Page 4 - Gwen Landsberry - Memories Memento for Family

A man would come around selling and singing “Clothes props! Clothes props! Clothes

props!” In those Depression days people came around selling all sorts of things just to get
enough money for a bit of food. Sometimes Mum would be so tired we’d find her leaning over

the copper, saying “pommy word, pommy word”, which I found out later was actually “upon
my word” That was the only complaint I ever heard.

Once we all had measles and Mum had so much washing. Dad bought her a washing
machine as a surprise. It was still manual with a hand plunger, but Mum loved it. No matter

what you got in those days, it was better than what you didn’t have.

Mum didn’t have time for many cuddles – not with 12 children! Sometimes Harold would pick
Mum up, carry her to a chair and do the work for her – just to give her a break. Dear Harold,

left for dead in a field and crawling on the ground, dragging himself along on his back,

ripping hair and skin off the back of his head. It was so sad the day his Red Cross ship came
to port. We were in Sydney then, and went down to the wharf. There were terrible cases,

things we could hardly look at. Harold had to have his arms sewn to his body so the skin

grafts would take. He always wore long pants and long sleeved shirts. Jack’s two youngest
boys saw his wounds once I think.

Harold O’Brien

My parents were both Roman Catholic and we attended church in Junee Reefs every Sunday,

getting there by car and horse. I remember Frank and I riding on the back of a utility to my first
communion- my veil flying in the wind! Religion was just a part of our lives and we were

surrounded by nuns, priests and Catholic people – particularly in Sydney. I don’t remember

having strong feelings about my religion. Anne was different. From the time she was a little girl
she wanted to be a nun. Dad wouldn’t let her join until she was 18.

3