So he ventured out, and she ventured out,
And I saw them go with pain;
But what befell them I never can tell,
For they never came back again!
When I finished everybody clapped and laughed and said Hear, hear! because we’re all tired of rats and don’t ever want to see one again. After it were over I said goodbye to Miss Collins and thanked her for giving me my diary what won me the prize and she made me promise to go in and see her every now and then and tell her what I’m doing.
13th December, Thursday
There’ll be flags from all different nations flying and 10,000 kids singing in Centennial Park.
There’s only 17 days to go now.
14th December, Friday
Mr Ah Han asked us all over for tea tonight. Not at his house, to a restaurant in Wexford Street just opened called Ma Sun’s. We’d never had Chinese food before and Maisie whispered to Pa it looked funny. Only Pa said you should always eat what’s put in front of you. So Maisie didn’t say nothing only tried it and ate it all up! It were really nice. Different, but nice. Mr Ah Han and his wife were there and Soo and Li who say they can skip really fast now. And Mr Ah Han said he wanted to say thank you to us for being nice when all that bad business were happening.
15th December, Saturday
Ma heard from Bertie this week. She’d written to say she could read now and he wrote back and said how pleased he is for her.
He said tell Pa if he wants to go back in the rag-and-bone business he’s more than happy to go in with him and he promises to find somewhere to board soon as he can.
I’ve just had this wonderful idea. I’m going to introduce Bertie to Miss Collins. She knows all about him cos I’ve showed her his letters and told her all about him and I’m sure she’d like him. And Bertie will love her for sure.
16th December, Sunday
Ethel come over today with Albert. It seems now they’re planning to get married next year too only not till much later. In the meantime she says Albert’s sister’s got a job in town lined up and she’ll move into the boarding house soon as Dolly moves out. Dolly starts on the 2nd of January. Ma says it’s all happening too fast. She can’t hardly keep up with us. The only good thing about it is with any luck she’ll be able to wear the same outfit to both George and Ethel’s weddings and save a bit that way.
17th December, Monday
New Zealand won’t be part of Federation after all. They’ve decided. I can understand that. There’s a whole sea between us, so that makes them another country, not like Western Australia which is just over the other side of the same country.
18th December, Tuesday
George come round today to tell us his boss give him a bonus for Christmas because of how hard he’s worked this year. And he’s made him a junior partner. He’ll be putting Barnes up on the sign outside. George just had to tell us. Then he was off to tell Lily as soon as she come out of work.
Lily’s a secretary in an office and does typing and shorthand. She’s promised to teach me to type over the holidays and I can’t hardly wait.
20th December, Thursday
There’ll be a whole arch covered in wool too only Ma said what a waste when she heard. She said think how many jumpers you could make with it. Pa said it’d be raw wool and not for knitting.
Lord Hopetoun’s asked Sir William Lyne to be our first prime minister! He had no right to do that, Pa says. And there’s lots of papers saying the same thing. It’s all been arranged. Mr Barton’s to be our Prime Minister. Anyway Sir William Lyne didn’t even want Federation at first so how could he make a good prime minister?
21st December, Friday
Mabel says Mr and Mrs Alexander are going to the celebrations. And us and the Cooks are going too. Mabel said they got an official invite. Straightaway Artie wants to know if there’s a flag on the invite. And Mabel says yes. So he says what’s it like? Mabel, who’s seen the invite, says, ‘It’s a white flag with a blue cross down the centre and white stars on it. Oh, and there’s a Union Jack up the corner.’ So Artie says at least it’s got stars on it like the Southern Cross Pa’s pointed out to him.
22nd December, Saturday
There’ll be a wheat arch up in Bridge Street and now all the arches are starting to go up to be ready on time. You can feel the excitement everywhere. It’s like everyone’s getting ready for a party almost.
9 days.
23rd December, Sunday
A cart pulled up outside today and all the kids come round for a look. And there’s Mabel with Jim, one of Mrs Alexander’s gardeners, with the sewing machine for Ma. Jim wants to know if Pa can help with it. Anyway they get it out and set it up where Ma wants it. Then Jim goes out and brings in this big basket full of things like a pudding and ham and a couple of chooks the cook’s done specially, and mince pies and all sorts of things, even jars of lollies I can see Artie’s got his eye on.
Ma were quite overcome and didn’t know what to say only Mabel tells her Mrs Alexander said to say she were that pleased with Mabel she just wanted to say thank you to her family. Ma had to sit down for a bit. She’s not used to people doing things like that for her. So I put the kettle on and asked Jim if he’d maybe like a cup of tea, so they stayed on for a bit. That way we got to talk to Mabel till it were time to go back.
24th December, Monday
It’s definitely Mr Barton for Prime Minister. Nobody wanted Sir William, even if he is Premier. Pa couldn’t be more pleased. He’s always liked Mr Barton and says he’ll be much better than Sir William, whatever Lord Hopetoun says.
I’ve made Maisie’s new doll a dress for Christmas and I’m giving her my skipping rope to keep. She’s usually got it tied to her basket anyway.
25th December, Tuesday
I thought we’d be having Christmas in our new house only Ma said it’d be a pity to waste the picnic hamper. Besides she only had chairs for us, let alone the rest of the family.
Since it were a warm day we went up the Botanic Gardens. And there was George and Lily, Ethel and Albert, Dolly, me, Fred, Artie and Maisie and Ma and Pa. The only two missing were Mabel and Bertie but as Ma says you never get things perfect, only nearly.
We found a lovely spot with a bit of shade so Ma didn’t get too hot and spread out a couple of blankets and Ma said she couldn’t remember a nicer Christmas what with how lucky we’d been this year considering. And Pa said just as well Bertie weren’t here cos if he’s been on half rations all this time he’d probably eat the lot. Everyone laughed.
26th December, Wednesday
I forgot to tell my news. Pa and Ma give me a typewriter for Christmas! Not new, but still good. Pa rang the manager of the jam factory to ask where he could get one a bit cheaper. The manager said he were getting a new one for the office and he could let him have the old one for less than half. Pa says I still got to finish school and do my Junior, only this’ll do for practice on in the meantime.
27th December, Thursday
Ma says soon as the sales come on she’s going to buy herself something smart for the weddings. She’ll look out for some pretty material to make dresses for Maisie and me to wear.
The government wants every one to have a good time for Commonwealth Day. So any families that’s poor and needy can get food from particular grocers for the week. And them that don’t have homes’ll get tickets that give them two meals a day for the whole week. So that’s good.
29th December, Saturday
I’ve had my first lesson on my typewriter. The keys stand up quite high, only Lily covered them over and made me look at a chart of the letters, so I get to feel where they are. Then I have to think of a line down the middle and each finger with its row of letters to hit. The little fingers have two rows each and that’s hard because they’re not so strong as the others but Lily says it’ll come with practice. A bit like Ma and her reading.
30th December, Sunday
‘You’ve always had a mind of your own,’ Ma says to me
today. ‘It must have something to do with red hair.’
I says, ‘Yes, Ma, I get from you.’
She laughs and says, ‘Probably.’
31st December, Monday
Ma said we could stay up tonight, even Maisie, because it was special, not like any New Year. I don’t s’pose anyone in Sydney went to bed early. A good big moon was up and everything so still you could hear the sound of boat parties floating back over the water. And all the houses across the other side had their gardens lit with Chinese lanterns.
Straight after tea we set off with other families to walk up town past the theatres with all the music and laughing coming from inside what with the doors open and not a spare seat. People were spilling out on the pavement and there were fiddlers and accordions playing on almost every corner. The churches kept open too, with all these hymns to help welcome in the 20th century.
You could hardly hear one tune above another it was all so loud and as more people come on the streets and everyone began shouting and roaring it got louder still. There were people banging gongs the closer it got to midnight. Reggie was swinging this rattle round and round above his head till his pa told him to watch it or he’d hit someone. Eddy had a whistle that pierced your ears almost and Fred and Artie had sneaked out with Ma’s saucepan lids and wooden spoons and kept on banging them till she had a right old headache.
Then right on midnight the church bells chimed and a cheer went up like you’ve never heard and Reggie grabbed me and kissed me right on the mouth. Ma didn’t see thank heavens, because Pa were kissing her. Only Fred did but, and he’s got this look like he’s bursting to tell her. I say if he knows what’s good for him he won’t breathe a word.
It’s as if the whole country were having its birthday, and it is too. Tomorrow we won’t just be separate colonies. We’ll be one country, united—a Federation. Then Fred and Artie start banging their saucepan lids even louder.
Then when we get to the end of George Street, we have to turn round and start back again because Maisie and Eddy and the other littlies are getting tired and refuse to walk so the pas hoist them up on their shoulders and they ride back down George Street like elephant tamers. The rest of us have to push our way back through the crowds. Reggie’s got me by the hand and won’t let go for a minute.
Honestly it’s been the best possible New Year’s ever!
1st January, 1901, Tuesday
Pa even bought a copy of the Herald today for us to keep because he said it’s special. He’s right. Inside there’s a copy of the letter the Queen signed, all in fancy printing, and it says, ‘Royal Assent to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 and of her Majesty the Queen’s signature, Victoria, by the Queen Herself signed with Her Own Hand.’ And up the top corner she’s written her name, very neat. Victoria R. That stands for ‘Regina’ which means ‘Queen’. Freddy and me both want to cut it out to keep along with our Federation parchments. Pa says that’s not fair there’s only one and we’re to leave it where everyone can see it. Specially Bertie when he gets back.
The Herald’s got no adverts in today only things about Federation and some of the odes. There’s one by Mr Brunton-Stephens and another by Mr Roderic Quin. I must say I’m glad I don’t have to learn either. There’s too many verses.
Pa put it aside to read later there was so much in it, only he said there was one bit that caught his eye. It says there’ve been thousands of people come to this country to settle and none of it’s made much difference to the Aborigines. Pa says he wonders if anyone’s bothered to ask them what they thought?
The whole city’s dressed up, like it knows it’s having a party. Streamers and bunting all along George Street and down the middle poles with big waratahs on them for New South Wales. All the hansoms are gone from Martin Place and they’ve put poles up with garlands and Union Jacks and up near the top there’s a big white pavilion with ‘Long Life and Happiness to Lord and Lady Hopetoun’ in big letters.
We stood up in Macquarie Street near Bridge with the Cooks right near us. And soon as we heard the noise from the Domain. Fred starts shouting, ‘They’re coming!’ Then the procession comes round and up past Government House gates with two hundred policemen out front ahead of the floats. And there’s shearers and miners and stockmen from up country. Pa yells, ‘Pity Bertie’s not here to see this. It’s what he’s done.’
After them come fire engines with all the firemen in their shiny brass helmets glinting in the sun and their horses decked out in blue and gold, the colours of the Governor-General. Then come the Italian float with a bust of Sir Henry Parkes and straight after that Lancers on their lovely horses.
Fred and Artie give this big cheer when the New South Wales ride past. There are only some back from the war.
Then New Zealand troopers and the Queen’s cavalry in their silver helmets and fluttery plumes and the Indian troopers in their turbans.
As soon as the last of the procession’s come past Ma says she’s dying for a cup of tea and so is Reggie’s ma. They all decide to go home and take the younger ones. Only me and Reggie say please can we go up town to Hyde Park and see it again from there. Ma’s about to say no only Pa says, ‘Go on let them Ma. It’s not as if they’re stepping out proper.’ Ma says oh all right and Pa says if we run we might catch up to one of the fire engines and get a lift. Then he gives us a tanner each for our fares home and me and Reggie are already wriggling in and out of the crowd as fast as we can to catch the fire engine.
When we reach it Reggie yells out bold as brass, ‘Hey, Mister! Will you give us a lift up town?’
I say, ‘Please!’ on account of Reggie’s forgotten his manners and the fireman says, ‘Yes but only since your young lady’s got manners.’
So there we are, me and Reggie riding all the way up Macquarie and along College Street to Hyde Park. Then the fireman says, ‘You can stop here if you like or come on up Oxford with us.’
So Reggie and me get to go all the way up Oxford. And everywhere we look there’s people peering out windows and waving from balconies and each side of the street, ten deep easily, cheering all the floats for just about everything. Even the Salvation Army’s got one.
Then when we come to Centennial Park we thank them and climb down and head through the big gates and down to where there’s this white pavilion with steps covered in red carpet and flowers either side and everything draped with garlands of leaves. Then on the dais there’s the table and inkstand the Queen give us for them to sign their names.
And you couldn’t imagine the crowds. There must have been seven thousand at least, not counting the ten thousand school kids all in white. Then Lord Hopetoun arrives in his carriage and Lady Hopetoun in hers and all the officials. And Mr Barton’s there and Sir William Lyne, only the Governor-General talks to Lady Lyne but doesn’t speak to Mr Barton so he’s probably still cross.
But he takes the oath and then he has all the Lancers draw their swords and the guns fire 21 times. And the band plays ‘God Save the Queen’ while everybody stands to attention.
When it were all over Reggie and I walked all the way back down Oxford Street cos we spent our tanners on lollies instead of fares. Ma was a bit cross when I got back late only not when I sat her down and told her about the ceremony.
Then as soon as it got dark, the whole city lit up every big building almost and right across the GPO it said
WELCOME TO OUR GOVERNOR GENERAL
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
I said to Reggie that if Mr Barton can become Prime Minister when he come from a family of 11 kids then what’s to stop us doing anything we want and Reggie agrees with me.
Reggie’s got a bit of money still from clean-up and he’s asked me to go ice-skating with him at Prince Alfred Park. Ma will probably say no but he’s promised to have me back before dark. I’m hoping she’ll maybe let us if we go with Ethel and Albert.
There’s a letter come from Bertie saying he’ll be coming home the end of March. So that means we can hav
e George and Lily’s wedding in April. Bertie’ll be so surprised to see how much I’ve grown and he won’t be able to call me chicken legs no more. I’ll bet if he tries he’ll have Reggie to answer to!
When I’m ready I’m going to write to the manager of the Peacock jam factory and ask if he’ll take me on as a junior in the office.
Miss Collins was right. 1900 has been the best year for keeping a diary, only now I’ve run out of pages so this is where I have to end.
HISTORICAL NOTE
The year 1900 was an important one in Australia’s history. It was the last year of the 19th century and big changes were taking place in the lead-up to the 20th. There were some things in particular that affected Australia at that time.
In January 1900, bubonic plague broke out in Sydney and by August when it disappeared, 103 people had died. There were outbreaks in all other colonies as well, except Tasmania. The area known as The Rocks in Sydney, which included some appalling slums, was cleaned up at great expense and many buildings were demolished and replaced by new ones. Plague broke out again in Sydney late in 1901 and in 1902 and was a threat for twenty years.
During the epidemic there was strong opposition to the Chinese, sometimes even open hostility and violence. They were held by some people to be ‘responsible’ for the plague, which was quite untrue. These feelings, however, together with the fear of cheap labour taking away the jobs of white workers, led in 1901 to the White Australia Policy which applied strict restrictions on immigration. This policy did not start to change until the mid-sixties.
Plagues and Federation Page 12