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All grandparents have stories they tell over and over again. The time your mum was late to school. The time your uncle got his toe broken in a sliding door. The time you were really scared of an emu. But what about the stories they don’t tell us? The lifetime of stories they think we wouldn’t be interested in? In this weeks episode, we asked our grandparents to tell us stories they’d never told us before.
Zipper
All the Best presenter Michaela Morgan talks to her Great Aunty Noelene about sewing ball gowns to dance in Sydney, 1952.
Produced by Michaela Morgan
Music credits: ‘The Sheik of Araby’ by Fats Waller & His Rhythm, ‘Diga Diga Doo’ by Artie Shaw, ‘King of the Trocadero’ a recording from National Film and Sound Archive, ‘Yes! We Have No Bananas’ by Frank Coughlan
Sandwiches in the Park
Pip Rasmussen spoke to her grandmother about a time in Australia when there was a great fear of HIV, but she looked past the misconceptions and held out her hand to her friends who were suffering.
Produced by Pip Rasmussen
Music credits: ‘Youth’ by Daughter, ‘A World Alone’ by Lorde, ‘Far from View’ by Jack Cowell and the Owls and ‘Autumn Breeze’ by Exit Strategy.
A 1950s Love Story
In 1951, a holiday to the sleepy town of the Gold Coast saw the beginning of a love story between Yvonne Hoffman and Hal Leslie. Yvonne was on holiday from Sydney with her mother and grandfather in Burleigh Heads, Queensland when she met Hal. He and six of his friends from Narrabeen, NSW were in town for a Surf Life Saving competition. Yvonne reminisces about her holiday with Hal and his mates on the Gold Coast 62 years ago.
Produced by Sydney Pead
Music credits: “Sweetheart Swing” by Tim Garland, published by Audio Network
His Story’s in the Suitcase
There have always been unanswered questions about Flynn’s refugee grandfather. Flynn’s mum describes him as a polymath “admired by people from all walks of life and disciplines”, who would join him in his study for intense discussions that would last hours. He arrived in Australia in February, 1951 on board the S. S. Castelbianco. The family mythology holds that he was born in Russia, and raised in a military academy after returning home one day to find his mother frozen to death. That’s all he ever said about his parents, apart from the fact they were Russian. A few weeks ago, Flynn found a suitcase full of documents that might answer some of those questions.
by Heidi Pett
Music credits: ‘Transnautica – Wintercoats remix’ by Guerre, ‘Mazu Heart Sutra – Namine remix’ by Guerre
She Got A Free Holiday
Lucie sat with her grandfather by the fire and he told her the story of crazy Aunt Jess, and how she fell in love.
Produced by Lucie Robson
Final song: ‘Jack, Where You At’ by Caitlin Park
Presenters: Michaela Morgan and Michael Brydon
Community Coordinator: Pip Rasmussen
Executive Producers: Giordana Caputo & Belinda Lopez
Features Executive Producers: Heidi Pett & Jess O’Callaghan
Image Credit: Something Something Free Parking