The Reed Family Picture Album (as drawn by Les)

Above: Ern's house in Sandringham.

Sorry about the missing bits from this set of drawings, but Les chose to work these on huge pieces of paper. Best efforts were made. Further, there were several versions of the same scenes, with different coloured clothes, patterns on the curtains, and so on. It was like playing one of those infernal magazine "Spot The Difference" games.

First, there is preparing breakfast.

Then setting the table.

Then clearing away the dishes and sweeping the floor. Ron (off to the right out of shot) is as ever cheerily singing in his lovely baritone voice. "Like a stone from a strong catapult I rushed at my terrible cult etc etc ... Or you'll be as ugly as I'm". To which Els and Boz reply: "No! No!"

Washing and drying the dishes. Now something from Gilbert and Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore". Ron is the brave captain: "And though bother it I may occasionally say I never swear a big big 'D'." Els and Ron then go into the ever-popular "No never! Hardly ever!" routine.

Making the beds.

Doing the washing. Just as at Downs Street, the Sorrento property had a laundry. But this one was outside. Len chops wood for the firebox which heated the water in the copper.

Our chores over: a mass invasion of the back beach. Note that Bobby and Len are throwing a ball to each other as they head for the waves.

The mass invasion deserved a full coverage. Here we see the tail-enders who were cut-out in the drawing above.

A welcome break after a long walk from Sorrento to London Bridge along the back beach. At Watson's General Store, Portsea the Reeds and Stan dive into a bag of cream biscuits, held by Ern.


The popular Stan Binch, who appears in SO many of the drawings that I wonder if he hadn't been adopted as a 7th son?	A pleasant boating expedition.	Sydney John Reed.

The Reeds descend upon H. W. Dawson Chemist. Bobby blurts out: "Struth! There's Professor Pickard". The eminent Swiss physicist Auguste Pickard had a similarly eccentric hairdo.

Superman aboard P. S. Hygeia. Bobby makes a smart remark: "He's not so good. He splashed two drops while serving his apprenticeship."

The Reeds remember their father

Ern Dad was very clever, especially considering the fact that he had had to leave school at an early age to help support his parents' family.
He was keen on sport: cricket, football, tennis and running (for the Coburg Harriers in his youth). He was a keen chess player and a keen billiards spectator. He used to take Ron and I for walks along Moonee Ponds Creek when we were younger.

Ron Dad was a more remote figure than Mum, and a good deal stricter. We thought twice about doing anything that might annoy Dad.
At Crook Street he left home early and got home late, so we saw very little of him except at week-ends. However, Ern and I often went to the football matches at Carlton with him, and enjoyed that very much.
Dad was a man of great ability who (by sheer talent and hard work) eventually owned the business where he began as an office boy. His upbringing had not been easy; he left school at 12 to help support the family and had to struggle all the way.
He was a master of writing with a fine nib, excellent at mathematics, a forward thinker in political matters when he was young (but not so later on) and a keen sportsman, excelling at cricket and tennis.
There is a great deal to admire about Dad, and I know that I owe him a great debt of gratitude. Very few Brunswick fathers did as much for their children as Dad did.

Els Dad loved playing chess. He would be deep in thought working out a chess problem, usually from the pink pages of the "Bulletin". He saved up the chess problems. He enjoyed Solo Bridge for a time and Mah Jongg. Loved driving but preferred to keep going without stops. Often took Mother and anyone who liked to come for drives on Sundays into the Dandenongs, Mt Macedon and the Peninsula. A fine man.

Syd Dad was certainly a handyman. Some of his sons followed in this pattern, but personally I have little claim to being as adaptable -- wish I were!
He made a success of life because of his willingness to "get up and go". This characteristic has shown itself in all members of the family.

Les All of Les's memories of Dad are featured in the drawings. Les notes that Dad liked doing jobs around the house. He made a wireless set complete with a first-class cabinet, plus two wireless poles. Ern and Ron are still getting splinters out of their hands). Also made the big roller (with assistance from the bigger boys in the family). Household plumbing etc: no wonder he had so many sons ... It made these jobs so much easier. Painting the house; and he was a keen gardener with Bob to do the digging and Els to do the pruning. He loved cricket, tennis and golf. This favourite pull shot often lost a ball over Mrs Blackburn's roof.

Bobby remembered Dad as having beer bottles in the cabinet. Dad found that some were missing so he put them under the bed. Then Les sneaked under the bed and pinched them.
Dad was very much involved with the business of running Barrow Brothers, so we did not see much of him.
One very vivid memory is of Els playing hockey. Colin Patterson came racing down, waving a lump of wood (his hockey stick) and Dad had to push through the fence to get out of his way, knocking off 2 palings as he went.