ODE TO BILLY TEA

Yes, there really was a brand called  Billy Tea. And what a great advertisement.

The company was established by James Inglis in the 1880s.

ICON OF OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY

We are an increasingly urbanised society, but the image of the Aussie swagman watching his billy boil will never die. This is of course due to  those famous lines from Waltzing Matilda, but also  to traditional bush poetry.

SOURCE – PUNCH

It’s useful to be able to change the position of the  billy over the camp fire, which is why allowing it to swing  freely is beneficial. The following image shows a contraption  for simple raising or lowering.

Source – The Queenslander, Apr. 31 1932

Now there is another kind of billy swinging altogether,  To ensure that the tea leaves sink to the bottom, the boiling billy should be  hurled over one’s head in a full circle; preferably three times. As in taking off on a bike, this requires momentum. To avoid a nasty scald it’s vital to make a purposeful swing without hesitation!  It might be worth practicing with cold water first.  😛

Source – YouTube.

In World War One, ‘comfort’ billies were filled with food, sweets  and other  small items and sent off to those serving overseas. This began with Australian troops  encamped in Cairo before the Gallipoli campaign, and continued right through  the war. What a wonderful idea it was.

When peace finally came families enjoyed simple holidays, often camping at the beach.

DIPPING A LID IN THE NAME OF THE LORD

During the years of the Great Depression, Melbourne’s Anglican Archbishop, Frederick Head, ventured out to meet  parishioners in the bush.  He was always grateful to share a campfire and a brew of tea.

The perfect drinking vessel.  (Source – Call News Pictorial, Feb 28 1930)

I don’t remember going camping when I was a child in the 196os, well except on a couple of day trips with the girl guides.  However, on our farm we used an enamel billy to take tea out to my father.

The enamel billy would be perfect for making Billy Bread. By the way, homell  was a type of whole wheat flour.

Source – Eastern Recorder, 23 May 1924

For more on the nostalgic nature of the billy  from the Australian National Museum,  CLICK HERE