By Greg and by Trenna
This series of transcripts starts here.
A Little More on the 1973 Diary
The Post The 1973 Diary – Part 12 contains the last of the daily entries in Trenna’s hand written diary.
However, towards the back there is a section for “Accounts” where Trenna has put some figures down. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect it is an attempt at budgeting.
Good on her for trying when she was just 15 years old. When she was with me she was a good budgeter and money manager.
This is what it said:
And on the next page, this:
Extra Bits
Trenna also had other notes about this era of her life. Again, I am sure it is part of the process of collecting together thoughts so that her story could be told.
She has used the 1973 Diary to stimulate her thoughts, and if you have read all the entries much of it will be familiar, but in a few areas she has expanded on what she wrote at the time.
The rest of this post is all Trenna’s words.
DUNGEON MARKETS/JEANS DUNGEON
Buy Rolling Stones Tickets for concert at WACA on 24/2/73 Mon met Sue & Julie and they said the concert was really good.
THE NELSONS
I knew I kept in contact with Janette for awhile after leaving school and her continuing but I didn’t realise how often the Nelson family had me over for weekends and weeknight outings, mainly to Putt Putt, I should have been a bit more gracious towards them than I was when I broke off ties with Janet.
PUTT PUTT
We went to the Cannington one
We visited the Freo one, not as good
We also visited Nookenburrah, really old
Boys are beautiful, the most frequent adjective I use to describe any boy I was in love with at the time.
GFS GIRLS
Lynette, scrawny, hunched, scraggly blonde hair, plain, immature and very country girl from – Carnamar
Norma – another country girl. Big boned, brown hair very square.
Ruth – not sure if she lived more locally but she was here to become a Dental Nurse, plain, but jolly , curly brown I styled hair. I liked and respected her.
Debbie McCarthy – Catholic but not religious, good looking in an average way, shoulder length ,fringed, straight blonde-brown hair, secretarial work.
Rose Gibson – would become one of my best friends, Japanese, elegant mother, but who chained smoked, her Dad was aboriginal and a closet drinker, Rose had 3 younger sisters and one younger brother.
Sue Lee – eventually she became my room mate, cool, clothes designer, wealthy family from Mt Lawley, grand Federation home. Parents in USA. Her boyfriend, Paul, cool as, looked & spoke like Mick Jagger, she artistic designer.
Twinnies – Sharon & Joyce, cousin, George Cross, Punny,
[GM: This section seems to merge into a “People I Saw in That Period”.]
Steve Dew & Katrina end of Plaza Arcade 4.10
Katrina & Lynn Ungvary (Helen went out with older brother Trevor) saw on streets going to BC
Carol & Marianne
Vivienne & Les ???
Plaza Arcade – saw Keith Merton (?),
Peter Graphan – (school).
Robert Sefton (?)
Murray Moulski (used to love him, wrote lots of poems in high school to him and gave them completely wrapped in sticky tape to a friend of his at the end of school). I had played with him when I was about 9 when he came to CH to wait for his mum, my favourite cook. Sadly, for me, he was not interested in girls, and even more sadly, he died young in the 1980’s of AIDS.
Faye Kosteralis – (school),
Lynnette Grayden
Graham Norris – (school and youth Club),
David McDonald – saw lots of times
Janine Wetherall and Dave Due together
Murray Benton, Sue Butt’s ex High School boyfriend
Ian Parsons
30/3/73 Sharon Towel, Murray St, saw her when I had period and was worried I had blood on back of dress about 10.30.
24/3/73 Maria Lockiar CH outside Poseidon Adventure cinema with a really revolting Sailor.
EATING PLACES
Café – Petite café Perth Friday 16/3/73 had rather an expensive lunch with Sue & Julie
Fruitorium – Café run by Greeks opposite side of Hay St just a few shops towards the city from Eddies. It also sold a small amount of fruit and veg.
Billiards snooker carpet bowls
Masterpiece board game compete for auctions (Jan’s nanny) birthday
THE FRONT OFFICE
MATRON COLE AND RULES
In the office waiting area there was space for visitors to stand or some could sit on wooden benches along the walls. The actual office had glass windows and you did your paperwork there, it was a bit like a bank. The Matron is called Mrs Cole, she’s pretty old & dowdy & we call her Mrs Cole, not Matron.
At some point, I learned that I would get $5 a week pocket money which I thought was pretty good, I don’t remember how, or from whom I got it, but sometimes I mention Mr Hollingsworth, so I don’t know how much contact I still had with Legacy.
There was a 10pm Curfew on weeknights (I think) and 10.30 on weekends, they were strict – front door was locked! You had to sign in and out when you left and returned the building no matter where you went..
MY BEDROOM
“I finally got to my room at 3.30, a favourite!” Not sure why. It was on the 2nd floor of the main building above the pavement of Adelaide Terrace and closest room to Victoria Ave. There is a bus stop below the 2 bedrooms next to mine.
Across the road is a small, light brick, block of flats with a slightly higher square of lawn which was held up by a small brick wall. You could sit on the wall because there was a red telephone booth right out side on the opposite pavement.
THE BATHROOM AMENITIES
From my bed I could look inwards through our doorway towards the bathroom, so could always know when a shower was free & it was not far to go. There was no inside toilet, you had to walk down stairs along the cement walkway, undercover to the end and there it was, in the corner next to an under supplied laundry. In winter, if the wind blew & it rained you’d get wet & it was always cold out there at night.
THE DINING ROOM
Nothing flash like CH. Again, we walked downstairs, at the bottom of the stairs was a telephone in the right corner (as you entered from outside) on the wall, a small table and a Telephone Directory. To the right of this little nook were a few steps down to the breakfast & coffee/tea area.
There was a table against the far wall holding mugs, an urn, milk, coffee, milo, toaster and bread with various spreads and boxes of cereals in the morning, just biscuits at later times in the day/night. On the left wall, in the middle, was a hatch where you told the cooks, who were standing in the kitchen, on an even lower floor, what you wanted to eat.
Don’t remember much about eating meals here, I do know I said a roast was nice once and another time I mention having curry and rice for tea. I note that I always call dinner “tea” at this phase in my life.
Next to the kitchen outside, was a fairly narrow lane way which many people used as a shortcut to walk to Hay Street, trucks and cars would also drive down there but we often saw trucks start but then think better of that idea and back out, too narrow.
The lower windows in the kitchen, in later years got “prison” grills put on when there were attempted break ins.
FIRST NIGHT OUT AND ABOUT IN TOWN
At teatime, met four girls & went & looked at each other’s rooms. One of the girls was Debra McCarthy, the others, I’m not sure I remember who they were.
After tea went to the lounge to listen to records, they only had one! Debbie’s parents were coming to take her out at 8pm, she invited us along & we walked all over town with them, country hicks!
I got my photo taken at the end of Plaza Arcade, we walked through the Parmelia Arcade & then up to Forrest House (Federation Grand Home) which faced the Barracks Arch. We had coffee & sandwiches in the restaurant for supper before heading back & going to bed at 10.15.