Remembering Max Coombs of 'Upton' Boomey

A family farming story that started in 1801 at Mappowder, Dorsetshire, England

Max Coombs was born in 1929 into one of Boomey's early settler family's. He would often write to the Express about his childhood growing up on the family farm, 'Upton' as one of 9 children born to James and Laura Coombs. "It was a different place back then" he would say. "The world was a different place".

He reached the grand age of 94 (years old) on the 21st May 2023, just a couple of weeks before his passing. Max was the last of his Molong generation …all of his siblings, most of his friends and 62 first cousins have all gone before him.

‘Upton’ was a property of some 700 acres close to the tiny village of Boomey and just north east of Molong near Orange.

His parents, James and Laura inherited the property from James’ parents Robert and Elizabeth Coombs who had bought the land around 1870 after they had been successful in finding gold at Hill End.

A comfortable country homestead was built by James and Laura in the 1920’s and by all accounts was the envy of the area. Laura organised ballroom dancing nights, piano lessons for the children, picnics by the river, tennis matches on the property’s own tennis court, and Sunday church at Biri. The homestead was even a polling booth on some occasions.

Upton was hardly a paddock in today's terms but the Coombs family loved the landscape and the sense of 'home' that helped to raise 7 growing children (Reginald, Douglas, Hazel, Darcy, Eveline, Victor and Maxwell). Max would say "the days were long and there was plenty of unpaid overtime for each family member".

Farming wheat and sheep the family led a happy life working the land and being able to live and work together and to achieve well together.

It was an interesting point that Max would raise with family and others in later life. Son Robert recognised that "my grandfather was born in 1876. My father Max lived until 2023. That is a period of nearly 150 years which is spanned by a father and son. An amazing statistic in Australian family history.

In retirement years, Max would often write recounted stories of these happenings and childhood memories. When he sent these stories into the local newspaper the “Molong Express”, he was delighted that they actually published them! The Editor, Rozzi Smith, told him that the readers loved the stories and recollections very much.

So Max in fact proudly became a “Writer, Author and Correspondent”

The period of Max’s upbringing was also a particularly traumatic time. The world’s economy was about to crash, and this was closely followed by all the horrors of a world at war.

Max’s older brothers- Reg, Doug, Darcy and Victor did what many young Australians did at the time- they all signed up to do their bit. Max would have loved to as well but he was too young.

Max was very proud of his brother's war efforts and contribution. "There was no doubt about that" said Robert. Unfortunately, the conflict took the life of one of those siblings shortly thereafter- his brother Darcy who Max was very close to. This loss devastated Max, as no doubt it did the family. He would refer to Darcy with much love and affection- he felt that someone very important to him had been cruelly, and unnecessarily taken away from him.

So these events- hard work, conflict and war, economic depression, loss of family members no doubt impacted Max’s outlook and opinion. He spoke fondly of the characters that emerged from the times, the culture that it produced, the ideals that it manifested.

Change was nearly impossible for Max. From 'Upton' he learnt country values and embraced these throughout his life.

Considered to be very old fashioned and conservative in his views - he unashamedly loved the monarchy and the outreaches of the Empire, the pomp and the ceremony, thought that Robert Menzies was the best leader in a couple of generations, and was suspicious of any liberal or progressive change. It was his duty to serve - not lead.

Max served in the defence forces as did his brothers. He joined the RAAF in 1948 and remained for 22 years or so.

He didn’t see conflict, but he did serve overseas. He was in Momete in Papua New Guinea in the early 1950’s for a couple of years repairing Japanese damage to the airfield and infrastructure.

He had fond memories of that tour of duty and spoke well about the relationship that he and his colleagues forged with the local indigenous residents.

The family did not know a lot about this stay, except the detail of a particularly ordinary Christmas lunch that was served on one occasion. So scarce was the food that the best the RAAF Cooks and Stewards could serve up was two slices of sausage meat, rice and some salad.

For Max fresh farm raised and killed meats were firmly entrenched in his memories. It was his first Christmas without plump Roast Turkey and Baked Vegetables served in the Upton family dining room.

His memories of family dinners and fresh foods served by his mum, Laura and sisters were said to be amazing. As country cooks have been known to grow, make and deliver. Roast meats, Bread and Butter Puddings, Steamed Puddings ... and delicious lamb chops.

Max’s RAAF service played another important role in his life- that’s when the Coombs kids were all born.

There was one much more important thing though that happened while Max was in the RAAF - that’s where he met his future wife Clare when they were both at Williamtown RAAF Base. Clare was in the WRAAF.

Max reached the rank of Flight Sergeant before his retirement in 1970. From his Upton farming days - Max was able to present to employers a number of practical - tried and tested skills. Mechanical work being an important part of his life - which helped him to collect tractors to rebuild during his retirement.

His retirement from the RAAF also coincided with the family moving to Caves Beach in 1971 – a place that the family called home.

For Max, it was noticeable as he walked through the paddocks once owned and farmed by the Coombs familythat 'home' was still amongst the wheat crops, and sheep grazing in the paddocks - illuminated by the magical sunsets that cast special images across the pristine landscape. Each shadow, each image - a reminder of James and Laura and his brothers and sisters at Upton.

Max will be recalled in the Coombs family history books as a hardworking honest and very sincere man.

His favourite saying “Better to be born lucky than rich” might sum up his life- though he had far more riches than luck- and besides- good players make their own luck anyway.

Reading the history books - that's what the Coombs family stood for throughout history of hardwork, belief, respect, family values.

A wonderful family story that first started in 1801 in Mappowder, Dorsetshire, England.