Our neighbours

No 6, left, and No 2 Graham Street, Wonthaggi, 1950s. Janet Akers lived in No 2 after her marrige then moved to No 6. This was the outskirts of Wonthaggi at the time.

By Janet Akers

WHEN I was married we first lived in No. 2 Graham Street Wonthaggi. There were no neighbours next door on the left side. The railway line connecting the Kirrak mine with the Wonthaggi Railway Station ran behind our house and crossed the road to Inverloch to our left. Next door to our right was No. 6 where my mother-in-law and two sisters-in-law, Pearl and Thelma, lived.
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After Mum Akers had a stroke we bought her home and moved in, selling our first home to Arthur and Sandra Brown, a semi-retired couple from Melbourne. Mum Akers lived with us and also spent time with two of her daughters, Betty and Dawn, and, when Pearl was married, with Pearl.

Mr and Mrs Morrison bought No. 8 Graham Street. Mr Morrison was a Rawleigh traveller. They were good neighbours. We had three children by then: Elaine, Albert and James (Jim). Mum Akers died in 1962 before Jim was born. Doris Morrison was a good neighbour. Jim remembers her teaching him colours. She used to pack the goods they sold in their van. Jim used to watch, help her with the coloured tins, bottles and packets.

We built a house in King Street and I missed the Graham Street neighbours – Mrs Ousley who had a boarding house on the other side of the road, Mrs Hughes, a widow, Mr Brown (Sandra had passed away) and the Sheerin family, who lived about five houses from us. Dorothy Sheerin was busy looking after her large extended family, but always had a smile and friendly word.

King Street only had houses on one side. We bought 7 King Street with a weatherboard cottage that was bought and shifted to Cape Paterson. We built a three-bedroom brick veneer, which showed confidence in Wonthaggi’s future because the mines were soon to close.

Janet Akers wrote this as a piece for Wonthaggi’s U3A writing group in about 2011.

Janet's sons Albert and Jim