Page 19 - Gwen Landsberry - Eulogies

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Mum in her own words

by Kate Landsberry
(daughter)

I’m Kate, Gwen’s daughter.

Aunty Patsy Rogerson was Mum’s best friend at school from the
moment they met. 78 years of friendship. She can’t come today but
asked me to say: “Do not be sad because she has left us, but rather be
happy because she was here”.

Here are a few of my Mum’s stories from the early years in Junee Reefs,
told in her own words transcribed from recordings I made some years
ago as we sat sipping tea together.

Anne and I used to help Mum wind the rags for Claire’s ringlets. I never
remember her as a little girl without ringlets. Later on, Mum used to
braid Claire’s hair into two plaits. I was so gawky. My hair was straight,
cut short. I always felt a bit ordinary – with not a lot of good things in
me. As I grew up, I became a bit more confident and felt better about
myself. I was a little girl when I was given a small sewing kit for Christmas
by Mum and Dad. We just got one gift in those days and that was
enough. Once I began to sew, I knew I could do something well and I
wasn’t as worried then about not being that good at school, not being
as good as Mary or the boys.

When I was about 12 or 13, Jack was away at war in the Air Force, and
Celia was living in her family home in Wagga Wagga. Her parents had to
go away, and Celia asked Mum if she could have one of the girls visit as
a companion. She said, ‘I’d like to have Gwen’. I couldn’t believe it! I had
to have a good dress, so Dad took me into town, just me, and bought
me the most expensive dress. It was soft green with cream hail-spots
and a cream top. Mum nearly passed out at the price when we got
home! I thought I was Christmas. Celia took me shopping in Wagga
Wagga and I felt so grown up. She bought me a little bag to match the
dress, with a dog-bone clasp and two dogs, one on each side - that kept
it closed. She took me to swim in the Murrumbidgee River. I should have
kept that dress and bag forever.