1950s Mind's Eye

My home life was very confusing for various reasons that I will not go into right now. The local 'hang' for kids was the council playground; Woolloomooloo Council Playground, it was my out ..

1951 'starring' in a short doco about the playground

I sported orthapedic boots (which were fashionable not!), throughout the day - at nights, iron splints were strapped with lengths of bandages to my little twisted legs.

I'm walking in my mind's eye down Brougham Street on my way to the playground in the 50s, pausing outside the varying Terrace Houses along the way listening to the latest tunes broadcasting from the radio ..

Teresa Brewer's screeching version of "Boll Weevil" offset by Doris Day's lilting "Que Sera Sera", but it was the upbeat "Tzena Tzena" that would start my heart racing. These songs gave me the basis for my quest for musical knowledge. Doris Day "Que Sera Sera", Tzena Tzena", the Barry Sisters version that I first heard in the '50s, however, The Weavers featuring Pete Seeger did an excellent job of it, a sign of great things to come. What a magnificent banjo player he was, such an inspiration during the '60s. (Research has conveyed to me that "Tzena Tzena" 'was not originally a Hebrew folk song.)

Humming "Que Sera Sera" I would close my eyes and imagine what it would be like to be part of the world of music world, a place I mistakenly imagined where one could escape from the horror of ‘homelife’. I later joined this world – far from escaping the horrors of homelife, I found a world of drugs, disloyalty, dishonour and deception.

Back home again - tea (dinner) at 5 on the dot, always 5 on the dot. Back to reality; as portrayed by my family.

Doris Day "Que Sera Sera"

The Queen Victoria Building

The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is situated on a city block; George, York and Market Streets. Facing demolition in the '80s, heritage stepped in and the QVB was restored and is now a shopping complex..

In 1963 I commenced employment with the Sydney County Council (SCC), at that point in time the SCC had its offices in the QVB, later relocated to Bathhurst Street. I toiled in the mail-room and continued with Advanced Shorthand and Advanced English studies at night.

Working at the SCC was awesome for me, I had just turned sixteen,16, the Supremes were cooing in the background, girl groups were popular including The Crystals, Shirelles and The Exciters. I was surfing, playing guitar and finding my way round in an adult domain.

However, The Beatles were just about to explode on the world !!

To secure a job after school, was considered the norm in those days. I found myself in an amazing situation surrounded by hundred of young teens all eager to earn a 'quid'. My starting pay was 8 pounds. This was an extremely high wage for a young girl. The SCC dealt in the sale of electrical appliances, 'Cooking with Electricity' demonstrations, electricity accounts etc., conditions were excellent - it was 'cushy', with overtime, penalty rates, tea money, several breaks, an hour lunch, uniforms, holiday pay, long service leave and plenty of room for advancement. I was employed in the mailroom for a year until I sat for my exams and was moved on up to the position of shorthand/typist in Sales, located in York Street.

The Council's Social Club arranged 'theatre parties' at reduced rates, to theatres, movies, restaurants, this included Sydney Stadium and the Chevron Hotel. I didn't really think I fitted in there. I met up with girls years later who told me I was always ahead of my time. Most of the girls wore hairspray, make-up, stockings and high-heels - little carbon copies of their Mum's from the 40's and 50s. Not me however, had to be different.

Unfortunately, I got too ahead of myself and thought 'Tune in Turn On and Drop Out' was more my style I was about to take a downward slide. Though, oddly enough, I continued to work in governmental departments or 'straight' environments; including University of New South Wales, Bryan Clarke (Solicitors). Foundation for Treatment of Drug Addicts and Alcoholics (FRATTAD), The Chamber of Commerce, Monarch Insurance. I purchased a stationery store in the '80's and continued my home secretarial business..

By George!

Looking at photos of the 'Old Loo', each one evoking a tale. Mums Dad was a South African, he was Jewish and of German descent, her Mum was a Liverpudlian Catholic. Uncles and aunts were, Dutch, Irish and Scottish. I am told my accent, as a child, was a mixture of all these influences. Personally, I preferred the Woolloomooloo ('Loo') accent with their 'aves and 'aven'ts' much to Mum's grief. Out with the Smiths, in with the Beats.

In the late '50s the Smiths moved into 82 (see No. 82 behind Nanny Hoffman). They were from Malta. What a delight! Mary and Joe Smith had six children ages ranged from five to twenty, the kids in Brougham Street had an instant new friend.

Sadly the Smiths relocated. They were however, replaced in the 60’s. We were entertained by the new arrivals, 'The Beatniks'. Paul and his girlfriend, a tall pregnant (heaven forbid) young lady, AND she was barefooted! And, there was George. I took a fancy to George.

George was shuffled off our veranda by Mum. "Get him out of here before your father gets home" she screamed, he’s a girl Lynette. Can't you smell the perfume?", the scent was 'Taboo'

The long red ponytail and singular golden ear-ring added to the feminine allusion. George peered out at me through black horned-rimmed glasses and announced he was saving to go to England and was working as a part-time artist’s model at East Sydney Tech. I thought the ice-cream he bought me from the old Chinese fruit shop in Victoria Street. George, I believe, frequented The Royal George Hotel.

He took me for a walk to Elizabeth Bay and, somehow, I manage to meet him at the Ironworker's Building, a known communist hang near Circular Quay and we 'hand shuffled' to Graeme Bell’s traditional jazz band. I was so grown up ..me and all the beatniks! Sue Toohey and I went there often.

Couldn't find any Graeme Bell tracks today, but searching thru the op shops I found a tape of Jeanne Lewis doing Piaf, (click here) for a comprehsive site on Edith Piaf aka Little Sparrow

Edith Piaf "Non Je Regrette Rein" (1961)

1962 Dover Height Girls High

1962 The photo was taken by Uncle Willem, I didn't see it until 2000! What huge classes we had. I am at the far end near the stair well, and, nooooo, it wasn't me and Lorraine Radford that wrote 'fxxx' on the wall..

"Dover Heights our song to thee
Dover Heights we glory thee
Dover Heights all praise to thee
Glory, Honour, Dignity".

sung to the tune of Tom the Piper's son.

Kittie McDonald, Liz Malone, Di Willard, Sue Drake-Brockman,LorraineRadford. I'm not in it!

In 1960 I was elected to go from Darlinghurst Public School to Dover Heights Girls High School. We had some wonderful and passionate teachers, one in particular Miss Rowe, our English teacher who brought in a copy of 1984 and read it to us - ouside the school corriculum.

I soon organised a crew around me and we stumbled through life's little twists and turns together; discovering boys, make-up, and the freedom of listening to 'our' special music, mostly 'popsy' love songs. Having the odd puff on a ciggie, surfing, ice-skating etc., Saturday arvos at the 'pictures', jumping on and off the school bus, wagging school and hanging around the old tram shed at Rushcutter's Bay. High school brought many new adventures, and many trips to the Sydney Stadium.

Gene Pitney, Ricky Nelson, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, Crash Craddock, Johnny Tillotson, Del Shannon, Shirelles, Paris Sisters on and on I could go. The early '60s singers were polished and sang a new style of 'pop' mainly appealing to young teens. Roy Orbison was of course, the greatest, but I had a soft spot for Bobby Vee.

Me and Bobby Vee. Bobby was about to go on! Scampering across many legs (and laps), I waited at the entrance for my darling - the giant of the radio, the man with the golden voice, my link to Buddy Holly - would he be 'real'!!! Could he be real? Dashing towards a man in a suit with his hair bouffanted at least a foot high I looked him squarely in the eye. "Have you seen Bobby Vee". The face beneath the hair smiled. To my utter horror it was none other than he (him), Bobby! My mouth dropped as I gasped in shock. Now, me being 12 and not so tall for my age, well, you get the picture. I don't think I was ever the same again .. not that I have anything against short people. Utube Mr Velline

I have lost contact with these girls and we were so close for so many years, I am hoping to find them throughout this journey.

On the Radio

My first radio I called my Mickey Mouse radio, it would join me at nights, under my blankets …. it was my secret, and I played it ever so softly. The back was hanging off exposing wires and such - I was oblivious to the danger. I loved waiting until a song finished and would strain my ears as the music faded. I believed if you listened hard enough the sound would never stop.

"No, you can't take your transistor fishing Lynette!"
Well, I did and, yes I left in on a rock, and yess it got very wet and was ruined.

Mr. Seckold gave me my first transistor radio known affectionately as a 'trannie' by us teenagers. Mr. Seckold, who was one of our boarders was the only exception to Mum's 'No Drunk's Allowed’ rule. Mr. Seckold would make a bee-line to his room after a day's work at Goodyear's (bottom of William St). It was a hoot to peek into his room, he would sit in his armchair sneering and grimacing at himself in the mirror. Shit, he may have been sneering at us peeking. I guess he may have heard the shuffling and giggling. After all Mr. Seckold was nuts, but not deaf.


The Metro Theatre also referred to as The Minerva (it stood on the original Minerva Estate). The Metro Theatre was very plush and us older kids would frequent there on Saturday afternoons. During interval we'd nick over to the Rex Hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of visiting celebrities. To recall a few: Desmond Tester and The Mouseketeers. Chubby Checker, Sheena, Cisco Kid, Duane Eddy and Brenda Lee.

My grandma threw out all my treasures in 1965 this included all my autographs treasured early Beatles autographs and photos. As she said, “paper was joost roobbish”! Since 1959 I had listed every song as I heard it......this went with out with the 'roobbish'.

Green People

"No, you can't go to the playground Lynette?" "Whhhhy?"

"You know whhhyyyyy." Indeed I did! I had left my little sister there unattended. Stupid her ran into a tennis racquet and had to be carted off to hospital. Where was I?

Didn't think I'd be missed as I crept out of the playground, with the gang from Woolloomooloo .. "Double U, Double O, Double LL, Double O, M, Double O…", we'd chant on the way to anywhere.

Scaling the wall and into the comic factory, I was both nervous and excited, completely forgetting my little sister I had left behind.

We'd plonk on a mountain of comics. Don't know why we bothered as the comics, not yet cut, were still in huge bundles with only one page, repeated umpteen times. Playing 'hidings' there was good though! Georgie and I would hide together. Georgie was Greek and lived in the house next to the Butler Stairs.

"Lynette, I don't want you bringing any more children here!" Mum said, as she sent Georgina the little dark girl packing. Georgina was from an unidentified race. "I swear Lynette if there was a Green person in the street you would bring them home." I always had a love of strays she reckons. Apparently, if you’re foreign or dark, you are a stray (?)

"I don't know why they intermarry it's so unfair on the children", she often bleated, having come from a mixed raced family she was only too aware of the taunts. If anyone brings home a darker skinned person, even to this day, they seem to end up sitting on the back step. She refers to the poor unfortunate as flossy. "They have a naame Mum."

George (The Beatnik) was a 'green person'. Crazy Wayne Barnes was a green person. I found green people were much more fun ... ..."so, can I go to the plaaayground, yet?"

BIG BILL BROONZY "If You're White, It's Alright

This little song that I'm singin' about,
People, you all know that it's true,
If you're black and gotta work for livin'.
Now, this is what they will say to you,

They says: "If you's white, You's alright, If you's brown, Stick around,
But if you's black, oh, brother, Get back, get back, get back

I was in a place one night, They was all havin' fun,
They was all buyin' beer and wine, But they would not sell me none.

I went to an employment office, I got a number and I got in line,
They called everybody's number, But they never did call mine.

They was payin' him a dollar an hour, And they was payin' me fifty cents.
I helped win sweet victories, With my plow and hoe,

Now, I want you to tell me, brother,
What you gonna do 'bout the old Jim Crow

Satdy Arvo

With our 'two bobs' (24 pence) clutched in our hot little hands we'd all head off to the Kings Cross Theatre. There would be a 'cowboy' serial to start off the show, then a B Grade Movie. We'd return from interval buddled up with goodies, Scorched Peanut Bars, chips and ice-creams. Shortly after the feature film came on The Jones boys; Stephen, Richard and Llewelyn would hop over the seats and join us.

'50s and '60s After playing basketball or tennis for the Woolloomooloo Council Playground on Saturday morning, going to the 'pitchas' in the 'arvo' was the 'norm' ..
Stephen Jones

"Can Lynette go to the pitchas" mostly it was "No!". If I was permitted to go, the team and I would march through the streets singing "we're the gang from Woolloomooloo, from Woolloomooloo we are, We fight them all big and small no matter who they are, OOh W-double O-double L-double O-M-double O ??"

The entrance fee was 9 pence for two feature films plus a serial, usually the Lone Ranger ... I was able to purchase all the goodies afore mentioned with the change!! During interval we would do a quick loop of the Cross, hoping to spot a film star or entertainer, on one memorable occasion we were fortunate enough to see Elizabeth Taylor make a grand appearance on the steps of Hampton Court. She was so incredibly tiny. After interval we'd join up with the boys from school and I don't think we really watched very much of the second film

Such a magnificent old block, now replaced by The Crest Hotel; with its Goldfish Bowl Restaurant, the King's Cross Police Station at the rear. No newsagents, fruit shop, arcade, flower shop, dry cleaners .. just a memory.

In 1963 this theatre was transformed into a surfing dance venue, bereft of seats it would be host to hundreds of local and suburban teens ...... all gone forever!!