Tom and Ida Webster

This plaque is located on the Lake Cobden walking track, Shenfield St.

Tom: “Never be the leader of something your wife is in too – especially if she knows more about it than you do.”

During many years of service to St John Ambulance, Ida and the late Tom Webster contributed more than 700 hours annually to the organisation and the community – tending to the sick and injured, and teaching first aid skills.

Born and educated in Camperdown, Tom worked as a petrol bowser-boy with A J Thomas and at Errey and Hilderbrand’s Garage before carrying wood to both Cobden and Camperdown milk factories. Tom also delivered bread for Dinny Malone (the father of ‘Pies’) at the local bakery, now the fish and chip shop, before driving for Parlours hardware and, later, working for Cobden Tractors and Machinery.

Ida attended Violet Town State School to grade 8. She came to Camperdown via the Land Army where she cared for Dr Watson’s two children and, later, worked in Miss Wilson’s cakeshop and the Ideal Café.

After marrying in 1948, Ida and Tom rented two homes in Cobden, finally buying at 29 Parrott Street. Their daughter, Val, died of a brain tumour at age 24.

Ida was first to join St John in 1971 but Tom signed up soon after – he was driving his wife around so he thought he may as well join up too. She recalls Ash Wednesday in 1983 when the couple ventured down a burning Baileys Rd. “I said to Tom, ‘This is no good for us,’ and we returned to the Ecklin Store where we picked up an injured tanker driver, Vic Meade.“

During 33 years of active service to St John, the Websters attended countless football matches, hillclimbs, speedway, equestrian and cycling events, school sports, festivals, fun runs, horse races, surf carnivals and lightning premierships.

Tom: “At one game, there was a chap with concussion who wouldn’t come off the ground. I threatened that I would go and get Ida – he was off the ground like a shot. Another time, we had an injured player in the back of the ambulance and the first aid kit came loose and fell across his leg. Ida said, “Well, if it wasn’t broken, it is now!”

Both were rewarded for service to St John by being elevated to the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, an honour accorded to only two other local members – Dr Bill Barrett and Lyn Edwards. In 1987 and 1988, they were awarded conduct and service awards by St John and, in 1991, the Shire of Heytesbury presented them with community service awards. In 1997, Tom was awarded the Corangamite Shire Citizen of the Year.

As well as being a life member of the Laang and Simpson speedways and the Heytesbury Agricultural Society, Tom was also a member of Camperdown and Cobden fire brigades, the Masonic Lodge and president of the Cobden Safety House program. Ida was a Brownie and Guide leader, a member of the Uniting Church, CWA, Red Cross, Senior Citizens and Lovely Banks groups – and she cared for Lex and Janet Parlour’s children!