl’s mother was determined that he should learn a trade so, in his early 20’s, he spent four years in the city completing an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner. This was followed by a variety of jobs: at HMAS Cerberus, the Colourtone brick factory and even cutting trees for a sawmill at Main Ridge. He then worked at the docks in Melbourne as a ‘wharfie’.

While working at the docks Carl called in at the Hastings Bush Nursing Hospital one day for a blood poison injection. This was administered by a young visiting nurse named Jean Constable. Soon after they went to the pictures to see ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ and a romance blossomed.

Carl and Jean married on 23 June 1953 and built a house on a block which Jean had purchased in Victoria Street, next to Carl’s parents. This prompted Carl to seek work in Hastings and he joined the PMG as a linesman and then as a cable jointer. The call of the sea was still there, however, so the couple borrowed the money for an 18 metre steel fishing boat. Designed by Carl and built by his brother (Fred), it was named the ’Jean Bryant’ and was to be used shark fishing in Bass Strait. Carl was required to return to school to obtain ‘tickets’ in navigation, marine engine driving and radio telephony. The radio enabled Jean to keep in regular contact with Carl while he was at sea and she would be waiting at the jetty to help with the unloading when Carl came gliding up the channel with his load of sharks.

Then, in the early 1980’s, when the fishing days were done, they bought an 11 acre property in Stumpy Gully Road, Bittern where they transitioned into poultry farmers.

Meanwhile, Carl and Jean had raised six children: Jennifer, Lloyd, Robin, Mandy (deceased), Stacey and Ian. Family holidays involved camping with plenty of shooting and, of course, fishing. Jean had won championships in rifle shooting in her younger days and the whole family became top shooters.

At Stumpy Gully Road Carl was able to put his various skills to work; he was the typical ‘handyman’. Jean enjoyed her garden and loved knitting and indulging in some poetic verse. Both were enthusiastic members of the Hastings Western Port Historical Society. Jean passed away in November 2013 and Carl remained on the property until he was admitted to The Bays in Hastings several months before his death.

First published in the Western Port News – 21 February 2024