The Blacksmith’s Daughter by Fay Berry 2013 © - Chapter 43 - 1957 12 03 - Fay Berry

The Blacksmith’s Daughter – Chapter 43

During my stay in Sydney, I lived with Val and Gill Swan in their home at Sutherland and Mum and Dad stayed with the Deversons. I spent time with Barrie Spencer and his family and went shopping with Mum and Dad in Sydney and had lunch with Barry as often as possible.

We had the rehearsal for my brother ‘s wedding which turned out to be a shambles and I was very annoyed because I would have preferred to be at a night being held at Dick Mansfield’s place.

The wedding was a resounding success in spite of the photographer’s spotlight blowing up and spattering glass all over poor Beth’s bridal train.

I spent time at the Etherington’s place and renewed my friendship with Barbara Etherington, my brother Graham’s girlfriend.

DIARY ENTRIES

19571203 Tuesday – Paul, one of Val and Gill’s twin, woke me up early this morning with his crying. I got up and turned him over and he was quiet for about half an hour and then he started to whimper. I took him out of his cot and put him in my bed and he slept there for a while. Then it began to feel slightly damp in the bed. I groaned and got out of bed and changed out of my now slightly damp pajamas and put on my shorts and shirt and then changed the baby and then the bed. Val came in then and took Paul out and gave him his bottle. Then David woke up and Val brought him out and changed him too. I don’t think I would like to have twins. They are soo much work. Then the two of them went on a rampage and among other things, emptied a tin of Milo over the floor and mixed it with the other food they had already transferred from the table onto the floor. Then they both proceeded to eat Val’s cornflakes and to spread the rest liberally over the table. Val put Paul to bed again with his bottle and was just in the process of fixing David’s bottle when a lady from down the street appeared. She eyed the chaotic condition of the kitchen and looked at David lying placidly in Val’s arms and shook her head in awe, as if to say, “Did that angelic looking little boy cause all this chaos?” She had come with some eggs for Val and to ask if she could fit a dress she was making for Val sometime in the morning. Val gulped and smiled sweetly and agreed. By the time the lady had left, Paul had finished his bottle and was yelling for more. At last the two of them were back in their cots and Val collapsed in the chair opposite mine and we commenced breakfast. Two salesmen called at the door during breakfast, one selling radios and the other pot plants. They did not manage to trade at Val’s door.

I went down to the phone box later and rang the Spencer’s. Barry wasn’t home. He had gone swimming before work. Seems he’s still swimming mad. I spoke to Sister Spencer and arranged to go to the Spencer’s place for dinner on Sunday. Then I spoke to Skeet. She’s teaching now and has been for about four weeks in place of one of the teachers who has been sick. She told me that they were all going to Bev Brown’s 21st on Saturday night. The day the wedding is on, worst luck. Skeet told me what meetings were on in the Granville direction and then I spoke to Lyn. She is still going with Tutt (Ray Tuttici “more or less.” I’ve a feeling that it is “less” somehow because Tutt didn’t seem too enthusiastic at the Conference. He couldn’t have been since he asked me to go out with him one night). I rang Jimmy Green at home after that but he had already gone to work. I got his work phone number and I rang him again later in the morning. He said he’d see me after the wedding and probably arrange something for then. There ‘s a social on as well as Granville’s Sunday School Prize giving night. I think I might go to the social, because the Hurstville mob will be there and that means I can speak to them then and not have to go to Hurstville for the Sunday night’s meeting and I can go to Malvern Hall for the night meeting and to Walter Pearce’s place for dinner. I rang Barry at work and we arranged to have lunch together in town tomorrow. Wow, I can’t remember whether he has lunch from 12 to 1 or 1 to 2. Oh well, he sounds great over the phone. I wonder how I will feel about him now. I’d like to see him come to Adelaide for a while so I could get to know him better. It’s hard to evaluate people when they live in another State.

Dad and Mum called around later in the morning and took me around to Deverson’s for lunch. Grant Shane turned up and had a cu p of tea with us. He is such a nice boy. Yesterday he walked to the station with Mum and asked how old I was and Mum said he was terribly disappointed when he found out that I was older than he is. He looks older though. I think I’ll ask him to stay at our place when he next comes over to Adelaide. All the boys at Sutherland are nice lads. Cookie ‘s extra nice. He’s having some trouble at home lately so I’ve heard. His parents don’t mind him going to pictures and suchlike but they hate him going to lectures (his parents aren’t in the Truth). He’s been baptised about a year now. Dad suggested that Grant and his mother come for a drive with us in the afternoon, so Gr ant disappeared to get ready. I borrowed Bruce Philp’s typewriter because Val has mine, to type the Herald labels and I got my diary up to date. Dad and Mum went to sleep and by the time Grant reappeared with his mother, it was about 2.30 pm. We went for a drive in National Park. The parts that hadn’t been burnt out by the bush fires were lovely. We went to Stanwell Park on the south coast and it’s terrific place. Wish I had my bathers with me. Grant said that last year they had a special lecture there but just before they had planned to have the lecture, a boy was drowned there and they had to put it off until the next week end. The lad had only been in Australia for a day, and he had got into difficulties in one of the lagoons. They had to drain the lagoon to find him, but they drained the wrong one and he was eventually found by life savers in the one nearest to the road.

We arrived back at about 5.00 pm. And I went and lay down for a while. I was feeling slightly tired. Dad came in and lay down too and for about an hour we discussed the business. Maynard wants me to start up a copying office but I ‘m feeling a little scared about it. We shall see. The Deverson’s all began to flock home at last and though I intended to get up and go out, I went to sleep. Consequently by the time I did move, dinner was all ready and on the table – good management! Malcolm Kirkwood turned up a bit later. He had just had dinner at the Philp’s. He clowned about as usual, giving us a detailed description of how he had lost his clothes while he was swimming in National Park after work. He left his clothes on the bridge and naturally, the first wind that came screaming down the gully picked them up and deposited them neatly outside the shark net. That was the last he saw of that lot of clothes. We left for the Swan’s place then in Malcolm’s car. Pat and Anthony sat in the back and I sat in front next to Malcolm and a great pile of Herald wrappers. Right from the start, the evening was bedlam. Val told Malcolm that unless he could prevail upon Bruce Philp to get some more labels so that she can do carbon copies of the addresses, then she would refuse to do them any more, so she said. Poor Bruce, evidently his work has got a little out of hand and the job isn’t being done efficiently enough and everyone that has had work piled onto them by Bruce is getting a bit hot under the collar when he neglects the organisation of the work. Malcolm had little sympathy for Val, and told her she’d do the work or…!!! The evening having started so calmly, it continued in the same fashion. Malcolm sat next to Val and opposite me and Pat and Anthony sat next to me on the other side of the table. We started to lick and stick. Then Malcolm started to play up and paste went everywhere. Gill and Malc. started to wrestle at one stage and more glue went flying. We laughed and laughed and my sides were really sore. The Malcolm started to push me around and there was another fight. The string we had to tie up the parcels was exceptionally strong and Malcolm was trying to break it, and refused to give in until he did. In the meantime however we wanted string to tie up our parcels and we had to extract it from him. Scissors, glue passed from hand to hand and eventually Val picked up the sponge and squeezed the water down Malcolm’s neck. That finished it. Malcolm was hurt. He went out to the bathroom and endeavored to get the sticky stuff from the stamps out of his hair. While he was out, we prepared the supper and had it on the table ready for him. Of course in his tea was an imitation spider and it was a real beauty. He came back in and glared at everyone, sat down and grabbed his cup of tea. Took a mouthful, including our pet spider. Tea went everywhere and so did the spider and we dashed for cover. By the time Malc had finished ranting, sugar, tea and cake were literally everywhere. In fact the place looked just like it does when the twins have been let loose for 5 minutes.

Later on, Malcolm asked me if I’d like to go to the class at Dick Mansfield’s home on Friday night. I wanted to all right, but I’ve got to go to the rehearsal for the wedding. Wouldn’t it make you mad! I told him, and of course, he gave his opinion of wedding rehearsals. I said that if he’d like to call around to the wedding practice I would see then if I could go with him but if I couldn’t well that would be that. At last, Pat and Anthony and Malc left. We went to the gate to say goodbye and in the process, somehow or other, I slammed the door of the car. Malcom glared at me. “Soooorry” I said. Malcolm treats his car like a baby. Then Val and I went back inside and surveyed the kitchen where we had all been working. There was paste on the floor, over the table, string tied around chairs and table and pools of water here and there. In fact it was a mess. We both closed our eyes and retreated and left it until the morning when we would have another go at facing it and cleaning it all up..

19571204 Wednesday – I woke up at ten in the morning, that is I woke for the last time at 10 in the morning. At about 4.00am I got up to turn Paul over and at 6.00 am they were both yelling the house down, so I took them out of their cots and out the door. Then I slept blissfully and peacefully for the next few hours. I woke up at last, dressed, and then went out into the kitchen and had my breakfast. As usual, Val and I lazed around for about an hour over breakfast and then Dad and Mum picked me up to take me to town. We left the car about four miles from the city and caught a train the rest of the way. Dad stayed on the train to go where he wanted to go and Mum and I changed at Central for St James because I had decided I wanted to go to D J’s. I bought some bras there and had a look at some bathers but the girl who served me didn’t have a brain in her head, so I gave that up as a bad job. We left DJs and walked down Market Street and along to Barry’s bank in George Street. I went in and asked for Barry and we talked for a while. It was 10 minutes until his lunch hour, so I went out and waited with Mum and Dad who had just arrived. Barry came out a bit later and I introduced him to Dad and Mum. Then Mum and Dad went somewhere for lunch (the Peter Pan I think they said), and Barry and I went to the Bamboo Cafe and had a Chinese meal. I had a prawn omelette this time, no more sweet and sour for me, it’ s vile stuff.

We talked a fair bit. Barry’s giving up his job in the bank shortly and is going to get a new job, he doesn’t know what he intends to do yet. He’s still mad on swimming. He goes swimming at 5. O’clock every morning. Half his luck. After the meal we strolled round for a bit, arm in arm, until we came to a park and we sat there for a while. We went back to Wynyard eventually and waited there for Dad and Mum. We were just standing talking and I was looking downward. I looked up and couldn’t believe my eyes. There in front of us were the Bundesen’s from Brisbane. Dan Bundesen who shared a room at the Conference with Barry and another of the lads, I don’t know his name, and Betty and Ruth Bundesen. They told us that the boys were down for a holiday and they were heading for Shepparton. We talked for a while and Dan said to Barry, “Same girl I see? I told you you would keep going together.” I smiled and didn’t say anything. They were all on the way to Taronga Park so we let them go at last. I had wanted to introduce them to Dad and Mum but they didn’t turn up in time. After the Bundesen’s had moved on I was amused and told Barrie had he noticed they were wearing the same hats they wore at the Conference. At the Conference, if you saw some of the Young People in the distance and couldn’t see who they were, if they were wearing big hats, you knew they were the Bundesen’s. Barrie had to leave to go back to work. About 5 minutes later, Dad and Mum turned up. They’d forgotten they had told me to meet at Wynyard and had waited for me at the bank. Trust Dad.

We caught a bus to Circular Key and then bought tickets for the Show boat. It’s a lovely trip. There were two lads of about 20-23 on the boat who followed me from Deck to deck. We were up the top at first and they came and leaned on the rail beside me. I moved over to the other side and they turned and watched me. Then I went below to the middle deck. They appeared from the steps at the other end. Then Dad and Mum and I went down to have a cup of tea and again they followed. I gave up trying to avoid them then, it was a waste of time. There were a whole lot of school girls on the boat and they gathered around the piano and began singing. It sounded rather good for a lot of school girls and eventually, we found out that they were the Bondi girls choir and they had recently competed in the Eisteddfod’s and taken off a few prizes. The pianist for the showboat took over the piano and they sang the songs he played for them. One of the girls sang “Serenade” and “Deep in my heart” form the Student Prince and she had a lovely voice. Evidently she had come first in the competitions. When we arrived back, we caught a train back to the car and then Dad drove me to Hurstville to catch a bus to David and Wendy Pogson’s place. When we got to Hurstville however, Dad decided he’d drive me the full way. After a bit of bother, we managed to find Clark street Peakhurst and had just stopped in front of Lot 5 when David Pogson pulled up beside us in his truck. He informed us that there were three lot 5 ‘s in Clark street and the one we were at was the wrong one. I hopped in with David then and Dad and Mum left for the Deverson’s. Wendy was home when we got there and I said “Hello” to her. Nan and Pop have a self-contained flat joined on to David and Wendy’s house and there is a separating door between the two kitchens. I talked to Nan and Pop for a while and then helped Wendy with the dinner. Charles had left his record player with David and all his records. David played them for me. I hadn’t heard them for ages. Wendy asked me how Graham was getting one. I told her. That subject is not exactly my favorite. Then Faith rolled up. We had dinner then, mushrooms. Wendy said that for some time she hadn’t been able to understand why there was always water seeping up through the floor into the bed room. Then she decided to investigate and found that David had planted mushrooms under the house and to water them he squirted the water up at the floor and let it drip down. Trust David!

After dinner Wendy fitted Faith’s bridesmaid frock and David played records and I went through his books. Then David got hold of my bible and was going through my notes on the “Events subsequent to Christ’s Return.” And he went through those questioning me on various things I had written. Wendy speaks in baby talk just like Peggy. They’re mad characters. David made the supper and then got a lovely lecture from Faith on the correct way to make cocoa. It was getting pretty late when we eventually left. It took ages for David to find the key to the car. Wendy lent me her jumper, because, as usual, I had forgotten to bring one. When we had dropped Faith off, David started to quiz me a bit about myself and my “love-life” or lack of it. It started off by him commenting that even in the ecclesia some of the young people marry without really loving each other – more for convenience than anything else and find that they are incompatible. They don’t realise what an important thing it is to choose the right partner. From there, we talked about Adelaide and the Young People there. Then it worked around to myself and Jeff. I felt I could talk to David and know that what I said would go no further. He and Wendy were instrumental in Beth and Charles getting together, and I’m quite sure David would like to have a hand in my affairs, too. He’s a wonderful boy. I wish I could have got in before Wendy. If I’d met him first, she wouldn’t have got a look in. That is, if I could help it. I explained the situation between Jeff and me though I didn’t mention his name (I also didn’t give full particulars of the case in question), but just the necessary things to get a bit of advice. David feels as I feel, that Jeff has quite a bit of changing to do before any girl could go with him and that it may take a long time, though David felt that the next months may see a change in him. David said it was a pity I can’t stay in Sydney longer because they have hardly seen anything of me. David let me off at Swans, said goodbye and drove off. I can see now what makes Charlie think such a lot of him.

19571205 Thursday – I slept until 10 again today and when Dad arrived to pick me up, I wasn’t ready. I tore around and literally threw things on. The twins were playing up. They were to be photographed today and Val had dressed them up, but they were dirty almost as soon as she had finished dressing them. We drove to Palm Beach, and it was a beautiful drive. The houses around that area are nothing short of fabulous. We passed a few bush fires on the way there but no houses were in danger. We stopped first at Cirl Cirl Beach or some such name – I didn’t look at the sign, I just heard Mum say it. Then we passed through Dee Why – crazy names. We had lunch at the place before Palm Beach. It was lovely. Palm Beach has got a swimming pool inset into the rocks on one of the points I wouldn’t have minded swimming there. Oh, I forgot, before we set out for Palm Beach we stopped in at Hurstville and I bought a pair of bathers. Dad said he would pay for them for my birthday. He didn’t expect them to be six pound ten shillings though and he got quite a shock. We found our way to the Etherington’s at West Ryde on the way back and stayed there for dinner as we had arranged. Barbara’s sister, Jennifer is an extremely pretty little thing. Long fair hair tied in a pony tail. She’s 11, but very small for her age. The fist thing she told me was that she goes to Physical Culture and has won a medal or something. The next thing she asked me was if I had a boyfriend and when I told her that I hadn’t, she gave me a history of hers. She commented on my dress, “It was lovely “ my shoes, my hair, the works. Then Joan another sister, younger than Jennifer told me that she thought that she was “lovely and small”. Then she asked me if I thought she had “lovely hair ,” because “I think I’ve got lovely hair.” Then she got me to do it in a pony tail for her. I don’t know if all young girls are so self-absorbed. I think perhaps it is me not them that is different. They’re essentially the girlish doll -loving little girls and me, well I’d take a gun to bed before I’d take a doll. I’m beginning to see the difference between a tomboy as I was and a normal little girl.

I went out into the car to change into my stockings which I had taken off when I was at Palm Beach. Then Barbara arrived. She has had her hair permed. She is very pretty. The next to arrive was Brother Etherington. Dad and he got talking and Barbara and I began on the inevitable subject, Graham, sigh . It seems that when Graham was over in Sydney staying with them last, he behaved pretty badly. Don’t know the details, just what Barbara said, sigh again. I’ve often wondered how he would talk with Barbara. When he is at home, he has two subjects of conversation. Himself firstly, and girls secondly and as he seems to know of nothing else to talk about he must have talked about one of the two to Barbara. “He talked about both” said Barbara. She said she got tired of hearing him talk about all the girls of his acquaintance. He’d come home one day and say to Barb, “Guess who I met in town today? It was the girl I met on the bus coming over.” Then he’d tell her all about that, how that the girl was in trouble over something and how he had helped her etc. Barb said she took him to as many meetings as she could and all the comment she could ever get from him were things like “It was too long.” If she tried to give him advice or anything like that, he’d get up in the top bunk and stay there and sulk. She said that at times they wouldn’t be speaking to each other for about two days. Then he wanted to know how she loved him, as a woman or as a baby (of all the corny lines) and she said that if she had allowed it she could be having his baby by now. Graham has certainly gone in a bad direction. He’d be walking up the street with her and he’d suddenly say, “Gee it would be nice if I was with someone pretty.” And he says he loves Barbara? He just doesn’t know what love is. There’s one person he loves and one person only – himself. In his letters to her, when he was still doing photography, she said that he told her he met up with tons of girls who had got into trouble and they would pour out their woes to him and all the time on impulse he’d kiss them or pat them etc. He has stretched his conscience so far that it hardly remains a conscience at all. Barbara said that he lies so much, that he doesn’t know himself when he’s telling the truth or when he is not. It makes me so sad. I love Graham but I hate the choices he has made. In the end I said to Barbara that my question to her is “What is wrong with you that you want to go with such a boy?”

19571206 Letter from Keith Noble to Jeff and John

19571206 Friday – still at the Swans – Paul was as restless as anything this morning and he had a cold and was snoring and snorting and I just couldn’t block the noise out. Eventually I got up and took him out of his cot and put him out the door, just as Val had come in to collect him. I slept from then on, blissfully. Remind me not to get married and NOT to have children! Dad and Mum called quite late this morning and of course we were late in getting to Barry Spencer’s place. Barry, Herbie and a boy Barry has staying at his place at the moment were waiting out in the front garden for us. I talked to Herb for a while and then we all went in to see Sister Spencer. She is still looking as jolly as ever. We had lunch while we were there and then we left to go to Penrith. Barry knew his way around on the main roads but he wasn’t much good at finding th scenic parts. The bush fires were going in the scrub which perhaps added to the lack of scenery, but I couldn’t be bothered looking out of the window eventually, so I piled the pillows up and made myself comfortable and closed my eyes and dozed.

Mum and Dad like Barry and tell me they think he is a nice boy. I think so too, but as far as being keen on him, well I am not able to be, for whatever reason. I kept my hands folded in my lap because I didn’t feel in the mood for any hand-holding, especially as Dad and Mum were there. At Penrith, Barry got out to get us some drinks and Mum turned around and said , “You’re being a bit distant from Barry aren’t you? If Jeff were sitting there, it would be a different story wouldn’t it.” I made a face at her. Still it wouldn’t be fair to give Barry the idea that I am keen on him and it would certainly take too much effort as well. We went back through Fairfield because I wanted to go back to Sutherland to change because if the rehearsal didn’t take too long, I wanted to go to Dick Mansfield’s class. We dropped Barry at his place and he invited us in, but we declined. I felt a bit mean, because as we were driving off Barry gazed straight at me and I knew he was wondering why I wasn’t being more ..friendly to him. Dad dropped me at the Swans and he went on to Deverson’s. I had a shower, washed my hair and got ready for the rehearsal. Frank Ryan dropped in while we were having dinner and began to talk about some brother who had been refused fellowship. Instead of discussing the reason for which he had been refused fellowship, they discussed whether he was a “good fellow” or not. Frank left and then Malcolm Kirkwood walked in and switched the light off. He a asked me if I was coming with him and I told him I wouldn’t be but I might drop in later in the evening. I asked him to stay at our place if he came to Adelaide. He’s not sure whether he will be able to come or not because it depends on his job. He left then and a bit later Mum and Dad arrived.

We drove to Lakemba and it looked as though everyone but Charles and Beth had arrived. It seemed to be the practice night for the whole of the ecclesia. There were plays being practiced, songs, and of course our wedding rehearsal. I sat out in the kitchen with David Pogson and we mucked around with microscope he had there. He put a strand of my hair in it and it looked like a bar, so David said. “You must admit it has got plenty of “body” anyway,” I said. He grinned and said “Yes, It ‘s in keeping with the rest of you.” A battle Royal nearly started, but David quickly did a vanishing trick to evade my wrath. Charles and Beth turned up at a quarter to nine. By this time I was inwardly fuming. Here we were wasting the time that I could have been at Dick Mansfield’s class and because they were late w e had done absolutely nothing but wast the time. I was so disappointed. I felt like roaring at Charles and Beth, but it turned out that Beth had been sick. She had been vomiting most of the evening and she looks an utter wreck and Charles doesn’t look much better. I think the wedding p reparations must have been a strain for them. At long last we practiced going up the aisle in the right order etc. Charles had disappeared so he didn’t practice. David Pogson had disappeared as well, so there was only Faith and me. Faith hasn’t got much sense of balance and she wobbled all over the place trying to go slow. When that was finished we started to go home. Ron Herman was there. He’s down from Ballina. I talked to Roland Pogson for a while. Dad didn’t comment about the evening. I think he was feeling a bit mad at himself at being so emphatic that I turn up at the rehearsal and not go to the meeting at Brighton Le Sands because the whole night had been such a shambles.

When I arrived home, Val was still up typing the Logos labels. We had a cup of tea and about 11.30 I went to bed. Val told me next day that Gil had not got in until 12. All the Mansfield’s had been at the class. Eric, Jim John etc. I felt so mad that I had missed it. They are studying Daniel there and Eric had some films on it. Malcolm blew the light of the projector of course, so that was off. Afterward, they roared around with Barry Stretton in his new Morris Minor and they passed Annette Thatcher’s place and found her there in ardent embrace with Graham Bacon. Sounds like it was an interesting night. Wish I had been there.

19571207 Charles and Beth’s Wedding – When we got to David and Wendy’s, Beth came out and showed us their caravan. It’s a lovely little compact thing, and just perfect for the honeymoon. We went inside then and she showed us her wedding presents. She has got some lovely things. I was awfully tired. Wendy was using the iron to iron two of Beth’s petticoats. We scrambled into our frocks, putting on the wrong stockings etc. but we managed to get things sorted out, but we were running awfully late. I was alternatively helping Beth, and getting her to help us. The flowers arrived from the airport and they were lovely. Beth’s sister Janice was one of the bridesmaids, and her frock was miles too big for her waist and she was sulking. Everyone was on her back for being a baby and sulking and that made her worse. Faith, Beth’s other sister and also one of the bridesmaids wasn’t much help either. I got Jan aside eventually and did what the others should have done and pulled the waist in on her dress and pinned it in with pins so that it fitted around the waist. That cheered her up. Faith’s petticoats were showing under her dress as they were under Jan’s as well, but it was too late to do anything about that. Eventually we were ready – well, more or less and we piled into the cars. Their Uncle had a movie camera and was taking shots.

We arrived at Lakemba hall without mishap and there were about five movie cameras trained on us. Half the ecclesia seems to have them. As we were standing in the porch waiting for the wedding march to start, Jim Mansfield and his wife came up behind us. Then the wedding march started and we began our walk up the aisle then onto the platform. Beth looked really beautiful. Brother Crewes was officiating and I like him for the marrying brother. In one place though, he muffed his lines. Instead of saying “If any man knows of any impediment to this marriage, let him speak now, or for ever after hold your peace,” he said “If any man knows of any impediment to this marriage, let him hold his peace.” When he realised what he had said he looked confused and embarrassed and perspiration sprung out on his forehead. That made me giggle rather nervously, then he said “Do you Charles agree to take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?” and I suddenly remembered how Charles had been joking about this part of the ceremony at the rehearsal. Charles said, “Do you Charles agree to take this woman to be your “awful” wedded wife?” The thought made me giggle even more nervously. It was torture trying not to laugh and then I looked over at Charles and Beth and saw that they too were trying not to laugh. Luckily for me I looked at Beth and saw that she was crying a bit and that sobered me up a bit.

Then they were married and we found ourselves out in the back room for them to sign the register. Uncle Arthur Clarke was there with his movie camera. David Pogson made sure he got the first kiss of the new bride and then we all went back up the aisle to the door. Beth and Charles kissed all their Rellies on the way. We got into the cars again and off to Hurstville for the photos. The photographer was Howard Harris and the photos were taken in a room with screens and lighting. Charlie looks terrible when he tries to smile for the camera. His lips look like a bow with dogs teeth in the corner. Another wedding came in while our photos were still being taken and they were trying to get ready for their photos. Beth was having a photo taken alone when suddenly there was an explosion and the globe in the lamp behind her blew up and spattered glass everywhere. I called out to Beth “Now look what you have done!” She smiled shakily. Then the photographer bent down over her dress and it was and saw that the hot glass had landed all over her train. We started to try to lift the glass off but it was useless because the glass had melted the material and left holes everywhere. The photographer was terribly upset but dear Beth told him she had intended to cut the dress down afterward, so it didn’t really matter. How lucky he was that it was Beth’s dress that it happend to and not mine. I am not so sweet-natured as Beth. I would have thrown a fit for sure. When we left, we bundled the holes into the middle of her train so that the holes didn’t show. It was lucky it was only on the train and not her actual dress. All the bridesmaids (except me because my dress was properly made and fitted in Adelaide) were having bother with the bows at the back of their dresses. One of the groomsmen offered Faith and Jan pins to hold them in place so that was a help.

We left the photographer at last and drove back to the Lakemba Hall and there we waited in the porch until Bro Crewes told us to come in. We went into the rear hall and seated ourselves at the Bridal Table. On Beth’s left were Faith and David Joseph, Bro and Sis Joseph, Beth’s parents and on her right was Charles, myself, Janice Joseph and Mum and Dad (Jean and Maynard O’Connor ). The food was really beautiful and there was plenty of it . The cake was lovely too. The brother who made the cake I first me in Melbourne. I didn’t know then that he has cancer and is not expected to live much longer. His name is Jack Mewer. There weren’t any toasts, just a few speeches. Bro Crewes was master of ceremonies. Basil McClure spoke first saying how pleased Lakemba is to have Charles and Beth with them to help in the work of the ecclesia. Charles spoke next and gave a very good speech. David gave a good one too and then Bruce Philp spoke. He said that he could not speak too highly of the Josephs, “Their Logos subscriptions are always paid on time and owing to the increases in the costs of the Story of the Bible, output etc that has to be a very good characteristic.” Trust Bruce. Ted was next speaker – he had said he would speak on the condition that Bruce spoke first so that he could have the last say. Then Ted spoke. In the process he had a few shots at Bruce. Bruce wouldn’t let Ted have the last say so he stood up again and spoke again. Then Ted stood up, and then Bruce s poke again and said “I don’t intend to say anything further (loud claps from everyone) about the Josephs etc. At long last Bro Crewes managed to shut him up and went on with the proceedings.

Then the wedding breakfast was over. People came up to speak to Beth and I made my way through the throng to the outside. I met up with Barrie Stretton and we talked for a bit. He said he might be coming to Adelaide shortly. I told him it wasn’t a very good time to come because all the meetings are finished for the year. He said he intended to come in February. Bro Spencer came up then and shook hands with me. We talked a bit and then when he had moved on I continued my conversation with Barrie Stretton. Then everyone began to move into the main hall so I left Barrie and moved in too. I got talking to Bill Sawell for a while. At long last I’ve found out who Bill Sawell is. Beth told me in Adelaide that he is a nice boy. Charles writes to him or something. We talked for a bit at one end of the hall and Barrie Stretton entertained a group of girls at the other. Then Herb came up and joined Bill and me and then Ray Towner. Bill Sawell moved on and I left the group and once again I got talking with Barrie. We talked about the class in Adelaide. He was interested to know what classes there were and their nature. Then Sister Joseph came up and congratulated him on an exhortation he gave last Sunday.

We then began the social part of the evening and Ray Towner took me for the first game, musical hearts. We didn’t have much hope though because Peter Joseph kept pushing us off. Still we returned the compliment and he got out shortly after we did. Peter Joseph and I teamed up for one of the competitions and we won. Nobody would believe that we cheated fair though. Gil Swan and I had to go in that crazy thing where the girl has to feed the boy. We won that too, that was easy. I just made sure his shirt was open before we started and I poured most of the food into that. Noone was any the wiser until after they’d given us the prize and Gil stood up and then all the food fell out of his shirt. The confiscated the prize then and gave it to Faith and Ray. A blind brother, (Brother Seally) played the Saxaphone. He plays by ear and he played so well. It was strange when I was introducd to him. His eyes are all covered over with a skin and though they move they look so sightless and dead. It gives a peculiar feeling. I went into the hall a bit later for a rest. Roland Pogson came up and we talked together for a while. He told me I had met him before so I guessed I had. Last time when I came to Sydney and went to the Domain with David Pogson. At the time I had thought that David was Roland but it wasn’t. I stayed talking to Roland in the hall for some time but then they sent a search party out for him because he was supposed to be singing a duet with one of the girls.

Ted Spongberg recited a poem which raised a few laughs. It was about an Indian who had just died. This was considered a very good thing as he had been married ten years to a shrew. When he knocked on the doors of Purgatory, he was asked his credentials before he was allowed entrance. The Indian said that he had been married and he was then allowed to enter. Shortly after, another Indian knocked on the doors of purgatory but he was refused entrance. He indignantly inquired why he was refused when the Indian before him had been allowed to enter. He was told that the other Indian’s case had been different, because he had been married. Then the Indian said triumphantly, “Then I’m all right, because I have been married twice.” “Begone then,” came the answer, “we’ll have no fools in Paradise.” When Ted sat down, someone commented that they had wondered where all the false doctrine had originated in the Lakemba Ecclesia. I asked Wendy when I could invite myself out to her place, and we arranged it for Wednesday night. I talked to Barrie Stretton quite a lot throughout the evening. He asked me about the Abraham notes that Malcolm Kirkwood was receiving and I told him I would send them to him if he liked. He borrowed a pen from someone and gave me his address. David Pogson came up with a gleam in his eye then, just as Roy Towner appeared and told us we should be out in the rear hall. Barrie told Ray he wasn’t coming and I didn’t move. I looked up and saw David grinning his head off. David began to move away, and Barrie called to him to stop, because he wanted to speak to him, but Basil butted in and began to speak to David and they both went off together. Then Barrie and I continued our conversation until once again Ray Towner appeared. He said, “Listen, Stretton, you both should be out the back.” Barrie told Ray that he was quite happy where he was and once again, I smiled sweetly. I had had enough trouble avoiding Ray at the Conference without starting it all over again here. Quite a few people noticed the fact that Barrie and I were having a nice little conference all on our own in the hall – I guess there will be some more rumors going around. I asked Barrie to stay at our place if he came to Adelaide. I’d laugh if everyone I’ve asked turns up at the same time.

Just then Beth and Charles and the girls appeared and told me it was time for Beth to change into her going away dress. Barrie told me he was going to the break up at Wiggins so he left then. Bill Sawell gave me the address of the place in case the thing ended in time for me to go to it. We went around in “Uncle Bert’s” car to a sister’s place and we helped Beth to change. Her frock looked lovely. Her hat was very nice too. It had started to rain by this time so we had to take umbrellas out to the car. When we arrived back the social part of the evening was still going on. Faith, Janice and I had to hand out the cake. At last Charles and Beth left. The boys had picked the lock of their car and it was full of confetti. They had jacked up the wheels of the car but Charles discovered that before he got into it. There were tins galore, old boots, in fact the works. On the back of the car in lipstick was written “Just married – expect no hand signals.” After they had gone everyone sat and talked for ages. David and I talked for a while but then I was so tired. I spent the next half hour just propping up the door. Bruce Philp passed me as he went out the door and he said he hadn’t realised that you could kiss the Bridesmaids as well as the Bride after the ceremony. I told him it was not too late. He didn’t hear me though, but Ted Spongberg did. I thought at the time that I would be very surprised if I got out of the place without receiving a kiss from him. How right I was. Just before we were about to leave, Ted said, “May I kiss the bridesmaid?” and he reached over and kissed me. Ted is a bit of a lady’s man I think. We had to go around to David and Wendy’s place after because all my clothes were there. When we turned into the Henry Lawrence Drive we passed Charles and Beth. That was a bit of luck. They stopped and we said a final goodbye. I was glad we met them, because I hadn’t said Goodbye to Beth.

We went on to David and Wendy’s place and they were waiting at the door for us. I gathered up my clothes which were scattered from one end of the house to the other. Beth had left a present for me, with a card with her love and a request that I write to her. We talked a bit about the wedding and Wendy Pogson said that a number of people she had met at the wedding told her that they thought that it was the prettiest wedding they had seen at Lakemba. I think it was too. Some remark was made about Barrie Stretton and I asked David what his address was because I thought I had lost the slip of paper he had written it on. David grinned at me and said “you little minx.” Then he told me Barrie‘s address and also told me that he is a very nice boy. I said “Match making again?” He looked innocent and said “No, not me.” I kissed Wendy “Goodbye” then and shook hands with David. He gave me a long look and squeezed my hand as if to say “Have patience, trust in God and things will turn out all right.” Wendy is a very lucky girl I think. We drove home then and I was pleased to fall into bed. It was a pity I didn’t get to the break up though, because now I haven’t seen the Hurstville Mob at all. I talked to Peter Joseph and then David Pogson, watching the proceedings invited Peter to his place for Wednesday night. David will have me paired off with someone sooner or later, or he won’t be happy.

19571208 Sunday – Things went a little hay wire today. Last night when I arrived home at the Swans, Gill’s brother was there and his latest girlfriend. I stopped up and had a cup of tea and a talk with them, consequently I was very tired when I did eventually get to bed. He evidently was the one who went to the Youth Conference in Brisbane with John Stewart and who s pent most of the time in a car a t the back of the place, sick. He’s not in the Truth and so Gil says, not very interested at the moment though they are trying their hardest with him. Anyway, to get back to my story, I slept in this morning and when Dad and Mum arrived to pick me up to take me to the morning meeting, well I wasn’t even dressed. Dad went mad. I flew around and got ready in double quick time. It was almost n hour and a quarter before the meting. I couldn’t understand why Dad had made such a fuss. Dad was grumpy and sulked all the way and Mum pandered to him and let him take out his ill temper on her. We eventually arrived at the meeting a quarter of an hour early. Of course after all Dad’s fuss, he had to make something out of it. He s aid, “I wish you two would be on time, I don’t feel in a fit state of mind to go into the meeting now.” Mum s aid “Oh we’re sorry Daddy dear, etc, etc….” I said, “I slept in and I’m sorry for that, but you’ve only got yourself to blame for the way you feel. You ‘re making too much of the matter. Dad flared t me, “Saying sorry doesn’t change things, you’re only making excuses for yourself.” Dad and Mum are both the same, if one portion of their plans go haywire, they work themselves up about it and spoil there whole day and they like to spoil everyone else ‘s day in sympathy. Anywy, I’d said I was sorry, what else did he want me to do, crawl? “ I’ll never crawl to any man. Anyway I didn’t allow Dad’s mood to spoil my day. Jimmy Green’s car drew up then and we met in the middle of the road and shook hands. Jim’s a lovely boy. I walked into the hall after that and met up with the Spencer twins. Skeet introduced me to a Brother Wright. I sat between the twins for the meeting. Bro Darke was the exhorting Brother. He had to do it impromptu because the Brother who was supposed to speak w as ill. Barrie, Spencer, Herb, Doug and some of the others sat behind me and afterward I had a bit of a conversation with them. Allan Hawkins was there too and he came up and shook hands with me. He was trying to round up some of the young people to take part in a pamphlet distribution but they all said they were otherwise engaged for the afternoon but would distribute them on Tuesday night.

John Kenworthy and his wife have another baby now, a girl called Robin Fay. John is really good looking, exceptionally so in fact. I wonder how Fay Kenworthy is getting on in Canada. I talked to Jimmy Green again and he described the bre ak up and prize -giving night held at Granville last night. Evidently he composed and produced a play which was performed by the scholars. It went off very well so he said. That is, there were not complaints. Lyn, Judy and Skeet and Brrie cam in our car to the Spencer’s place for lunch. They have got their Grandfather staying with them at the moment – a nice ch ap, and Don some-one-or -other, who is staying the weekend at Judy’s invitation. Lunch was rather a hilarious affair with the twins there, you couldn’t expect it to be much else After lunch, we packed up the dishes and were excused from the rest so the three girls and myself went for a walk. We hadn’t got very far when the boys rolled up in the car and we climbed in the back of the Ute. Lyn sat next to me and it wasn’t very long before she was leaning against me. It’s funny, it seems her nature to lean on someone and it seems to be mine to be the one leaned upon. I n the bus coming home from Brisbane, she slept in my arms and I stayed awake and let her sleep. Judy, the other twin stands more on her own feet. They‘re very different in nature although they are twins.

Barrie Spencer and Don took us to some place, I haven’t a clue where it was, but there were airplanes taking passengers on joy rides and in the paddock opposite, there were booths selling toffee apples, fairy floss etc. By this time, Judy, Lyn and Skeet had decided that they didn’t want me to go to Pearce’s for dinner and they were thinking of ways and means to wangle it. They decided at last to invite Walter and Sylvia home to their place to dinner and Mum and Dad could go to the Pearce’s. They decided to ring up. Judy borrowed some cash from Barrie and we set off over the river to the s hop to ring up. We walked into the shop which was crowded with Bodgies and Widgies – imitations they were, just harmless, bored kids trying to pretend they weren’t harmless and bored. They were playing darts. They looked us over and decided we were fresh from Sunday School. Judy changed a shilling to get some pennies to ring up with, but the fellow in the shop informed us that the public phone was out of order. Lyn of course went off to test it. It wasn’t out of order! The phone rang at Spencer’s and Sister Spencer answered it. Lyn yelled for some pennies but by this time Judy was trying to get the number on the phone in the shop. Sister Spencer was saying, “Hello, Hello, Hello?” Lyn yelled down the receiver and managed to get Sister Spencer to understand that Judy was ringing on another phone. It looked so funny. There was Judy ringing up on one phone and getting an engaged signal and there was Lyn standing in the public phone box, yelling with all her might down the earphone of the telephone. She hung up at last and Judy got through to home. She asked if it would be all right if the Pearce family – the children anyway, came home to dinner. It was. Judy rang t he Pearce’s then but Sister Pearce told her that Walter and Sylvia were at practice for th Malvern Hall break up. However, if we liked to come to dinner at their place we could. That was what we decided to do. As we walked out of the shop, the mixed group inside called out complimentary remarks such as “What Sunday School do you go to etc.” W walked back to where the car should have been, but of course, the boys had moved it. We walked along the road arm in arm and we were all playing about, changing steps. We were so engrossed that we did not see the boys drive up. They sped toward us and then drew up with a screech of brakes – at exactly the same moment we all looked up and as one voice, we all screamed. The boys laughed. We told them just what we thought of them. We hopped in the back of the Ute and then began begging for toffee apples. Using our usual theme song from the conference, “I‘m hungry.” It brought back such memories. Of course, I varied it by saying, “I’m lonely,” which was another conference saying. Sigh.

When we arrived back at the Spencer’s, Dad and Mum were ready to leave for Pearce’s. We washed and combed up in a hurry. I was in the toilet and I could hear the girls outside laughing their heads off. When I went outside, there they were, holding out pennies and going into all sorts of contortions with expressions to match. It looked awfully funny.