Mitchy Memories

Taking Mitchy Memories to the Streets Digital Stories

2009-11-27T15:50:00.013+10:00

The five new digital stories about Mitchelton's local history from the Q150 Community Grants funded 'Taking Mitchy Memories to the Streets' Project are completed and ready for the launch.

The first one is 'Blackwood Road - Dorothy Jeffrey'. Dorothy moved into Blackwood Road, Mitchelton as a teenager and watched the shopping street change. This digital story answers the question 'How did Mitchelton and Blackwood Road (Street) get their names?'

The five digital stories launched on Saturday 28th November, 2009 at the Mitchelton Library are:

- 'Blackwood Road' (Dorothy Jeffrey)
- 'Keperra Bora Ring & Aboriginal Camping Ground' (Uncle Nurdon Serico and Kathryn Fisher)
- 'Mitchy's First School' (Robin Egan)
- 'Bell's Paddock' (Bob Dunlop)
- 'Racquets, Dips and Dances' (Bill and Joyce Sharman)

They are published here as part of the 'Taking Mitchy Memories to the Streets' Digital Storytelling Q150 project.

Daryll Bellingham - mail@storytell.com.au - mob 0417 478 408

Laughing in the Library

2007-09-21T14:17:00.001+10:00

Wednesday 19th September - Over the last months Wednesday has been our regular meeting time at Mitchy Library. Some days start slow, this Wednesday did, but by about 3pm we were really busy scanning images, assisting with computers, recording stories.

And what great stories they were! There was the clothes prop man who lived up in the bush at Keperra, Micky Flynn. If children gave him any cheek he'd whip off his belt and start to chase them - a difficult thing to do as the kids were fast and Micky's trousers fell down around his ankles as soon as he pulled the belt off! Much laughter in the library. More laughter remembering Micky taking his horse to the Alderley pub where the horse would drink beer from Micky's hat.

And what about Charlie Tree's Dairy? Do you remember how the bull used to get out now and then and chase you! It was good to be a fast runner.

And catching the train home did you ever see a man who'd take out his bottom teeth and then his top teeth and swap them around? We all saw him that Wednesday afternoon when, for a while, we were all young again and laughing with glee and wonder at how strange and wonderful life can be. Then the stories of the night cart man - but maybe we'll save them up for another time!

Home in Glenholm

2007-09-20T16:24:00.000+10:00

How many of our neighbours do we know? Two, three? Perhaps a few more? In the 1950's in Glenholm Street, Mitchelton lots of people knew each other. Christine Garrett created a map showing her neighbours when she was a child growing up in the street - plenty of people to play and talk with both sides and up and down the street. Here's a snippet of Christine's memories.

Growing up in Mitchelton in the 1950’s and 1960’s for me was great. Many of my friends either lived in my street or very close by, as did many of my relations. I was an only child but I was never bored or lonely. I always had people that I could talk and interact with. Looking back now I was very fortunate.

There was always someone to walk to and from school with. You just had to wait at the front gate for a couple of minutes and there would be someone going past that you could tag along with. After school there was never a shortage of people to play with. Some afternoons there could be as many as ten kids in one yard building cubbies or climbing trees or just riding bikes and scooters around.

For more of Christine's memories please visit her contribution 'Ten Kids Building a Cubby' on our Mitchy Memories wiki

Ferny Grove - a picnic and a platypus

2007-09-20T15:39:00.000+10:00

Dawn visited the Mitchy Library to share some memories.
I went to Grandma’s day at St Paul’s school the other day and the kids asked me what we did for hobbies or entertainment and I said: “Go up to the graveyards and count the tombstones.” I don’t say that was very nice but that is what we did or go to Ferny Grove for picnics.

We were at Ferny Grove on a picnic when a team of ambulances went up Samford Road. We found out later that there was a train accident at Camp Mountain. I ask people now and they don’t even know that the train went further than Ferny Grove. I was at the station which was a big day for the opening of the electric train line.

We used to go to Ferny Grove for picnics a lot years ago. I remember my father caught a platypus out there, that was a novelty, you didn’t see many of them about then. For more memories Link here

Mitchy two up makes gardens grow!

2007-09-20T15:02:00.000+10:00

On weekends in Mitchie there wasn’t a great lot to do. The young ones played sport (we had a great soccer team), cricket and tennis – while the older boys headed for the creek to play ‘two – up’ which of course was a no – no. So to be sure they were not caught by the police they needed a look-out person who was referred to as a ‘cockatoo’, someone who could climb a tree and run fast – hence my then husband had a little job on a weekend. His job was to give a warning to the players when the police were coming and then run like hell.

The players all scattered quickly and got into the Chinaman’s garden and picked up a gardening tool (fork or dagger) or just pretended to be weeding or picking thus escaping being caught.

I’m sure the policeman at the time, Sargeant Morris, knew all about the goings on and turned a blind eye.

Thanks to Betty Mead for her recollections - for more please visit our wiki
and here for another two up recollection

My Memories of Mitchelton

2007-09-18T09:47:00.001+10:00

Are you ready for a dance? There were plenty of places to dance as Pauline Batterham tells us.

They held dances three nights a week. On Saturday at the Enoggera Memorial Hall. On Mondays at the hall which was on the corner of Glen Retreat Road and Samford Road, near the current cricket pitch. That hall was moved to the Convent of Our Lady of Dolours, it is still used as part of the school. Thursday night was at St. Matthews, “The Box” the best dance floor around at the time.

Then came the young girls turn, about a dozen of us became show girls. We did a revue at the Mitchelton Picture Theatre to raise money. I suppose for the war effort. I can’t remember, it was sooo good, we did two other shows one at Enoggera Camp and one at Redbank Plains Camp.

After the war the place quietened down, most of us married and continue to live here.

For all of Pauline's recollection visit our Mitchy Memories wiki.

Pounds, shillings and pence - some Marshall family memories

2007-09-17T18:00:00.000+10:00

On the 28th. September 1953 Ron bought the 31.5 perches at 10 Ruby Road, Mitchelton for 240 pounds ($480-00). Most of the streets were unsealed at this time. About this time our Charles Hope fridge cost 100 Pounds ($200-00). On the 5th. July 1960 our HMV Kingstone TV from Jim Jeffrey, 40 Blackwood Road Mitchelton, cost 180 Pounds 5 shillings ($361-00). On the 7th June 1968 The Rover Mower and catcher from Gaythorne Mower Service cost $135 -00.

On the 10th August 1972 yearly rates were: General Rates $23-65, Water Rates $16-88, Sewerage $15-00, Cleansing $5-76 - Discount $5-76, Total $59-91.

In 1970 the telephone connection fee was $30-00 and $20-00 for six months rental.

Thanks to Beryl Marshall for these recollections. For more visit the Mitchy Memories wiki.

Sounds No Longer Heard in Mitchelton

2007-09-17T17:26:00.000+10:00

Roosters in the early mornings,
The tinkle of milk bottles at the front steps in the early mornings.
The clanging of the rubbish tins as they were collected from the yard.
The sound of the council grader doing the road. Watched with much interest by young boys.
The postmans whistle when he delivered your mail on his pushbike.
The school bell.
The church bell at St. Matthews ringing at noon each day.
The steam train and the whistle when it left the station.
Beryl

Good swimming holes

2007-09-17T17:18:00.000+10:00

My recollection of Mitchelton in the early twenties and early thirties, there were no bitumen roads or concrete channelling. Osborne Road was a blind street. No bridge crossing Kedron Brook. Many small crop farms. Some poultry farms all along Kedron Brook, even good swimming holes.

Talking about swimming holes, there were many along Taylor Road from the army camp to the junction of Lucy Street. Then it took a course through behind where the Mitchelton Library now stands continuing where the the Gaythorne RSL is through the Mitchelton sports ground. Eventually finding its way to Kedron Brook. The largest hole of the lot was about opposite Lucy Street, it was almost a mini dam. It was a drinking place for the cattle which roamed the area.

The time came when a timber bridge was built from Taylor road, across to Station View Street, this helping local residents and vendors of bread, milk and fruit.

Back in the early twenties a section of Samford Road was concreted from about Glen-retreat Road out past Dawson Parade. It was stated to have been an experiment, it also created work. It was eventually covered with bitumen.

Allan

Memories by Duncan - bare feet, birds and butterflies

2007-09-17T12:31:00.000+10:00

'15th. August 1927 Aboard TSS Demosthenes.

Sailing up the Brisbane River. I was standing there and wondering what lay ahead and watching all the birds. I saw Pelicans and Storks in the flesh for the first time. We tied up at Dalgety’s wharf about 8-30am. Much rushing to and fro saying farewells.

We finished up at Central Station and caught the train out to Gaythorne and went to Tom O’Briens house at the bottom end of Bellevue Avenue. The road consisted of tracks for the horses and carts. To us, coming from Glasgow, it seemed to be away out in the country. Kedron Brook ran near us and I used to spend a lot of time down there watching the birds, butterflies and lizards. All along the banks of the creek were Chinaman's gardens growing vegetables. Our nearest neighbours were the Stocks, Duggans and Drakes. There were only a couple of houses between us and the station. Thought I was in heaven because it did not rain till Christmas and I could run around in bare feet.'

And so begins a beautiful letter written by Duncan Robertson. Many thanks to Peter for sharing this treasure with us. To read the letter in its entirety visit the Mitchy Memories Wiki.

The Fireball

2007-09-16T22:09:00.000+10:00

Mitchy is full of good stories and there's lots of stories about the fireball. Here's Peg Nugent's memory of that exciting event.

'The night the fireball struck, I was outside the picture theatre and when the lightning surfaced with a fireball, it was like a big, blue flame, and you could see the little St Matthew’s Church flat against the flame.

So when it finished, after a while Jimmy Morris said to me, “Peg, I’m sure the fireball landed somewhere near us. Can we go and have a look?” So Jimmy Morris and I and one of the usherettes went looking for the fireball. Of course, Jimmy said it would be a big, dark patch where it landed.

In those days I loved to have lovely shoes, I was very proud of my shoes, and I wasn’t a bad runner. So we started off going across Bell’s Paddock looking for this big dark patch.

All of a sudden I saw the big, dark patch, and I said, “Jim, there it is!” He said, “That’s it! I said it would be a big, round dark patch.” So we took off like mad to see who’d get there first.

When we were nearly there, I realised what it was, and I’m saying to Jim, ‘Slow up! Slow up!” He thought I wanted to beat him. I couldn’t slow up in time and neither could he, but what happened was that the circus had been there from the week before, and they’d pegged the elephants out, and the elephants had walked around and around and around, and the next thing Jim and I were up to our ankles in mud and elephant poo! When we came back, we had to wash our shoes and our feet at the back of the theatre because I never thought for a moment that we were going to land in this.'

Thanks to Enoggera and Districts Historical Society and to Peg Nugent for kind permission to republish this extract of a talk which Peg gave to the Society.

Hungerford's Poultry Farm - fresh and free range

2007-09-12T08:47:00.000+10:00

Greg Hungerford tells us his family farm is 'like paradise in the city.' In this extract from an interview Greg tells us about the beginnings of the farm. For the entire recollection visit the Mitchy Memories wiki.

'I live on a 52 acre property in Mitchelton which I have lived on all my life. My parents were commercial poultry farmers from 1947 to 1974.

My Mum had come to live in Mitchelton in July, 1927. She was born at Windsor and she lived on a farm at Lacey’s creek and then when my Grandfather (her father) brought the property in 1927 she came and lived at Mitchelton. My Mum and Dad got married on Australia Day.

My Dad was living near Chinchilla and he enlisted to join the Armed Forces and he came to the Grovely Army Camp and my mum and dad met at what was affectionately known as ‘The Box’, up here on Church Road (near St Matthew’s Church). They were engaged during the War and they got married on Australia Day 1946. For about one year my mum and my dad actually lived in Gosford, NSW when my other uncle and his wife were running the property but when my mum and dad came back to Mitchelton then they took it over and ran it as a commercial poultry farm. We had a few head of cattle on the property but it was never a commercial interest.

The farm was a free range poultry farm. We did not have any cages on the farm, we would carry the mash out to the chooks in the sheds and then you would carry the eggs back and take them down under the house and clean them and package them into two and a half dozen trays and then take them out to the customers. We had three egg runs a week: Monday, Thursday and Saturday. We sold all our eggs locally to local householders.'

Greg's property narrowly avoids fire in October 2005.

We're mapping Mitchy memories

2007-09-05T09:41:00.000+10:00

One of the most interesting web aspects of this project has been an exploration of Google Maps. You may have already visited some posts that have links to Google Maps and seen that a map of all the recollections is being built. A link to the larger map is provided below - it is ok on dial up but will, of course, be much quicker to visit if you're using broadband.

Now it is also possible to embed the map as I have done below. We're looking forward to adding more and more streets and memories as we get closer to 29th September, the project celebration date.

View Larger Map

We lived around the wireless

2007-09-05T08:55:00.000+10:00

John Cotterell invites us into his 1950's home in Heliopolis Parade, Mitchelton.

At home, we virtually lived around the wireless (not the radio!) Late p.m radio serials were especially popular whilst at weekends the fare was a mixture of sports broadcasts and drama shows such as provided by the Caltex Hour. Saturdays were often dominated by the serials and movies at the pictures (not the cinema). It was genuinely amazing how much fun could be had at the Gaythorne pictures for a mere sixpence!

Television arrived in the early 1960’s. We were very popular for a while with our neighbours when we acquired a black and white set in 1961. Managing homework became a whole new challenge.

Unique events for the times were interesting and generated much joy. The various circuses visited annually usually occupying the site between Gaythorne Bowls Club and Samford Road. An RNA-style carnival came to Mitchelton Oval every two years. Guy Fawkes night occurred every November – I still do not know how we survived each others diabolical adventures with fireworks.

To read more of John's recollections visit the Mitchy Memories Wiki.

We're enjoying Mitchy Memories!

2007-08-21T22:48:00.000+10:00

Photos:
1.Daryll Bellingham shares some of the great Mitchy stories with Yr 6/7 at Mitchelton Primary School
2.Betty Fletcher and Peg Nugent meet up at 'Sing a Song of Mitchelton' workshop at Mitchelton Library
3.Kathy Fisher (Indigenous Coordinator Mitchy Memories Project) and Getano Bann (Singer / Songwriter Mitchy Memories) with young people who attended 'Sing a Song of Mitchelton'

Rob's Story

2007-08-12T11:41:00.000+10:00

I moved to Mitchelton with my family when I was ten years old in 1950.The saw mill was behind our house in Blackwood Road. We kids used to shin up the posts to play in the sawdust bin as there was no ladder. Sometimes we were chased away by the workers milling the timber.

Our back yard used to get very wet so Dad devised a solution for our problem. There were steam trains turning around at Mitchelton to return to the city. They dumped their burnt ashes on the side of the line so Dad asked the station master if we could have the unwanted ashes to help our water problem. After permission was given, it was my job to wheel the barrow loads of ashes home after school. I was really embarrassed by all the passengers seeing me wheeling the barrow up the street, but the ashes solved Dads problem well. Our neighbours used sawdust from the mill but the water stayed on top & did not soak away as fast.

My mates and I as teenagers used to bike ride out to Ferny Grove and Samford. There was not much traffic in those days. We used to trap finches at Ferny Grove near the old night soil depot. What a smelly place.!!!

Another great pastime was sliding down the slimy open drain behind the neighbours across the road. It was best after rain.

I used to earn pocket money by helping my brother in – law when he went to the fruit & vegetable markets when they were in Roma Street. My sister and her husband had a Fruit Shop & Milk Bar in Blackwood Road.

Times sure have changed.

Caltex Service Station / Mitchelton Motors

2007-08-12T11:30:00.000+10:00

The Service Station, on the corner of Samford and Blackwood Roads, was owned by Todd McLeod, his daughter- in-law Norma (Aunty) worked there as well. These were the days when drive way service was the norm, you didn't even have to get out of your vehicle, if you didn't want to. They would pump your fuel, clean the windscreen and even check your tyre pressure. Being only a kid, I was always with my Dad, the most exciting part for me was being allowed out of the car to go & pat the dog (Tammy). That’s when everyone new your name and there was always time for a chat.

45 Blackwood Road - Betta Electrical Store

2007-08-12T11:17:00.000+10:00

James and Charles Jeffrey

The store was a good old fashioned one, always stocked to the ceiling. It was owned by my Uncle James, and my Dad Charles, ran it with him. It was a true family business, over the years several of my cousins also worked in the store. The shop was long and skinny, filled from top to bottom, with just enough room to walk through to the counter, at the back of the store. There were also goods displayed out on the front footpath. They not only retailed but also did repairs. Back in those days you could also trade-in your appliances and update to more modern versions. Everything was delivered, as far away as Samford some times, I would quite often go with my father for the drive.

Out the back was a chook pen, which belonged to the house next-door on the left, us kids would go & pull out weeds & grass growing near-by and throw it over the fence and into the pen.

Next door to the Betta Electrical Store on the right hand side was a Butcher (Costello's) and then the Cut Price Grocery Store. Today the shop is now a Cafe, with a Bakery next door, then a Fish n Chip takeaway, Liquor Store and then the Asthma Foundation Shop.

41 Blackwood Road

2007-08-12T11:11:00.000+10:00

Arthur and Gwendoline Simmich - My Grandpop and Grandma's Home

They arrived in Mitchelton in 1950. The house was a highset Queenslander with a front verandah enclosed with wooden louvers. We walked under the house and always went in up the backstairs. Out in the backyard there were lots of fruit trees and flower gardens. There were also three out-houses (toilets), two for the doctor's surgery, the other for the house. Dr. Carter’s surgery had been built in the front yard, it was a watermelon pink & green building. My grandmother would pick flowers every morning & place them in the doctors surgery, she especially loved roses. There was only one telephone (black bakalite) that would be taken down from the house every morning and put in the surgery, they shared the same phone number. The waiting room at the doctors would see people spilling out onto the street, there was a bench out on the footpath to sit on. You would go in the front door to see doctor & exit out the side door. We were never allowed to play under the house or out the front as the noise would disturb doctor & patients.

Mr. Garozzo's chemist was also right there, from under the house you could look into the back of the shop & see the chemist at work. There was a high wire cage out the back of the shop, where all the chemicals & medicines were stored. I remember big, dark brown glass bottles, filled with who knows what, being kept there. My grandmother would call out through the cage and the chemist would come to the back door and they would chat.

Country Mitchy

2007-08-11T21:30:00.000+10:00

It was a real pleasure today to catch up with long time Mitchy residents, Bill and Joyce Sharman. We sat in the pleasant warm August afternoon sunshine and talked about the Ekka, scrub turkeys, tawny frogmouths and memories of a beautiful creek.

Bill and Joyce were interviewed in 2003 by Enoggera and Districts Historical Society members Barbara Gunn and Maureen Shannon. With the kind permission of Bill, Joyce, Barbara and Maureen and the Historical Society itself we have reproduced an extract of that interview on the Mitchy Memories site.

In the interview Joyce comments: "We were considered to be in the country, and country people have to be supportive of each other, because they have to rely on each other for so many things. And I don’t think that feeling has ever left the people of Mitchelton, because so many of them are still here, still living here. They’ve grown up, married, settled down here, raised their families here. I think that feeling is still around in Mitchelton as a community, not just a suburb."

My Memories of Mitchelton - Blackwood Road Forever!

2007-08-06T09:17:00.000+10:00

At last a mention of the Skating Rink! Thanks Anne for your story of 50's to 70's Mitchy.

My recollections seem to centre around Blackwood Road. It will always be Road to me. Grandma and Grandpop's back yard...that's Gwen and Arthur Simmich to most of you. Sweetpeas growing on trellises, a washing machine with a wringer, bluo for bee stings, a mango tree for shade and open space for playing with cousins.

Mitchelton Skating Rink…where we liked to hang out as teenagers on a Saturday night..Red Hill was Friday night and where I met my husband on a blind date. Skating around to the music of Suzi Quatro and checking out the cool older boys who we kind of knew from school…Mitchie State High of course!

For the rest of Anne's reminiscence pop over to the Mitchy Memories wiki. But perhaps before you go you'd like to make a comment on Anne's story or briefly share your Skating Rink memory - it's easy just add a comment.

You're invited - Sing a Song of Mitchelton!

2007-08-03T09:46:00.000+10:00

Free workshops at Mitchelton Library
Come and help the Mitchy Memories project create songs about your stories of Mitchelton. With funding from a Brisbane City Council communities grant they've been able to employ singer/songwriter Getano Bann to run some free community workshops in Mitchelton.

• Everyone welcome - Saturday 18th August
9am to 11am. All ages workshop. Come along and share your Mitchy story, your piece of history and with Getano's skilled input create a brand new Mitchy song.

Bring your instruments, particularly guitars. Songs created at the workshops will be performed at the project's finale on Saturday September 29th and published on the Mitchy Memories web site. There will be rehearsals for the performance on Saturday 22nd September and Wednesday 26th September.

Getano Bann
Getano Bann is a professional, accomplished entertainer, registered music therapist and songwriter with more than twenty five years experience as a performer who enjoys working with community groups.

To Book
Workshop places are limited. To book, or for more information please contact Mitchy Memories - Karen Tunny ph 3846 3135.

Wonderful Neighbours - Memories of Grace Street

2007-08-02T14:05:00.000+10:00

The following extracts are part of a longer contribution from Doreen Cahill who shares her memories of Grace Street, Oxford Park from December 1951 to November 1963. Doreen's complete recollection can be read by visiting the Mitchy Memories Wiki. Thanks to Dorothy Jeffrey for posting Doreen's recollections to this blog.

When my husband, Jack Cahill and I and our three sons, John (aged three years), Peter (eighteen months) and Tony (three months), moved into no.15 (Sunnyside) Grace Street the first person to welcome us was Mrs. Suzanne Abel, who with her husband Clifford and six children lived across the road. It was a wonderful, thoughtful welcome as she was carrying a tray with a large teapot, milk , biscuits and milk for us and the children. This family became true friends, and her young children grew up with mine and as I had two more girls as well, Mary and Frances.

TV arrives!
Mr. And Mrs Dixon were wonderful neighbours, and they had a TV which they shared with the us until we had our own. My husband did a lot of shift work and so our entertainment was very limited apart from the fact that money was not very plentiful. I used to have occasionally a Tuesday night on my own at the Dixons house, to see 'Perry Mason', my favourite show at the time. We would have a cup of tea and biscuit before I went back home.

On a Saturday night when my husband had time off from work, probably once every 3 weeks, the whole family would go over to the Dixons and see 'Bonanza' which was our favourite show, of course we would take over some thing for our supper to share with them.

Spirit of Friendship
I have fond thoughts of Oxford Park and the people who were my neighbours. In some cases, after all these years, they are still on friendly terms with our family. There was a spirit of friendship, people being helpful when they could, and having time to stop and chat which unfortunately doesn’t happen now. Now families are busy working long hours, having to go to supermarkets for their groceries and taking children to school, to sporting activites, and the many other jobs they have to do because both parents are working.

The Big Day and The Big Flood: To Wed and to Wade!

2007-07-30T11:27:00.000+10:00

It was a bright sunny day at Blackwood St (Mitchelton) Markets and we were grateful to Jan Power and her crew for a great spot. Also grateful to Dorothy Jeffrey and family who, at 7.15am, rustled up a spare camping table and two chairs. Yes, we had remembered the scanner, the camera, the computer, the sound recording gear - but nothing to sit it on, let alone anything for us to sit on! All at home neatly stacked by the door of course. Being prepared and handling unforeseen events seemed to be a theme of the day. It certainly was in the story that Ralph Davies, one of our steering committee members, brought along to add to our reminiscence collection. Here's how Ralph's story begins:

'It was Friday evening 25th January 1974 and heavy rain had been falling for some three weeks. Our daughter, Jeanette, was to marry at 4.00pm the next day and she and her bridal party had returned to our residence at 189 Blackwood Street following a marriage rehearsal at Our Lady of Dolours Church, Mitchelton.

The groom, John McLeod, and the remainder of the bridal party departed our residence to go to their respective homes at 11.45pm. They drove up Blackwood Street and could not proceed past the railway line as flood waters had cut the road. They proceeded by detouring around Osborne Road.

Shortly after my wife, Hiroko, and I had retired for the night we were aroused by outside noises. Upon investigating, we observed that flood waters were rising up Blackwood Street, which was then a ‘dead end’ street (Kedron Brook is approximately 100 metres away). The noises were the results of residents moving their motor vehicles to higher ground.'

Will the bride and the groom actually negotiate the flood? What about their guests? For the complete story visit our companion site where you can also read other Mitchy Memories.

Mitchelton Memories - a poem by Roy Bliss

2007-07-28T18:23:00.000+10:00

Long before the suburban push,
Mitchelton, the outer suburb, was at the edge of the bush.
It was early depression when we moved out there
Where open spaces and paddocks were everywhere.
At the flood plains, Chinese farmers were keen to look.
They set up market gardens by the Kedron Brook.

Down to the brook the kids would streak.
They preferred to call it, ‘The Mitchie Creek’.
The swimming hole was near McConaghy Street.
After school, t’was the place where the kids would meet.
Some would be there with a fishing line,
Others had a canoe made of galvanised iron.

The horse drawn cart, warm, fresh milk was the load
It came from Tree’s dairy on Saint Helen’s Road,
The school, soon too small, and to keep up the pace,
Extra wings were added to give it more space.
The teachers were great if you were lucky or bright
But not so the case if your I.Q. was not right.

Meat pies were three pence and ice-creams a penny
Even at that price we could not afford many.
We rode the old steam and never felt nervous.
Half an hour to town was a very good service.
In summer there was cricket, in winter football.
Bell’s paddock provided the venue for all.
Tennis was popular, and in this regard,
People with space built a court in their yard.

Now the depression had passed and less people were poor.
Australia decided to fight the second World War.
Volunteers, not a shortage, they were young and the cream
We all lost good friends who paid the full price, supreme.

I think of old Mitchie now sixty years down the track,
Of the old Mitchie pictures, its canvas chairs hanging slack,
Of Moreys, and Dittmans, Smith’s paper shop too.
Nurse Farmers, Sergeant Morris, to name just a few.
Now there’s electric trains, super-markets, traffic lights and the lot,
This was called progress, and that’s what we’ve got.
This nostalgia I treasure and will always remember.
Next reunion is first Tuesday of September.

Roy W. Bliss
From ‘The Bayonet – Gaythorne RSL Services Club Ltd’ December 2002. Thanks to Valma Moorhead for copy of this poem.

Boiled Lollies and two lucky escapes!

2007-07-28T18:01:00.000+10:00

Our Wednesday afternoons at Mitchelton Library have been fun as people share stories and memories of the past. The library meeting room warms up with the buzz of stories and pleasure at seeing some of the old photos.

Berenice and Melba Corvi (grandaughters of John 'Giovanni' Corvi) have visited the library over the past two weeks. Berenice is in the midst of writing some of her recollections. Here is a snippet:

'In those days there weren't any supermarkets. The tradesmen came to the house with groceries, ice, fruit, milk, meat, fish and bread. Bread was 6d a loaf (equivalent to 5c) and there were only two varieties, white and brown. We eagerly waited for the grocer because he'd bring a small parcel made like a funnel screwed up at both ends, containing boiled lollies.

A billy can with a lid was left out for the milk and the fruit-man would bring his big basket of fruit to the doorstep or we'd go to his cart. One day I crawled into my mother's round cane basket which tipped over and rolled down the hill with me in it. The fruit-man ran after it and rescued me. Luckily I was not hurt, only a few gravel rashes.

About the area of the present Gaythorne R.S.L. building there used to be a culvert with water flowing. Samford Road was a dirt road and the water flowed under the road through big cement tunnels. The sides were straight. I don't think they were pipes.

Anyway a little school friend, Fanny Quick, and I decided to play in the water under the road one day. My mother anxiously waited for me to come home from school and she talked to my Auntie about me being missing. Then she want to Sergeant Morris to enlist the help of the police me. They found me. He took me to the police station and gave me a good talking to and showed me a room where they lock people up, before my mother took me home.'

We will publish Berenice's story in its entirety when it is completed.

Remember the hailstorm?

2007-07-24T21:49:00.000+10:00

It's been a cold winter this year and so when I first looked at this photo I thought that it was snowing - snowing in Mitchy! But no, it's a photo of the amazing hailstorm that happened in Mitchy several years back. The photo was taken in Kedron Avenue.

This was just one of the many wonderful photos which Clyde Burnett brought along to the Mitchy Library last week. It was great to be there because Clyde had some Corvi family photos and Berenice and Melba Corvi had also called in to the Library to share some memories. Bob Lawler came too to the regular Wednesday afternoon session with some photos to be scanned. We are delighted to have the regular interest and support of Merle Heiner who is currently helping with a history of the Mitchelton Soccer Football Club.

Songs of Mitchelton

2007-07-17T17:47:00.000+10:00

Singer/Songwriter Getano Bann with Daryll Bellingham doing some preliminary work following the good news that the Mitchelton Digital Celebration Project was successful in a funding application to Brisbane City Council. Funding will make it possible to run the Songs of Mitchelton creation workshops and a performance on September 29th. Thanks once again to Enoggera and Districts Historical Society for submitting this grant.

There will be more news very soon about Songs of Mitchelton. Keep your eye on this blog, the NW News or give us a call for more info 3846 3135.

Gaythorne Picture Theatre - opening night booked out

2007-07-14T20:45:00.000+10:00

Were you or someone in your family one of the lucky ones to have a seat at the opening night of the Gaythorne Picture Theatre? What did you think of the stars of The Plainsman - Garry Cooper and Jean Arthur?

Maybe you came along with your friends to the pictures the following weekend to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

We were very pleased recently to be able to record some of the reminiscences of long time Mitchelton resident, Betty Fletcher (nee Mitchell), when she attended one of our regular Wednesday afternoon sessions at Mitchelton Library.

Betty shared some of her memories of the Gaythorne Picture Theatre, Mitchell's milk bar and of the war years: 'I particularly remember one night when the theatre manager of the time, Mrs Murphy, got word to say there was an air raid imminent. She advised the patrons to go home but only some did. We were getting prepared with our helmets and gas masks to go out. After a while, to our relief, the all clear was sounded.'

Daryll Bellingham, Mitchy Memories Project Coordinator with Betty Fletcher

To read more of Betty's reminiscences please visit Mitchy Memories

If you have photos, stories or information you would like to share about Mitchelton please contact the project coordinators by email: mitchymemories@ourbrisbane.com or phone
3846 3135. You are also welcome to attend the regular Wednesday afternoon session at Mitchelton Library.

We're launched!

2007-06-25T22:00:00.000+10:00

Dr Bill Metcalf Social Historian, Griffith University and Dorothy Jeffrey, President of the Qld Family History Association at the project launch on Saturday 2nd June, Mitchelton Library.