My Early Childhood -- Abridged (Ron) I was born at No 43 (it is now no 35) Crook Street, Brunswick, on September 20th, 1905. It is interesting to note that I have therefore lived through more than half of Victoria's history as a white settlement. When I say I was born at No 43 Crook Street, I mean just that. As a rule, mothers in working-class suburbs didn't go to hospital to have their babies in those days; they had them at home. A nurse, or midwife, came in for a few days, the doctor was called at the appropriate time, and after that relatives -- aunts or grandmonthers as a rule -- took over and looked after the family until the mother was strong enough to do it herself. So I was born at home; so were all my mother's nine children, with the exception of the youngest (Bobby). Mum was over 40 by this stage and the doctor was keen to keep an eye on the birth: so he insisted upon a hospital delivery. I was the third child -- all boys at that stage. The first child, Henry Alban, died in infancy, so we never saw him. Richard Ernest (always known as Ern) was next, then me, then Dorothy Ada (now deceased), Elsie Gladys, Leonard George, Sydney John, Leslie Norman and Robert William. My father was Henry Melmoth Reed (always known as Harry Reed); he was born in Australia and so were his father (my grandfather) and mother (my grandmother). Dad's grandfather came out to Australia in 1854. He had been Director of Music at the Haymarket Theatre in London; but after his first wife died, his family then geing grown-up, he gave up his position at the Haymarket in favour of his son (German Reed), and emigrated to Melbourne when he set up as a Professor (that is, teacher) of Music. He married again, and my grandfather was the first child of this union. Then, my grandfather married, and my father became his first child also. Dad was born on February 10th 1878. [Continued ...]

Sclip's ice-cream cart -- all flavours. The blond boy in the plaid jacket is Stan: one of the friends. He appears in many of the drawings, with the initials S. D. B on his gladstone bag. Len, Syd and Bobby line up with Les, Dot, Ern and Ron. Ron was described by all who knew him as a marvellous singer. Here he launches into the ice-cream song. "Let us sing the ice-cream chorus. Here's an ice-cream each one for us. Slurp, slurp, slurp. Lick it gently around the edges. Gobble it down in great big wedges. Slurp, slurp, slurp."

Here is the famous "Dun Dem!" drawing. It is hilarious to think of that poor little chap (Les) sitting on his potty in the backyard while grown men and athletic boys were playing cricket all about him. Les entitles this one: "100 years bad luck sitting on the potty when the cricket starts".

Schooldays. With their satchels on their backs, and at the railway station, the Reeds line up at Mr Fleapowder and Mr Bugjuice Confectionery: Syd, Len, Bobby, Els and Les. Len: "Bugjuice will have to leave soon if he wants to catch the 10 o'clock train." Syd: "It is five to nine we will have to run." Els: "Oh dear! Those rattling old pencil cases again." Bobby: "We'll just have time to annoy Norm Honey and George Holmes!"

My Early Childhood -- Abridged (Ron) My mother was born in England on 16th February 1879. Her father (Alban Atkinson) was a cabinet maker. He suffered from asthma, and decided to emigrate to Australia to see if a better and warmer climate would help him. But it did not save him, and he died at the age of 45. We never saw him: he died before any of us were born. Indeed, he passed away before Mum married Dad. But our grandmother was quite a familiar figure to us. She lived in one of a terrace of two houses in Rose Street, Brunswick -- just a few minutes walk from Crook Street. My grandmother was housekeeper to the man next door. My mother's mother and all her children lived within easy walking distance of each other, making it plain-sailing in the event of sickness or childbirth to get dependable help. My father was a clerk in the ANZ Mercantile Land and Finance Company. In due course he became Chief Clerk thre and commanded the princely salary of £4 a week, which made us rather better off than most of our neighbours. He was paid once a month in gold sovereigns ("sovs") which he carried in a little "sovereign case" in his waistcoat pocket, attached to his watch chain. Dad's father had been a good architect but (as often happened in those days) he took to drink. My father was determined that this would never happen to him, and he kept his vow. He insisted on fair discipline for his children and administered the strap when required. But Mum was an entirely different person. It would have been quite impossible for her to strap anyone of us, no matter how naughty we were. She was as kind and generous as any person could be. She too had been forced to leave school early to help support her family. But she was a good reader, especially of English literature and history, and had an excellent memory as well as a keen intelligence. [Continued ...]

Quoits on a rainy day. Note that Syd is marking the scores in chalk on the wall. And it looks as if the younger boys have a distance advantage. Here are Syd, Bobby, Len, Ron, Ern, Les and Dad (with the quoits on his wrist).

Painting the house. Ron is perilously perched on the ladder while Bobby tackles the porch. Ern, Len and Syd work on windows on one side of the house, leaving Les and Dad to work on the other side.

Cooks at work. Mum didn't really have a History book under her arm as she worked: Les explained elsewhere that this was his way of identifying Mum (just as Dad's hat identifies him).

My Early Childhood -- Abridged (Ron) As the mother of a young and growing family in a time when labour-saving devices were few, her job was a dawn-to-dark affair. But she never complained about it. How did she cope with a mound of ironing and the primitive irons which were around in those days? Mum used to make light of it by reciting poetry as she worked. She could recite the whole of Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome" by heart without a single mistake. As I said, Dad was paid once a month. Towards the end of the month the housekeeping money would be running very low indeed, and it was not unusual for Dad to walk into town to work to save the thrupenny fare and enable Mum to buy something for our dinner. [Webmaster: Ron has presented a stunning piece of work, but far too long to reproduce here. Stand-by and I'll try to make it a download document. Stay tuned.]

Ron (in university days) lights his famous gas soap bubbles. We thought it was great -- but I don't think Mum was so enthusiastic. Ron is watched admiringly by Bobby, Syd, Les, Els and Len.

This is a great drawing of the Reeds as they wait for a train to hurtle through the railway crossing. Ern is in a taxi with a team of waving friends or family. The boys (Syd, Len, Bobby, Les and Stan Binch) carry their gladstone bags and walk one of the dogs.

We just couldn't understand why our cat went missing. "Puss, puss, puss! Meat, meat, meat! Anybody seen our cat?"

Bobby Turns Back The Clock (as told to me) Bobby came home from being christened as an older child and proceeded to demonstrate how the vicar had made the sign of the cross on his forehead (using the washing-up water). Grandma was not impressed. He believed that he had a life-long aversion to being dunked into water by his sister and her friend arguing over who would bath him as a baby: he recalled going under. Bobby loved to relate the story of the theatricals in the barn. Els had such a realistic scream during performances that a neighbour sang out: "Stop beating that child!" There was also the memorable story of the trip to the Botanical Gardens with the Logan family (cousins). Len leapt about shouting with excitement: "Syd's in! Syd's in!" when his brother fell into the water. Poor Syd! He had to go home in the tram in full public view wearing a pair of his cousin Eunice's spare knickers for his trouble. Len adored ships, as did Bobby who collected little cards depicting the current sea-going craft. At Sorrento, after swimming, Len would become enthralled by the constant maritime traffic through the Heads and forget to dry himself, save for one finger. So there stood Len, shivvering but with one very dry finger. Dad's business seemed to thrive (even though times were tough) to the extent that Mum was provided with help. A maid was employed -- Muriel. Her scones and rock-cakes were so tough that the boys took no end of delight in bowling the cakes as if cricket balls out in the lane at the back of the house. Bobby was the mischief-maker in the family and when Les was called to the head-master's office, he wondered what he had done. Instead of being in trouble, the headmaster rounded on Les: "What are we going to do about your little brother"?

Many sporting discussions while waiting for the Saturday night's "Sporting Globe". As mentioned already, the pink Sporting Globe was mandatory reading for the Reeds on Saturday night. While Bobby was overseas doing active duty during WWII, Ern would write to him about racing hopefuls and brilliant footy moments. The Sporting Globe was posted off too, arriving in the Holy Land or Balikpapan weeks later.

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