Was The Past Really Simpler?

Mr Spears Allansford

When I have a minute here or there I love browsing through my photos. They are great memory-triggers recalling times, events and people from the past – recent and distant.

The photo above was taken in 1954 in Allansford, Victoria. We had only arrived in Australia a short time earlier  and after having stayed with a lovely Australian family we moved to a house in Allansford. One of the neighbours was the farmer in the picture. Most farmers had moved to tractors long ago but Mr Spears preferred the traditional methods. He wasn’t bound by engines or petrol prices. Many farmers kept a foot in the past and the present. I remember the thrill of helping rig up the horse and buggy at a friend’s farm because the old WW2 army Jeep wouldn’t start. It was important that we get the 10 gallon milk cans to the depot for pick up by the truck from the local butter factory. Riding in the buggy along the highway was a special pleasure.

When we lived in town I also remember hanging the billy-can on the side of the milk collection depot. One of the local farmers would fill these for the town locals; none of the pasteurised, homogenised and diluted rubbish in those days.

In my lifetime so much has changed for good and evil. Yet sometimes in the madness of a busy day I do fondly remember a time and place that was simpler. One of the reasons it was simpler was that I was young and did not have adult concerns. However the picture above makes me think the simplicity was due to more than just my youthful naivety.