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My full name is Edith May Yates (nee Herbert) I was born on 13th September
1937 at St Georges Hospital, Kew, and lived with my father and mother at 104
Westbury Street, Balaclava (East St Kilda). My father was born in England on
18th August 1899. He came to Australia and settled.
He served as a boy (17) in France in the First World War, and again the Second
World War – both in the Middle East and New Guinea in 2nd /7th AG.H. He was
involved in building the first hospital at Lae.
My mother was Florence Evelyn Thompson and she was proud to be the sister of
Linsay Andrew Thompson who won a prize in the Melbourne to Warrnambool cycling
race (year unknown to me 193?).
My mother was born in Geelong on 25th September 1906 and married 9th April
1936 in Melbourne.
Our next door neighbours were a family named Govett (see article memories of
St Kilda (Balaclava). Mr Govett Snr came from Kyneton and was the son of a
colonist George Govett who was born in 1799. Mrs Govett who was much younger
came from Hamilton in Western Victoria. They had two children – Mavis and
Neville. Mavis married during the war and died in 1977. Neville lives in
Brisbane and I still contact him from time to time. He is now 80. His wife
died in December 1995. Neville served in the Second World War, BCOF and Korea
and left the army in 1970 after nearly 30 years service. All this information
was revealed during a visit by Neville to my home in Ballarat some time ago.
I was only a baby when war started but some things remain vividly. My mother
had a large tea chest in her bedroom where she preserved any fresh eggs with
Keepeg (I think the spelling is correct). There was not much room to stores
things as our home (eventually to own) was divided up into rentals and sharing
the kitchen and bathroom was necessary. I remember all the windows having
block or curtains, even black paint on some small ones.
I also recall the juggling of coupon tickets for tea, sugar etc, even material
for mum to make clothes for us all. Christmas time always started early with
my mother baking fruit cakes for dad overseas, also his family in London who
were unable to buy dried fruit etc, although mum had to treasure each coupon
and budget wisely.
I attended kindergarten in Nelson Street, and aged five I began my schooling
at Brighton Road State School. My first teacher was Miss Boyle and the
principal a Mr McKee, Sixth Grade 1946 was a mixture of nationalities, Greek,
Polish, Dutch, Philippines and English. A lot of Dutch children lived in
communal style in a huge mansion called Moulin Rouge in Dickens Street where
pancakes and syrup was often their lunch. I remember disposing of my cut lunch
a few times and joining them all. Needless to say it was forbidden to leave
the schoolyard without permission but my Dutch friend always managed to
persuade me. Another teacher there was a Miss Mills, who had no scruples about
applying the strap to girls as well as boys! She had red hair and took no
nonsense. My teacher in 6th grade was a Mr Tanner – a very formal
disciplinarian but fair – always in a suit and tie.
From Brighton Road State School I then attended Prahran Technical School for
four years, gained a scholarship for the Diploma of Needlecraft Course at
Emily McPherson College in Melbourne – now incorporated with RMIT. To achieve
the Diploma I completed the 3 years, passed all my exams and was placed in a
job at Armadale Joy Toys/Joy Togs Manufacturers where I had to complete one
year trade practice without getting fired. Then I could graduate. I did this
but changed to the city as a designer but I was not settled. Eventually I
started work as Cutter and Designer at Snow White Knitwear in Malakoff Street
around the corner from home. Mr Lothar Stern and his wife Cecilia were
wonderful to work for and I was there for seven years. We made twin sets and
jumpers mainly and then the “sack frock and muu-muus” became popular and so
woollen shift frocks kept the business going well. I left July 1964 to have my
first daughter. My wages when I left was £27/10/- which was a good wage. I
remember my father who was then in charge of the Occupational Therapy
Carpentry Workshop at Heidelberg Hospital earning £22. I remember feeling a
little embarrassed about it all.
Carlisle Street has changed in some ways with new shops but it always seemed
the same as decades past. Balaclava Station Bridge always catches the eye and
the recent double find of hundreds of dollars buried there has drawn a lot of
attention. The extension of Westbury Street housed the Post Office and the
adjacent corner was a Milk Bar owned by a McDonald family. Next door was a
deli, owned by a Mr Pittard. I remember as a child watching huge blocks of
cheese being cut with a wire and wrapped up in crinkly white paper. Next door
again was a Mr Thomas, a photographer who also lived upstairs over the studio.
Mr Thomas had the rare opportunity of photographing the rooms of Dame Nellie
Melbas home. They were done with special plates and these photographs and
plates were donated by his assistant, Elaine Parkinson (nee Woodbridge) after
his death and now belong to the museum in Lilydale Victoria. Elaine and I are
still close friends, from the time when we helped Mr Thomas glue all his
school photographs to thick grey cardboard mount on an old press in his
workroom. There were hundreds. I remember the Melbourne Grammar orders and we
had a lot of fun working until quite late at night. Elaine Parkinson was a
retoucher on negatives (no silk screens in those days for a perfect picture)
and she hand coloured all portraits, as there was no colour film then either.
She has since become a wonderful artist, both in oils and watercolour.
Next was a radio shop, electrical appliances etc, further on Lady Betty
chocolates and a very exclusive looking fruit and vegetable shop owned by a Mr
Millar. Everything in there was stacked with precision, but the real novelty
was a table with a juicer set on a snow white tablecloth, and one could have a
freshly squeezed orange drink while shopping – very frothy.
Past the station was a well known florist – Gollings. Mr Gollings also opened
another shop in Melbourne under the Southern Cross Hotel when it was built,
with other shops forming an arcade. Mr Gollings also provided flower
arrangements for the wedding groups at the photographic studio.
Other fruiterers in Carlisle Street were run as family enterprises. Delorenzos,
Dimatinas and Cincottas. I remember a fish and chip shop we frequented –
mostly Friday nights – run by two Greek brothers, “Tom and Jerry”. They were
there for years and much loved by all even though Jerry threatened to make
chips out of me – and while young I wondered if he could.
A widow lady ran a Billiard Saloon almost under the bridge in Carlisle Street
between Blenheim and Nelson Streets. Further to Chapel Street was a draper
owned by a Mr Holt and called Holts. My mother bought all her Weigel patterns
and fabric there. Coupons during the war meant buying the minimum and wasting
nothing but I remember my two brothers and I were always dressed well. On a
visit some 10 years ago I went into Holts and found a nephew of Mr Holt still
managing the shop, which is much bigger now but still smells of fabric.
Our home was finally vacated by other tenants after the war except one, a Miss
Paupe who stayed on and taught piano and singing. I recall one of her pupils
was Rosemary Jones, later wife of Barry Jones the “Pick a Box” quiz genius
(and now in the labour Party). Miss Paupe taught me piano on Saturday
mornings, but as I needed my own room at age 11 Miss Paupe moved to a flat in
Dickens Street. She died aged 100 and 25 days. This same lady had a very
clever father who sculpted life size statues of Aborigines on exhibit in
Melbourne museum and she donated back to the museum the gold medallion which
was presented to her father at the time for his work.
The back fence of our home adjoined a friend’s home in Orange Grove and we
could scale the fence to visit. The family name was Steele, and Barbara was my
friend. They had a massive plain tree on this fence line and in the summer we
could see Luna Park from half way up. It was often full of cicadas, which we
got used to. The summers were a great time for us in the holidays as another
friend in Orange Grove – Morag Campbell – Barbara and I would meet at the
street corner at 5am, cycle to St Kilda Beach and dive off Brookes Jetty. The
beach was always clean, the water clear and we mostly stayed until 7.30am.
Odd beachcombers ambled along poking through the sand in the early sunshine.
Trainers from Mentone were often there, exercising the racehorses in the sea
and then running them along the beach towards Elwood. We sometimes begged a
ride – bare back and I recall riding one called Euston Road, who was my
favourite. After cycling back home for chores etc we often took a cut lunch
and went back to the beach for the rest of the day. On the way home the smell
of fresh waffles at the entrance to Luna Park lured us in to buy. Sadly, on my
last visit, the waffles were there but kept frozen and the taste was
non-existent. I never dared ride the Big Dipper but the scenic railway was a
thrill. The river case was a favourite for “couples” – little boats in a
shallow water run were assisted by a moving ladder under the water. It was
always dark except when illuminated scenes popped up around the bends. There
were dodgem cars, merry go round, shooting galleries and the funny palace, the
front of which was presided over by “Old King Cole” who laughed all the time.
In there was a maze and distorted mirrors etc.
Two theatres ran the latest movies, the Victory on the corner of Barkly and
Carlisle – the other was the Palais across the road from Luna Park. Next door
to the Palais was the Palais de Dance, where balls and receptions were held.
It later burnt down but rebuilt and called the Stardust room.
On the corner of Westbury Street was a chemist, Mr Bennett, his wife Nida and
son Brian ran the shop in this small group and at the other end, near Orange
Grove was a barber, a Mr Trost. Both shops were there all my 24 years in
Westbury Street. Next door to the barber was a private home and surgery of a
Dr Harry Russell and on a visit just recently I noticed the practice still in
the same name but with modern qualifications – no doubt his son carrying on.
Across the road was/is St Colemans church where neighbourhood friends
attended.
My brothers, Bruce and John and I went to St James Church in Inkerman Street
to Sunday School, but were waylaid en route by a few unchurched scamps while
passing the playground on the corner of Orange Grove and Inkerman Street one
day. The encounter left my brother Bruce with a lump on his head and roaring
at the top of his 7 year old voice. Father promptly sent us off to Holy
Trinity in Chapel Street across the road from school so there after we walked
the other way to church where I eventually married in 1958. The Reverend Mr
Tyler was minister then, later the Reverend Potter. My teens were busy with
studying but Saturday nights was dance night at St Kilda Town Hall, a stately
place with a beautiful dancing floor. The hall could be halved with mobile
doors with a circular dais in the middle. This circle was shared by a modern
and old time dance bands and couples could dance all around the huge hall
circling the band. Last year (1995) the hall was partially rebuilt after a
fire but it still looks marvellous.
The television set arrived in our home later than most of our neighbours so
the wireless or radio was the family entertainment. After high tea on Sunday
evenings I recall sitting with the family listening to serials (a Mr Pimm was
one character I remember but not the show) and my father demanded silence
always during “World of Tenors” and the news. If someone spoke – one received
a dirty look. Unlike television you could not watch, talk and mentally fill in
the gaps. With radio it demanded attention.
During the war, my mother managed a good vegetable garden but when father came
home it blossomed literally. We had an almond, peach, 2 plums, apple and 2
glorious apricot trees. Mum and I bottled fruit all through January and the
lovely fruit lasted us all winter until the next year. The lemon tree was huge
and bountiful too. The back fence was my mothers friendship garden, that is
cuttings form all over were planted there. On Saturday mornings my father hand
clipped all the rings and edges while I hand mowed all the lawns. My reward
was a cheese glass full of beer (aged 12 onwards). The reason was twofold,
one, I had earned it, and two, dad felt that if he let me taste it, I would
never want to drink in a silly fashion. Also when visitors came and enjoyed a
sherry, I was given a small glass too. It seems to have been good training
because I have never wished to drink for much except a little socially.
My two brothers Bruce and John born 1940 and 1943 had their jobs too but I
can’t remember exactly what. Where boys learn naturally it seems, how to
change tyres, mend punctures etc, my father always gave me an education on
each thing, which I do value today. We were also taught to put tips on the
heels of our shoes and toes also. Shoe leather in those days was to be
protected and each night would see us lined up with school shoes and the Kiwi
or Nugget. Usually one owned a couple of pairs- school and best – so care had
to be taken.
Our neighbours included Ryans at 102 who sold to the Thomas family. Thomas
owned the sideshows along the beach road next to the Palais de Dance. We were
at 104, then Neville and family 102, who sold out to Mr and Mrs McTiernan
(daughter Maureen lives in Kenmore Brisbane) then the Muir family 100 – a
lovely old home, then flats owned by Lasky’s who had a Kosher deli in Carlisle
Street at 98. More flats and I cannot recall names there until the last block
before Carlisle Street. I had a friend Jeanette Cole whose father was a bank
manager at the ANZ in Carlisle Street. Jeanette became an air hostess with
British Air Lines, met a man from Black Rock while on a stop over in
Switzerland, married and returned to live in Black Rock.
The Edmondson family lived further up the street, the family consisting of 3
girls, Jane, Judith and Kaye and later a son Bernard. A lot of the original
houses remain but flats have replaced ours and other sadly.
Even though I am now 22 years in Ballarat, I still feel a sense of home when
back in Balaclava. We grew up in a wonderful time there and I look back with
much pleasure.
Prices of interest today compared to 1936:
My parents bought a 3 piece club lounge suit £11/10/-
9’ x 9’ carpet square from Liddiconts Furniture
Stores, Fitzroy £4/10/-
From Beauchamp Bros in Collins Street:
4 piece bedroom suite £12/17/6
4’6” kitchen cabinet £3/17/6
8 yards linoleum £2/14/0
2 bridge chairs £3/10/0
16 bags coal £1/18/0
Bedroom suits for my brothers and myself were bought privately £9 and £12 in
1947.
My parents originally rented the home from a Mr Clough who lived over the road
in Westbury Street in flats, which are still there today.
The weekly rental was £2/5/-. At that time my father’s wage was £5/3/- (1947).
The State Land Tax notice of assessments records in 1961 the unimproved value
of 104 Westbury Street was £1,350/-/- and tax due for payment was £5/12/6.
In 1965 my mother sold the family home and moved to Moorabbin and the purchase
price there was £6,500/-/- or approximately $13,000 in decimal currency. I am
not sure of the purchase price of Westbury Street but I recall my mother
saying how much values had risen from the purchase price of $1,500?
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