Family history across the seas

This is the next instalment of my Special Moments, Magic Memories series for the 2022 A to Z Blog Challenge.

I’m really not sure that snippets of my youthful yesterdays will involve any Wows. They may even make you YAWN! Interspersed will be some retro fashion pics which may give you a Laugh, however.

Reflecting on my teen years in the late 60s what factors had the most impact on my life beyond the front gate?

Socialisation and Fashion

Social media memes would have you believe that all children back in the day were “free range” during daylight hours. This certainly wasn’t the case with my parents who always wanted to know where I was going.

That didn’t change appreciably in my teens though mum, in particular, made sure I had social exposure to concerts, restaurants and ballroom dancing. Inevitably, “going out” meant stockings, a good frock and shoes, and gloves…those were the days. Don’t miss the stockings and gloves for sure!. Classes in ballroom and Latin dancing progressed from being preparation for adult life, to just being a fun activity that I loved doing, and for a number of years I attended the same studio two or three times a week especially during holidays. I especially loved a dress made with a circular skirt which swirled wonderfully when jiving. My granddaughter inherited my love of dance though she does hip-hop and tap and modern. Sadly, Mr Cassmob has many wonderful attributes but a love of dance is not one, so my skills are now non-existent.

At high school, our school formals were just that – formal and strictly managed. There were no plunging necklines or split skirts or super-minis. Mum was an excellent dressmaker and would make my formal outfits: a blue chiffon number with pearl beading on the bodice for the (boys) Nudgee College formal and a princess line with a cowl back made in pink crepe with a silver thread through the fabric for my own (girls) school formal. Later at uni, there would be ball frocks for my debut (my favourite dress, ever), and other balls I attended. Once I left home, such sewing challenges were left to me to meet and Vogue patterns became my go-to. Don’t you love how fashion reflects our lives over the years?

University and Politics

University came with a greater interest in politics, thanks to a very active core group of people both students and academics. Vietnam was a major concern since young men of our age were vulnerable to being drawn in the ballot for conscription and had Mr Cassmob not been officially registered in PNG, he would have been conscripted as his birthday came up in the ballot. Protest marches were, however, focused on the limitations the state government placed on gaining permits. The huge protest march from the university to the city was something of a wow, albeit on the negative side given the outcome. Our state premier, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, dominated Queensland life for many years without most of the population having any idea of the extent of corruption during the period. We were very familiar though with the Special Branch police who attended any political rallies on campus. The visit by LBJ and the government’s rhetoric of “all the way with LBJ” caused the inevitable split in the political factions. it was the first visit to Australia by a US President so it was significant.

The earlier 60s were marred by the on-going “Reds Under the Beds” fears, and the Cuban missile crisis.

At a local level, our city’s Lord Mayor, Clem Jones, was busy “revitalising” the city which involved knocking down buildings leaving huge holes in the ground until new buildings or carparks were constructed. I guess it made Brisbane grow up to some extent, but it also meant it lost some of its character. He was also the instigator of Brisbane’s trams being taken away, something that is still bemoaned locally. Brisbane’s main problem for public transport, from my experience, is the river which splits it in two, north and south, and ensures that public transport requires a hub with the transport rarely coordinated. I was always somewhat amused that Jones took on the restoration of Darwin after its devastation from Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974 – it always seemed a case of the fox let loose in the hen house. He was also responsible for the destruction of 2500 grave memorials – a genealogy heresy.

Religion

Growing up in a Catholic environment, the impact of Vatican II can’t be underestimated. From a religious point of view it was definitely a wow moment, really throwing responsibility on the individual to think more independently. At uni, I was a member of the Newman Society which was very active, including politically and in the early 70s we were very involved with ecumenical gatherings of different faith believers in PNG. Only ten years beforehand, attending a church from another Christian “brand” was tantamount to heresy for both sides and would affect marriages between religions, how children were brought up, family disputes etc.

Fun and Games

In the 60s into the 70s, adulthood didn’t arrive until you turned 21. You couldn’t drink in a pub in Queensland, you couldn’t vote, but you could be sent to Vietnam.

I have to say I probably lived a fairly uneventful life compared to some of my peers. Pubs weren’t on my agenda, nor were discos, raves or huge parties. This was probably a good preparation for PNG since I don’t think they even existed, or if they did, I didn’t know about them. In Brisbane, social life was a small group of friends, going to a movie with a few other people, visiting the Ekka (a first big date for Mr Cassmob and I), watching a cricket match at the Gabba with my friend Margaret, or occasionally going ten-pin bowling…and studying.

During our uni years, we saw the first landing on the moon as we walked through a department store. Sadly, we weren’t as excited as we should have been…probably thought we were being “cool”.

Probably the only wow excitement in this category was getting to see the Beatles when they came to Brisbane with my friend Maria. I’m still amazed that either of us was given permission to go!

Well done if you’ve read this far! It turned into a bit of a saga.

Were your teen years exciting or ordinary?

Do you love your now-vintage outfits or laugh at them? Do your eyes pop at earlier decor choices?