I was born at Hamilton, We resided at Leamingtom Crescent, East Caulfield for six months and at Union Street, Armadale for six months before moving to No. 48 Hunter Street West, Malvern, in September 1912.Central Park Road was formerly Hunter Street East. While residing at East Caulfield I was enrolled at the Tooronga Road State School, Malvern and continued to attend that school when residing at Armadale. I was living at Malvern before the commencement of Radio Broadcasting, Talking Moving Pictures, Television and Supermarkets. Using horse-drawn vehicles, provisions were home delivered by trades-people. The delivery of milk occurred in early morning hours, a two-wheeled horse drawn cart held two large cans of milk from which a hand-pail would be replenished, the milkman ladled out the quantity of milk required into a receptacle left out by his customer, in later years bottled milk was delivered. The bread delivery van was a four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle, carrying a variety of bread loaves, the driver carried bread in a hand-basket to the customer. There was not any sliced or wrapped bread at that time. Grocers, Greengrocers and Butchers made home deliveries. Mail was delivered twice daily, the postman walked on his round, he carried a mail-bag over his shoulder, mail was put through a letter-plate in the front door. Telegrams were delivered by a messenger boy, who was provided with a bicycle. Telephones were not automatic, calls were connected by operators at the Post Office Telephone Exchange.
The Malvern Fire Brigade used a two-wheeled horse-drawn cart, when answering an alarm call one man would drive, another sat beside him ringing a bell attached to the dashboard of the cart.The horse was driven at a gallop.Fire alarm posts were installed at selected locations throughout the district. Occasionally somebody would break the glass and press the button in reply to a dare from a mate would make a false alarm call, they would then run away and hide.
"Bottle-oh", was the cry from the man, who on his cart, slowly drove along the streets, buying empty bottles from residents. "Rabbit-oh, fresh rabbits", was the cry from the man who likewise travelled the streets selling rabbits skinned and cleaned ready for cooking. "Johnny Walker" who had a confectionary shop in Wattletree Road near Tooronga Road corner, drove around in the summer evenings on his quaint little cart, selling ice cream. Confectionary shops (Milk Bars) sold ice cream made on the premises. It was made in a hand-operated machine. When the mixture was frozen. "Ice-cream Now Ready" was displayed on a card in the shop window. Page 1
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