What an interesting couple and what an adventuresome life they have lived.

Beryl was born in London England , in case you hadn’t guessed, during World War II.  They had to go about

every night to the Bomb Shelters.  “Mum would tell them to get on your night gowns, robes and slippers.” 

Sometimes early in the day they would go to their grandmother’s house a few miles away. 

She would have soup for them.  Then they would go to the shelter when the air raid sirens sounded.  

 She and her younger sister were evacuated from London because of heavy bombing.

They went to a farm north of London to stay with strangers who were taking in children. 

Beryl had to keep close watch on her sister and the families two –year old.

 She also had to collect eggs, deliver milk on her bicycle, and feed the cows.  Inside chores were setting the

 dinner table for the family.  They were lucky as they were able too eat better than most due to the war conditions and the available farm produce.

Was she afraid?  Sometimes!  But most of the time they were all together with the whole neighbor hood.

Having fun was skating on the nearby pond and tobogganing down the hills through heavy snow. 

In the spring they checked the bird house by climbing up and then peeking in to see how many eggs were there and what kind of birds were nesting.

When the eggs hatched they would again climb up and check on the baby birds.  

Once her Grandparents came to visit and Beryl cried to go home to her mommy.  It wasn’t long after that they were able to go home.  Their stay had been four years.

Jim was born in the Elephant and Castle, a rough district in London .  The Elephant and Castle was also the birthplace of Charlie Chaplin and Michael Caine.

Jim was in London during the war and survived the first V-2 Rocket fired by the Germans which landed less than 100 yards from his home.  He feels he is lucky to be alive.

The family moved five times during the war to get away from the terrible bombing.   

In his younger days, Jims, was quite a soccer player and was approached by two teams to play pro soccer.

This didn’t work out because of his military duty with some time spent in Egypt and then a move to Canada .

Jim worked as a cartographer, which is a map maker.  He also worked for two major oil companies in the United Kingdom , Canada , California and Alaska .

United Kingdom , Canada , California and Alaska .  As a member of the 1960 BP Geologic Arctic Survey team that mapped the Prudhoe Bay oil field structure.

The Austin ’s met at a dance in 1955 at the Kodak Dance Hall.  Loved bloomed and they were married in January of 1956.

They lived in Canada and later in Diamond Bar , California moving here to Roseburg 5 years ago.

Beryl has many hobbies including jewelry making, sewing, knitting and collecting elephant figurines.

Cooking is another one of her many talents.

Jim is into computers and has set up a web site for the church.  He also enjoys gardening and collecting eagle pictures and figurines.

 He is also enjoys walking and can be seen out at Littlebrook taking his strolls.  

Jim and Beryl have two children and two grandchildren that live with their father in San Clemente.

Their daughter lives with her husband in Western Australia.

                                                             Jo Barnes