Lorna Bessie's diary October 22 1919 to January 1 1920

What a delight to find in amongst my Mother's treasures was her mother's diary. It was one of those little diaries with 6 lines to the day and 6 days to the opening. What was more interesting was that it was the time of her honeymoon. Who would have thought that in 1919 they would have a 5 week honeymoon leaving Allora Queensland by train for Sydney and Tasmania.

1st opening of the diary

 From the diary:

Wed. 22/10/1919-Married. Left for Sydney

23/10/1919 Arrived Sydney. Went to Dixon's. got room "Beulah" Paddington St Paddington. First impression of Sydney dirty. 

24/10/1919 Ryde by tram home by ferry up Parramatta River. walk through Gardens and Domain, saw submarines, art gallery. Scenery up river delightful. Lovely day. 

25/10/1919  Shopping(coat) Watson's Bay. Yachting season opened beautiful sight. Picture show "Road through the dark" Mrs Rae's at night. 

26/10/1919 Manly/lovely back by tram to the Spit Milsons Pt. North Sydney. Mrs D's for tea. 

27/10/1919 Taronga Park Zoo. Scenery very nice. Railway Station & Shopping(hat & gloves) 

28/10/1919 Museum, pictures, Gardens & Theatre at night. Nothing special about theatre. 

29/10/1919 Bondi, Botany Bay & La Perouse. Pictures "Civilisation" Manly after tea.

Harbour beautiful by night. 

30/10/1919 Shopping. Station to see Bert & Kitty leave Tempe to Aunt Beck's. ( note 1 Aunt Beck was Lionel's Aunt Lavetta Bentley and I would never had worked out who she was without help from Helen Butler. Bert & Kitty Mitchell-Bert was the best man at the wedding)

31/10/1919 Rested. City in afternoon. Tourist Bureau 

1/11/1919 Shopping(skirt) Dulwich Hill, Petersham cricket. McKerihans for tea. 

2/11/1919 Manly with Mr McKerihan lovely day. Wynyard Park. 

3/11/1919 Rest-Shopping(blouse& veil) Coogee very nice but very cold. Theatre in evening "Going up" nice. 

4/11/1919 Did not go out until afternoon. Booked passage for Tasmania. Meet N McKerihan home early "letters" (for more about N McKerihan see previoius blog http://familytreeblossoms.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/v-for-veteranclues-from-lorna-bessie.html) 

5/11/1919 Business re Tasmania. dinner arcade, Sydenham in afternoon & for tea.

6/11/1919 Arrived Katoomba afternoon/rain in Sydney) Leura Falls/beautiful scenery-Bridegrooms cave.

Off to Jenolan Caves. Lionel and Bessie in the middle row.

7/11/1919 Katoomba Falls Fern Gully & other places of interest. Echo Point in moonlight all beautiful(Victorians) 

8/11/1919 50 mile drive to Caves through Grand Arch. Viewed Right Imperial & Lucas Caves. Devils Coach House, Carlotta Arch Very beautiful photo. Punctures on way home. Bush fire.

9/11/1919 Wentworth Falls & Valley of Waters in morning. Mt Yorke, Lovett's Leap & Hydra Majestic in the afternoon. 40 mile drive, big climb but lovely scene. 

10/11/1919 Left Katoomba arrived Sydney disappointment all Tasmania  room at Tempe.

11/11/1919 Day at Aunt Beck's after tea walked to Marrickville. Saw Aunt Jessie in hospital rained, Cooks river before breakfast.(  Note 2 Aunt Jessie was another of Lionel's aunts, Jessie Mogler)

Now the diary has suffered the ravages of time( and children) and there is a week missing.

The next entry is

18/11/1919 Up Derwent River to New Norfolk walk in avenue & garden & town/beautiful. Turn-table spin/strawberries hops. 

19/11/1919  Motor trip through Huon district & Browns River. Blow hole visited & enjoyed. Passed Franklin Croady, Huon, Cygnet & Kingston 

20/11/1919 Through Norfolk & Storm Bay to Taranna visited Eagle Hawk Neck, Blow Hole & Devil's Kitchen, Brake drive to Port Arthur/Carnarvon) 

21/11/1919 Convict ruins before breakfast. Brake drive to boat. walk after tea up town shopping. souvenirs. 

22/11/1919 Mount Nelson telescope Brake drive through Domain, Derwent Park & Springvale. Boat at night. 

One of the trips in a brake. Bessie is standing at the end of the middle row with Lionel seated in the middle beside her.  Pity about the horse losing its head.

23/11/1919 By train(3 hours) to National Park & Russell Falls beautiful Victoria Place after tea. 

24/11/1919 Museum & Art Gallery Tram to Sandy Bay beach 

25/11/2009 Changed house. Private zoo  Bellerive Beach 

26/11/1919 Transport By tram to Cascades & walk to C. huts. Picnic in bush, lovely day. 

27/11/1919 Met Arthur Hay. Brake drive to Collin's Vale beautiful scenery. Nice tea. 

28/11/1919 Sewed. Lye sick. Wrote letters. 

29/11/1919 Walked about town & Franklin Square. Left Hobart in "Manuka" 

30/11/1919 Sick in cabin 

1/12/1919 Sick in cabin 

2/12/1919 Arrived Sydney 9am. Penshurst, Brighton Le Sands in the afternoon. Paddle, Music at night. 

3/12/1919 Washing. Organ recital  cards at night. 

4/12/1919 "Ironing" Photo, Shopping(shoes) Tempe.  Music 

5/12/1919 Left Sydney from Penshurst. 

6/12/1919 Nice journey. M Deegan at Stanthorpe. Home. 

7/12/1919 Church at 8am "Glenvale" in afternoon & for tea. lovely day. 

8/12/1919 Walk around creek. Rang Lily up.(  Note 3 Lionel's sister) 

9/12/1919 By train to Warwick. Saw House (  Note 4 now looking for a house for the newly weds) 

10/12/1919 Drove to "Glenvale" ( Note 5 Bessie's parents farm near Allora) 

11/12/1919 At "Glenvale"

12/12/1919 At "Glenvale" 

13/12/1919 Drove to Warwick. Took house. 

14/12/1919 Drove to Allora. Church at 7:30pm 

15/12/1919 Left for Brisbane. Arrived Adelaide House. 

16/12/1919 Uncle Percy shopping furniture at Hixcos. Afternoon & night with Lily Pictures.( Note 6 Uncle Percy Murray Laws) 

17/12/1919 Shopping at Beirnes Lily. Afternoon & night at Uncle Percy's. Storm 

18/12/1919 Left Brisbane. Arrived home Allora 

19/12/1919 quiet day with Lye's mother.( Note 7. Lionel was often called Lye in the family)

20/12/1919 Allora Street 

21/12/1919 Church 8am visited Nellie. Motored out to "Glenvale" 

22/12/1919 Lovely day at Glenvale 

23/12/1919  Quiet day at Allora. up street at night. 

24/12/1919 Another quiet day, Xmas eve. Up town at night. 

25/12/1919 Xmas day. Motored to Glenvale 

26/12/1919 Drove to Warwick. Unpacked furniture. 

27/12/1919 Quiet day at Glenvale 

28/12/1919 Quiet day at Glenvale 

29/12/1919 Drove to Warwick to our new home. Bert & Kitty at night. ( Note 8 Bert & Kitty Mitchell )

30/12/1919 Left for Goondiwindi arrived here 12:30pm 

31/12/1919 Walked all around "Goondi" around river & over bridge. Storm in evening. 

1/1/1920 New Year's Day. Left "Goondi" for Inglewood. Arrived Ingelwood. Walked to bridge & around town after tea. (Storm)

A New Year and a new life together.( and a new diary that either wasn't written or didn't stand the ravages of time.)

Her diary  had only small spaces for her to write in but we get  the message that they were out exploring and  meeting family and friends. What a lovely start to their new life together. My Mother said her father believed every newly married couple should have a honeymoon so her wedding present to us was a lovely honeymoon to Heron Island.

Notes 1 to 8 added by Judy Lofthouse)