Notes written by Max Parsons in 1989. Expanded by Tom Wills in 2001.
Cyril (known as "Mick") was born at Derby on March 19,1898. At the age of 3 he came with his parents and family to the farm at Cygnet. Like his brothers, Mick, developed a splendid physical build and took to football at a very early age.
In 1917, although under age, he enlisted and got away to the front shortly after with the engineers. On returning to Cygnet after the war he re-joined Cygnet Football Club and quickly became a leading player. In 1922 he was chosen to tour NSW with the State team; he played with marked success with all the big representative southern teams. Besides being a footballer, Mick was a fairly successful sprinter, he also competed as a jumper being unbeaten in the Huon at this branch of athletics. In shooting, he scored the "possible" at Sandy Bay range on one occasion.
In 1924, Mick married Doris Maude Askey-Doran, their daughters, Jean 1925 and Maisie 1932, have three children each and, in turn, they have 5 children between them.
Mick took up a soldier settlement block at Nicholls Rivulet, next door to his brother Bill, after the war. He produced fresh milk from his dairy herd and delivered each day to the Cygnet district households, using a horse and cart, correctly fitted as a milk cart.
Doris Maude Wills died on Christmas Eve 1981 aged 80. Mick, aged 88, was great-grandfather to four youngsters when he died in Hobart on December 2,1986.
265. Eric Albert Wills
Notes written by Max Parsons in 1989. Expanded by Tom Wills in 2001.
Eric was born at Cygnet on February 16,1903 and followed his brothers in choosing to play football with the Cygnet team. Born and raised on his father's orchard property it is not surprising that he became a fruit grower too.
At Hobart, on February 5,1931, Eric married Gladys Mary Florence Gard, daughter of Walter & Mary (Godfrey) Gard. Gladys was born June 14,1902 and lived with her parents at Campania, Richmond, Oatlands, New Norfolk and Cygnet. In 1927 she went to work in Sydney (the Harbour Bridge was then under construction) and after about five months returned to Tasmania to take up a position in Sandy Bay. After their marriage, Eric's mother continued to live with them at Guys Road.
Gladys and Eric had two boys, Thomas Walter 1932 and Peter Albert 1937. After his sixth birthday Tom developed infantile paralysis (polio) and within a short time his father was also a victim of the epidemic. Both Eric and his son were admitted to Vaucluse hospital and because of quarantine restrictions, Gladys was not allowed to visit her husband. Eric died after about three weeks in hospital, on February 14,1938; Tom remained in hospital until late in 1938 and returned to school in 1939.
Gladys managed the orchard with the help of her father (Walter Gard), brother-in-law Perc plus a hired man. She supplemented the small income by picking blackberries and selling them to IXL jam factory. In 1955 Gladys moved from Cygnet to Margate and lived there until 1980 when she moved to St Ann's Rest Home in Hobart.
Notes written by Max Parsons in 1989.
He did not become an orchardist like his brothers but played football with them. After he stopped active play he continued as goal umpire for the Cygnet team for many years. He was the owner of a trucking business.Reg. married Evelyn Supplice and they had three boys. Tragically their third son, Brian Charles, at age 5, died of injuries received when struck by a motor-cycle on the Port Cygnet bridge. Brian's older brothers - Alan (1935) and Laurie (1938) married and produced families of four children each.
Reg was easily distinguished from his brothers, even as a grandfather,he sported a full head of hair whereas most of the boys in his family were bald.
Reg was well known in the Cygnet district for the excellent service he provided with his trucks carting apples to the Hobart wharves for shipment to the mainland and overseas and returning with general freight.
458. Brian Charles Wills
Died as the result of a motor vehicle accident at 5 years of age.
267. Percival Edward (Drip) Wills
Notes written by Max Parsons in 1989.
By the time Perc reached his teens, he and his six brothers were famous as a footballing family. After the first World War, brothers - Frank, Charles, Bill and Mick were members of the same team. Rag, Eric and Perc naturally followed. Perc also continued the family tradition and became an orchardist.
Perc. was a very jolly man and could always be relied upon to tell a good yarn.