And then included in that in 1914 was one of the severest droughts that was ever registered here round in this area and of course following on that in 1928 – 39 was one of the worst depressions that Australia has ever seen. Countless thousands of highly educated people were forced out of Melbourne and walked the roads. I can still recall them coming here absolutely starving and fortunately through mum’s ability to be able to survive these conditions, there was always tucker in the house. And I can still remember these unfortunate people through no fault of their own, coming here and knocking on the door, even at the early hours of the morning and sitting down to bacon and eggs. And one of the most prized possessions you could give them, at that time, being well educated and well read people, was if you had a spare newspaper. A newspaper in those days cost a penny or tuppence. The Argus, The Age, the Weekly Times and such like. And they were always given enough tucker to see them through for part of the day. And we used to watch them. They’d go over and find a shady tree and having filled their bellies with breakfast and they could find out what was happening in the city, where they left or whatever interests they could gather from it.
John “Did they call in for work or jus for tucker?”
All they called into here was for tucker. They were absolutely desperate because there were no hand outs. There were a few soup kitchens in the cities but that had its limitations. So this is the grounding, we as kids, had handed out to us. It was the greatest education that one could ever have because it was something we were made to realise that it was essential that you survived and this is what we became accustomed too. Now the main purpose in surviving in those days was to be able to produce enough food, have enough wood where we could have a good warm and reasonable clothes and a good bed to sleep in. That was achieved and it was through the ability of the likes of mum and dad and all the other people. They were still limited. They didn’t go out to work at that time.