Into the Sixties –1963

Family established. We had been here eight years, having arrived in 1955 from London.

We left London as Ten Pound Poms arriving in Melbourne in March 1955. We travelled by train to my sister Hazel and husband Bill’s home, our ‘sponsors’, who lived in Sale Victoria (as related in my previous blog post ‘1955’).

I got a job immediately as a secretary at the PNG (Postmaster-General). I had to give my notice after 10 days, because Adrian could not get a job as an accountant in Sale. We got a lift to Melbourne, with my sister Hazel’s wonderful In-laws. With their gracious hospitality and help, first we got accommodation in Hawthorn on the weekend, then I got a job as a secretary on Monday. The following week Adrian landed an accountant’s position.

From then on, life in Melbourne was rosy, as I already related in 2015.

Left to right: Last picture I took In London, 21 March 1955; Adrian on the Oronsay on the voyage to Australia.

Left to right, taken from the Oronsay: Naples; Mount Stromboli

Clockwise: Adrian at right with our soon-to-be Harvard Ph.D Bob at left, who disembarked in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka): we and our friends at the famous Raffles Hotel; crossing the equator ‘initiations’.

Big surprise, doctor informed me I was pregnant, on May 2nd a day before Adrian’s birthday. This was a complete change of plan, and we decided to try and move to Sydney, before the baby was born. Adrian went up, and with the help of Derek and Yvonne, found a job first, then a bedsitter in Neutral Bay.

I resigned from a job I loved at the ad agency, sadly farewelled all the kind people in Melbourne, and flew my ever flight (on a Fokker Friendship), to Sydney on the 20th August 1955.

I arrived on a perfect sunny Sydney winter’s day, changed into my summer clothes, looked for a job on Monday, and started one on Tuesday. And was able to travel to work by tram again.

Ups and downs in Sydney: reluctantly in October I gave up my job, and after a mad taxi drive dash across the Bridge, Clive was born in Bondi on 30th of November, and came home to Neutral Bay. Afterwards, we move to Harbord, where we rented a place from friends.

After Harbord, we moved to South Curl Curl, Narrabeen, and finally Strathfield, where Gordon was born on the 1st of October 1958.

Then we rented a Housing Commission home in Lalor Park, and after a year sold it, and bought our new-built model ranch-style bungalow in Carlingford.

Gordon and Clive, prior to Rodney’s birth.

Rodney was born in Stanmore on 29th October 1960, and came home to Carlingford.

With three sons, a mortgage we could afford, two cars, a dog, two cats, picnics, holidays, kind and friendly neighbours, and the theatre and tennis, life was sweet.

And then came the 1963 Recession, when Adrian’s job came to an end.

For six months we had to cut back on everything, so things were grim, we tightened our belts, and our live were filled with anxiety. Then luckily Adrian got a job as a Project Manager at Lend Lease. And everything returned to normal, more or less.

So, 1963 turned out all right in the end.

1953

London and England, an astonishing year

We were living in a Hampstead bedsit …

Adrian and I at Stratford-on-Avon

And we cycled and camped all over England, but this is Cambridge

We went to visit Adrian’s brother John and wife Dorothy in Wallasey, via a ferry cross the Mersey, then we drove to Lladnudno in Wales. I had my very expense trendy London poodle haircut at which everyone laughed, much to my chagrin.

Adrian outside the Hampstead bedsitter

In 1953, we attend the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, we went to the theatre every week, I studied at the London School of Dramatic Art, and Adrian completed his Accountancy qualifications. We went ice staking, played tennis and badminton, living life to the full, with non-stop parties; for me this was the best time of my life. Loved London.

Memories of 1942 and 1943

January 1942, my dad became an officer in the Royal Indian Engineers seconded ? from his position in the railway. My Mum wept , as all her furniture and specially her piano, were sent faway for storage.

We children were not happy about losing the shortwave wireless acquired in 1941 and leaving Forbesganj and elephant transport.

We went by train to Katihar , a beautiful Railway Colony where we lived for 2 weeks while Dad went to Poona? for further training?

We absolutely loved Katihar. Boyfriends and bicycles galore .Badminton, dances and all sorts of games including a new one – called Kissing Coo-ee.

Dad returned at end of January and Mum and he went away for a few days together as he was being posted to Iraq .

Meanwhile, we stayed with friends’ in different houses and loved it. Ran wild . Trouble with Amun and Dad when they returned to find my little brother’ head cut and bandaged.

Said our goodbyes to Dad at Howrah Station, Calcutta for the 5 day railway jouney to Bangalore, via Madras. Always exciting

Stayed in Madras with Aunts and Uncles , on to Bangalore to a too small house from the military until Mum complained , we got a brand new one . Mum enrolled us in Day schools for the first time in our lives, they were Methodist , not Church of England, oh what a difference!! Curriculum different,

Walked to school. If you ate while walking through the park , the monkeys grabbed your food.

Loved Bangalore even more than Katihar . Bikes, rowing in Ulsoor Lake , truanting ( never could in Boarding school), picnicking, going every Saturday to the matinee flicks . Inventing cycle 🏑. Roller skating with board. Friends and neighbours. Just joyous. My grandpa lived with us.

Dad returned in January 1943 . The military wanted him somewhere up North in the Punjab. Mum was sad, she gave away her baby grand piano and new furniture to relatives

My two older sisters in the WAC stayed in Bangalore- full of military men and the Americans had arrived. Oldest brother a Midshipman in Navy. Only 4 of us now, unhappy to be leaving beautiful Bangalore

January 1943 farewelled by family, friends , tearful 😢 caught the train to Madras, silent and sulking 13, 15, 17 years & an 8 year old boy. Stopped in Madras and cheered up with cousins, aunts, uncles.

The whole interesting journey in reverse back to Calcutta to stay with relatives and to shop, shop, shop . Mum thought we would go back to Dow Hill GHS , Kurseong – uniforms, etc to be bought.

There were many starving , begging and dead bodies on the Calcutta streets – it was the Bengal Famine 1943 . Awful sights.

Dad said he’d been posted to Jullunder Cantonment . and we had to stop in New Delhi on the way. Another 🚂 train with the six of us. Entirely new railway line going north, different language, food and clothing.

We stopped at Benares but had no time to see the Taj Mahal , so disappointing. Mum bought more little elephants and Knick knacks for her collection. Dad bought her a Benares sari. We got some stuff too

We changed trains somewhere, maybe New Delhi, where Dad went for some briefings?

The train to Jullunder was so hot uncomfortable 😳 in spite of the carriage being ‘air conditioned’ ( a new block of ice was placed in a roof box at every station we stopped). We liked to sit under it to catch the drips.

My sister and I got so sick, we took in turns to sit in shower with water dripping over us.

Jullunder Cantonment – a military base , uniforms, horses, parades and the most gorgeous gardens. We were in a house, lovely garden. We had passwords to let us in and out. Lots of free films.

The only bad thing was the dust storms which would cover everything in dust which had to be washed by the domestic staff each time

Mum got us enrolled in a boarding school in Murree? Missouri in the Himalayas. We were outfitted in a new uniform Looking forward to going as we heard there was skiing ⛷️ and ice skating ⛸️ there.

Train from beautiful Jullunder – more hot & uncomfortable. We took a paddle wheel steamer on the Hooghly , fascinating until we saw dead bodies churning in the water.

Not to be, suddenly Dad was posted to a place called Godagiri all the way back in Bengal. Mum was so angry and so were we.

Arrived somewhere took a train to remote Godagiri. Large 2-storey house & compound. Only camp beds and veranda furniture.

Mum was in deep distress. Fortunately, we did have kitchen staff and food, a cow for milk , lychee, guava and mango trees and all sorts of vegetables growing. Quite close to the river, mosquitoes, flies, snakes.

Our stored furniture we never saw again. Mum sniffed and said ‘apparently eaten by white ants!’ adding ‘ with two legs’. We were sent military furniture. Dad was asked to form his own platoon which he did , which we kids found funny watching

The train came in once a day with ice, newspaper and ordered stores. Lots of myths and ghost stories from people around here. Many of these spirits lived in trees and haunted our house which led to fright , fun and games

Eventually, we were packed off to boarding school in Darjeeling in the middle of the year. We couldn’t buy the different uniforms for St. Michaels because of wartime shortages, and Sister Georgina decided we could use our other new school uniforms

She obviously did not understand the mentality of 13-15 year old new girls arriving in the middle of the year and being treated with derision by their classmates.

No amount of complaining ever worried my parents- grin and bear it was all you heard, nevertheless, it was horrible while it lasted.

Got over all the bother and really loved the school, the friends and some of the teachers

That was 1943 and 1942 for me , constantly changing . My brother found it so traumatic, he put it out of his head until we checked our memories. My Mum was devastated by my Dad going overseas leaving her to look after 7 children. Then upset by the changes to our traditions and way of life’s

Bangalore 1942

St Michaels School, Darjeeling staff

Classmates & friends St Michaels

Mum and Dad in Kurseong

1933: Earliest Memories

I found this faded Kodak. It’s of my Mum and me near my Dad’s saloon somewhere near Calcutta in 1931-32?

Have no memory of time , age or place. My most vivid memory is of sitting at my Mum’s feet while she sewed. My Grandpa would play his violin, his piccolo every day. Every evening Mum would play the piano and sing while Grandpa sometimes played his piccolo.

Sometimes a barber would come and shave Grandpa on the verandah.

After an afternoon nap Mum would wash and dress me. Then Grandpa would take me walking or in my stroller to the shops. Before leaving Mum would shake her finger and say “remember Pa only one sweet”. I loved the shops and smiling people . Grandpa talked to everyone, bought things for Mum, cigars for himself, some caramels. I was allowed to choose one sweet. Nearly alway a rasagolla, sometimes a rosamundi.

Reading my Mum’s story – 1932/1933 – it was the Depression. The Bridge Department closed, my Dad had to wait in great anxiety, to get another position to support his wife and 7 children.

He got a job as a Permanent Way Inspector so he had to be away in remote places, hence he had a saloon as living quarters (the Kodak shown). My Grandpa came to live and look after us. My older sisters and brothers went to boarding schools in the Himalayas. The house and compound we lived in for over a year was huge. It was in Tiljala. Near Calcutta. Bengal, India

Tiljala, Calcutta,

• Into the Sixties –1963
• 1953
• Memories of 1942 and 1943
• 1933: Earliest Memories
• Happy New Year Remembering Christmas past as 2022 comes to an end✍️

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Happy New Year Remembering Christmas past as 2022 comes to an end✍️

A lovely photo of my nieces visiting in 2022 -joyous with my sons as they were in 1962 framed on the wall behind ☀️

1932 – Kanchrapara, Bengal, India. 3 +years old , remember my Mum’s sewing machine, making and dressing us up for the Fancy Dress party, my older sisters helped

1932 – Hazel and Allan as bride and groom 🌻

1942 – Bangalore, India

It was during WWII.

We had moved all the long way down here while my Dad was serving overseas . My older sisters joined the WAC my oldest brother, Allan, Midshipman, RINVR, . We, youngest 4 , attended day school for the first time, instead of boarding school in Darjeeling- all so different. Lots of fun

1942 Bangalore- Trixie and I

1952 – London, England – Christmas spent with friends in the country.

Our second Christmas in Hampstead bedsitter, working, studying, theatre , ice-skating and having the time of our lives

London 1952/1953 tandemming / camping, all over UK, and a snap of our wedding in 1949 Calcutta

1962 – Sydney, NSW, Australia

We emigrated in 1955 as £10 POMs (as posted on this blog some time ago).

1962 – we now have 3 beautiful sons under age of 7, a dog, 2 cats, 2 cars, a house/mortgage and Christmas is for the children

Dear folk , all the best for 2023. I hope to hear of your past and present experience of this journey, 🙏🏼✍️

TIMESCAPE – 60 years ago SYDNEY-First day, 21 August to 15th November 1955

Brings back memories.

off at a tangent

Remember our first days in Sydney (6months pregnant) as though it was yesterday, however, was surprised at how much I had forgotten, re-reading the diary and journal.  Too long for this blog, “politically incorrect” occasionally (expression unknown to us), will cut the 14 typed pages of our first exciting 3 months living in  Neutral Bay.

Sunday morning, our landlady called Adrian aside, and  he returned  grinning “You want to know what the old girls wanted to see me about? .. she asked me if I knew you were pregnant? .  Giggles subsiding, he said she had suggested they move  to a larger flat near the garden so that when the baby arrived. the rest of the residents  would not be disturbed.  Agreeable to this even though we’d lose our splendid view.  While moving  she introduced us to other couples renting bedsitters in this huge mansion. We made friends with newly…

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1987 – Plane-Yukon to Vancouver,BC. Greyhound Bus to Tacoma,Washington State

off at a tangent

There was no visible difference between day and night in Whitehorse,Yukon.  Stayed up to watch, wonder, take photos and write cards.   Must have dozed off at some time, then off early in  the bus to the airport to catch the CPA flight at 10pm to Vancouver.  A bit dazed from lack of sleep, at Whitehorse Airport, left my luggage with a complete stranger and went to freshen up in the toilet. He was still there watching my luggage when I came out.  As it happened, he had been on the ss Rotterdam and was now on the same plane returning to Boston via Vancouver. We chatted and he asked me if I made a practise of leaving my luggage with unknown people and  before I could answer he warned me never to do it again.  Turns out he was a Detective Sergeant in the Boston Police!  A Texan couple, I…

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Alaska Bound (3) **Mendenhall Glacier by helicopter.. High on high**

off at a tangent

Sailed away from Ketchikan on board s.s. Rotterdam and on to Juneau.  We attended the theatre for a live show called “Be Happy” with 2 girls & 2 boys dressed appropriately for the 1940’s & singing nostalgic songs from that era.  Excellent & well appreciated by the  audience.  There was a farewell dinner & party which was jolly until the ship started rocking & suddenly people disappeared.  Evelyn gave me one of her dramamine pills & took one herself & we went to our cabins.  Had to pack & leave our luggage outside the door by 6 am, struggled through that & fell asleep. Wanted to be okay for my first ever helicopter flight & to walk on a glacier.  5 am woke feeling fine to the sight of snow & ice so close to the ship, could nearly touch it. Dressed & from my cabin & the boat deck…

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Sydney 1956, bread,butter and tears.

Our first  Australian Summer Christmas Day (hot)with our infant son was spent  in the Neutral Bay bed-sitters mansion.  We had the whole place to ourselves, friends, neighbours and even the landlady were spending the holidays in the country with their families.   Tried cooking traditional English fare “cooked my goose” ha,ha,ha! but, luckily, had cold ham and salad and icecream for our Christmas dinner.

New Years Day 1956- we had a surprise visit from the Scottish lady (another 10-Pound POM) who had shared the cabin with me on the ORONSAY and was on holiday from Melbourne. She brought presents for baby son and crossed his palm with silver as token of good fortune. She liked her new life in Melbourne, but was homesick.

The dear landlady was worried about baby’s crying at night and reminded us the business couples needed their sleep.  We took the hint and started looking for another place, very difficult for a young couple with a new baby.  Our friends searched too.

Eventually, at the end of January our young,recently married friends B. and M.offered part of their house in Harbord(near Manly) on share rent and board basis, and helped them move in.  Sad to leave our flat and wonderful friends in Neutral Bay.

For the first two weeks it was delightful living within this family. M’s parents lived opposite and would invite us to eat with them. They had a billiard room, the men enjoyed playing after work.  B. belonged to the local surf club and was a lifesaver. He was only 21 and enjoyed the company of his mates and drinking.

Trouble in Paradise!  M. now pregnant, complained that B. was neglectful,etc. there were arguments, door slamming,etc. waking baby.  Really wanted a place of our own.

Luckily, in February we found a  2- bedroom house almost on the beach in South Curl Curl. Usually for holiday rental, it was temporarily ours.  Joy of joys, there was a tennis court next door.  They moved in with B. and his mates’ help on the weekend.

No time for tennis on Sunday.  Too late- on Monday, the rain poured down. Water leaked into all but one bedroom.  Adrian was at work, I ran with buckets to catch it.

It was February in the Antipodes, but cold, wet, baby was fretful. Turned on the heaters to dry the nappies one by one.  It rained every day, except for 2 hours during which I took baby in the pram along the beach and saw that the tennis court was inundated and would be unplayable for a long time. Wept with disappointment and sheer tiredness.  We had to find somewhere else.  B., a most generous and kind young chap, felt responsible for our plight and made an extra effort to find us a place.

Joyous news, a house was found in North Narrabeen the following Friday.  A new house, partly completed, but the owner/builder, an Englishman, his wife and two sons, wanted to live elsewhere  for the time-being.  He wanted to rent it only to friends of friends (for a year or 2)into  which category we fitted.

We moved in with our few belongings, and B. and his mates help again, still pouring rain to Lot No.1, Powderworks Road, a huge block of land ,  surrounded by bush,at the top of the hill in Nth Narrabeen (bordering Elanora Heights).   A northern beaches suburb overlooking Long Reef and the Pacific.  Peace, tranquility, loved it.

In 1956 North Narrabeen was sparsely inhabited.  The houses were built around a valley and were in the process of being built, hence the Lot numbers.  Next door a large brick house was still being constructed, the new owners came over every weekend to check on progress. A WWII veteran who had served in New Guinea.

On our other side was a Qantas pilot, his wife and 2 little girls. He had served in the Australian Airforce in WWII. Ex.POW. He had sailed around the world on a yacht… He was in the process of building another ship in their front yard.

So there  were the men, the WWII Army, Navy and Airforce veterans all in a row. Could not wish for better neighbours in such an isolated place.  We had no telephone, no car.  The nearest bus stop was on Pittwater Road at the bottom of a steep, winding road. About the same distance as the nearest general store which served as the Post Office, Commonwealth Bank,grocer,greengrocer, baker, butcher, newspaper and book shop.  All of this was run by one man who did everything and knew everybody in the area.

Within an hour of their arrival on a Saturday this EM.(Extraordinary Man) called to find if there was anything they needed, which he would deliver that day.  It was EM. who introduced them to the rest of the small neighbourhood.  To get my shopping done, I only had to phone from a neighbour’s place and EM would deliver.  He also delivered the mail and all the latest news.

We were the youngest and newest residents there, with the youngest infant. The only migrants, the only ones renting and without refrigerator, phone or car.  The kindly neighbours went out of their way to help us every day.  Even got us a good refrigerator at the cheapest possible pric  Gave us fruits and vegetables from their gardens.

The journey to work in Sydney city for Adrian, walk to bus 10 minutes  by bus took 1.1/2 hours. He would leave at 7.30am and return by 7.30pm.  Baby and I alone all day.

Enjoyed every minute of this new life getting into the routine of mothering baby Clive. Wallabies, rabbits, kookaburras, snakes, blue-tongued lizards and wildlife abounded. There was even a wombat in a cave at the back among the gladioli.  Gum trees and flowering bush.  Clive thrived in these beautiful surroundings and so did we.                We had almost completed a full year in Australia and life was good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TIMESCAPE- 60 years ago SYDNEY mid-November to December 1955.

Source: TIMESCAPE- 60 years ago SYDNEY mid-November to December 1955.