Today's Golden Age portrait is of Margaret, who was born in August 1933 so turns 90 next month!
When she was a baby she was sent to live with her Father's parents in Narrabri. They lived in an area called the Brickyards. Margaret has no idea why she was sent away.. & was never told the reason.
At age 6 her Grandmother who had raised her, decided she needed to attend school. So she was reintroduced into her biological family at Newcastle.. she was then one of 7 children.
Margaret remembers her Grandmother pointing out 3 girls walking past & said, they are your sisters. Margaret then was thrust back into family life, having to sleep alongside siblings who were then strangers to her.
Margaret attended Cardiff catholic school, & later Cooks Hill High school.
Margaret's Father Went to war in 1941 & returned in 1945. He had a heart attack upon his return & could only do odd jobs. So she was required to leave school at 15 to start work to help the family financially.
Her first job was at the Lamp works assembling lamps.
Margaret was in a dance troupe which provided entertainment as well as entered competitions.
She recalled her act with a magician where she was stuffed into a box, which appeared empty. Then she would jump out of the box with streamers & balloons as part of the act.
Margaret met Keith when his family moved to Cardiff. They dated for about 6 years before marrying when she was 21. She loved to attend the Cardiff picture theatre on a Saturday night, & fishing at Redhead beach.
Keith had a motorbike with a sidecar which was their mode of transport.. Margaret went to hospital while in labour with her son riding in the sidecar.
Margaret went on to have two children Ian & Kim. She was sadly widowed 35 years ago when Keith died at age 61.
Margaret lived in the same home that they built all those years.. moving into a retirement home 18 years ago.
She has a very active social life, bus trips, & lunches out.
She does miss the sense of community these days. Even just a simple Good Morning, is often lost on those she passes in her daily travels.
Margaret has 5 Grandchildren, & five great grandchildren. with one more on the way.
