WAITING FOR THE STORM TO ARRIVE TOMORROW

Right now there is a category 3 cyclone moving down our west coast.  It has caused rather a lot of damage, unroofing houses, felling tree etc., in some northern towns but no injuries.  This is Cyclone Olwyn as shown on the Bureau of Meteorology website one minute ago.  You can just see Perth at the bottom of the picture.

It is heading straight down the coast and is expected to be over Perth (possibly the eastern suburbs) sometime tomorrow.   By then it is predicted to have eased to a rain bearing depression but we are told to move outdoor furniture to a safe place, check gutters etc. 

We have had no rain in Perth for 5 weeks now so any rain is always welcomed but we could do with it arriving in a more peaceful manner.

I feel now so pleased that our Council installed underground power for us last year as we at least will not have to worry about power lines or power poles coming down.  We could, of course, still be without power at some time during the weekend but at least will be somewhat cooler in the high 20s rather than the 30C day's we've been experiencing of late.

Hopefully all will be well and there will not be too much, if any, damage in the metro or surrounding areas.

GREENBUSHES ON THE MAP

Another small section of mum's story of the Guilds.  I am not entirely sure how this ties in with her work at the Guilds or whether she is just reminiscing about an incident that happened.

Excerpt from "THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston.  (page 121)

'TIN AT GREENBUSHES; W.S.G.

A Mr Pickering called on Mrs Rischbieth and endeavoured to interest her in a find of tin at Greenbushes and, as usual, I became involved to the extent of typing some correspondence on the matter.

My knowledge of minerals had only been gained from the press since I had arrived in Western Australia, and I was surprised to learn that one of the best deposits of tin had been found in Cornwall, England.

Mr Pickering assured us that the discovery at Greenbushes was of the greatest importance, particularly as it was thought to be over a large area.  Since that time *Greenbushes Tin NL has been established but I have been unable to discover whether or not Mr Pickering was connected with it.

Recently we have all become interested in Greenbuhses Tin NL because it is that company which has discovered what is said to be the world's biggest deposit of tantalum.

The ore body is just outside the town of Greenbushes and is said to have had a value in the ground of around $2 billion.  Tantalite has properties that make it almost irreplaceable for a range of high tehcnological applications including capicitors used in computers, telecommunications and automotive electronics.

Whether of not Mrs Rischbieth took shares in the mining of tin at Greenbushes I have no idea, but iI had no knowledge of sharebroking at that time and certainly no money with which ti make an investment.  How little we know of the importance of the mine at Greenbushes!

It was just another small event in an exciting career, and even to be connected in any way with such a stupendous discovery gave me a thrill."

I knew nothing at all about Greenbushes until I was reading mum's story so checked it out and this is a little of what I discovered: 

"An open pit tin-tantalum-lithium mine is located in the south-west of Western Australia.  The mine has been one of the most intensely studied in Western Australia.  The deposit contains half the world's known reserves of tantalum and is the largest lithium resource in the world.  Tin production ceased at Green bushes in 2007.  Fossicking is not allowed at the mine.

The deposit was discovered by government geologist E.T. Hardman in 1881.  The Bunbury Tin Mining Company was formed to mine the alluvial cassiterite.  Production levvels waxed and waned over the years based on tin prices.  In the early years mining involved screening, sluicing and dredging by small groups of miners.  After 1908, lower profits and yields saw a gradual consolidation of leases.  From this time till 1944, tin mining was sporadic, and conducted with hydraulaic sluices with small scale deep mining.  After the Second World War, the Tin and Strategic Mineral Company Pty Ltd started large scale mining using modern methods.  Due to low prices the company ceased in 1956, and mining was taken over by Greenbushes Tin NL in 1964.  Initially this was by dredges, then from 1972 open pit mining for tin and tantalum.  Commercial spodumene production for lithium started in 1983, but the company ran into difficulties and was purchased by Gwalia Consolidated in 1990, who expanded the mining operation."

I am not sure I learned a lot from that but obviously at some stages it has been of great importance.

MORE WORK WITH THE GUILDS

I am not quite sure to handle mum's story from now on as she writes about so many different topics.  I am not even sure how much interest it may hold for anyone.  I will split it into smaller episodes and wait and see how it goes.

Excerpt from 'THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston (pp120-121)

"AUSTRALIA  - INDIA - PAKISTAN ASSOCIATION

Mrs Rischbieth was Vice-President of this association and asked me, as a special favour, to become its Honorary Secretary, assuring me that the duties would be light but of great importance to the countries concerned.

"Rischie" worked so hard herself that it was almost impossible to refuse to help her when she made a particular appeal, so almost before I had agreed I could myself involved in this association, which had been formed to promote friendly relations as well as the fostering of trade and entertainment of visitors from India and Pakistan.

During March 1951 we had a visit from I.N.S. 'RAJPUT" and Mrs Rischbieth. in her usual generous manner. entertained officers and men at her beautiful home "Unalla" in Peppermint Grove.  It was a glorious evening and young women from the Y.W.C.A., Girls' Friendly Society, Guild members and friends welcomed the guests and mingled with them in the gardens."  (Indian sailors from the "Rajput", 1st March, 1951.)

"Mrs Rischbieth's grand piano was drawn up to the open window and there was an outstanding musical programme arranged by Edgar Nottage, as well as plentiful supply of refreshments specially selected to cater for Australian taste and that of our visitors.

It was my responsibility to arrange for a suitable illuminated address to be prepared for presentation to the ship, and this was beautifully carried out for us, without cost, by the Art Department of Boans Limited.  It was presented at an 'AT HOME' on board "RAJPUT" on Friday, 2nd March, 1951 to which I was invited."

I feel it is better if I do keep these episodes short and just cover one subject at a time when it is relevant to do so.

MUM CONTINUES WITH HER WORK AT THE GUILDS

We now have mum established as Hon. Secretary of the Guilds.  In this episode mum tells of her experiences when involved with the Swan River Conservation Committee.

Excerpt from 'THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston.  (pp 116-120)

"The Guilds also participated, together with many well-known people and organisations, in the formation of the Swan River Conservation Committee, to care for the river and seek the establishment of a Swan River Conservation Board on similar lines to that of the River Thames Board which was cleaning up that waterway in the United Kingdom."  (Our beautiful Swan River (looking toward the Indian Ocean) of which we are all very proud).

The investigations of the Swan River Conservation Committee resulted in the exposure of numerous manufacturing and government concerns which were constantly polluting the river with their effluent.

On the resignation of Mrs Isobel Johnston from the position of Secretary/Treasurer, she put forward my name as her successor and I was asked to take it over.  I was Hon. Secy/Treas., for about seven years, after which the Swan River Conservation Board was formed making the Committee no longer necessary.

We had a number of amusing experiences during our investigations into the state of the river.  Constant complaints were received from boat owners regarding the waters near the gas works, stating that their boats were discoloured by oil and grease when passing that way.  One of our men volunteered to descend in bathers to test the truth of this and when he came up he was black all over, so we needed no further proof of the pollution at that point.

We also discovered that considerable undesirable effluent made its way into the river from the Spring Street drain, but nobody seemed to know the area from which the rubbish came and it may have been established in the early days of settlement.  I believe it was eventually traced to the old markets.  We used to hold our meetings in the office of Mr Max Kott, Lawyer, a member of our committee, as it was conveniently situated in St George's Terrace in the city.

He generally left his office open for me and returned in time for the meeting.  One evening I arrived and found his door locked, so sat down to await his arrival.  After some time I went downstairs to see if any of the other members of the committee were about, only to find that the caretaker had locked up the premises and departed.  I opened the main door but could not open the grille.  I was the only one inside and the other members we outside unable to get in.  We found later that Mr Kott had forgotten the date of the meeting  The grille was fastened with a padlock, and one of our members said he could spring it with a hammer, but they decided they had better find a policeman to stand by while this was done, and check that the place was fastened up after.  This was quite easily carried out.

It was a great relief to be released, as it was an uncomfortable feeling to be like a monkey behind bars  It took me quite sometime to live it down.  A photographer from the "West Australian" took a photograph of me behind the bars and the photo appeared on the front page of the paper next morning.  By kind permission of a member of the paper's staff we were able to hold our meeting in his office.

I wrote the History of the Swan River Conservation Committee for the archives and, at a public meeting, when we all resigned and handed over our responsibilities to the new Board, a nicely bound copy of the history was handed to retiring members of the successful committee and the members of the incoming board.  A copy was also sent to the archives.

We still hear of the effluent in the river and wonder if the new board is as dedicated as was our committee.  It is a paid government board and has the necessary teeth to enforce the law, but one feels there is still a need to be on the qui vive at all times.

At the time of writing the history I was no longer with the Guilds. but was confidential secretary to the manager of Bouchers' Industries."

Mum is quite right when way back in the early 1980s she said a lot more needed to be done to clean up our river.   Unfortunately right up to this time there is a constant battle to stop it being polluted, often from unknown sources.

MUM'S LIFE TAKES AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION

I had left mum and dad having sold their grocery business and moved into a house in North Perth (that is 3 times we had lived in North Perth) and mum is wondering where the "ready" is likely to come from.   She thinks about it and then makes a big decision and her life changes forever.  This mainly concerns the wonderful woman she worked for and whom she admired so much.  I too admired her and enjoyed meeting her several times.  I have a copy of her book "March of Australian Woman" in which she wrote "Margaret belongs to the younger generation of women to whom we look to continue the work.  Bessie M Rischbieth - 1964".

Excerpt from 'THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston.  (pp 114-116)

"BACK TO THE OFFICE WORLD AND SOCIAL WELFARE:

Women's Service Guilds

Things became very difficult and as Harry was not prepared to work any more, even part-time, I realised I had to seek a part-time job, to which Harry agreed although he told everybody I had no need to work and only did it to please myself. " (As I said things were now definitely not as they should be on the home front.).

"I went to the State Employment Service and asked if they had anything suitable to fit my former secretarial experience  They immediately put me in touch with Mrs Bessie M Rischbieth, O.B.E., J.P., State President of the Women's Service Guilds of W.A., who needed a State Secretary, as that office was becoming vacant. " (This is a photo of Mrs Rischbieth as I remember her.  She was indeed a very beautiful woman):

'When I went for an interview there was no hesitation on the part of either of us, as we both felt we could work together and she engaged me to start the following week, the hours being 10 a.m. to 
2 p.m. on weekdays.  The wages were only *£3.00 per week but that was sufficient to fill our needs and I stayed with the Guilds for nearly seven years."   *(Remember this was back in 1948; the equivalent of $6/week).

"For a short time before joining the Guilds I had acted as honorary minute secretary to the **L.C.L State Women's Committee, which had helped me brush up on my shorthand and typing.  I resigned as soon as I went to the Guilds.  The hours of work at the Guilds proved very convenient.  I gave Peg and Harry their breakfast, tidied the house, left lunch for Harry, and did any shopping required before going to the office.  It was very convenient having the corner store just opposite our house.  I was home in the afternoon in time to cook a good hot meal for dinner." ** (Liberal and Country League)

"There was a nice large garden at this house in which Harry took an interest.  He also spent much of his time playing bowls at the North Perth Bowling Club, weather permitting, or, at other times, playing bridge in the club rooms.  He became a very good bowls player and took part in pennants two or three days a week, so altogether he lead quite a gentleman's life.

There was a croquet club adjacent to the bowling club, and I took up croquet on Saturday afternoons and often won a small trophy.  Harry would have liked me to play bowls but it did not appeal to me as I did not admire the rear views of women bowlers in their white clothes.  One stands to play croquet and I always felt it needed more skill - rather like lawn billiards.  Eventually I became very interested in the work of the Guilds and my interest in croquet waned in favour of welfare.

The pet name for Mrs Rischbieth in the Guilds was "Rischie" and she was very much loved.  She and I became extremely close as our ideas and ideals were similar, and it was a joy to be working with someone with such a fine brain and dedicated spirit.  She was an entirely selfless person - very beautiful in her youth and still attractive as she grew older.  She was obviously adored by her husband although he did not approve of her social work.

Rishchie was the editor of a paper for the Guilds called "The Dawn" and, when running late for the press, she sometimes found it necessary to complete it at home without her husband being aware of it.  She told me that she would go to bed with her husband and sneak out when he fell asleep in order to finish an article.  One night he missed her, searched her out, and put an end to her midnight adventures.

 She told me he would give her anything she wanted for herself and as he was extremely wealthy, he would spend hundreds of pounds on a ball gown for her, but would not give her £5 for welfare.  Mr and Mrs Rischbieth travelled a lot and I remember her saying she had been eight times around the world with her husband.  After his death she went to many conferences concerned with International Alliance for Women and the Australian Federation of Women Voters, and she was caught in London during the 1939/45 war, and became involved in war service.

Like me, she was opposed to communism. and she and I often had tussles with other Guild members whose ideas where opposed to ours.  On no account would she allow the Guilds to be brought into International Women's Day or the Union of Australian Women, as the Guilds are strictly non-party political.  At the time I joined the Women's Service Guilds in 1948, a very talented Guild member, Mrs Molly Calder, had prepared her Children's Charter, and a public meeting was called to launch it.

There had been a number of charters over the years but we seem to have made very little progress, as there are still millions of children sick and hungry over the world and being compelled to do hard work.

Family planning may be one answer, but many men in the developing countries are not prepared to accept it.  Some of the wealthy women in India are trying to encourage women to use contraceptives but results are not encouraging."  (Please remember this was written in the late 1980s).

"1979 was the International Year of the Child. and although there have been some improvements in small areas, governments and politics still leave millions at risk.

An outstanding battle was that of the Guilds for the Preservation of Kings Park.  The successful outcome resulted in the passing of the Parks and Reserves Amendment Act, which provides that no further alienation of land in Kings Park can be made without the consent of both houses of Parliament in Western Australia.  Other successful efforts were the passing of a Bill granting jury service to women on the same terms as men, the formation of the Tree Society, and the establishment of the Male Nurses Association.

O.K. so we have mum back in the work force and thoroughly enjoying working in close co-operation with Mrs Rischbieth and the ladies of the Guilds.  I feel perhaps a little at a time rather than a lot about this phase of mum's life so shorter episodes in future.

MORE MOVES FOR THE FAMILY

Len and I have more or less been dispensed with except for some references to us later in the story and now mum concentrates more on what she and dad are doing with their lives.  I have edited this section somewhat as on re-reading it I realise mum was particularly harsh on dad and I've tried to tone it down a little.  One must remember he was twelve and a half years older than mum so when they moved into the shop in ca 1944 mum was 46 but dad was 58 so already slowing down to some extent.  They had both worked extremely hard during their 17 years of farming which had taken a big toll on both of them.  I think as you read on you will see that all the sweetness and light and co-operation of their earlier years had dulled quite a bit.  I am really trying to tell it as it was and my memory of our life together.  This is the only section I've really edited.  The rest is as it was writ!!

Excerpt from "THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston.  (pp 107-113)

'WE BECOME SHOPKEEPERS"

Harry began to tire of 'travelling' and had, unbeknown to me, started looking around for a small business.  Imagine my amazement when, one evening, he informed me that he had purchased a mixed business in Swanbourne and that he expected me to run it while he continued selling Rawleighs goods until he had gradually cleared up his outstanding accounts."  (I can't supply a photo of the shop as it was demolished years ago and now a service station stands in its place.  Swanbourne is about 1 or 2 km in from the coast and about 10 km distance from North Perth).

"It appeared that the owner of the shop was a man very ill with cancer, who had agreed to remain on for two weeks so that I could learn the trade.  I was quite horrified as I had never had anything to do with shopkeeping and, to make matters worse, several of the goods we would be selling were rationed as it was wartime.  Tea, sugar, and butter could only be supplied in exchange for coupons and cigarettes and tobacco were also in very short supply and had to be rationed out to customers.  The coupons for tea, sugar and butter had to be carefully counted and pasted on to forms in order to obtain further supplies from wholesalers.   Peg fortunately took on this job for which I was very thankful as I had to keep account of daily takings, make up the books and take full control of ordering and window dressing as well as run the shop.

We had sufficient money to buy the shop on a walk in walk out basis, and the people who were leaving it had to obtain permission from the owners of the house we had been renting in North Perth, to take it over from us so that we could move into the living quarters behind the shop.  This was a complicated matter but had become fairly common, as houses for rent were virtually unobtainable at that time.

I decided I had to face this new challenge, and spent the two weeks with the former owner learning to run this small mixed business, returning to North Perth at night to pack up in preparation for our move.

I felt quite worn out by the time the move was completed but we gradually settled in to the new routine.  I found the travellers most helpful and anxious to assist wherever possible.  When dealing with the customers I found it important to remember that "the customers is always right"; very difficult at times, especially when dealing with rationed goods, particularly cigarettes and tobacco.

Weekends were always very busy and it took some time before Harry was available to help me in the shop and Peg was just too shy to serve behind the counter.  At that time she would have only been 13 and was still travelling each day to attend Perth College in Mount Lawley as well as twice a week go to North Perth for her piano lessons on her way home from school.   Much of her time was taken up travelling and at nights and on weekends she had homework to do.

I certainly had a battle on my hands to cope with everything but eventually Harry was able to wind up the Rawleighs business and come into the shop in the late afternoon so that I could cook the dinner.  As business improved, I employed a woman to do the washing and ironing, and another to do a few hours housework each day.  I resumed my Red Cross work on a half day a week at Royal Perth Hospital and Harry took over the shop on that day.  He travelled to the West Perth markets 3 days a week to pick up fruit and vegetables and also delivered grocery orders to our customers." (Dad had to leave very early on these three mornings as it was quite a long trip to West Perth and he wanted to be back in time to open the shop with fresh produce).

"For some years we had gone away over the Christmas period to Mandurah where we stayed at Mandurah House, run by Mr and Mrs Turner.  The same families booked in year after year so that it became like a house party.  This was particularly good for Peg as there were several young people with whom she had good fun swimming and fishing." (This was Mandurah House in about 1948.  It has since been destroyed by fire and Mandurah Terrace now sports some very fashionable shops and eating places):

Once we went into the shop Harry and I each returned separately for two weeks to run it, leaving Peg in Mandurah for the whole four weeks.  We engaged an elderly friend as live-in housekeeper at the shop to keep me company during my two weeks, and to cook for Harry when he took over from me, which worked out quite well for all of us, and gave us a necessary break.

Business was good and we decided to close at 1p.m. on Saturdays for the weekend, which allowed Harry to join the Claremont Bowling Club.   He was a movie fan and his other source of recreation was the cinema on Saturday evenings.  Although pictures didn't appeal to me very much I went with him to keep him company.  For a while Peg went with us but she eventually decided she didn't want to any more and a friend who lived nearby would come over and keep her company while we were away.  This worried me as I felt she was too young to be left to her own devices but neither she nor Harry would give way and fortunately she and her friend Shirley never came to any harm.

We were doing quite well at the shop when Harry began to express a desire to retire.  I feel he became discontented as the shop took up a considerable amount of my time and he was not happy until we put the shop up for sale.  We obtained a good offer for it and sold out on the same walk in walk out basis.  Once again we exchanged living accommodation, this time with the new buyer, who was renting a house at the corner of Fitzgerald and York Streets in North Perth, and on the opposite corner was a small mixed business run by Tom Wardle (now Sir Thomas Wardle) and his wife Hulda.  The same week in May, 1947 when we moved into this house, Peg began her new permanent job in the city so she not only had to settle into a new home but also remember which bus stop to get off at on her way home from work." (This house was  across the road from an elderly couple, the grandparents of the man (Aub) that I would eventually marry.  Talk about a small world.)  (524 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth in 1949.  It is still there but I think it may now be a doctor's surgery or the like):

"Although he was only 62, Harry retired when we moved to North Perth and it was agreed that our capital should be invested in property which would bring in a regular income.  Harry bought several old houses, which he rented out, and a large block of land.  He would go each week to collect the rents but unfortunately he did little maintenance on the houses so when it came time to sell them we did not see much profit although, of course, we had collected the rent from them.  When he decided to sell the block of land it still came under wartime regulations and we were unable to sell at a profit.  Had we held on to that land for a few years they would have fetched a great deal of money when the regulations were lifted and we could have retired in comfort.  As it was Harry begrudged paying rates on taxes on the land so sold it was.

Our net income was insufficient for us to live one.  We could afford necessities but there was nothing over, and keeping the car running was a constant drain.  We needed new clothes, and ways and means became the great problem and the only answer was for one of us to try to find a part-time job."

As you could see all was not a bed of roses at this time and the next episode will divulge what was done to help solve the 'great problem'.

THE DAUGHTER OF THE FAMILY..........

I am truly not sure whether to continue with this or not.  I think people may be finding it a little boring and although I enjoy doing it, I am beginning to wonder if it is still worth while.  Last episode was all about Len and his family and then there is a chapter about me....just me....up till 1981.  I had thought to exclude it but then it is still part of mum's story so here goes.  If you find it rather too much then just don't bother reading it.  I promise, I won't be offended.

Excerpt from 'CLOCK OF TIME' by Gertrude Ruston.  (pp 103-107).  I have just added the one photo, one of which I am particularly fond.

GROWING UP

Peg continued at Victoria Square College until she was nearly twelve years old.  At that time it was decided by the Catholic Church that all students attending their schools must become Catholics or leave."  *(I don't think this is entirely correct.  From what I recollect it was decided that non-catholic children would have to attend Divinity classes the same as the Catholic children did.)  "We were not Catholics and did not wish Peg to be forced into that religion so we sent her to Perth College in Mount Lawley, said at the time to be the best college in Perth.  It was run by the Sisters of the Anglican Church.  Peg did not like the change of schools at all, and her results were never comparable to those at Victoria Square.

For some time Peg had complained of pain and distress which doctors had diagnosed as kidney trouble and at one stage was not allowed to eat red meat.  This had meant a diet of chicken, fish and rabbit for Peg and Harry and I had our red meat at lunch time while she was at school.

During the school holidays Peg went to stay with a friend in Waroona (a country town south of Perth).   Her name was Jill Appleby and her father was the manager of the Nestle factory in that town.  Jill then came to stay with us for a week and they had a wonderful time, spending their last day together swimming.  We saw Jill on her way home and, during that night, Peg became really ill and was in dreadful pain.  We called the doctor but he could not discover the cause of the pain but gave me some morphine to give her but she could not retain it as she was constantly vomitting.  The doctor then said to continue with the morphine and have her suck some ice chips in an endeavour to keep it down.  That was on the Friday night and I sat up with her over the weekend when she was terribly ill and I could not get the doctor.

Finally, on Monday morning, the doctor came and immediately ordered her into hospital.  Although  the pain had suddenly stopped, she was still dangerously ill, and diagnosis was still not clear so a specialist was called in and it was agreed that an exploratory operation was essential that night to save her life." (I shared the ambulance with a young chap from the same street (the brother of one of my friends) who was being taken to the Infectious Diseases Hospital as he had scarlet fever.  Remember, it was wartime and ambulances were in short supply).

"Harry and I walked up and down for hours outside St John of God Hospital in Subiaco, awaiting the result of the operation as we had been told it would be touch and go.  At last the two doctors came out and told us that they had saved her life.  She had suffered a burst retroceacal appendix behind the right kidney, and she was in hospital for 4 weeks and spent the whole of the first school term at home recovering.  I remember tutoring her in geometry, algebra, French and German to help her keep up with her school work, a  case of having to swot up that which I had forgotten before I could teach her.

Harry in desperation, on one visit to the hospital, promised Peg he would buy her a bike when she got well.  Harry then went out to hunt fora bike and bought one that cost him £17.00.  Being wartime bikes were not easy to come buy and this one had been made up of spare parts and then painted and it looked just like a brand new Malvern Star bike.  Of course Peg was not allowed to ride a bike for some weeks as her wound was not healed so she would sit on the seat while we pushed her around.  I remember how surprised Peg was to find I could ride her bike, although I must admit it was rather a wobbly ride. not having ridden for many years.

At long last Peg was well enough to go back to school and to ride her bike to and fro.  She had several school friends who also rode their bikes to school and they would meet each other along the way and ride together.  Peg was not very happy at Perth College, partly I felt because there were several subjects which were very new to her and, even though her father and I attempted to help as much as possible, having missed a the whole first term through illness it was difficult for her to catch up with them all.

Peg continued with her piano lessons from Miss McLennan, a piano teacher in North Perth, and continued to pass her her music exams, both practical and theory.  She asked permission to learn the violin and we bought her one and arranged for her to take violin lessons at Perth College and practise there during the week.  This meant I had to take the violin to the school on Monday mornings and collect it on Friday afternoons, as it was too awkward for Peg to carry both the violin and her school case.

At the end of her first year at Perth College another problem presented itself.  While running in the grounds of the Junior School Peg had caught her foot in a length of wire hidden in the garden border.  During the summer school holidays while we were holidaying at Mandurah we noticed that Peg had trouble sitting straight up and when we arrived home we took her to a back specialist.  He said she had injured the coccyx at the end of the spine, which necessitated a long period of exercise therapy.

The school denied liability as the army had used those particular premises during the war and should have left everything in good order.  We were unable to get any satisfaction and the medical bills were quite large.  We should, of course, have taken legal advice, but Harry did not want to do so as he feared the costs that we could incur.  Unfortunately, to this day, Peg suffers as a result of that accident, and probably will do so for the rest of her life.

In due course, after pleading with us, Peg left Perth College, which she never liked, and became a student at City Commercial College in Hay Street, taking the full commercial course.  She became qualified quite quickly and was third in her year for her college in W.A.  She sat for, and obtained her Junior Certificate in 6 subjects.  Her shorthand was excellent and the school offered her a position as junior shorthand teacher but she refused, saying she would not have sufficient confidence when having to teach students about her own age.  She was still 14 at this time and although she had
had a temporary job with the Kindergarten Union for several weeks, Harry said she was too young to start work permanently, so she began a second year mainly brushing up on her shorthand and typing.

The college approached us and said that a very good job for a stenographer with an insurance company had come up and they considered that Peg would do very well in the position.  After some consideration Harry agreed and Peg commenced working in her first permanent job.  After a short time the insurance company was disbanded and the general manager opened his own office as an insurance assessor.  Peg and the other girls in the office were kept on as his staff.   She thoroughly enjoyed the work and her friendship with the girls lasted for man years."  (This is a picture of Norm Stehn and his original female staff taken in 1947.  L to R:  June Wilson (Prince); Peg Loneragan (Quinn); the boss himself; Val Edmunds (Page) and yours truly.)

"I had read that the Commonwealth Government was looking for stenographers to work in Melbourne and I thought perhaps it would be good for Peg to have some experience away from home for a while.  She took the Commonwealth examinations which she passed and flew to Melbourne in October, 1950.  She decided to return home in time for my birthday the following April with the intention of surprising me but as I'd not received a birthday card from her and she would never forget my birthday.  I suspected she was returning from Melbourne and when I checked with the airlines they confirmed her name was on their passenger list.  We gave her a very warm welcome home.  She had been given an open ticket to return to work in Melbourne but after spending a couple of weeks back home she decided Perth was the place she preferred to be so wrote and resigned from her job.

When we were living in Fitzgerald Street, North Perth, Per became Honorary Secretary of the Young Liberals, (now that's given it away hasn't it?) was studying for further music exams and earning her living.  Eventually she became quite ill and I had her see the doctor who said she was doing too much and she should either leave her job or give up music.  By this time she was quite a good pianist and Harry and I were quite disappointed when she decided to give it up.  She had little choice of course as she did need to go to work.

Peg and her friends loved to dance and the Mount Lawley Tennis Club was a very popular venue, as well as other tennis clubs in Nedlands and Kings Park.  Her bedroom often resembled a dormitory when her girlfriends stayed overnight after a dance at Mount Lawley.  She gathered a number of friends over the years, including various boys as well,  and Harry would often have trouble remembering all their names.

Whilst holidaying in Mandurah when Peg was 15, a young man, Gary Arnold, brought his yacht (a sharpie) down from Perth as an experiment as the ANA Yacht Club were considering holding a yachting regatta down there each Easter.  They were staying at the same guest house as us and we got to know them quite well.  I managed to convince Peg she would be quite safe going for a sail with Gary and his two friends (one of Peg's friends went along too) and Peg fell in love with yachting and spent a lot of time on the water at weekends.  The regatta became an annual event at Mandurah for a number of years.

Peg decided to buy her own VJ (a 12' yacht) and we took it down to Mandurah one Easter.  It was quite amusing when she, and her friend Peter, decided to take the VJ out on a day when the large yachts had decided it was too dangerous to sail.  They capsized several times, righted the boat each time and had a wonderful time with quite a large group of people watching their antics from the foreshore Although she sailed the boat on the Swan River it was not always easy to find someone to .  crew with her so she eventually decided to sell her yacht.

After we had moved to Joondanna Peg became engaged to Aubrey L.,  much to our regret.  Their wedding took place in St George's Cathedral, with the reception being held at the Mount Lawley Tennis Club with a gathering of relatives and friends.

After two years Peg and Aub had a baby daughter, Karen, and two years later a son, Steven.  As Harry and I had feared, the marriage was not always a happy one and they divorced when the children were still of school age, Peg obtaining custody.

Peg's second marriage to Phil, a year or so later, has been a happy one although Peg had to return to work to help make ends meet with the children to education, their father having failed to pay the maintenance he had been ordered to pay.  Phil has been an excellent husband and stepfather.  He is employed by the State Housing Commission and Peg is now at the Forests Department.  Phil studied part-time at U.W.A. and earned his B.A. degree.  They have now bought their own home and should be able to retire comfortably in due course."  (Not as comfortably as we had hoped but we still get there OK).

Mum goes on to talk about Karen being married and having children and Steven having a good job and a nice girlfriend whom he eventually marries.  She finishes this section by writing "So much for my daughter and her family up to 1981" As I said earlier, Len and I are more or less dismissed from her story although I think we may pop up from time to time later in the story. 

*I had meant to mention about me leaving the Catholic college and going to Perth College.  I think, to my eternal regret, mum got it very wrong about protestant children having to actually convert to become Roman Catholics.  I had for 6 years sat through Catechism lessons (at the back of the class) so already knew all their teachings without it making me want to become 'one of them'.  I loved the nuns who were excellent teachers and also excellent, although not harsh, disciplinarians which was good for all of us.  My daughter attended a Catholic college during her high school years and although she took religion, and actually passed it as a Junior subject, never was she asked to become a Roman Catholic.  She, like I, often questioned their teachings but we both accept people and their beliefs and believe they are entitled to them.