'Both John and I have visited Australia, years ago he worked on the P&O Line so were familiar with Australian ports'.
'I came over with friends to visit my grandfather who had a guest house by the ocean north of Sydney.'
'I have photos of us at the beautiful Swan river in Perth; Adelaide, where I had a friend; Melbourne, where we still have lots of relations, and Sydney where my grandfather first settled at Manley C1924...(He was a beach life-guard.)'
'Our memories certainly span the years, we enjoy thinking about those distant days!'
'I was a member of the Girl Guide Association then, and came to work for a Guide District Commissioner, Mrs Campbell (the family at that time owned the Port Kembla Steel Works). Their home was near to Wollongong. We would love to return, though I guess now that we would find the old places changed out of recognition.'
'It is quite a coincidence that you helped your father on the milk round. I did the same, some times I skipped school to help on the milk-round, and one day the school attendance officer found us, and my Dad was told to stop letting me play truant. Those were the days!!! After I left school (later I was a border at the Convent of St.Francis de Sales until I was fifteen), then I worked in the business until I came over to Australia when I was eighteen.'
'Today we had to spend several hours waiting about in Witney, Oxfordshire. As we wandered around the town John went and looked at the names on the War Memorial, and to our amazement found listed a C.E.Launchbury and A.J.W. Launchbury, both killed in the 1st World War. I will endeavour to learn more about them when I have a bit of spare time.'
'Top left is a view of "Seacrest" at Thirroul, New South Wales, circa early 1920's, which my maternal grandfather built, some of the guests are seen in the garden (on the back in my grandfather writing it is dated 22.7.46.)'
'Top right is the view from the veranda, showing the rock garden and how close it is to the ocean.'
'The baby in the old fashioned pram is David, a child I looked after in Homebush, Sydney.'
'2nd row shows myself (Anne) on right, with friends by the Swan river in Perth, Western Australia. (I still write to Molly, 3rd from left, she has been a very faithful friend over all these years).'
'Bottom row is part of the house and garden, where I worked for the Hoskins family.'
'View of Hoskins back garden at Glennifer Brea, with Mount Kiera shrouded in mist. (The water in the lily pond had been replaced with sand as the eldest son of the family had been drowned there.) One very early morning when dew was still on the grass I walked bare foot across that lawn, to be shocked by seeing an enormous snake sliding just inches from my feet! Not an experience easily forgotten...'
'These are all very old photos. The small ones were taken with a camera given to me by a boy friend before I left England around about 1949. During, and after the war, it was difficult, or impossible to buy film and cameras.'
Take me back to