Well, Mark sounds to be doing fine. Terry is 15 and ½ pounds [7 kg] now and also has hair about an inch [2.5 cm] long. He only had a fuzz when he was born.
Len is planting pineapples now, but I can’t help him as it is much too cold and rainy to let Terry sleep out in the car while I work. So I have to stay at home. However, I might go tomorrow.
Well, Fran, I must close now and do some baking.
So love from,
Dulcie
29th April 1959
Dear Fran,
Thank you so much for the lovely card for my birthday, it was a pleasant surprise to know you had remembered.
Your memory must be much better than mine, for the date of your birthday has slipped from my memory. Could you please tell me next time you write when yours and Ricky’s is?
Yes, Fran, the years do fly by as we are getting older. It is almost a year since we lost Karen, but it doesn’t seem so long since she was toddling around the house. I still remember her very clearly, I wonder shall I ever forget?
We have just passed another Anzac Day also. Anzac means Australian New Zealand Army Corps and is a tribute to the men from both countries who fought side by side and died.
Men of both World Wars march through the streets and stand at the cenotaph while prayers are said and the names of the fallen from the district are read out. Wreathes are then laid, the last post sounded and two minutes silence observed.
A concert is held each Anzac Day, at night, and the proceeds go to charity. My eldest brother Tom and I are always among the artists performing.
Tom sang and played his guitar, doing “There’s a Gold Mine in the Sky” and “Don’t ever take the Ribbons from your Hair”. I sang with piano accompaniment “Goodbye” from [the operetta] “The White Horse Inn” and “The Twelfth of Never”.
We all had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
We are coming into winter now. The nights have been cool, around 60 degrees [16℃] and the days are only about 80 to 85 [26 - 30℃]. I don’t like winter much as I always seem to be cold. I have knitted Terry a couple of jumpers and one for Len and am now doing one for myself.
Len and I and my brother Brian went shooting last night with spotlights. I got 2 possums and then Len and Brian got a couple of kangaroos, wallabies and whiptails.
My rifle is too light for the larger animals. It is a Lithgow .22 and Len’s is an American Service Mark II. Brian has a .303 and a Mauser complete with telescope, which enables him to see much further.
We poisoned all the animals with strychnine for dingo baits.
The dingos are bad now and are killing calves and poultry. They have also killed some dogs. They had a go at our dog a couple of nights ago but he was off his chain and ran up into the house.
Well, Fran, Terry has just woken up so I must bath and feed him.
So love from,
Dulcie
29th May 1959
Dear Fran,
Well, I hope you are settled into your new home by now and are quite pleased with it.
We have been having some rain here for the last week and the roads are very boggy. I went into Yeppoon yesterday and had a hard time getting in and out of some creeks.
It is Len’s birthday today. He is 31 years old.
I haven’t heard any of the songs that are on your hit parade at present. They usually take a year or so to get out here. At present some of our top ones are “A fool such as I”, “Smoke gets in your eyes”, “I can’t stop loving you”, “Come in Stranger”.
Terry is 4 months and 1 week now.
I heard on the radio yesterday that we might be going to get TV soon. The southern states all have it but Queensland is quite backward and doesn’t have anything like they do.
Len and I love to read also, and have quite a large library. Our latest edition being “Commander Crabb”.
Well, Fran, I must close now and do some work.
So love from,
Dulcie
23rd June 1959
Dear Fran,
Thank you for the photos. Mark looks a lovely little fellow. That is a nice picture of your husband, you and the children.
Fran, Dick, Mark and Ricky Globke
It is nice to have family pictures, don’t you think? Dad used to take a lot of pictures of my brothers and I as children. They are good to look back at now.
You certainly are having hot weather. I hope you had some rain to cool things off. It is raining here at present. We aren’t having much of a winter this year. It rains nearly every week. My fowls don’t like it and have gone off the lay.
Yes, Fran, “On the Beach” was filmed in Melbourne, in the state of Victoria. I haven’t seen it yet but I would love to as I’ve never been to any of the other states. They are supposed to be very lovely and much ahead of Queensland.
I’m listening to the Hit Parade at present. “Personality” is on top. I think you told me it was one of your hits a while back. I like it too.
I went shooting last night. The dog saw a possum, but my spotlight couldn’t pick it out of the leaves. It started to rain soon after, so I had to come home with nothing. The dog was very sad about it.
Well, Fran, I have to drive to the dentist’s in a short time so I will close and post this then.
Love,
Dulcie
10th August 1959
Dear Fran,
Well, I hope Mark is much better now. I haven’t heard of the sickness you said he had. I suppose it has a different name out here. I suppose the rash was very itchy and irritated the little fellow.
Terry has been a bit cranky lately. He has two little teeth just through the gum on the lower jaw.
Yes, Fran, I also have been very busy doing nothing. Len has been away for 3 weeks, only comes home on Saturdays, and during the week I have a job finding something to do.
I think I’ve read one of the books you mentioned, “Home before Dark”. If it wasn’t the same one, it was much the same, about a woman home from a mental institution. I will post you another bundle of magazines on the 11th August. I was given a copy of the American Saturday Evening Post and one called Life a few weeks ago. I liked them very much. I also like the Redbook you have sent a few times.
The sky is very cloudy today and looks like rain. I hope we get an inch or so. My garden could do with a good soaking. I have prepared a bed along the front fence for a dozen roses. I haven’t got them in yet.
Well, Fran, I have some ironing to do so I guess I had better close now.
Love,
Dulcie
10th October 1959
Dear Fran,
Well, I hope you enjoyed your Labour Day holiday. Your new boat sounds lovely.
We went fishing yesterday. We have to go about 320 miles [515 km] and when it rains it is a terrible road. Rain started 2 hours after we got there and coming back we got bogged in the salt pan. The salt pan is about 3 miles [5 km] across and as soon as we got out of one bog hole we went into another. Rain was falling all the time. Terry enjoyed himself in the car while Len and I were out digging the mud away.
Mark is a bit smarter than Terry. He can only stand up and walk if one holds his hands. He never learned to crawl much but loves to pull himself up on any piece of furniture. He has 6 teeth now. Last week he had his last injection for Tetanus, Diptheria and Whooping Cough. He still has to get them for smallpox and poliomyelitis.
I have to go into hospital for an operation on my ears. I hope I’m not in too long. I shall miss Terry. I’ll bet he’ll miss me too and probably play up a bit with his father.
My brother Tom and his wife have a baby daughter, Veronica Ann, 7 pounds 14 ounces [3.6 kg] at birth. Well, Fran, I had better close now and feed Terry.
Love from,
Dulcie
5th January 1960
Dear Fran,
Well, what kind of Christmas did you have? We had a very quiet time as we were not able to go anywhere. Flood rains set in during Christmas week and most
of the Queensland roads were blocked.
We had dinner with Dad and Mum and one brother. Terry loved the stocking hanging on his cot on Christmas morning and soon had everything out of it.
The rain has cleared up now and we are having very hot weather. The temp over the last 3 days has been up in the 100 degrees [38ºC]. I am writing this letter at 12 noon and the temp is 109 [43ºC].
Terry doesn’t mind. He has a tub of water on the verandah and runs around in the nude and gets in and out of the water when he likes.
I am taking him to Rockhampton on the 20th (his birthday) to have his photograph taken. By the way, Fran, wish Mark a belated many happy returns from me and also to Ricky who will have a birthday by the time you get this letter.
We went to Rockhampton to watch my eldest brother race his Gnat last week. He won one race and during the second he collided with another Gnat and hit the safety fence and rolled over 4 times.
He wasn’t hurt, only dazed. He is racing again on Saturday night.
I have lots of chickens out now and have to watch out for hawks during the day. They glide in and take the chicken before one can see them. I shot three last week.
Len went out New Year’s night. I stayed home as we have been troubled by dingos.
During the night I heard a noise in the duck pen. I fired at a pair of eyes, thinking it was a dingo. When I went to look I found it was a wild black dog I’d shot.
We haven’t lost any birds since so I think it must have been the dog taking the birds all the time.
* * *
Enclosed is a photo of both brothers ploughing. Tom driving a crawler and Brian on the Fordson [tractor].
Well, Fran, I must close now and see about lunch.
So love from,
Dulcie
10th February 1960
Dear Fran,
It is 11 a.m. and raining hard here at present. We are in the middle of our wet season and our roads are flooded and creeks are bonkers.
Our summer pineapple crop is just coming off and we are having trouble getting the fruit carted. We pick and pack the pines into crates and then they have to be carted on the truck 15 miles [24 km] to Yeppoon railway station.
They are then taken by train another 500 miles [805 km] to Northgate Cannery. We have one creek 3 miles [5 km] from here that rises over the bridge and cuts us off and then 6 miles [10 km] further on the other creek has a very old bridge over it.
[Dulcie’s brother, Brian, leaning against a truck carrying pineapples, which has a flat tyre.]
That one can’t carry more than 6 tons [6100 kg] over. Therefore we have to make a detour of about 18 miles [29 km] of more boggy roads.
Len is picking at present and after I finish getting lunch on to cook I shall have to join him. Terry is playing around in the living room.
Terry has quite recovered from the measles now and is quite happy again.
You asked about the translation of Waltzing Matilda, Fran, so I have written it on a sheet at the end of this letter. You also asked about the meaning of Bungundarra, Yeppoon.
Well, Bungundarra is the name of the farming settlement here and is an aboriginal word meaning “Hills and Hollows” which describes this area very well.
Yeppoon is 15 miles [24 km] away and is a small place consisting of railway station, school and post office with a few houses, etc. It is an English word I believe and there is also a town named Yeppoon in South Africa.
Yes, Fran, a Gnat is a small racing car. I will get a snap of Tom’s and send it to you with the next letter.
I don’t know if you sing Waltzing Matilda the same as we do but anyway I’ve written it the way we sing it. I hope you can fathom it out.
Thank you for the photo, Fran. Both little boys are very much alike I think.
Well, Fran, I must away and go pick pines.
So love to all,
Dulcie
* * *
Ricky and Mark Globke
Waltzing Matilda
Once a jolly swag-man, (meaning a kind of hobo) camped by a billabong, (Aboriginal for water hole)
Under the shade of a coolabah tree, (a soft-wood tree)
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me. (Old swag men called their swags or blanket rolls Matilda or Bluey.)
Down came a jumbuck (sheep) to drink at the billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee, (meaning he was hungry and was very pleased to see the sheep)
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag, (tucker means food and swaggies carried a bag with their food in it.)
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me.
* * *
Down came the squatter (a squatter is a man who owns land and runs cattle or sheep. I think you call them ranch owners) mounted on his thoroughbred, (riding a well-bred horse)
Down came the troopers (mounted police) one, two three,
“Where’s that jolly jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag?
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me.” (They would take him and gaol him for stealing the sheep.)
* * *
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
“You’ll never take me alive,” said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by the billabong,
“You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me.” (The swag-man drowned himself rather than be gaoled and his ghost haunts the waterhole.)
* * *
(A chorus is sung after every verse:)
* * *
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,
You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled,
You’ll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me.
9th March 1960
Dear Fran,
I was so disappointed when I opened your last letter. The photos you had enclosed were stuck together and when we parted them most of the print came off. I am returning them for you to see. They were face to face and I think the heat here may have gummed them. I do love to see pictures of snow too. As you know I’ve never seen snow.
The weather here is a bit cool at nights but very hot during the day, still around 100 [38ºC] most days. Autumn started last week sometime, although it still feels like summer. It is 8:30 and we have just finished morning tea. Len has taken Terry for a ride with him to Dad and Mum’s place so I am writing while I have peace.
I went with Tom when he was having a practice run on the beach in his Gnat on Sunday. Enclosed is a photo I took. I clocked him as he drove (me in the Austin car) and he left me behind with my speedo showing 78 miles per hour [126 kph].
I didn’t like to go any faster as the sand was rather loose. The pineapples have eased off a bit now and I have more spare time. I’ve been doing some gardening. Well, Fran, I guess I had better wash the dishes and prepare lunch.
So love,
Dulcie
12th April 1960
Dear Fran,
Today is very wintery here and tonight will probably be very cold. We have had a number of cold nights and I have made Terry three pairs of winter pyjamas, two pairs for Len and two for myself. Also have made two coats for Terry and have one to finish yet for myself.
We are going to a wedding on Easter Saturday and I have made a new frock - navy with a white allover lace design - have white hat and bag and navy shoes to go with it. Have made Terry blue pants and shirt with red embroidered puppies on the pockets and a red velveteen coat with gilt buttons and buckle for the belt. He also has red and blue sandals and he looks very nice in the outfit.
Yes, Fran, the southern states, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, have snow but not in Queensland or most of West Australia.
Len’s sister Margaret and I went to Green Lake last Saturday and we caught five fish and shot ten ducks. The dog got tired of swimming for them, so I had to swim for them myself as Margaret
can’t swim. I really enjoyed myself. I love swimming so we plan to go again next week. Terry enjoys himself too, but mainly he likes the jeep ride. It’s about 20 miles [32 km] there and back through the bush as there is no road.
Len has been going to Saltwater to fish and has caught quite a few the last few weeks. Mainly gets crabs but I like them too.
My hens aren’t laying too well with the cold weather and the poor cats hate to go outside. The temp is 73 degrees [23ºC] now and I am shivering.
So I had better close now and try to get some warmth into the house.
So love to all,
Dulcie
13th June 1960
Dear Fran,
Well, we are having a cold windy day today. We haven’t had many frosts yet but how I hate the cold westerly winds.
Len at the Yeppoon show
Today is a Public Holiday all over Australia for the Queen’s birthday. The Yeppoon show started on the 11th and we went yesterday. We had a good time. Terry enjoyed himself, ate toffee apples and fairy floss until he was so full he couldn’t look at any more. Today is the last day of the show but it is so cold we won’t be going again.
A Trans-Australian airliner crashed into the sea 200 miles [322 km] north of here on Saturday and killed 29 people. Among them were children and a school teacher going home for the holidays. Also the American consulate in Queensland, Mr. O’Grady. So far 8 bodies have been recovered. Mr. O’Grady’s body is to be taken back to America for burial. It was the worst crash in Australian history and the first for 14 years.
Dear Fran, Love Dulcie Page 3