Lois and I were still attending Clayfield College but instead of racing to catch a train we were now racing to catch the tram. Fortunately we could catch a tram which went through to Clayfield but we had to be sure to be there for the right one. They came at regular intervals.
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| Drumborisk Guest House |
Kathy has commented in the last post on the length of my uniform. As I mentioned earlier the school was very strict about the uniform . As I remember, the regulation length was determined this way...you knelt on the floor keeping your back straight and torso erect. The hem of your uniform had to just touch the floor in front of your knees...no shorter or longer was acceptable. Remember too that fabric and clothing was still rationed .
I dont know when we moved again ...or why...but after a brief stay in New Farm we moved to Wavell Heights.
Now Lois and I could ride our bikes to school. I had two routes I could take. If I rode part of the way home with a friend I would follow a tram-line at one point. It was always wise to be careful not to let one's bike wheel get stuck in the tram rails. One day I was carefully watching that when a dog ran out at me and I remember getting both me and the bike in quite a tangle. I was of course in full uniform, including the hat, gloves and long black stockings. I ended up a hole in one of the stockings where the dog had taken a bit out of me...nothing drastic fortunately but all rather frightening ; fortunately I hadn't fallen off the bike.
Those black stockings were the bane of our lives. They were in short supply so had to last as long as possible. As well as mending them we had to try to keep them regulation black. This was quite impossible as the dye was certainly not colourfast and the stockings quickly became a dingy gray , sometimes with a green tinge! We all regularly dyed them with black tea. I dont remember when rationing of tea ceased but I do remember Mum keeping all the used cold tea from the pot so I could dye those wretched stockings. These were of course not nylon but thick cotton lisle and very uncomfortable in hot weather.
I dont know when we moved again ...or why...but after a brief stay in New Farm we moved to Wavell Heights.
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| Wavell Heights house 1948 |
Now Lois and I could ride our bikes to school. I had two routes I could take. If I rode part of the way home with a friend I would follow a tram-line at one point. It was always wise to be careful not to let one's bike wheel get stuck in the tram rails. One day I was carefully watching that when a dog ran out at me and I remember getting both me and the bike in quite a tangle. I was of course in full uniform, including the hat, gloves and long black stockings. I ended up a hole in one of the stockings where the dog had taken a bit out of me...nothing drastic fortunately but all rather frightening ; fortunately I hadn't fallen off the bike.
Those black stockings were the bane of our lives. They were in short supply so had to last as long as possible. As well as mending them we had to try to keep them regulation black. This was quite impossible as the dye was certainly not colourfast and the stockings quickly became a dingy gray , sometimes with a green tinge! We all regularly dyed them with black tea. I dont remember when rationing of tea ceased but I do remember Mum keeping all the used cold tea from the pot so I could dye those wretched stockings. These were of course not nylon but thick cotton lisle and very uncomfortable in hot weather.
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