Farmlife ~ A 40s Reflection

My Grandparents were married in 1936, and built their house in the same year. From what I understand this date was found in their house somewhere after they died. Co-incidently or not so co-incidently my Grandfather's Grandma died in the same year. 1936 was during the Depression. My Great-Grandparents were still living on the farm and lived next door. They had built their house from an insurance claim. There was a big fire in the district at one point (I got to read a piece from the Argus?) and really when you think about it there weren't really too many really old houses there in that district. They lost their house in 1928. The new house was made in much the same design as Great Grandma and Grandpa's. From what I understand there were even kit homes in those days.

So the house was not separate, all part of the farm from what I can gather. Great Grandma's mother was a widow and had hung onto a farm in the Wimmera after her husband had died. She was an immigrant in the 1850s as a little girl from England with her brother and father.

My parents were born in 1939 and 1942. They have memories of the war years. The road signs were taken down and there were temporary Army camps nearby. My Nana talked about it a lot apparently. The Great Grandparents died in the mid to late 40s and our farm expanded a lot during the 50s. Australia is supposed to be built on the back of the sheep, and from what I imagine the cheques that came in were enough to be able to get the car salesman to make a call on you. I can imagine that because I think the same thing happened when the tobacoo first started up in the 1960s. I was surprised to learn that there was a problem with water one year.

Mostly I have heard that those glory days were a freak of nature. Not only were the prices etc. good but the rain in those retro years was something that doesn't usually happen. Australia was extremely lucky to have those good years, because there wouldn't be much here otherwise. Look at all the bridges and buildings in the country and you will know what I mean.

My father worked very hard. He even helped when his Aunty was widowed and milked their cows, but this would be in the 1950s I imagine. People travelled huge distances, the teen boys to attend dances. But, I have heard my Grandma's life was very happy.

My Nana in the early 40s was married and living in her father-law's house to start with on the farm. Both Grandparents only had three children each. Near the end of the decade I heard when Nana was milking cows she put her little todder in a cream can to keep him safe, kind of like a old-fashioned play pen. I think there are different sizes to them. I think they used to take their children to dances and my Grandpa used to play music.

I was very interested to learn only recently, that the town my Grandma had come from in Scotland had a lot of people that the Scottish government had assisted to move there. See Scottish Voices book. It was a kind of a deal for people who were struggling.

My Grandma didn't move from her new home, she lived there all her life. It seemed a long time, altogether it was 56 years. They had an extension done and the white ants had a very good go at it. The hallway still had holes in the wall. Her wood stove was re-instated recently, not the exact same one though. A treechanger has her house and they are enjoying it. They live their life slightly differently from what I have been told, by shopping in a different town to what the locals would have done in the past. They are interested in history and get on very well with the family. This is the second seachange family to live there.

My Nana's house is now a holiday house, she had moved twice in her married life into a village last. I felt very relaxed sleeping there, so it is a good match.