This is the story of Will and his two friends who sailed to England in 1967 to see the world. Aerogrammes. letters, diaries and postcards help to tell of their adventures in this A to Z.
"I Got Life" Hair (Musical) •. 1967
I got life, mother
I got laughs, sister
I got freedom, brother
I got good times, man
I got crazy ways, daughter
I got million-dollar charm, cousin
I got headaches and toothaches
And bad times too
Like you
St Helens 02/01/1969
I’m still alive and living like a king up here in Saint Helens where I spent my first White Christmas. We motored up on Christmas Eve. It’s about 200 miles from London in the county of Lancashire which is referred to as the North not the Midlands. However, it only took four hours including stops as these motorways (expressways) are really top class, very fast and very safe and even the old Morris came up at 65 mph most of the way.
Phil is staying with Beth’s parents and I am with Jean’s. Make no mistake about the Poms. They don’t go without too much in this world. The standard of living here is quite high in most respects and I’m being very well looked after. My bedroom is about the size of the lounge and dining room at home in Wollongong added together and the houses generally are large and tastefully furnished. On Christmas Eve the girls had booked us in for dinner at a hotel in Southport, a seaside resort 20 miles away where I had prawn cocktail and grilled trout etc. They shouted!
I’ve certainly been doing some eating up here and can recommend the turkey, pheasant and prawns which seem in unending abundance. Aussie’s seem much rarer up here than in London and are also reasonably popular. We’ve been to some good parties- all grog supplied and some of the cocktail cabinets would put a lot of pubs to shame with their selection of French and Italian wines, spirits and liqueurs. We also did very well on the gift front much to our surprise as Christmas gift giving seems a big thing here, much more so than in Australia, so as I sipped my Cointreau and smoked my cigars (I got a box for Christmas) I reflected on the good life.
Saint Helens is built around or because of the Pilkington Glass Company which is huge. It was started here in 1850 and Lord Pilkington just about owns the town and half of Lancashire too, I think. Jean’s father worked for them for 50 years till he retired a couple of years ago. We went to see the League on Boxing Day, Saint Helens (red and white equals the Saints) versus Wigan. A great match and the standard seems very high. Many of the players I’d seen play before as five were (and still are) England representatives. The match however had to be abandoned at half time because the ground had frozen solid. The goalkicker couldn’t dig a hole with his boot in the ground. It was like solid concrete all over.
A bitterly cold day outside but beautiful for drinking Scotch in an armchair in front of a blazing fire. There’s something to be said for the traditional White Christmas, though people here always seem so envious when they hear about Christmas in Australia on the beach. Two days before New Year the four of us decided to go to Edinburgh for the Scottish Hogmanay. New Year is the big thing up there, not Christmas, so we drove the 250 miles in six hours and stayed at the Angus Hotel with our Johnny Walker White Horse, Bacardi Rum and Lager. We celebrated in fine style (soberer than most Scots) and joined in with Burns “Auld Lang Syne”, the streets swarming with happy people.
Well tomorrow we will have to be heading back to London as we play rugby on Saturday. I’ve had four wins in a row now.
Happy New Year. Will see you this year I think. 1969!
29B Jeffreys St, Camden Town, London, NW1 11/01/1969
Well, Mom, received your letter this morning, the first I had since before Christmas and received your letter from Papua 3 days ago, Dad. It certainly sounded all right out there. I wouldn’t have minded it at all. I had numerous Christmas cards from lots of people but notice a marked predominance of scenes and pictures of Australia on them. Why is this do you think? Did very well on the Christmas front here. I collected some Pearl cufflinks, a Wedgewood coffee mug and Aries the Ram coffee mug, after shave, talc etc mostly from girlfriends and also received an LP recording of “The Graduate” soundtrack in the mail a couple of days ago from Cilla who I haven’t seen for a couple of months.
In half an hour I’m supposed to be at the Rugby Club. We’re playing at Harpenden about 25 miles north of London. Tonight we’re going to a party near Regents Park, a friend of Jean’s. Went to the Boat Show this week and spied on “Superdocious”, the gold medal winning boat.
They won a record–breaking 6 out of 7 races, and used the trapeze, a device which had in earlier years been banned as unsporting. Photo from National Maritime Museum, Cornwall.
Also saw “Lively Lady” (Sir Alec Rose’s around the world yacht). On a huge harbour built for the exhibition were floating some of the most beautiful craft. Certainly, had a better New Year this year than last. Weather still pretty cold here but no more snow thank God.
However the rugby was cancelled but the previous week we continued our winning run with a 24-3 over Regent Street Polytechnic (I scored a try). We play Charing Cross Hospital this week out in the country so now hope the snow keeps off. Phil’s team had a bad defeat but he didn’t get dropped from the firsts and plays on the wing this week instead of the centre. I’m playing centre at present which is much better than the wing but things are quite competitive these days as there are a lot of new players all trying to get a game.
Received £16 back pay last week after a pay rise and also will receive 3 rises in April making about £3 a week more pay. Have heard nothing about our tax yet and are keeping our fingers crossed. Car is going OK again now as we’ve spent £40 on a new battery, starter motor, brakes and a few other minor details and £17 on a new mud guard.
Only another week and we get a week’s holiday (9 days for midterm break). We only have one hour 10 minutes for lunch now, so manage a counter lunch at a pub once a fortnight with a pint of bitter. Nice to get away from all the noise during midday. Boss announced he’s retiring in July. He turns 60 then. Can’t decide whether to run for deputy but I’m going to camp with the kids for a week in June/ July. It’s great there in the English countryside. That’s it for now. Keep the letters rolling. See you after the last.
29B Jeffreys St, Camden Town, London, NW1 25/02/1969
Hello, I received your letter this morning, Mum. It only took four days to get here so that’s not bad going. I’m just sitting around at the moment playing records as the weather looks a bit grey and cold outside. There’s no school for a week -midterm hols and I need the rest after a hectic weekend anyway. Last night there was a folk singing night at the club which was very good and the bar did good business on the Fosters Lager (Melbourne beer) which is sold for three shillings a can (expensive). It’s sort of the in drink with the Poms at the rugger club. The clubhouse is actually an old church hall once used for sea training cadets and has been fixed up along the same lines so has bags of atmosphere. On Saturday two teams from Paris came over for the international match and so we had a huge show at the club with a banquet and discotheque at night, all of which was a sensational success.
Jean speaks fluent French so I was able to have a chat with the Frogs in my high school French with Jean’s assistance.
I spent £182.00, that is $310 Australian yesterday, on a plane ticket valid from April till the 31st of August with Qantas Pace Setter flight under 25 years old. Allows two stops, one in Europe and the other in Asia. These will probably be Greece for about four weeks and Bangkok or Hong Kong for one or two weeks. Didn’t have to buy my ticket this early but figured on taking it out of the bank in case the tax man got any ideas. Bank account now looks a bit of a sad story but should recover sufficiently once these pay rises come through.
Had a bit of a shock the other evening. As we were walking up to the Swiss Cottage for dinner we heard a skid and turned to see a bloke get hurled up in the air by an MG travelling about 40 mph. I was first on the scene. He was alive but a bit bashed about the head and a broken leg, I think, so I dialled 999 for an ambulance. Then put a bit of a bandage on his head. Left Jean a bit shaken and didn’t do anything for my appetite either. Nevertheless, recovered sufficiently later to down rump steak and wine in pleasant surroundings as I came to the conclusion he would live anyway.
The snow seems to have all gone now which is a pity because it looked really beautiful under the orange street lamps and over the cars, the Georgian houses in our street and the parks with trees devoid of leaves – just looked like scenes from Christmas cards minus Santa Claus. We celebrated pancake day on Shrove Tuesday by making pancakes here at the flat- the girls’ recipe but when I threw mine in the air the first time it missed the pan and landed on the floor. Just a matter of practise and I’m as good as a veteran.
I haven’t played rugby for the last three weeks mainly due to the weather but we play on Regent’s Park on Saturday so I’m going swimming, playing squash and to football training in the next couple of weeks to get a bit fitter.
Went out for dinner at a very atmospheric little French restaurant (La Gaffe) in Hampstead. Very fashionable – was recommended in Good Places to Eat in London and had a fantastic meal. Prawn cocktail, chicken done in brandy (Poulet de Brittany Hochepot) with the good red Beaujolais wine. It was Jean’s shout. Good to spend about two hours over a meal with the little personal attentive service in pleasant surroundings. Michael Caine the actor was about 3 tables further up! It only cost £4.10 shillings for two including wine which is pretty reasonable for a first-class meal.
Our car is needing a new clutch at the moment. Looks like a bit more money. Still it’s too convenient to sell. Thanks for the letter and all the news.
The Curry Apple Orchard 