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Background Material

Those Were The Days

Take a trip along memory's lane.  Share your stories of earlier times.  Maybe it's an adventure in Dad's '34 Chev, your first job, the day you got TV, or tales from your student days.

Make your story long or short; include photos if you wish.  The only thing that matters is that you jot down some of your best stories and send them in.

Email: webmaster(at)sydneyu3a.org with your story and include a head and shoulders picture if you have one handy.

The list of stories is growing weekly.  Some early contributors have added to their list.  New contributors are added at the bottom.  We'll probably have to find a better way to organize them soon.  But, for now, scan through the lot; they're all excellent. 

Just click on the links to see a PDF of each story.

And now for something extra...

Now you can leave a comment or two on any of our stories.  Click here to go to the comments page.

 


Facts of Life

If you've been following our other story telling section - Travellers' Tales - then the name Rex Benn will be very familiar.  In this story Rex recounts some early life lessons gained during various university vacation jobs.

 

THE PROVIDER - CATERER

Rex proves to be a reluctant procurer



WILD OSCAR

At the time of this story of his schooldays Rex was obviously aware of some, if not all, of the facts of life.


Nineteen Thirty Nine

Rex recalls starting at a new school when his father starts a new life in the army.

STARS OF STAGE, SCREEN AND CESSPOOL

A tale of undergraduate gods, goddesses and other exotic creatures

Three Witches For Christmas

Rex recounts how his family endured their own double portion of toil and trouble.

THEOLOGIA HUMANA

Idealogue meets theologue?

Winter Mist

Not for the squeamish. 

Role Models

Forever in our hearts.

Summer Holidays at San Remo

Master Benn takes the helm.

The French Camp

Poor Judith; poor Rex.  You'll feel the pain.

A Capella

The poignancy of this story which will linger in your mind long after you've read it.

 


Off To Work Mum

John Pettett tells the story of a young lad and his Christmas casual job at DJs.

 

 

The Kitchen at Peachtrees

Why do Grandpa's have to leave?

 


Never Be Tempted By a Cheap Easter Egg

Lorna Clayton has a flood of memories for us to enjoy.  In this first tale, she relates how it's always been possible to have too much of a good thing.

 

 

1945:  Blue and Green Should Never Be Seen Etc...

But, as we know, beauty is in the eye etc...

Midge

Sadly, they don't make aunts like this anymore.

Memories 1941

Here's a short poem to remind you of...well, just read it and see.

The Guest House

I'm sure I've been there too.

Kindergarten 1941

So much to cope with.

Verandahs

From whence to view the passing parade.

Grandpa's Lunchtime

As seen by a loving granddaughter.

 


Christmas 1937

Jim Dowell has contributed a series of stories recounting landmark events in his life.  This is the first.  Do you too recall Christmas when you were seven?

 

Nine Years Old

What have pantomimes and barrage balloons got in common?  They were just a few of the things that caught the attention of nine year old Jim.

Evacuation

You do what you have to do.

My Eighteenth Year

Becoming a man.

A Late Party

Ah, sisters-in-law...

The Australian Outback

And now for something completely different.

 


Grandma's War

Elizabeth Gray is a prolific writer.  Here is a tale of a teenager in war time.  No doubt, however, it is recounted for the benefit of those who couldn't imagine what Grandma got up to when those truly were the days.

 

 

THE BILLYCART

The Billycart was first published in "When I was Ten" a collection of Memories of Childhood 1905 - 1985 edited by Len Fox and Hilary Lindsay



Sydney's West

Here's the first of what we hope will be many stories by David Fernon.  This tale was first published by Legacy Books in a publication entitled I Remember When - A Collection of Memories.  There's no prize for guessing what it is about.

 

Grandpa's Place

Nowadays the words 'Sydney' and 'country' don't seem to go together.  But David remembers a time when they did.


On the Veranda

Glennis Henning's story is a reminder of just how useful, and sensible, a verandah was.  Makes you wonder just where all that good sense went.

 


The Appendicitis Case

Tom Ware was diagnosed with appendicitis.  'So what?' you say.  Well he was in the navy and at sea in a small ship.

 

CRASH STOP

Have you ever been amazed at the way drivers of large trucks manage to squeeze through the smallest of spaces? Tom finds that it is not always possible.

SHIPSIDE GREY

Tom finds that there is another navy somewhat different from his previous experience of service life.

Theory and Practice

What's the difference?  Quite a bit, Tom found.

A Holiday in the Mountains

Ah!  Peace and quiet; just what you need.  Right?

The Oasis

A welcome place; until you have to share it.

 


The Lolly Lady

Kath Hollins takes us back to the days when a kid with a penny was rich.

 


South Africa - The 90 Day Law and the Night I am Held for Questioning

If the title isn't frightening enough then the story certainly is.  Here is Gerald Sabel's true account of a slice of life in apartheid South Africa.

 


Home Remedies or Old Wives Cures

Who could forget?  Margaret Dowell has a fascinating recollection of the home remedies that were popular when she was a young girl.  Why not use the comments section to tell us of some that you remember?  Or, better still, write your own story about the remedies your mother relied on way back When Those Were the Days.

The Singer

A first contribution from Anne Cary.  A tale of happy memories and awkward moments.

 


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