Mouldy Mike

Mrs. “Billy” Wisdell,

Of Samarai

The Defeat Of Mouldy Mike

By “Toaguba”

AMONG the useful and succt ful North Queenslanders vj pioneered and settled Papua and N Guinea, were the Wisdell family, Platts and the Clunns of Samarai,' Grahamslaws, Ambits, Gillilands, i others.

One must not forget that the t and for long the only auctioneer i soft drink brewer was Mr. Patchi of Samarai.

As the Wisdells were about the fl to reach New Guinea and settle; Samarai, this article deals with t) family. Both husband and wife w of inestimable help to the miners 2 pearlers of that day. Their he: quarters in Samarai generally w> at “Billy the Cook’s” (in other woe the “old” Samarai Hotel). Mr. dell was always referred to, affecti(i ately as “Billy the Cook”, and M Wisdell as Mrs. “Billy”. She was 1 miners’ Florence Nightingale.

Billy was originally the cook on 1 Burns Philp schooners which rani tween Cooktown and Samarai. P Moresby then was only a name] the map—Samarai was the hub New Guinea, and most recruitf was done through that port.

In the years from 1890 onwai Billy served on a number of I schooners. The last one, it is uni stood, was the Myrtle. In addin to being cook, he acted as gene factotum, and was more or less J supercargo and ship’s clerk. Even those days, he was ever ready! help anyone in need. Similarly, M Wisdell, when she took over j hotel, would do everything in I power to make her roomers a mealers feel at home.

After Billy passed on, Mrs. Wisd< with four children (two boys and b girls), with the help of her sisu (later to become Mrs. Frederk Norman Fans) carried on the “pul The two boys, Willie and Chari were not sturdy—they were too lo: in the tropics. The elder girl, aff a trip South, became quite a “goc looker”, and eventually married Government man, Mr. Rogerson. T youngest, Edith, with the help of ft Anglican missionaries, was educate

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that she became a well-known se at the hospital on the hill. The s were able to speak several ects of the Eastern Division, and ked for some of the storekeepers.

Mouldy Mike's Feud frs. Wisdell had her hands full i the miners—there always was a complement of them in Samarai, ;ing for new recruits or preparing :cruiting campaign. Amongst her ilar guests were Jack O’Toole, Joe rke, Matt Crowe, the Pryke hers, Fred Kruger, and a most ctionable public official, known ic “Beach” as Mouldy Mike. No liked him and he was a thorn frs. Wisdell’s side. Everything she ared for him was wrong, and he hed every move made by Mrs. lell, so that he could “pin” some -5 on her. 1 the boarders were sympathetic Mrs. Wisdell, and everything ble was done to induce Mouldy : to quit, but to no avail, le of her boarders was a Greek birth, known affectionately as ge—he was cousin to Nicholas Jreek, of Kiriwina fame. George Mrs. Wisdell he would get rid ouldy. len the boy was taking hot water /fouldy’s room, next morning, ge slipped out and, taking the put into it a liberal supply of ime. As the water was fairly the lime melted. >uldy started to wash his face, had whiskers, and insisted iving a jug of water for rinsing ice, after his bath, is morning he washed but could et the towel to function. As his :ooled, the lime hardened. Asa , he lost his magnificent beard, hich he was proud. He had an impressive figure, but without card, he looked like a chicken had lost all its feathers, did not visit the dining room, ad his meals upstairs, and finally ft the hotel. But he continued y on Mrs. Wisdell, determined tch her out in some breach of w. ing in the hotel was an ican, Rupert Nugent Leslie, who xally became merchandise buyer urns Philp. He was almost a i of William F. Cody, known the 1900’s as “Buffalo Bill”, eventually married Mrs. Wis uldy was very interested in this • The morning after the Rev.

Mr. Ramsay had joined them in matrimony, Mouldy walked back and forth near the verandah, and finally peered hard at the name over the entrance. Then he made off to the RM’s office.

The law was that any change in the name of a hotel licensee must be notified forthwith, and the painted name altered within 48 hours.

Mouldy was on the spot.

But Leslie had an inkling of what was afoot, and the next morning, just before the 48 hours expired, he painted the name “Leslie”, in place of Wisdell”. When Mouldy person ally brought the summons, he got the

proverbial raspberry, and a blast o: good Yankee opprobrium.

After this incident, the RM (‘Cocky” Higginson) had Mould} shifted to Cape Nelson. Even in that out-of-the-way spot he continued tc cause trouble.

Mrs. Wisdell-Leslie carried on her job and her kindly activities—she seemed never to be idle.

Unfortunately, the hotel seemed to produce no fortune and she could not send her boys to the mainland for education.

She was a real pioneer and should have her place on any roll-of-honour for early Territory women.