Item 04: Memoirs of a Colonial Boy by Robert Joseph Stewart, ca. 1971 - Page 51
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[Page 51]
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the waist, and necks were encased in a high lace and muslin collar, supported at the sides by whalebones reaching up to the ears. The hair of the "fair sex" was allowed to grow as long as it would, and was usually piled up elaborately on top of the head. Permanent waving had not yet arrived, but for special occasions matrons went to the Ladies' Hairdressers to have their long hair twisted and plaited into intricate "hair-dos" which had be be kept in place by at least a score of hairpins. One well known beauty parlour, sometime patronised by Mother, was that of a Dutch lady, Madam Van Breckle, in Oxford St.
Young girls just before they reached adolescence, were known as "flappers", and wore their long hair straight down their backs (with a head ribbon), or in one long hanging plait. On reaching "the age of discretion", and usually with the blessing of their mother and older sisters, they put their hair "up", and were "flappers" no more: usually about the age of eighteen.
Women generally wore box-heel soft-leather boots with elastic sides or high cloth button-up uppers, to fasten which required the use of a special button hook, the handles of which were sometimes ornamental. Large coloured straw hats, decorated with either flowers or ostrich feathers (never both) were the set fashion, and were secured on top of the pile of hair by two or three long hatpins: these could be very useful weapons with which a determined woman could discourage or repel unwelcome attentions from the opposite sex.
Amusements of the generality of people were home-made and simple. Sunday was fairly strictly observed as a day of rest and religious observance. No sporting events or other public spectacles were tolerated, and private competitions were severely discouraged. It was sinful to play pianos or other musical instruments in the home, except to accompany the singing of hymns and psalms. Gardening, or manual labour of any kind was reprehensible, and could bring reproving looks, and even mild rebukes from promenading passers-by, dressed up in their "Sunday best".
Trams did not begin running until twelve o'clock midday, when