My recollections

My family has been in Mosman for nearly 100 years. They came from Manchester in the UK and after living for a short time in Eastern Avenue, Kensington, moved to Cremorne.

My grandfather, Aaron Jenkins built 1 Thompson Street, and they lived there for some years. I remember stories about the wonderful parties they held in the ballroom on the first floor of the house. I remember the house he built was doubly expensive, because the builder was stealing the bricks to build another home for himself! I’m not sure, but it would be too late now for the Dept of Fair Trading to act :-).

The next house was one my grandmother built – 19 Whiting Beach Road. My grandmother bought the land from the Buckles next door. I see now the new owners have added a second level. This was the original idea, so my father (Phillip) and aunty (Ann Jay) could share the house and have their own space. My father married in 1943 and my parents shared the Whiting Beach Road house with my Aunt and Uncle (Joe Jay). My Aunt lived there until she sold the home in 1980, shortly after my Uncle died.

Back to just after the war, and my Aunt saw a ‘for sale’ sign on a couple of tennis courts beside the flats owned by the Gilets at 27 Bradleys Head Road. She told my father and he immediately pruchased the land for one thousand pounds ($2000). This was to become 25 Bradleys Head Road, a wonderful home where I was born and grew to my adulthood there. Mum sold the house in 1979.

Of course there are a plethora of memories, but one thing that I always remember is Dr Ralph Huntley’s Rolls Royce, 4-133 was the number plate I think, was always parked outside our place as he was visiting my Dad and talking about racehorses! He owned a horse called Carmen and Dad used to race and breed the thoroughbreds.

Growing up on Bradleys Head Road was full of adventure. Yes, really! I would often go to the zoo – we would climb over the fence – and wander around. We would collect the ‘Osborne’ drink bottles and get 6d (5 cents) for each bottle from the little kiosk.

The bush tracks around Ashton Park and Clifton Gardens were just great. As were the tunnels that I see mentioned in some of the stories – cobwebs, sticky, mossy, dark caverns – all very spooky.

Who remembers walking up the huge stormwater pipe at Sirius Cove?? Did you know you can look out of the drainage grates at the end of Sirius Cove Road?!