Random memories, For you young whipper snappers, the early 50s were a strange time, the Korean War was in full flight and the fears of communism were real. Now they live in Canberra at the Lodge. I can remember the 'Sun News Pictorial' published the Korean Front Line every day and as it rapidly contracted to the tiny bit down south at Pusan i think, HRH General Sir Douglas MacArthur got the bright idea of landing a Inchon. That had the allies at the Yalu River in about 6 months. Then the Chines came in and..... back to Pusan! Inflation was bad, and the headline said "Wool is a pound a pound", about 500c a Kg. The population of Melboune had recently passed a million, and that was a headline too, and the OZ population was a bit over 8 million. I wonder if people know what the word 'exponential' means, they will find out the hard way! As for wages, a "1000 a year man" was well paid. It took almost 5 hours to drive to Melbourne from Yarrawonga in a tiny 4 cyl Vauxhall at about 40 mph, on a BAD 2 lane road full of potholes called the Hume Highway. It was the best road in Australia. About that time I remember we had one of those fancy new 'drive in theatres' in Albury, so we drove over to see, 120 miles (200 kms) to see a movie. We used to come down to the big city to chase girls, but never caught them, so we ended up at 'Hamburger Max' at the old St Kilda Junction at 2 AM with "2 with the lot". Not much of a consolation prize! I turned 21 one saturday and got married the next (Feb 1960), It was tough, we rented half a house for 6 pounds ($12) a week. I worked 2 jobs, one in the TAB, for 6 years to get ahead of the game. 4 kids in 3.5 years, (twins). At one stage we had 96 nappies in the linen press, all washed and dried by hand.
Not in circulation no, but my grandfather who was a VERY rich man, had LOTS! A man saved his son from drowning, and he gave him a handful!!!!
I think it was to put your bank book in..I used to have one exactly like that one..Opened up a bank account there to save for a new car and that is what you were given. Regards Errol 43
a memory from 14th Feb 1966. I was the Head Teller in a city branch back then, and as D day dawned we had literally dozens of people coming in with musty old rolls and wads of notes all the way back to WW1. KG5 etc. They exchanged them for dollars, and off they went.
Great post old codger..Now a bit of a trip down memory lane through the eyes of a child..When mum sent me to the shop every day to buy supplies for our tea that night I was allowed to buy on occasions, 1 penny worth of lollies. The time spent deciding was the hardest part. Bulls eyes 6 a 1d green mint leaves 4 a 1d Strawberry Creams 3 a 1d Clinker 2 a 1d Freddo frogs 1d each, ice creams 3p each ( usualy only 2 or 3 flavours, vanilla, strawbery, chocolate.) and only two brands Peters and Pauls.. Family packs were called bricks and were made of soft cardboard that encased the ice cream. The storekeepers in our area were all called grocers and with him you would place your order. one pound of sugar please and half a pound of tea and you had better give me a pound of dates..He would be gone for a couple of minutes while he got your order, having to weigh them all and put them into brown paper bags..Upon entering the store, the adults were always greeted by Good morning Morning/Afternoon Mrs/Mr Jones, how are you today? When leaving with your goods you were told thanks very much for that. Now as my memories flood back, I have to tell you of that large old back dog you used to go shopping..He lived with an old lady some 400 yards from the shop.. The dog would carry the cane basket with a handle in his mouth.. A note and a purse with money in it would be placed in the basket and off he would go, straight down to the shop. Upon arriving, he would take up his usual position until such time as the grocer acknowledged him. He would grab the basket and place it on the counter and go back and wait. Here Blackie, the grocer would say and in an instant he was on his way home..One day I blocked his path to see what would happen if I tried to rob him..Down with the basket, showed me his teeth and how he could growl in a mean way, a security dog as well. Might even tell a few more memories from the past if the younger members wish. Don't want to be seen as someone who always talks about the good old days but about the old different days. Regards Errol 43
Errol, Yep, back in WW2 I was sent daily to get a billy of milk from the lady that had a cow in the back yard. I think mum used to give me a deener (shilling) or maybe a zac (6d) and off I went. I cannot remember when the milk bottles with the cardboard lid came in. Olive oil was bought from the chemist in small bottles, and was rarely used in cooking. Mum had a copper to do the clothes and a broom handle to stir them in the boiling water. When i was about 8 I demanded the broom handle and refused to let mum do that again. That was MY job! Then we got a new fangled 'Hotpoint' wringer washer and that was VERY fancy. I had great fun feeding the clothes through the wringer. We got the first 'Kelvinator refrigerator sold after WW2 in Yarrawonga. We did not need the Ice man then! But we DID need the Dunny man!!!! I don't think I want to go back to the good old days.
Memory lane TV..My dad bought our first TV about 6 months after TV broadcasting began in Brisbane. The first show I ever watched was L eave It to Beaver.Only two channels 2 and 9...However there must have been 20 to 30 brands of TV set all mad in Australia. AWA, His Masters Voice, Stromberg Carlson, STC and Kreiser are some of the ones I remember. All around 17", some 19"..Pye was the first Japanese set I can remember of. Whopper 21 and 23 and even 25 all in B & W. Can't tell you of our families bit of fame regarding Television in Australia or I would give my name away. : ) It was hard watching football with B & W TV when both teams had dark or light colours. Much better today. You soon get spoilt when new ideas start. As old codger said , glad to see the end of the dunny man.. We got connected to the sewage system when I was about 5years of age.. Many times when I went out, I had pains in the stomach hanging on till I got home for a number 2. I had a weak stomach then and still have today when it comes to smells..What a horror those thunder boxes were. Yes from TV to Thunder boxes, they are much better today, Regards Errol 43
Going by your avatar name hotel 46, have you ever been in the pub game> How to spear a keg will soon be a long distance memory Regards Errol 43
TV, I had a mate who had a rich dad, and he bought a TV for the Melbourne Olympic Games. Up to that time I had only seen TV in the store window in Swanston St Melbourne, with the sound piped outside. There was always a crowd of 30 or more gawking at the set. We were the last to get B&W TV in our street, and the first to get colour in 1973.
My grandad had something nobody else had. His very own petrol bowser and hand pump to fill the cars of the business. That was in the days of petrol rationing, and his undertakers business in Shepparton could not do without it. About that time in my fathers business he sold tobacco, mostly in 'plugs', and I was often asked by a customer if we had any tobacco, and that was where I learned to look him in the eye and say "sorry sir we have sold out of tobacco." I also learned how to cut bacon from the whole side, and cut a pound of cheese from the block with a wire.
GoldenEgg.. It is a holder to put your bank deposit book in! Everyone had a bank book, usually with 10 pages for depositing and withdrawing money. Regards Errol 43
Now lets talk about radio serials..Tarzan, Superman,Dick Barton special agent, Biggles and Greenbottle. My grandmother used to listen to radio serials ever day, including Dr Paul and When a girl marries. The top forty tunes on Sunday night to see who made No 1. Then there was the quiz shoes, with Bob Dyer, Happy lathering customes, it's the BP enegrol box Bob and his rival Jack Davey, Hi Ho Customers. I can still remember the Vic Towell v Jimmy Carruthers fight which lasted just one round during which Carruthers threw over 250 punches in the 3 minute round to take the title.. Bring back memories old timers. Regards Errol 43
My old man who is in his late 70s agrees with you old codger he reckons you can stick the "good old days up your ......" he said they were tough & loves the new technology
he drives it like its stolen !!!!! nah joking he hasnt got a pc . He wont even txt on his phone the old fossil
Welcome back OC, great to see you posting again. I'm a little confused about this post. May I ask, can you give us some more back ground as to why the reporter was punished?
