FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS (PT 1)

I have been thinking sadly of late of the the number of people I have known and who have passed away and it got me thinking about all the wonderful friends/acquaintances I've had over the years. Seemed a good time to reminisce about those that I remember with much fondness. I doubt even one of them is likely to read my blogs, but you never know....it is a small world after all.

Friends from age 5 - 12. After coming up to Perth from our farm in Narrikup in the southwest of Western Australia I attended Victoria Square Convent (now known as Mercedes College) in Goderich Street, East Perth just near St Mary's Cathedral.

During my 6 years at that school my main friends were Shirley (she and I were the only protestant children in our class), June, Kathleen, Daphne and Vera. Of course there were others but those five would have been my closest friends.

Also during that period I had annual friends when we went to Mandurah for our holidays. These included Nancy (from Pinjarra) Jill (from Waroona) and Judy Smith. There were also the boys who came down with their folks every year....Rex, John and Mervyn. We used to have lots of fun fishing, swimming etc. but during the year we all went our separate ways. I actually met Mervyn when I was working in Melbourne in 1951 but that is another story.

Friends from age 12-15. I attended Perth College 1944-1945 and there my three best friends were Pam, Hilary and Betty. Unfortunately I lost touch with them when I left and attended City Commercial College in 1946 where my three best friends were Kathleen (with whom I had been friends at Mercedes), Shirley (who had been in my class at Perth College) and June Uren. We also lost touch after I began working in May of 1947.

I think one of the reason I lost touch with people was because my family moved around quite a lot and transport during those years was not good owing to petrol rationing etc during the war years, and the fact that very few people had telephones unless they used them for business. I often think of those friends and wonder where they are, if they are still living and what course their lives took. I can only hope they were all happy and content.

In part 2 I will take time to think of friends I had from age 15-20.