Lady John Southern

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2005.


Born to dairy farmer parents at Urbenville on the 1st April 1929, Jacqueline Emily Baldwin was nicknamed Johnny long before she started school.
Now known far and wide as Lady John, or Johnny, this woman has, for most of her life, worked in occupations that were once considered to be 'men only' jobs.  She has also raised ten children, the first born in 1949, the youngest in 1972.Lady John began driving a Thames body truck carting firewood which she and her then husband, Colin Palmer, cut around Blackall, Qld.  She also drove a Bedford body truck doing a local mail fun.  After meeting her future husband, George Southern, and moving to Cobram, Victoria in early 1970, Johnny took up driving an International R190 for Kortum Bros, carrying tomatoes to Dandenong.  She later moved to Elmore to drive for Norm and Kath Kortum in an International R 190.Moving to Hay, in late 1971, Lady John worked for various carriers around Hay; Les Jones carting frozen rabbits, Les and Betty McGrath carting wool, market garden produce and general goods,  Peter Harrison carrying wool and stock,  Neville and Phyllis Jones and Houston Smith Pastoral carrying stock and grain.  The trucks Johnny drove were many different makes and models including Internationals, Butterbox, C-line-, S-line and R 190, B, R and F model Macks, Mercedes Benz 1418s and later a Ford Louisville.  Her journey ranged from Hay to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.During her time in Hay, Johnny was the proud owner-operator of two B-model and two Flintstone Macks for a period of time.  She was a great supporter of the Mack Truck marque.Lady John then drove for another fifteen years in Narrandera, working mostly for Patersons Transport.  She is a true Queen of the Road.

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