I've wanted to paint this for a long time, so I can't help but wonder where these people are now. No doubt the 'little' girl is at least a teenager. Dawn at one of Adelaide, South Australia's beaches (Semaphore). Where horses are allowed to exercise on the beach and in the surf up until 8am. At one stage this was along all the beaches, and a great many were exercised at Grange, where I lived, and was lucky enough to be let ride sometimes, as a child.
I've done several paintings from this location. Love this with the Mum, child, big and little horses (Shetland pony), and Jack Russell Terrier running alongside. Original watercolour 6x6"
"Starting The Day With A Gallop" - currently listed on eBay for a week at a very low starting price (along with 7 other SFA watercolors). http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291060359629
One of the most amazing times of my young life began when Mum & Dad went out rather secretively and came back with a German Shepherd puppy. Evidently my Mum had wanted one. We named her 'Trixie' (Rowlandscourt Nerissa?) and was bought from a breeder in Brighton. She was a few months old, or thereabouts. I was instantly in love.
For a long time German Shepherds were in my life, and in my young pre-teen and teen life bought about a 'life' outside the home. We would go to dog shows all over. Just about every community had dog shows and most would be held in conjunction with community fairs (agricultural societies). I loved looking at the crafts, arts, cooking, preserving, and visiting all the animals. We would have great picnic lunches, and I learnt all the fine details of showing dogs, and, as a 'child handler' won many certificates and ribbons. For a while I started training as a judge, and almost immediately became a 'mid-wife' when litters were born. Trixie would let me near, but noone else. She would commence the birth process in my bedroom, so my room became a baby birth station. I had always said I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon, so this fitted in beautifully. Even though my parents told me that I couldn't (I was a girl). My other choice was to be an artist - a commercial artist - even though I didn't truly know what that was. Just knew that it was what I needed to be. I always told people I was an artist. I didn't even know artists, so I was a bit 'weird' to most with this desire. It stood me in good stead in later years, getting a job at a Veterinary Clinic in Atlanta - where I discovered I LOVED the veterinary life, and think I would have made a great surgeon!
Anyway, this is one of the many certificates I got - this was a 2nd prize, on 10-10-59 - Kapunda and Light Agricultural Society Inc. Championship Show. The childish hand for breed, class, name, and exhibitor is probably my handwriting. I can remember that some certificates weren't fully made out. But I didn't falsify it. It was won as stated.
I remember that the headmaster of Grange Primary School was Mr Wade, and us students loved him. 1950s. I have a feeling that he died while I was attending there. But it was with total shock that Mr Senior died when I was at Henley High School. I'm not sure of the year - 1964, or 3?
It was such a new school, and held up as a shining example of the times, and we all were so very full of enthusiasm. So full of hope for the future, full of vitality, and activity. This is the news clipping from the newspaper at the time.
One of the 'administration' steps taken at one stage, was to separate boys and girls at recess and lunch breaks. Whether it was put in to effect by the headmaster (not sure which one), or teachers, or prefects, I don't know. I heard stories about why this 'rule' was put in to effect, but won't repeat it here.
What was the most amazing thing was what happened. There was a drain between the 'old' and the 'new' school where we were told not to cross, boys in 'new' side as was closest to the oval, and girls in the old.
I can remember being one of the first - I don't know how it all started, but once started the whole school joined in. We sat on the ground. Boys on one side of the drain, girls on the other. I can't remember singing, or clapping or anything, but know that the new 'rule' was quickly retracted, and we were all told to get up and go about our usual activities. I'm not quite sure how many students took part. But can remember telling people that there were 900 students. But heck - memories are so fleeting and funny at times. Not all is as remembered.
This is an old clipping in the society pages of the Australian Women's Weekly. Not sure of the year. 1960s?
Mr Gordon Wright was the father of a guy I dated in the 60s. Mr Wright was the manager of the Sturt movie theatre in Rundle Street (now Rundle Mall), in Adelaide. The lotteries commission was built on this site. I remember seeing 'The Graduate' there. It was quite a startling movie at the time - very 60s! Also I think I saw 'Mondo Carne' there? and definitely 'Oliver Twist'.
Mr Wright lived at West Beach, not far from the Sailing Club, and was an active sailor. For many years I would go past his house, as many did, and see the yacht he was building - quite a talking point as it was made of concrete.
UPDATE: I'm now fairly certain that I saw 'Mondo Carne', which was considered quite shocking at the time, at the Capri Cinema. I don't know if it still exists as I haven't lived in Adelaide since mid-2003. I believe it to be off either Goodwood or Unley Road. A beautiful theatre. Roundness comes to mind and stucco. Think the facade had these. Gold stucco and reddish accents?
OK. This is an item in "The News" - the evening newspaper at the time. 19th February, 1964.
I'll never know who took the yo-yo down (installed 11th - Sunday evening), but I do know who put it up and who aided by holding onto the rope, and moving it around to the other side of the statue to stop headlights of passing cars finding out what was going on. ;)
At least one of us was not totally sober. Forgotten exactly who was there, and how many. But two I do know.
Made the Adelaide 'Advertiser' newspaper front page.
BUT was eternally made fun of by school pals - at Henley High School they hadn't felt it. I was at my aunt's home on Military Road, Henley Beach (3 houses south of North Tce), sitting on a concrete porch. I'd left school early to go to a doctor's appointment. It felt like a big rumbling truck to me, and I looked for it, but couldn't see one. That was more than a mile away from the Tucker/Pearson home in Grange, mentioned in the article.
I remember the 'big' one in Adelaide when we were soundly shaken in the early 1950s. At the time I shared a bedroom with my Mother. I believe it was the early hours of the morning. I woke up, and the windows were shaking - like a rumbling was happening. At the time the railway line was on Military Road, just below us, at our back fence, with house on Seaview Road. Mum had her bed light on, and I asked her what was happening. She told me it was a train going by, to go back to sleep (thanks Mum! - just as well the house didn't come crashing down!). The windows were 'old' glass with rope pulls at the sides. They did rattle with buses on Seaview Road in later years.
UPDATE - ADD ON: Seems I've already posted on this. See http://bornin1948.blogspot.com/2012/04/earthquake-newsclipping-adelaide-beach.html and also http://bornin1948.blogspot.com/2012/04/earthquake-hits-adelaide-south.html
Getting your photo in the Adelaide 'Advertiser' newspaper was always quite an accomplishment. As Henley High School was such a relatively new school (opened 1958), our first prefect induction was covered in the news.
The photographer gathered all the prefects together, then wanted some 'regular' students in the photo, too. The only students were guys - left behind to pack up the metal chairs that we had sat on in the quadrangle. The photographer wanted some female students, but as it was a break most had gone to activities on the oval and far away.
Typically I and my best friend, Robin were where we weren't really supposed to be - inside the main building corridor. They reporters grabbed us and shoved us right behind the prefects, and in front of the guys.
I remember it as being a very uplifting assembly and occasion.
I think part of this photo was part of the celebrations for 50th anniversary of Henley High School. I can always remember going to a display at Henley Town Hall in the 80s or early 90s and the Henley & Grange Historical Society had included this photo in their 'historical' display. You can imagine what went through my mind with that! Me? History/historical? Am I THAT old?
I have the year down for this photo as 1964, and believe that to be approximately correct.
