mid-north SA: coming to you from June 10th 2010
I googled for this picture, thanks to whoever put it out there....
We arrived in Port Pirie late one night on the "Bluebird", (not the one in the picture, not sure what year the photo is from), a passenger train that regularly ran from Adelaide. The year was 1957. In those days the trainline ran down the centre of the main street to where the railway station was. This old railway station is now restored and used as a museum. The newer railway station was built across the paddock from the high school while I was there. We'd sit on the oval during lunch and watch the construction.
Being so far from Adelaide, television reception was poor, so very few people had TVs. By 1960, more people had television, viewing made possible by antennas mounted on large towers similar to those carrying electrical wires across the country.
I don't have any photos of these towers, but I have asked my sister who lives there if she could maybe get me some...
Anyway, these towers were in peoples backyards, close to the house, to minimise the amount of antenna wires needed I suppose, and those of us who were game enough, (my brother and me), used them as playthings. We swung from them. We climbed them. We climbed as high as the roof and jumped across to hide in the dips between gables and spy on people walking past. We hung sheets and blankets around the base and had a cubby or fort depending on what game was being played. We climbed higher than the roof, as high as we dared, and clung on while the wind tried to blow us down.
The towers were easily 60 feet high and probably dangerous, oh alright, definitely dangerous, to play on, yet play we did. Absolutely no thought was given to safety. Falling didn't even cross our minds. We were having FUN. And no, we never did fall.
I don't remember when we stopped climbing the tower, but I've never forgotten being up so high and looking out over the rooftops and backyards of our suburb. We could see as far as the beach in one direction (a mere 5 minute walk down the road), and as far as the city shops by turning about 90 degrees west from there.
Me and my sister on school in Port Pirie in 1958, I'm the one missing a tooth
We arrived in Port Pirie late one night on the "Bluebird", (not the one in the picture, not sure what year the photo is from), a passenger train that regularly ran from Adelaide. The year was 1957. In those days the trainline ran down the centre of the main street to where the railway station was. This old railway station is now restored and used as a museum. The newer railway station was built across the paddock from the high school while I was there. We'd sit on the oval during lunch and watch the construction.Being so far from Adelaide, television reception was poor, so very few people had TVs. By 1960, more people had television, viewing made possible by antennas mounted on large towers similar to those carrying electrical wires across the country.
I don't have any photos of these towers, but I have asked my sister who lives there if she could maybe get me some...
Anyway, these towers were in peoples backyards, close to the house, to minimise the amount of antenna wires needed I suppose, and those of us who were game enough, (my brother and me), used them as playthings. We swung from them. We climbed them. We climbed as high as the roof and jumped across to hide in the dips between gables and spy on people walking past. We hung sheets and blankets around the base and had a cubby or fort depending on what game was being played. We climbed higher than the roof, as high as we dared, and clung on while the wind tried to blow us down.
The towers were easily 60 feet high and probably dangerous, oh alright, definitely dangerous, to play on, yet play we did. Absolutely no thought was given to safety. Falling didn't even cross our minds. We were having FUN. And no, we never did fall.
I don't remember when we stopped climbing the tower, but I've never forgotten being up so high and looking out over the rooftops and backyards of our suburb. We could see as far as the beach in one direction (a mere 5 minute walk down the road), and as far as the city shops by turning about 90 degrees west from there.
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Kids never think of falling lol.
ReplyDeleteThe car in the middle looks like an Austin A70. The one on the right of it is a Ford Consul. The old crate on the left is probably 1920s but could be a Ford or anything, there were still a few of this sort around in the 1950s.
ReplyDeleteHa these days, they'd have a cyclone fence around them and no access. Loved the things we did when we were young without a care. I'm ashamed to say , I've never been to Port Pirie, just the Barossa and Adelaide. One day . . .haha your captcha is "Stepit" maybe I'd better walk the distance!
ReplyDeleteBetween the cars and the diesel train, I'd suggest the photo is around the mid 50s. Diesels weren't on the line up this way much before then.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with one of those towers next door. I may even have photos of it somewhere. I was never quite as brave as my brothers, but it was still a good climb (and scared the wits out of mum!)
We climbed on things too. Lots of things. Things that would now be fenced off - though that may not have discouraged my brothers.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; fences never discouraged my brother, he ran free and a bit wild. I remember we both climbed the narrow ladders that circled the silos as they were being built down on the wharves. We'd jump off the wharf and swim around whatever ship was in, then climb the rickety ladder back up again.
DeleteI love the photograph! Looking back, it's a wonder any of us survived . . .
ReplyDeletejabblog; when I think of the risks we took, I am also surprised, but even now I miss climbing.
DeleteWould you allow the twins to climb such towers at the age you were then? Of course not. It would be nice to be able to say, well we did it and no harm came to us, but harm did happen, often. It could be argued that we've gone to far the other way, but the world is a much safer place than it was.
ReplyDeleteAndrew; no I would not, but my dad knew we climbed and even sent us up one day so he could take a photo and send it to mum. I think we have gone a bit too far the other way and yes, the world may be safer, but are we raising a generation or more that are afraid to try anything in case they get hurt?
DeleteFun childhood memories....cherished memories. Thanks for sharing. Such fun we did have when we were kids...we ran free; used our imagination; built tree houses...and never fell out of them. :) Far better fun we had, I reckon, than having our head stuck in devices constantly, something that it seems too many of today's children do. I think that is more dangerous....
ReplyDelete"All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" is the song that immediately came to mind when I saw your pic, River. (I need more than them now!) :)
Lee; I remember well the freedom and fun we all had back then and there was always the local flatfoot (Bobby/policeman) to run to if there was any trouble. I had those two front teeth by the next grade, but sadly they are gone again now and replaced with teeth that live in a glass at night.
DeleteSimilar here regarding my teeth, River! Bedside tables have many useful purposes! lol
DeleteYes....the local cops in Gympie when I was a kid were terrific, too. They cared. Plus our neighbours on both sides for many years were cops.
Thank goodness our parents didn't know what all we got into and upto.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; I'm pretty sure my dad knew most of the stuff I did, it was a small town and everyone knew him and knew me too. But he must have thought I was okay as long as the police didn't come knocking.
DeleteThat's a great picture of you and your sister. I was not a climber, but I remember sitting on the tailgate of my dad's pickup truck, swinging my bare feet over the pavement, as he drove 75 mph up the divided highway. I was probably 7-8 years old, and my sister beside me around 6.
ReplyDeleteVal; Thank you. I have similar memories of sitting on the bonnet (hood) with my brother as dad drove a mile down the sand to get us to the water at a beach in another town further up the coast. Far less dangerous than a highway though.
DeleteWonderful memories there R. Such fun back then, you didn't have to worry about anything much as life was so much simplier. Lovely photo of the both of you.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D; thank you. Life certainly was much simpler then. Time went slower, people didn't want so much, certainly didn't want everything and immediately. People waited more and saved for things and kids were allowed to run more free than now.
DeleteI still think our lives were better and our souls sturdier from all the climing and runnung and what not we were free to do way back then. At least I have tried to give my children that same bubbling sense of freedom and discovery ... not that I feel I suceeded, but at least I tried.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte; I agree, all the free time and learning to work things out for ourselves was very good for us. I allowed my kids a similar type of freedom but I always knew where they were.
DeleteThe days before television took over our lives. I wonder, if the towers still existed, whether kids would climb them now, or not even notice them because they would have to look up from their screens.
ReplyDeleteTasker Dunham; the towers do still exist, Port Pirie has poor reception so far from the relay stations, but I doubt very much that kids climb them. Like you said, they'd have to look up from their screens.
DeleteI recall 3 channels. My husband also recall here in North Idaho, only having one.
ReplyDeleteDora; we had three channels to begin with, but now that small town has a couple of regional channels to choose from as well.
DeleteThank you for the VERY BIG SMILE you gave me! That sounds like very happy times!
ReplyDeleteAnd look at us now. TV on the PC (over here), Bro has it all "on demand".
I remember the 3 West and one East-channel on the b/w-TV. I was the remote, too.
And yes, we were outside, unsafe and happy and mostly unhurt!
Some kids these days miss out.
My Nieces live in a village and are outside often, too - but always supervised by my Bro...
Thank you, I still smile :-)
Iris; I keep my PC and TV separate, I prefer to turn PC off and settle in my recliner chair to watch TV.
DeleteI remember how free we all felt running around outside without adults, we probably didn't realise how lucky we were then.
I´m too hectic for TV only - lucky you!
DeleteWe were "normal" back then! I am glad I am this old, you are right, we were lucky!
Such fun memories! No, the idea it was dangerous wasn't even mentioned, we did all kinds of crazy things and how we came out the other side is amazing.
ReplyDeletemessymimi; the only dangers we were warned about was the cars and the trains. And not swimming too far out until we were older and better swimmers.
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