Sandra Major nee Richards
MEMORIES OF A ST. JOHN’S WOOD CHILDHOOD
By Sandra Major
43 Royal Parade was my home from my birth in 1949 to the day of marriage at the Methodist Church in Glory Street, Ashgrove in 1969.
My mother Margaret was outgoing and I’m sure knew every ‘Woods’ resident, both of my parents played ‘lawn bowls’ from an early age, in fact they were the youngest members of Ashgrove Bowls Club, joining when they were both in their early 30’s.
My father Tom was well known locally as the ‘Snap, Crackle and Pop’ man, advertising for his company which was always visible in the back window of his car. He was also the only JP in St. John’s Wood and there was always some neighbour in our front porch.
Mum also read teacups in the little café at the Ashgrove Terminus and was very popular, very social and neighbours constantly stopped at our front gate for a chat while walking their dogs. From our front porch we watched over the Scout Den and every afternoon the trail of school kids climbing down the quarry bordering Ashgrove State School.
I imagine ‘St. John’s Wood’ consisted of just a few homes scattered inside the enclave bordered by Enoggera Creek when my parents took up residence. “Granite House” was the Grand Lady and for some would have been a draw card. I have a vague memory that my uncle actually built our home but recently my older brother Bob said this was not correct! My parents at times talked about how they were so silly not to have purchased blocks around them which were incredibly cheap even for the times! I guess at that time ‘The Woods’ was ‘in the sticks’!
One interesting story my mother related over the years was during those first occupying months she and Dad observed small groups of Indigenous peoples crouched over an open fire in our backyard, having come down from the ‘hills of the Taylor Range’. And why not, our own backyard was really a paddock and I doubt there were many fences built. The experience did not faze my parents who had come from a Sunnybank general store where the pre-war populace was generally Aboriginal. My mother had fostered a small Aboriginal child called Violet in those early days of their marriage and still missed her long after her return to her family. After several conversations with the now resident of No. 43, he had confirmed the story having heard his own grandmother relate a similar event.
No. 43 Royal Parade received a beautiful and much needed face-lift several years ago, lovingly renovated with care to its history. My brother Bob and I are very grateful for the new owners to bring back the home to its original pride of place as an Ashgrovian era style home.
Sandra Major nee Richards.
By Sandra Major
43 Royal Parade was my home from my birth in 1949 to the day of marriage at the Methodist Church in Glory Street, Ashgrove in 1969.
My mother Margaret was outgoing and I’m sure knew every ‘Woods’ resident, both of my parents played ‘lawn bowls’ from an early age, in fact they were the youngest members of Ashgrove Bowls Club, joining when they were both in their early 30’s.
My father Tom was well known locally as the ‘Snap, Crackle and Pop’ man, advertising for his company which was always visible in the back window of his car. He was also the only JP in St. John’s Wood and there was always some neighbour in our front porch.
Mum also read teacups in the little café at the Ashgrove Terminus and was very popular, very social and neighbours constantly stopped at our front gate for a chat while walking their dogs. From our front porch we watched over the Scout Den and every afternoon the trail of school kids climbing down the quarry bordering Ashgrove State School.
I imagine ‘St. John’s Wood’ consisted of just a few homes scattered inside the enclave bordered by Enoggera Creek when my parents took up residence. “Granite House” was the Grand Lady and for some would have been a draw card. I have a vague memory that my uncle actually built our home but recently my older brother Bob said this was not correct! My parents at times talked about how they were so silly not to have purchased blocks around them which were incredibly cheap even for the times! I guess at that time ‘The Woods’ was ‘in the sticks’!
One interesting story my mother related over the years was during those first occupying months she and Dad observed small groups of Indigenous peoples crouched over an open fire in our backyard, having come down from the ‘hills of the Taylor Range’. And why not, our own backyard was really a paddock and I doubt there were many fences built. The experience did not faze my parents who had come from a Sunnybank general store where the pre-war populace was generally Aboriginal. My mother had fostered a small Aboriginal child called Violet in those early days of their marriage and still missed her long after her return to her family. After several conversations with the now resident of No. 43, he had confirmed the story having heard his own grandmother relate a similar event.
No. 43 Royal Parade received a beautiful and much needed face-lift several years ago, lovingly renovated with care to its history. My brother Bob and I are very grateful for the new owners to bring back the home to its original pride of place as an Ashgrovian era style home.
Sandra Major nee Richards.
43 Royal Pde circa 2015
