We had an eye opening day when we saw exactly how the people of this era existed. It would be impossible to share all of the interesting things that we saw but I wonder how many of us could live happily in any of the following three houses.
Starting with what was originally a two room shack with dirt floor but later extended by the family in order to house the children who followed.
These cottages with horizontal slabs were known as drop slab cottages and would not have had glass windows.
The next house is a four room cottage built in the early 1900's. It was owned by the Woods family.
The photos of the following rooms of this home actually seem larger than they are. In order of appearance we have the Kitchen, the Parlour, the main Bedroom and the Children's room.
This next home is actually Rosewood Homestead and was built in 1988 by the Egan family. The homestead is of horizontal slab construction with iron bark timbers felled from the property and dressed by adze and broad axe.
It is not difficult to see that these people were considerably better off than either of the previous home owners in that the home is much larger and has glass windows and pressed metal walls and ceilings imported from Britain. The kitchen building is separate from the living area for coolness and also to reduce the risk of fire. The floor was made from a mixture of earth or termite nest, cow manure and ox blood which set as a solid floor. This home was occupied till 1984, water was never connected to the house and electricity was provided by generator from 1955 to 1981 when it was connected to the power grid.
I can't describe the feelings that flow over you when you witness historic villages such as these and our sincere thanks goes out to all of the volunteer's who give their time in order for us to experience this pleasure.
Perhaps it can be summed up best by this poem we saw in one of the homes.
I Remember
I remember the cheese of my childhood
and the bread that was cut with a knife.
The children all helped with the housework
and the man went to work not the wife.
The cheese never needed an ice chest
the bread it was crusty and hot.
The children always seemed happy
and the wife was content with her lot.
I remember the milk from the billy
with that lovely cream on the top.
The dinners straight from the oven
and not from the fridge in the shop.
The children were a lot more contented
they didn't need money for kicks.
Games with their mates in the paddock
and sometimes the Saturday flicks.
I remember the shop on the corner
where a pennyworth of lollies were sold.
Do you think i'm a bit too nostalgic
or is it i'm just getting old.
Part two of a dose of nostalgia...
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| Austin 7 |
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| Buick |
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| Chevrolet Ute |
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| Essex |
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| Model T Ford |
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| Willies Jeep |
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| 42 WLA and Indian Scout |
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