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WHEN I WAS SEVEN
Series of Illustrations | Digital | 2018 - ongoing
READING
One of my best memories is going to the Northcote Public Library on High Street and choosing books for the week. Reading was always one of my favourite things so the books practically flew off the shelves into my hands...thus the flying books. There's the tram that ran past the front of the Library as well as my little dog Caesar. The red bench sat in front of the Library and the city can be seen in the distance. 
LITTLE BRIDE OF CHRIST IN TRAINING This picture has me at seven years old dressed for my first communion at the local catholic church of St Joseph. The church was on Westbourne Grove across the road from our Doctor and the tennis courts. It was at the top of the Helen St hill which always seemed very steep to me as I walked up it to school and church. 
9 ALEXANDER STREET This was the address of my grandfather George McGregor. Here I am sitting with him on the verandah while he smoked a pipe and talked to people who walked past. The house was located in Thornbury, which was the next suburb after Northcote where I lived. I spent a good deal of time with Grandpa and Bella (his housekeeper) and my aunt and uncle who also lived there. Grandpa always crossed his legs and swung his foot when he sat like this. 
JACK SINGS Every Christmas we spent the morning at Bobby's house in Mansfield St Thornbury (Bobby my father's cousin, close enough to be a sister) . My father Jack would sing 'All I ever wanted to be was a Barra Boy' and Aunty Betty would sing 'Bless this House'. Barra Boys were young men in London who set up trade from their wheelbarrows - it was a life of "freedom". We were always late for lunch at Grandpa's house (Mum's side of the family) because Dad never wanted to leave Thornbury. 
NORTHCOTE BONFIRE On Empire Day each year (24th May), our area of Northcote held a bonfire on waste ground in Helen street. My sisters and I were allowed one sparkler each as our parents were very protective. 
TOPSY AND TILLY My cousin Gerardine on the left (who we called Topsy) spent lots of time with our family when I was growing up. I remember playing on the Hills Hoist even though we were strictly forbidden from doing so. |
