Looking back - looking forward

It has been a few weeks since my last post. Instead of looking back to earlier memories, I have been creating new ones. I had a wonderful week with all my family here to celebrate my 80th birthday. Family, you did me proud and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves as much as I did. I appreciated the way you all played your part and made it such a great experience.

Hilary at the luncheon to celebrate her 80th birthday

  The week following the luncheon was rather full-on and that unfortunately was followed by a week with a bad head cold from which I am only now starting to  recover.

It is other people's perception of one that makes you realise that you must be now "officially" old! Odd little remarks or actions e.g. I was recently returning  my shopping trolley to the bay when a younger woman walking hers back stopped and offered to take mine. I remembered when I used to do this for older people!

Before I get back to the recording of my childhood years I am now going to add a few historical facts to give more of the background to the times in which I grew up.
As mentioned earlier , my brother Alan was born in 1929 and I in 1931.

In 1929Australia's first airmail stamp was issued.
In 1929 in Melbourne Hoyts converted 20 suburban theatres from "silent" to "talkies."
In August 1929 audiences enjoyed the first Australian-made talking picture - a newsreel made by Fox Movietone.
That must seem incredible to the younger family members who have so much technology literally in their hands today.

In 1930 Brisbane City Hall was opened; the first wireless telephone service with England began; and the First Empire (now Commonwealth) Games were held (in Canada where Australia won 3 gold medals.)
At the same time, unemployment was extreme and there was much poverty; public soup kitchens were set up in many areas; many families lost their homes and squatters took over empty houses; others lived in make-shift humpies in public places such as Sydney's domain as they couldn't afford rent.

In 1931 QANTAS carried airmail from Brisbane to Darwin as part of an experimental service to the UK.
In 1931 the two ends of the Sydney Harbour Bridge joined in the midddle ; the bridge was opened in 1932.
In Oct 1931 the Chinese People's Republic was declared
Escalators appeared in some of the larger department stores; the first electric shaver went on sale; the British House of Commons agreed to the playing of sport on Sundays; and in preparation for the Olympics of 1932, the Olympic committee agreed to women athletes participation in track and field events; the first showing was held of a Donald Duck cartoon.

In 1932 the Australian Broadcasting Co.Ltd. was formed( later the Govt ABC)
In 1932 the jingle for Aeroplane Jelly was very popular.

In 1934 Bert Hinkler set off from London to fly to Australia but crashed in Italy and was killed; the first traffic lights were installed in Sydney; the Australian Womens Weekly was launched; there were the now famous bodyline cricket protests;

By 1934, ominous signs were appearing of the threat of war in Europe and Japan was making inroads into China and parts of Asia.
An anti-war congress was held in Melbourne
In August 1935, there was a large anti-war demonstration in Melbourne.
also in 1935, the cane toad was introduced to Queensland to control the beetle damaging sugar cane crops.

In 1936 George V died. In Dec. Edward VIII abdicated and Prince Albert became King George VI in 1937

In 1937 the first regular airmail services between Australia and America began.
This year also saw a polio epidemic in Australia and New Zealand; particularly in Victoria. Police were stationed at the NSW-Vic border ; any  children under 16 years  needed a health certificate stating " no contact with the virus for 21 days " before they could cross the border.
In 1937 the golden Gate Bridge in San Franciso was opened;

In 1938 Air passenger links with England were becoming more regular.
With the increasing threat of war, Canberra announced the creation of a new Defence dept; many refugees from Europe were arriving in Australia; troops were being trained and tenders called for army uniforms; censorship came into force for communications between Australia and overseas.
In Sept 1939 Australia, following England, declared war on Germany.

As mentioned in an earlier post, this was the year we moved to Annerley.
For me as a child life went on as normal and reading articles from the time it is interesting to see that despite all the anxiety etc all the usual Aussie sporting fixtures still took place!
A small item I came across during my research tells that The Ready Mix company of Sydney was "the first company in the world to truck pre-made concrete to construction sites"  around this time ,so building and construction was still happening.

In 1940 A call-up ( to the forces) was issued for all single men up to the age of 33 years.
In 1941 single men to the age of 45 and married men to the age of 35 were called up. At first only married men without children were called up but as the war went on this was extended to a wider section of the population
Following the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbour and in Malaya and Singapore, Australia declared war on Japan.

This is a brief background to the times I have covered in earlier posts.
I will continue with more personal reminiscences next time.