I first lived in Thompson St. Essendon, then 13 Laluma St. also in Essendon. I think Aunty Marion(Dad's sister) and her husband Uncle Tom(Mum's brother) with Edwin(Dig) their son, also lived with us.
Another memory was at the funeral for Mum's Mother, Honor Sleightholm, my sister
Shirley and I, both dressed in Yellow smocked dresses with ribbon bows in our hair, and hearing the soil dropping onto the coffin, a sound still felt.
During the Depression,my father was on the dole, or sustenance, and rode his bike all over the place looking for work.
My Mother tells of eating bread with dripping, in order to keep food available for Dad and Shirley. Mum, while expecting me,broke an arm when she fell down the front steps of Pop's home at 27 Bloomfield Avenue, Maribyrnong, which he had built. His name was Thomas Leonard Sleightholm, he was a Slaughterman at the Newmarket Saleyards. Pop's father,also Thomas Leonard was born 27 March 1859 in Whitby,Yorkshire U.K. he migrated to Australia and married Emma Wilson,who was born 13 Oct. 1865 in Frenchman's Gully,Londsborough,Vic.on 21 January 1891. Pop was born 14th Feb.1892 in Richmond.He married Honor Arnold in 1912, she was born 1890 and died on 15 Jun 1939.
After Nana's death, we moved to live with Pop. He later married Dorothy Gilmour, Aunty Dorrie,she had 3 adult children who also lived with us, so a full house.
Dad went into the Army and Mum was working at the Ordinance Factory in Maribyrnong. Dad's car was put on blocks as there was no fuel or tyres to be had, as well as this Mum did not drive.
Memories of catching the tram to Vic. Market to buy fruit and vegetables and carrying them home from the tram terminus at the river, in bags made from hession Sugar bags. Also going with Shirley, to the market gardens, run by some toothless,old Chinese man called Jimmy. He filled our bags as full as we could carry and asked for a kiss as payment, along with a sixpence.
I can remember riding on Dad's shoulders,along the lane from the tram, him in soldier uniform, me dressed in a pleated Tartan skirt, with a red twinset, knitted by Mum, that had black dancing girls around the bottom edge.I had been in Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital with Scarlet Fever and he was on leave.

We were able to go to Primary(State) School by the back gate of our property. We also played in the abandoned Quarry(this is now filled with Highpoint Shopping Centre) at the back fence. I think Mum would have frowned and growled if she knew what Dig(cousin Eddie) and I got up to there. Another thought, Dig and I were up and away early one Sunday morning , with me on the handlebars of his pushbike, hurtling down the Rosamund Rd. hill,he had to swerve to dodge a tram at the bottom and threw me over the gate of the Remount Paddock gate. His bike was twisted and I had a gashed knee and lip. We had to limp home and ownup to where we had been. It was definitly out of bounds!