Hiscox, Aubrey Ruel (1909–1987) and Phyllis Irene (Palmateer) (1913–2012)

Aubrey Ruel Hiscox was an educator and administrator. Hiscox and his wife, Phyllis Irene, a nurse, were missionaries to Vanuatu.

Early training years

On June 16, 1909, Aubrey Hiscox was born at Midland Junction, near Perth, Western Australia.¹ When he was only young his family moved to the fruit-growing district in the Darling Ranges and Aubrey attended the little Karragullen elementary school. Aubrey grew up attending the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He left school when he was fourteen to work as a farm hand at Manjimup in the south west of the State. After a few months, he joined his father to cut railway sleepers at Margaret River. Father and son then pooled their resources to buy land at Gabbin north east of Perth. For five years Aubrey helped to develop their farm and build a family home.²

When he was twenty-one years of age, in the last half of 1930, Aubrey Hiscox attended the West Australian Missionary School as a boarder. He later wrote that this move was “to satisfy [my] mother’s wish” and “to get away from demanding parents.” He enjoyed the experience so much that he continued classes for another four years, paying his fees by working in the Sanitarium Health Food factory on site or as the school baker. During these years he lived with his grandparents in the nearby village and commenced a friendship with Phyllis Palmateer, daughter of an orchardist in the Bickley Valley.³ He was president of his 1934 graduation class.⁴ Phyllis moved east to begin training as a nurse at the Sydney Sanitarium and Hospital. Hiscox followed to continue his training as a teacher at the Australasian Missionary College. At the close of the college year, 1935, Hiscox graduated from the Normal (Teaching) Course.⁵ SDA Church leaders had a mission appointment for him but they required him to be married. For this reason Phyllis was persuaded to cut short her training, marry, and serve in the island mission field. Aubrey and Phyllis therefore hurried home to the West and were wed in the Bickley Church on December 11, 1935.⁶

First term of mission service

Aubrey Hiscox completed a six-week elementary course in tropical medicine and dental extractions prior to sailing to the isolation of Rumba mission station, Bougainville.⁷ Chief among his responsibilities was the operation of an elementary school.⁸ During his two-year tenure the enrolment doubled to over sixty. It acted as a feeder school with the brighter students advancing to the mission’s newly established central school near Put Put plantation, New Britain.⁹ Hiscox transferred to this centre, called Kambubu mission station, in 1938.¹⁰ It was not as isolated, but home was built of bamboo walls with a grass thatch roof. Other Europeans were on site: some working as teachers and others as loggers of the lucrative timber on the property.¹¹ Hiscox not only taught classes but also, from time to time, walked into the Baining Mountains behind the station to explore possibilities of placing graduates from the school in order to evangelise the people living there. The local inhabitants were renowned reclusives who resisted any advances by Europeans, but Hiscox managed to gain their confidence he even slept overnight in their villages. He eventually gained their permission to place a few indigenous missionaries among them.¹² In addition, his senior students were appointed to Bougainville, Mussau, Manus, Bena Bena and Ramu.¹³

Aubrey and family were in Western Australia on furlough when the Second World War began but there was no thought of hostilities reaching their mission area. They returned to Kambubu in November 1939 and resumed their duties.¹⁴ However, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour everyone realized the enemy could be on their doorstep in a very short time. On December 19, 1941, all expatriate women and children were ushered on board ships at Rabaul and taken to safety in Australia and New Zealand. The men made emergency plans to escape from Kambubu on the mission boat “Veilomani.” When the Japanese bombed Rabaul in January 1942 the men at Kambubu decided to flee despite the risk of encountering enemy patrol boats or spotter aircraft. They sailed at night along the south coast of New Britain, sheltering and sleeping by day at Tol Tol Bay and Sum Sum Bay. Sitting on the bow of the “Veilomani,” Hiscox pondered if he should seek refuge among the Baining people. A member of the Air Force came and sat beside him, asking if he had family. The airman reminded him that “a dead hero is not much help to his sons.” Hiscox decided to continue his flight; he reached Wide Bay and boarded the last flying boat to leave before patrolling Japanese planes commanded the area. Reaching Samarai, he was offered passage on a small cargo ship if he acted as part of the crew. He took his turn at the helm and reached Townsville safely then made his way to rejoin his family in Western Australia.¹⁵

Interlude in the West

For the remainder of 1942 the Hiscox family lived in South Perth while Hiscox taught in the Fremantle SDA elementary school.¹⁶ Then they moved to Bickley to stay with Phyllis’s parents. Their older children attended the Bickley SDA school, and Hiscox found work in the Carmel Sanitarium Health Food factory.¹⁷

Second term of mission service

In 1949 Hiscox responded to an invitation to be principal of the denomination’s central training school at Aore, Vanuatu.¹⁸ Like Kambubu, this institution served as the hub for advanced students aiming to be missionaries. Hiscox was also Education Director for the island group.¹⁹ Phyllis was kept busy as station nurse.

After furlough Hiscox was transferred in 1952 to Tanna Island, Vanuatu, to conduct a feeder school for Aore and take responsibility as district director, evangelising the island in a similar manner to his pioneer work among the Baining people.²⁰ Once again, Phyllis acted as nurse.²¹ Prior to leaving for Tanna Island it was arranged for the eldest three children, Lynn and twins Ken and Barry, to be boarded at Cooranbong for further education. Two years later their eldest daughter, Wiladelle, joined them, leaving Wynona and Annice with their parents on Tanna. After seven years in the Vanuatu Aubrey and Phyllis decided to return to Australia in order to facilitate better education for their children.²²

Hiscox was offered a junior teaching position, but he predicted that he would not be able to support his family on the salary, so he opted to teach for the South Australian Government Education Department, first at Wallaroo and later at Carrieton, Paskerville and Marananga.²³ He took an active role as elder of the new Kadina Church. He also served repeatedly on the South Australian Conference executive committee in the 1950s and 1960s.²⁴

Aubrey Hiscox died in his sleep on April 19, 1987, at his home in McLaren Vale, South Australia.²⁵ Phyllis relocated to the Adventist retirement village at Victoria Point, Brisbane. Her death occurred on July 7, 2012. She was within a few months of being a centenarian.²⁶

Sources

Abbott, J[ohn] L. “Closing Exercises.” Australasian Record, vol.39, no.4, January 28, 1935.

“After being without a resident…” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol.57, no. 24, June 15, 1953.

“Appointments and Transfers Made at the Annual Meeting, 1948 – Final List.” Australasian Record, vol. 53, no. 4, January 24, 1949.

“As this issue goes to press...” Australasian Record, vol. 43, no. 47, November 20, 1939.

Aubrey Hiscox Biographical Information. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives, Wahroonga, NSW. Work Service Records. Folder: Aubrey Hiscox. Document: “Aubrey Hiscox Biographical Information.”

Brown, Wiladelle (Hiscox). September 30, 2016. “Aubrey Hiscox Profile: 1909-1988.” Personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.

Croft, Allan. “Aubrey Ruel Hiscox obituary.” South Pacific Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 92, no. 20, May 30, 1987.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “First Letter from Missionary Hiscox.” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 34, August 24, 1936.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “Rumba School. Bougainville, New Guinea.” Australasian Record, vol. 41, no. 41, October 11, 1937.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “Put Put.” Australasian Record, vol. 42, no. 41, October 10, 1938.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “New Guinea Training School Ending 1938.” Australasian Record, vol. 43, no. 9, February 27, 1939.

Hiscox, A[ubrey R.]. “Victories in the Bainings District.” Australasian Record, vol. 45, no. 25, June 23, 1941.

Hiscox, A[ubrey R.]. “Still They Come!” Australasian Record, vol. 45, no. 36, September 8, 1941.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “New Territory Opened.” Australasian Record, vol. 45, no. 37, September 15, 1941.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “Visiting on Tanna Island.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 60, no. 6, February 6, 1956.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “A Work of Reclamation.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 60, no. 16, April 16, 1956.

Hiscox, A[ubrey] R. “Kadina Plans Membership Increase in Newly Dedicated Church.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 63, no. 2, January 12, 1959.

[Hiscox, Aubrey R.]. “Life History of Aubrey Ruel Hiscox.” ca. 1984. Personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.

Hiscox, Aubrey R. [“Memories of Escaping from the Japanese” n.d.]. Personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.

Hiscox, Ken[neth] and Bob Possingham. “Phyllis Irene Hiscox obituary.” Record, vol. 117, no. 21, October 6, 2012.

Hiscox, [Phyllis I.]. “Co-workers Together with God.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 59, no. 45, November 7, 1955.

Hiscox, [Phyllis I.]. “According to His Will.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 59, no. 46, November 14, 1955.

Hiscox, [Phyllis I.]. “Bearing Their Testimony.” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 59, no. 47, November 21, 1955.

“Leaving their three boys…” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 57, no. 18, May 4, 1953.

“New recruits for the mission field…” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 10, March 9, 1936.

“Pastor and Mrs. H.R.Steed…” Australasian Record, vol. 41, no. 46, November 15, 1937.

Palmer, C[yril] S. “Hiscox-Palmateer.” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 3, January 20, 1936.

Piper, H[arold] E. “Our Missionaries.” Australasian Record, vol. 46, no. 13, March 30, 1942.

“School Addresses and Staffing – June, 1942.” Australasian Record, vol. 46, no. 26, June 29, 1942.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1936-1969.

“Sister A.R. Hiscox arrived…” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 59, no. 12, March 21, 1955.

Thomson, A[lec] C. “Malekula District School Dedicated.” Australasian Record, vol. 55, no. 21, May 21, 1951.

“Three missionary couples…” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 7, February 17, 1936.

“Two missionary families…” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 60, no. 4, January 23, 1956.

White, Herb[ert]. “Put Put’s Day of Dedications.” Australasian Record, vol. 42, no. 29, July 18, 1938.

Notes

1. Aubrey Hiscox Biographical Information. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives, Wahroonga, NSW. Work Service Records. Folder: Aubrey Hiscox. Document: “Aubrey Hiscox Biographical Information.”↩

2. [Aubrey R. Hiscox], “Life History of Aubrey Ruel Hiscox,” ca. 1984, personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

3. Ibid.↩

4. J[ohn] L. Abbott, “Closing Exercises,” Australasian Record, vol. 39, no. 4, January 28, 1935, 5.↩

5. [Aubrey R Hiscox], “Life History of Aubrey Ruel Hiscox,” ca. 1984, personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

6. C[yril] S Palmer, “Hiscox-Palmateer,” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 3, January 20, 1936, 7.↩

7. Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown, September 30, 2016. “Aubrey Hiscox Profile: 1909-1988,” personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

8. A[ubrey] R. Hiscox, “First Letter from Missionary Hiscox,” Australasian Record, vol. 40, no. 34, August 24, 1936, 3-4.↩

9. A[ubrey] R. Hiscox, “Rumba School, Bougainville, New Guinea,” Australasian Record, vol. 41, no. 41, October 11, 1937, 2.↩

10. “Pastor and Mrs. H.R.Steed...” Australasian Record, vol. 41, no. 46, November 15, 1937, 16.↩

11. Herb[ert] White, “Put Put’s Day of Dedications,” Australasian Record, vol. 42, no. 29, July 18, 1938, 4.↩

12. A[ubrey R.] Hiscox, “Victories in the Bainings District,” Australasian Record, vol. 45, no. 25, June 23, 1941, 3.↩

13. A[ubrey] R. Hiscox, “New Guinea Training School, Year Ending 1938,” Australasian Record, 43, no. 9, February 27, 1939, 4.↩

14. “As this issue goes to press...” Australasian Record, vol. 43, no. 47, November 20, 1939, 8.↩

15. Aubrey R. Hiscox, [“Memories of Escaping from the Japanese,” n.d.], personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

16. “School Addresses and Staffing - June, 1942,” Australasian Record, vol. 46, no.26, June 29, 1942, 4.↩

17. Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown, September 30, 2016. “Aubrey Hiscox Profile: 1909-1988,” personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

18. Ibid.↩

19. E.g., “New Hebrides Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1952), 85.↩

20. “After being without a resident...” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 57, no. 24, June 15, 1953, 16.↩

21. [Phyllis I.] Hiscox, “Co-workers Together with God,” Australasian Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 59, no. 45, November 7, 1955, 8.↩

22. Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown, September 30, 2016, “Aubrey Hiscox Profile: 1909-1988,” personal collection of Wiladelle (Hiscox) Brown.↩

23. Ibid.↩

24. E.g., “South Australian Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1968), 100↩

25. Allan Croft, “Aubrey Ruel Hiscox obituary,” South Pacific Record and Advent World Survey, vol. 92, no. 20, May 30, 1987, 15.↩

26. Ken Hiscox and Bob Possingham, “Phyllis Irene Hiscox obituary,” Record, vol. 117, no. 21, October 6, 2012, 22.↩