Eva Stone
Born at the end of the last century, at 104 she may see in another century.
Background information on interviewer
From an oral history interview with the delightful Mrs Eva Stone. Interviewer
Jo Morris.January9 ,1990.
Mrs Stone is a much loved resident of Fairfield,having lived all her 104 years in this area. Casting a small figure,Residents would know her in the shopping centre always dressed with a smile, a hat and her shopping trolley.She did her own shopping up to her late ninties. A remarkable woman,widowed early in life ,with three children to care for. She has survived throughout wars and depression.
She has lived all her life opposite her old school,on the same block of land she grew up on. She delighted in seeing the children arriving and leaving their primary public school, always waving hello to her little friends who likewise loved seeing her.
The following are a few of her reminiscences.It is remarkable how in her ninties Mrs Stone could recite poems and songs from her childhood.The collection of tapes are held in the Whitlam Library if you wish to listen more to Mrs Eva Stone.
We used to call them buggies in those day, ponies and traps and carts. No cars in my days. ..When I met my husband he had a beautiful pony and we used to ride to Parrramatta and sit under the beautiful trees,and stay there for an hour or so talking..it was a very good pony. The toff people might have had cars but it was all horses and cows in those days...You would call it a coach..you might call it a buggy..it used to come from fairfield west to the station..if you were lucky enough to get on..well that was just good luck..cause it only held about six.Horse and coach in those days to meet the train.just the one everyday.
The quarry train was on smithfield rd used to go the quarry and get the crushed metal and go to the stationnd and the boys used to get on the back when the driver wasn't looking.
We played hopscotch and drop the handerkerchief..the church would hold a meeting and we would all go us young people and we'd all play (Tape 23.58)drop the handerkerchief!
I belonged to the (methodist)choir ..Mrs Taylor the organist and the head of the choir..and she always said that Annie ,that's my sister, and I ,were the leaders of the choir. And Mrs Taylor was so good to me that she taught me music, and I walked ...to her place. She would give her time twice a week to teach me music.She taught me because she loved me.I didn't have to pay her any thing. ..I sang and danced..Mrs taylor used to hold concerts for the church..she taught us..to sing and dance in the school of arts.( Audio of Song).
What stands out for me was my dear mother,she was a beautiful woman..she had a beautiful heart of love.
As a child I used to go every Saturday and gather an armful of sticks and she (neighbour) would give me a whole penny. Well in those days perhaps a penny was a lot of money.And she would come out and she would say."Not many sticks there" And I would say"should I get you some more?" And she would say"Yes I think you should". And then I'd run off and get another armful for her.
(Work as a housemaid). She wanted to see if I was honest so put half a crown on one of the big pillars and that was a terrible thing ..because I mightn't have had any money,and I could have taken it,and I think it was dreadful to tempt young people ... Another time she put the money under the bed. She didn't tempt me after that.She was a doctors wife. She lived at Strathfield.
We'd go for a nice dance. We had latty's playground.We would take the boat up the river with our best boyfriend our lunch and the billy tea.It was most beautiful tea when it was flavoured with smoke. (audio of Eva talking about this)