In 1906 there were rumours spreading on Bruny Island and mainland Tasmania that one rural Bruny family had 23 children, and that the youngsters had never seen an illustration in any form. The secretary of the charitable Victoria League’s Book Committee had expressed her concern at their
Read more →
Recently I came across a wonderful letter from my late father-in-law, Alan Conolly. In the early 1960s he was travelling the world for Silk and Textiles, the Hobart based company he worked for. Silk and Textiles was founded by Claudio Alcorso in Sydney. The factory relocated to
Read more →
The luxurious Hotel Metropole was built at the intersection of Young, Bent and Philip Street, Sydney, opening on January 14 1890. The following image appeared in the Sydney Mail on January 18; Along with mosaic tiled floors in the entrance areas and lavish stained glass windows,
Read more →
In 1895 Edward and Alice Young were living on a property called Lennonville, located on North Bruny Island, just off the south-east coast of Tasmania. The Aboriginal name for the Island is lunawanna-allonah. It seems Edward was managing the farm for its owners, as his father Charles
Read more →
Mead is arguably the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. It dates back to the Neolithic era, prior to the advent of agriculture. It was very popular in medieval times and was called ‘nectar of the Gods.’ People kept bees to provide wax for candles so naturally there was
Read more →
This story of the historic Lord Howe Island diorama in Sydney’s Australian Museum highlights the importance of a back-story in engaging people like me. 😎 I love birds, but I live in the Blue Mountains, and seabirds are not on my radar….unless it’s seagulls harassing me for
Read more →
Dr John Yeo and Dr Robert Costa are two men I feel extremely privileged to have met. Co-incidentally, they are both medical men. Dr Yeo is retired now, but he was a highly respected spinal surgeon at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital. I first met him in
Read more →
I have been reading about the wonderful Hazel Hawke recently; her often turbulent life with husband Bob and subsequently her battle with Alzheimer’s. For those not familiar with Australian politics, Bob Hawke became Prime Minister of Australia in 1983, and was in office until 1991. Did you
Read more →
My husband Rob’s maternal grandparents, Harry and Malinda (Linda) Atkins, are a bit of a mystery to me. They have been in my thoughts a lot recently, as we inherited some lovely old pieces from them. The items were in storage for a long time while we
Read more →
The kero (kerosene) tin has been part of Australian social history from the mid 19th century, when kerosene lamps lit up the country. The empty fuel containers proved even more useful than the lamps themselves. This old photo, circa 1900, shows a Chinese miner outside his hut.
Read more →