Heather Whitford (Wirrabara)
I am the daughter of a policeman, and my early life was spent in country towns. In 1948 when I was two, we moved from Farina in the far north to Wirrabara in the mid-north. My parents loved life in Farina and were reluctant to make the move, but they soon settled into life in Wirrabara. Five years later they were similarly reluctant to move to Tumby Bay, in 1953.
We lived in the local police station. It had an office for official business and cells out the back that occasionally housed anyone who had too much to drink. My mother had to feed these ‘lodgers’ and I usually hid in the house when the cell door was opened as there was often a lot of noise, which frightened me.
My older brother went to the local two-teacher school. In February 1951, when I was 10 days short of my fifth birthday, my father persuaded the school to accept me as a student at the start of the school year. I was allowed to attend provided the Inspector did not visit and discover my early attendance. Apparently, I came home each of those school days and reported, ‘The Inspector didn’t come today.’
Life was different in those days. I was allowed to wander around the small town without any supervision. About the time I started school my parents gave me a beautiful gold bangle that had my initials engraved on it. I have no idea how they could afford this, as money was very tight. I was thrilled and insisted on wearing the bangle all the time. It was, at that time, too big for me so I would have been told not to lose it. One day I was wandering the Wirrabara streets with friends, and we decided to try to do cartwheels. As the bangle was too big, I took it off and put it on one of the spikes that protected the Institute windows. Naturally, when we had finished playing, I ran off, completely forgetting my bracelet. My father who regularly walked around the town, discovered it hanging. Later that evening I was called into the police office and confronted by my father holding my bangle. I have no idea what my punishment was, but it was sufficient for me to remember the incident to this day. I never again lost my bangle and I still wear it.
The photo shows my bike decorated, probably, for Empire Day. The bangle can be seen on my left wrist.