Memories of meanderings on Maude

It bought back memories for some of our older readers; but I only had one new correspondent: Meg.

However, I did have an email that went into ‘quarantine’. It was a hotmail address directed to Marnie.

I accepted the email and took it out of quarantine but it didn’t come through. If this was you, I apologise. Please contact me again. I’m hoping you had some information that I overlooked.

Here is Meg’s email.

Hi Marnie,

Thanks for your column in the paper. It is always an interesting read.

In response to your question about whether your history of the mall was appreciated today, I can say yes, very much.

My partner is a town planner and looks after the heritage side of things and we both go out of our way to read stories about the CBD’s history.

I’m also good friends with Clyde Young through Rotary and I bet he appreciated reading that. If he didn’t get the paper today, I’m going to show him tomorrow at our meeting.

Thank you — keen to know more!

Kindest regards

Meg Pethybridge

Thanks Meg.

I’ve got some information on the Identity corner this week and, hopefully, the cinema corner for next week.

Then, unless readers think differently, I’ll give it a miss.

By the way, the ‘history’ of our movie theatres is amazingly complex but, I think, interesting.

North-west corner – Maude and Fraser streets

The panorama we saw last week – taken 1927 – showed there was no building on this site.

However, just a year or so later, the Fairleys building emerged.

Surely this was the first two-storey building in our town.

I read that at Christmas, Fairleys had Punch and Judy shows for the kids.

And that, in the 1930s, Jim Trevaskis supplied a mini circus featuring Pomeranian dogs and a sheep dog.

The earliest photo I have was taken in 1952 when Rico’s Shoe Store was on the ground floor and Radio 3SR upstairs.

My husband and I have just had a long discussion because I remember going upstairs to 3SR to participate in a children’s program.

I was asked to recite poetry – don’t ask me why or what poetry, because I have no idea.

I must have been very young, or very dense, because I remember asking ‘Where’s the band?’

My father and Ken Austin had a good laugh but I really thought they would have live musicians; they broadcasted music, didn’t they?

The discussion eventuated because my husband remembers his father going to the radio station to perform.

My father-in-law was a fine Scottish tenor and, in later years, I was his biggest fan.

However, my man remembers going with his father to Wyndham St (where Dennis Family Homes is now – Vibert Place).

So, we can’t determine whether 3SR moved from Maude to Wyndham or vice versa.

I think Maude St must have pre-dated Wyndham but I don’t know for sure. Can anyone help?

Alex Rigg Pharmacy was next door to Rico’s in Maude St – and the reflected heat off the verandah was melting all the vinyl records in the radio station.

Mr Rigg had the roof painted black to solve the problem.

There’s a big time gap here because I don’t know how long Rico’s Shoes remained – or who came next. Do you?

In the 1970’s Brian Riordan opened a children’s shoe store.

At this time, Max Carlos had a menswear store, which kind of wrapped around Brian’s shop.

It was L-shaped with the entry in Maude St.

In 1979, Bill Goulopoulos bought out both stores and introduced us to Identity.

And I can’t let this opportunity pass because I reckon I know why Identity is still with us 44 years later.

I’ve always found buying gifts for teenage boys and men somewhat challenging.

But I have never got a clothes purchase wrong.

With clever stock selection, outstanding service and good advice, Bill has ensured my success.

I hope the store remains at least as long as I do.

We know you didn’t mean it, Wendy

Unfortunately, last week, Wendy Lovell put her foot right in it.

In Parliament, she was attempting to explain her thoughts about placing a low-income family in an up-market area.

During her speech, she said that the children wouldn’t fit in with their neighbours.

Her critics scoffed saying that children aren’t aware of the price of things.

Wendy’s words might have been a bit clumsy but her critics were, in my opinion, quite wrong.

Small children usually don’t know or care if their circumstances are different.

However, once past primary level, kids these days are very aware of brand names – from runners and footy boots to casual clothes – even thongs.

And they are acutely aware of which PlayStation they are using.

Without any malicious intent, a young fellow could easily ask ‘Haven’t you got a PlayStation 5?’ Or mention that his family is going down to the grand final or to New Zealand for the holidays.

There are dozens of statements or questions (intended harmless) that could easily cause their new neighbour to feel hard done by or ‘less than’.

The other point Wendy might have made – especially in the case of single mothers – in these circumstances the parent is often lonely.

I have known of two instances, in our town, where the mother was not accepted into her neighbourhood and left completely alone.

There are probably more. I have only known two families in this situation – so my score is 100 per cent.

Neighbours are so important in providing welcoming comfort and even safety.

For example, since my husband lost his sight, our neighbour has given instructions that, if I am at all concerned, I am to call his mobile anytime – 24/7.

And a third point, if I may? Shepparton has more than 1000 families hoping for affordable housing.

If enough established homes could possibly be sourced, the cost would be steep — $350 million and upwards.

And, the families selling their homes, where are they going to live?

There’s not enough land, unless we get a few developments approved, ASAP. Let’s get real — it can’t be done.

And, even if we managed it, by that time, there’d be a new list — another 500 families waiting.

I keep remembering a conversation I had with Grant Petty (remember, the guy who is now on the Rich List and employs 2000 people around the world).

He said that it took him a long time to realise that he and his brother were ‘hard up’ – because his neighbours were all in similar situations.

It is probable that we will need a cross section of solutions to meet the needs of our families.

But please, let’s not assume that, if we put 20 or 30 families together, it will become drug central.

‘These people’ are on low incomes, perhaps single income or perhaps welfare dependent – but that doesn’t make them alcoholics or drug dealers.

The debate in our state parliament wasn’t specifically about our situation – we need to sort ourselves out.

If the current proposal is deemed unsuitable, we must find another.

The longer we sit on our hands and delay making difficult decisions, the more names go on that list.

My week was chaotic, including a family wedding. If there is space next week, I’ll tell you more about it.

That’s it for now. Take care and may it be easy, my friends.

— Marnie

Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton, 3631.

Phone: Send a text on 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back, if you wish)