Harry Cleggett

Harry Cleggett was born at Langhorne Creek in the home his great grandfather built in 1850. He was the second of eight children and the oldest son. Harry's father farmed about 1,000 acres carrying a dairy herd, cereal crops, some sheep and pigs and, from just before the Great War, grape vines and lucerne. While he was at the Langhorne Creek school Harry's farmwork centred on the dairy and driving stock to the Strathalbyn sales. When he left school aged eleven he became involved in all aspects of farmwork. One of Harry's pastimes was watching, and later acting as colour steward for, open greyhound coursing (the prestigious Waterloo Cup was held at Langhorne Creek from 1911 to 1928). Before Mr Cleggett married in 1927 he built the house in which he still lives but he remained in his father's employ, with irregular wages, until the property was divided up after his father's death in 1949. Mr Cleggett had three sons.