Page 7 - Gwen Landsberry - Memories Memento for Family

I was a reasonable runner in Junee Reefs and did high jump and javelin. They used to call me

Jessie the Untamed Elephant, I think because I was tall and gangly. We all had nicknames.
The Burmister girls (Dulcie, Marie and Shirley) were called the 3 Escaped Monkeys. Anne

was asked her name once by the Bishop. She said ‘it’s Anne but they call me Podge’. Dad
used to fire the gun for the running races at the sports days. Anne ended up in hospital after

picking up a used bullet and sticking it up her nose. She also ended up with two broken arms

once and plaster casts. Claire and I used to tickle her when she was trying to have a bath!

Junee Reefs School 1935 (nine O’Briens)
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L-R Front: Claire (2 from left), Reg (2 from right)
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L-R Second Row: Joan (3 from left), Allan (4 from left), Helen (3 from right), Gwen (far right)
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L-R Third Row: Harold (3 from left), Frank (2 from right)
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L-R Back row: Cyril (left)
We were never bored at Junee Reefs. There were always responsibilities and we never
questioned them – letting the horses out, feeding the chickens. Enjoyment was simple – play
times with family and friends. We had a tennis court. Not that we were posh. It’s just what

people had in those days. And a wood up the back of our place where we loved playing hide
and seek. Sometimes we’d all nick back home leaving the seeker wandering around the trees

trying to find us! The older boys, Jack, Harold, Allan and Cyril, would go up the back

property in shearing season to earn some extra money. At the end of the day they’d come
back down the paddocks, singing ‘Red Sails in the Sunset…’, Jack’s voice booming out and

Claire would run like mad to Jack and be hoisted up on his shoulders laughing and coming
home.

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