Victoria

Title: My Great Aunty

I interviewed my Great Aunty, Marion Jean Queenan, who was one of six children. She was born on the 19th January 1935 in Ararat, Victoria.

When Aunty was young the land was very lush and there was no drought. The farmers land was well watered. In the household they had water tanks. My Great Grandmother Myrtle Hamilton cooked solely on a wood stove which she still used in the 1990’s. They had no sewerage, so drum toilets were used and newspaper replaced what we use now (toilet paper).

They had no hot water system, so they bathed in a very big tin tub. Water was boiled from a copper. They had no TV’s, computers, video games or MP3 players. The only electrical device they had for entertainment was the radio. They also went to moving pictures and local dances. When my Aunty was young, the war was on and women didn’t work.

My aunty’s family had no vehicle so they walked everywhere! My Great Great Grandmother owned a horse and gig that they were lucky to use occasionally. In 1945 my Great Grandfather purchased a Ford motor vehicle, which was a luxury. They lived in a small 3 bedroom house. Aunty shared her room with her three other sisters and they shared a bed.

Aunty attended Barkly Street School Ararat. There were no school sports stadiums, but they learnt to play hockey and basketball. Aunty saved up and purchased her first bike for a couple of pounds.

In 1955 my Aunty moved to Western Samoa with her new husband where she lived for 13 years, before returning to Australia.

In today’s society we are lucky to have all the necessities we need, like electricity, gas, running water and cars. Even though we are in a drought, times are not as tough as they were when my Aunty was young.