The Blacksmith Hub

Well-known Personalities. Mr. J. N. Crisp was born at Aldinga on June 20, 1859. The opportunities for education at that time were very limited, and young Crisp had only a few months schooling at his native town under Mr. James Greenlees. At 14 years he was ap- prenticed to Mr. G. Dawe, blacksmith, at Willunga; He attended a night school con ducted by the late Mr. Thomas Noye, whom he gratefully remembers as laying the foundation of his future acquistion of education. On completing his time with Mr. Dawe, the young man went north with his father in 1879 to engage in farm ing, work. Three years afterwards he found employment with Mr. Thomas Pen gilly, of Aldinga, as blacksmith and wheel wright, and after a few months took over the business, which he has conducted ever since. With characteristic foresight he has recently added to the establishment a motor repairing outfit and a garage with the usual bowser pumps. He has been a member of the local Mechanics' Institute Committee for a long period, and Chair man for several years. He was a member of the former board of advice, and has been Chairman of the Aldinga School Committee since its inception. During the war to took a prominent part in all patriotic work, was secretary of the Aus tralia Day celebrations, in connection with which considerable sums were raised for war purposes. Red Cross work, and the Cheer-up Society. He was also secretary of the local recruiting committee, a post which involved a vast amount of work. So did some successful canvassing for war and peace loans, gained the Com monwealth flag for raising more than the quota for the district, nnd in addition the photograph of the Prince of Wales for the peace loan. Mr. Crisp took a keen interest in polities, and was for many years a member of the National Defence League, and on the amalgamation of the anti-socialist bodies became President of the local branch of the Liberal Union, and when the Nationalist members joined to form the Liberal Federation, Mr. Crisp was chosen President of the Alexandra District Committee, to which position he was re-elected this month. When the Star, of Greece was wrecked off Port Wil lunga, with many others he took part in rescuing the survivors. Following on this disaster, a life-saving service station was established at Aldinga, of which he has been a continuous member and is now the officer in charge. He has been Superin tendent of the Methodist Sunday School for 42 years. Very few men conducting a prosperous business can speak of a finer record of public service, and few towns can show a more active and public-spirited citizen. Mr. Caleb Lovelock was born at Aldinga in 1876. For eight years he was in the district council. He has been Chairman of the Agricultural Bureau, Vice-President of the Willunga Agricul tural Society, trustee of the Aldinga In stitute, and Chairman of the local Re patriation and Soldiers' Memorial Com mittee. ' Mr. Thomas Pengilly, of Hilda Dale Farm, was born at Littlehampton, Devon shire, in 1844, and, with his parents, arrived in South Australia by the Storm Cloud in 1858 after a voyage of 73 days, being a record fast trip up to that time. With his father he engaged in the trade of black -mith and wheelwright, which business he took over in 1875. After a prosperous 20 years of useful and profitable work he leased the business to an employe, Mr. J. N. Crisp, and then disposed of the stock and premises. Having inherited a legacy of 240 acres he conducted operations in mixed farming, with con- spicuous: success, especially in raising lambs for the Adelaide market. His home garden also witnesses to his diligence and skill in every work to which, he sets his hand. It has one of the finest shows of flowers south of Adelaide. The public spirit of this sturdy pioneer appears in his active interest in all movements for the welfare of the town and neighbourhood. For several years he has sat in the district council, and is a member of the Agri cultural and Horticultural Society, fre- quently carrying off the highest awards. He was an eye witness of the wreck of the Star of Greece, and was one of the

first to join the rescue crew, with which he was connected for seven years. He possesses in the Star of Greece's bed an interesting souvenir of the catastrophe. Another memento may be seen in the dwelling of another residents, the floor consisting of the deck of the ill-fated Fix this textvessel.