Ted Pethebridge

Interviewed by Sandra Blamey on 6 March 2001
Subject: School

Sandra Blamey. Do you remember anything in particular about school days? Did you enjoy school?

Ted Pethebridge. Oh yes. School days were very good, I had a lot of mates that I made in my school days, but I was sorry to leave the school, but they were all very envious of me because anybody that got a job in those days was enviable, because of the money coming in even though it was only 7/6d a week, it was something. They had good sporting days; I played football in bare feet mind you, because we couldn’t afford football boots. They had athletic days and cricket, and a lot of people who learnt to play cricket and football through the school and football, later on became champions. On Fridays they used to march from the school, Friday afternoon – that was their sports day, they used to march from Mosman School down to Balmoral Baths and they had a school band. The school used to march behind the hall right down Raglan Street, and they were very proud to be marching behind the band in those days.

Sandra Blamey. Did they raise the flag at your school?

Ted Pethebridge. I’ve got a feeling they did, they used to have the flag, the same as when they went up to one of the halls, I think it was Mosman Town Hall for Empire Day, and they used all think this Empire Day was a wonderful day. They loved the Empire then.

Sandra Blamey. Singing ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. We used to have crackers

Ted Pethebridge. That’s right. And we had fireworks, and all that sort of thing.