Tuesday Treasures – Grandma’s Radio

Just next to my treasured pantry/loo door is this little collection of treasures.  The shelf is actually attached to the side of the pantry. They might look familiar from my banner.

I was just going to tell you about the radio, but I might as well tell you about it all.

The radio was Grandma’s.  It is a 1942 model Phillips.  The date is quite clear in Mum’s memory, as it was purchased in anticipation of the electricity being connected to the farm.  I found it covered in dust and cobwebs in the back of the shed at Uncle Chris’ and was lucky enough to bring it home and clean it up.  A friend who is into radios gave it a service and it worked.  However, it gave up the ghost again.  I think it needs new valves.  It is a lovely thing to have sitting  in the kitchen.

The other items are also little treasures, especially the apple box label.  This is from Uncle Chris’ orchard.  Granddad died in 1953 and Grandma and Uncle Chris carried on with the farm until Grandma died in the mid 70s. Uncle Chris is still there, although there isn’t much of the orchard left. I can remember when I was little, the apples being packed into wooden cases, the label stapled to the end and then being taken into town to be sent away by rail.  How things have changed. 

Hartley was a very well known apple area in the early 1900s and always put on a big display at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney.  There is a great photo of the orchardists, dressed in their best suits, in front of a big pyramid of apples.  I wish I had a copy to share.

There were also competitions for the best apples and in 1928 Granddad won.  His case of apples was shipped back to England and presented to the King.  It was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and Canberra Times on the same day that Uncle Chris was born. It must have been a very exciting day for him.

But I digress….

The shelf is an Ashelford’s soft drink case.  They were our local company when I was a kid and there are actually a few Ashelford’s bottles on the top shelf.

The kerosene lamps are not only decorative.  They get pressed into service if we get a blackout, which is more common out here than in town.  The one at the back is quite elegant.  I can’t remember where we found it.  Mick’s Mum found the one at the front at Vinnies some years ago.  The base is actually a Bushels coffee jar.  It works really well.  However, Mick was cleaning and refilling them recently and the jar cracked.  He was devastated.  Not to worry, I just called Mum and did the cadge.  I swapped a Moccona coffee jar for her string jar – yes she has a jar that she keeps saved string in that just happened to be a Bushels coffee jar.  The lamp is now fixed.  Thanks to Mum.

Pop over to Clare’s to see what other treasures are on show this week.