1948 Aunty Hoover

Eva Catherine Hoffman (Mum's elder sister) was born in Liverpool, England. In 1925 she travelled to Australia arriving in Geelong, Melbourne with my Nan and grandad's brother's wife Elizabeth 'Bessie'.

Catherine, James and Eva Hoffman

Grandad 'Jim the Jew' James Martin Hoffman was enlisted in the merchant navy and boasted the position of head chef on a coal ship. The destinations of these coal ships changed quite frequently and his family moved accordingly.

By the late 20s they resided in Newtown with Aunt Bessie who had purchased a corner store - when Mum and her sister Betty were born they relocated to Mayfield East, Newcastle.

Eventually returning to Sydney in 1940 once again to live with Aunt Bessie who by now had bought into the Yellow Taxi Restaurant on the corner of Bourke Street. Before too long they purchased a house in Thompson Street, Darlinghurst ... before finally buying and settling into number 84 Brougham Street, King's Cross.

Aunty Eva or 'Aunty Hoover' , as I chose to name her, always had the vacuum cleaner attached to her person. She travelled to the United States of America in the '60s, working her passage over as a stewardess on the Orsova with her husband Willem.

Here's me with Aunty Hoover outside number 84

I was so proud of Aunty Hoover who worked as a maid for Pia Isadora, Sabrina, Debbie Reynolds. Barbara Striesand and Dean Martin! Eva regularly sent me many personal trinkets:- Sabrina's belt, Debbie Reynolds shoes, as tiny as can be, pictures of Dean Martin's home and autographs. Sadly, Aunty Eva died of cancer in the early 1990s and I miss her.

Wagging her finger at me Eva would say "always look after your health Lynette".

Uncle Willem and Dean Martin