‘The string bag is the symbol of feminine bondage in Australia’. Thus spoke US consul Mr T.C. Robinson at a conference of the NSW Agricultural Bureau in 1950. He advocated a reorganisation of food distribution (which eventually led to supermarkets and shopping malls), better laundry and dry-cleaning
Read more →
Eric Huxley, 19, a student of the Sydney University, living at Clanalpine Street, Mosman, was struck by a motor car as he was crossing Parramatta Road near the University yesterday. He suffered a fractured skull…..he died late last night. (Sydney Morning Herald, June 13 1930) The young
Read more →
Boxes of transparencies taken by my in-laws, Jean and Alan Conolly had not been opened in nearly 60 years. They were mostly family shots taken around Hobart (Glenorchy and Sandy Bay) in the 1950s and early 60s. I might add that my own parents were still using
Read more →
Reflecting on a 1970s wedding. This piece was prompted by finding one of my sticky old photo albums, and is why many of the images used leave a lot to be desired. They are now impossible to remove. OK, so my partner Rob and I first
Read more →
French knitting is sometimes called spool knitting. I wonder whether kids still do this? My sister and I loved it. Tasmanian winters are long and cold and this fireside occupation was perfect. Little boys enjoyed it too. My cousin Frank grew up in Deloraine and told me
Read more →
‘La Donna’ was a journalist for many years at The Advocate, a Tasmanian newspaper known affectionally as ‘The Spud Digger’. In 1935 she wrote a fascinating, lengthy article on Mary Shadbolt, widow of my relative Linden Shadbolt. I always wondered about La Donna’s real identity, and have
Read more →
Professor Frederick McCoy was a highly respected academic at Melbourne University. He resided in the suburb of Brighton. In 1883 he received a letter from a friend, Colonel Mair. The Colonel asked if it was true that McCoy’s adult son Frederick, who had been living and
Read more →
I’m ashamed to say that I had no idea Western Australian born Dorothy Tangney (1907-1985) was Australia’s first female senator in federal parliament (elected 1943). In 1944 it was announced by the Government that her portrait was to be painted for the nation. The other woman to
Read more →
BEFORE READING THIS ARTICLE IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE READ PART ONE OF ERNEST’S STORY. In 1937 twenty year old Ernest Renault from Launceston became the world champion banana eater. Yes…strange, but true. 😎 After a difficult childhood there was a brief period when the possibilities of
Read more →
Bubble gum was one of my old Dad’s pet hates. Any gum was bad, but bubble gum was beyond the pale. Of course we kids adored it and took no notice of him whatsoever. It was invented by an American (well naturally eh?) in 1928. When a
Read more →