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As time passed, it was becoming more obvious to Cuthbert that he was unable to fulfil his role both as the breadwinner and the father of his family. He spent most of his free time at the Colonial Bar Ounction of Serangoon Road and Bukit Timah Road drinking. There, he would sit for hours, drinking alone and contented to be in his own world. Sometimes, he would bring Girlie, his favourite child with him.

Cuthbert's drinking habits did not please his wife Jessie, and a quarrel would always be sparked off when he came home. This friction made him more miserable.

It wasn't long before Cuthbert had difficulties paying the rent and soon, the family was forced to move to a smaller room at the Colonial Bar. His burden worsened when Norbert and Tony were sent home. Cuthbert now had to cope with the additional responsibility of supporting his two sons and Jessie’s coming child.

The chaotic life upstairs was somewhat similar to the bar below. There were drunkards who sometimes became violent. Cuthbert could only retreat into the world downstairs if the domestic troubles were too much for- him. Around this time, Winnie Pffeifer, Cuthbert's half sister came to stay two rooms away. She knew of his troubles and wanted to be with him. Ironically, her presence made matters worse - her husband became Cuthbert's drinking partner.

Soon, reality was within Cuthbert's reasoning. He knew of the hard life which his family was going through but still never stopped trying to build a better life for them. Cuthbert unrealistically moved to a bigger house at 1 Kerbau Lane. After a few months however, they moved to 20 Race Course Road - a bigger house yet cheaper rental charges.

Cuthbert loved all his children although his incessant drinking habits never ceased. Meanwhile, Henry, Cuthbert's younger brother met him and decided that it was time to chart the future of his two elder children Nobert and Tony. Henry managed to find positions for the two boys in the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank. Perhaps this helped to ease the financial situation but it was obvious that Cuthbert's debts were becoming heavy. This was aggravated by the renting of his new home which cost a 'bomb'.

To compensate for the loss of income, Cuthbert would rise early in the morning and type letters for people charging them a small amount of 30-50 cents. Sometimes, he would kindheartedly render his service free of charge to those who shared the same financial predicament as him and this led to an argument with his wife.

Despite all these problems, Cuthbert never forgot his children. Hie would save the ginger biscuits he was given during tea time and bring them back to his hungry children who would be waiting impatiently for him.

Cuthbert's financial situation never recovered. The depressed father, as a last resort, decided to tender his resignation, in order to obtain a large sum of gratuity for his long service at Strait's Trading Company to pay his debts. Unfortunately, Sir John Bagnall, who had replaced Sir John Wilkinson, refused to hand him the entire sum but instead allowed him a monthly pension of $50. This worsened Cuthbert's financial problems. He was now jobless. He again decided to move house and managed to rent a house, at 5H Pulasan Road (off Koon Seng Road) at $5 a month.

Cuthbert's financial problems became so bad that he had to resort to borrowing money from Ws brother Henry. By then, Henry had already assumed the responsibility of looking after Cuthbert's youngest daughter, Patricia and did little to help his poverty stricken brother.

When the opportunity for employment came a few years later, the depressed man was so overjoyed that it adversely affected him. Within a fortnight of work, he went insane and became extremely violent. Only Girlie could calm him down. When it became obvious that he needed treatment, his sons sent him to the General Hospital.

Cuthbert died just before World War II from cardiac failure although the wounds he had obtained from his violence were more apparent. He had left behind 9 children; Norbert, Tony, Girlie, Mathew, Conrad, Olga, Aloysius, Rene and Patricia.

Shepherdson Family Connection