Yesterday I interviewed my Grandad. It was pretty fun and exciting especially the bit where he told me about how much trouble he got in to. Enjoy reading!
Me: Where were you born?
Grandad (Norm Forrest): I was born in Hornsby, Sydney but moved to Epping when I was seven.
Me: Did you live through any significant world events?
NF: I lived through the great depression where my father was unemployed for 6 years and we had to live on the dole which wasn’t very satisfactory. I also lived through the Second World War. I wasn’t old enough to join the army so I joined the citizen military forces and did two years’ service there. Another important event was having 4 children I guess and having 14 grandchildren was pretty important too.
Me: What jobs have you held?
NF: I had worked for the government as a clerk for many years in the NSW Treasury. I left there and ran a milk run for 12 months. I worked as a clerk again but this time for AV Jennings and then I went to work for the rural bank as a clerk. I retired in 1985.
Me: Which job was your favourite?
NF: I enjoyed being in the public service job. I was there from 1944 to 1967. I was part of the government supervision that supervised the building of houses. That entailed going around the state to visit building parties.
Me: How was school different to today?
NF: You had to just sit and do as you were told. The cane was available when you didn’t do it. A teacher I had when I was in Year 5 at primary school had an excellent arm with the chalk and would throw it at you. I got the cane a few times and I had to go down to the headmaster’s office where he would hit me with the cane. Students were very disciplined whereas nowadays children have a fairly free lifestyle. I went to school before computers, so I never really got involved with them.
Me: What were your favourite things you did as a boy?
NF: I really enjoyed cricket. I played it as well as football but I definitely enjoyed cricket more. In primary school we used to sometimes play other schools and I remember playing a school from Ryde down at Concord Oval. We won that game and I remember getting 6 wickets for 12 runs!
Me: How far did it take to walk to school?
NF: It was a 2 kilometre walk so it took a while.
Me: What is your favourite sport now?
NF: I guess I’m still mostly interested in cricket followed closely by rugby league.
Me: Which teams do you go for in these sports?
NF: In cricket I go for Australia and in rugby league I go for NSW, Australia and Balmain (West tigers).
Me: Did you have a favourite toy as a child?
NF: Actually we never had many toys as a child because we didn’t have much money. I do remember once when my Dad brought home a broken cricket bat which had broken during a game with the Epping Cricket Club. His friend had broken it and given it to him. He cut some of it off and gave us a cricket bat with a long handle and a short hitting part.
Me: What was the most trouble you ever got into?
NF: Once my brother and I climbed over someone’s fence to get their nectarines. The Lady saw us and she told our mum but our mum didn’t believe her. That is probably the most trouble I’ve ever gotten into.
Me: What is the most interesting place that you’ve been to?
NF: … I camped at Hill End once… I don’t think I have ever really been anywhere interesting… I did quite a bit of camping in the bush… I haven’t been anywhere interesting really…
Me: Which car would you like to own?
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| My Grandad |
Me: Where would you like to drive it?
NF: I would like to drive it down to Adelaide and drive up to Brisbane or even further north up to Cairns.
Me: Out of all the modern things that you’ve seen in your time which one do you like the most?
NF: Probably the mobile phone.
Me: What is your life motto?
NF: Been there and done that.
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