Armed with childhood memories and black and white photographs, Max Morris has been walking the streets of Gunnedah for a year, searching for his grandparents’ former home, originally located at 58 Elgin Street.
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On August 3, the former Gunnedah man visited the Namoi Valley Independent and an article was published the next day to aid his search.
Within a week, the NVI received a call from Gunnedah resident Cathy Riley who grew up in the house and was the current owner.
Max’s grandparents Samuel and Nina Morris originally owned the house, along with four others on the same stretch, but the land was resumed by the state government in the 1960s to make way for the playground of Gunnedah Public School.
The five houses on Elgin Street were relocated when the land was resumed. Samuel died in 1957 and Nina died in 1969. Max and his family lived in Little Conadilly Street until 1953 when they moved to Tamworth.
Cathy said the house was bought by her parents Don and Margaret Bridge in 1971 and was moved by Peter Kerr to their family acreage on Maitland Street.
The house became a family home for the Bridges and Cathy lived there until the age of 18.
Following the death of Cathy’s father, her mother moved into a smaller home on the acreage and the family home remained vacant for about 20 years until Cathy and her husband Rod acquired it and renovated it before renting it out.
Just a stone’s throw from the old house is Cathy’s own family home where she lives with her husband and children.
Max met Cathy at the old house on September 21 and they shared their memories as they walked through the rooms.
“We went up to the house and the tenants let us through and it’s definitely the house,” Max said.
“It was unbelievable.
“It all came back to memory when I got in there.”
Max said he wouldn’t have recognised the house if he had walked past it because it had been placed sideways on the land and extended.
While Cathy was growing up, her father made many changes to the property, including relocating the kitchen and adding verandahs.
“I love the house because my dad had reinvented bits and pieces,” she said.
“It’s a special home.”
Max and Cathy share memories of squeaky floorboards, the sound of the flyscreen door as it opens and closes and the foldout ironing board.
“He’s sentimental just as much as me,” Cathy said.
Cathy said she immediately felt drawn to the photo of the old house in NVI’s article and felt great excitment when she realised she could help Max to fulfil his search.
“It’s like a little miracle that’s come about that he’s found it, which is really special,” Cathy said.
“I’m just so happy to be able to find the house because I love history of the house and people, and how special is it for him to relive his childhood of being in his childhood home.
“It’s such a loved home.”
Max said the mystery location of the house had always been on his mind.
“I would never have given up until I found it,” he said.
