61 Collette Street

[chriso]

Hughie, I was looking at Google street map of 61 Collette street, and I can't recognise any of it at all. It must have changed drastically since 1967.

[Hughie]

Chris is talking about our early days in the inner suburbs of Melbourne at Collett Street in Kensington - great memories shared there, Chris. Yes it's all changed. That entrance on the right was to our wee apartment which was originally a hay loft in earlier times above stables. Frank 's dad had our apartment made for Frank and his brother.

Betty and I were so lucky to find such a place - Mrs Harwick adopted us - Betty was the daughter she never had. Husband, Frank was a high ranking police officer who eventually gave up on recruiting me as a police officer, but did set me on a career path that gave me much satisfaction. Some memories for you too, Chris. You were in demand for your carpentry skills by Frank back then.

And BTW Chris, wasn't it you who taught us early Melbourne settlers how to hit the wee white ball on the course that the great Peter Thomson learned the game. Just a walk up the road to Royal Park next to the Melbourne Zoo.

[chriso]

Hughie, I take it the house with the red brick wall was 61.
peter and me always went in through the side entrance, I don, t think we ever used the front door.
The house to the left must have been built later, as I seem to think there was a wider opening there.
You will remember better than me.
As for the golf, it wasn't me that was good just you'se were worse, mibbes

[Hughie]

Yes Chris, 61 is the one with the brick wall - that wasn't there when we lived there. When we moved out in 1975 the place sold for about $33,000 and they built three other houses on the vacant land that went with it. The house on its own now would no doubt fetch a million - that area so close to the city is very upmarket now. And yes, where the brick building now is was the entrance to the yard and the stables - in our time they had been converted to garages. We never did use the front entrance.

[Hughie]

Hi Chris, here's Peter outside the house a couple of weeks ago - took him around to where he worked at the Post Office too - so many changes it's hard to recognise the area from the 1960s.