Patricia Lascelles, Countess of Harewood

Patricia Elizabeth Lascelles, Countess of Harewood was an Australian-British violinist and fashion model. She was the second wife of George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, eldest paternal first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Expensive Footwear and Repurposed Materials

Children's leather boots were so expensive that many children went barefoot to school in all weathers, and old flour bags were sometimes repurposed to make undergarments.

Restricting Fashion and Heavy Woolen Clothing

Women wore tight S-bend corsets to achieve a mature look with a forward-thrust bust, while men and boys typically wore heavy wool suits or breeches despite the heat.

Instruments used for country dances

Musicians in hinterland towns often performed for long hours using primarily the violin and piano or accordion, sometimes adding instruments like the banjo, guitar, cornet, saxophone or trombone.

Pianos were central to home entertainment

Most homes featured a piano, a prized possession used for family singing, playing solos or duets, and accompanying small social dances at home.

Signaling for a train at night

In the 1920s, passengers wishing to board the last train at Rosanna station had to wave a kerosene lamp to signal the driver to stop. The journey to Princes Bridge took one hour by steam train.

Rail journey from Brisbane to Cairns

By 1924, passengers could travel by train from Brisbane to Cairns in 53 and a half hours.

Classroom tools and ink duties

In classrooms with up to forty-four pupils, children often learned to write on slates, and later used pens where students were responsible for replenishing their own desk inkwells from a central supply.

Lighting and managing limited water supplies

When electricity was unavailable, households relied on smelly kerosene lamps for light, with candles used at bedtime, and families frequently checked water levels in tanks by tapping them to hear the sound difference.

Keeping food cool without electricity

Without electricity, rural families used Coolgardie safes or ice chests to keep food cool, often requiring ice delivered by a local iceman. Meat that could not be eaten fresh had to be dry salted or corned.

The daily ritual of jam-making

Ordinary families consumed vast amounts of jam, and children often spent summer evenings helping to prepare fruits like melons, peaches, or apricots for the next day's jam session. A single two-pound jar of jam often lasted less than a day in some households.

Cost of rabbit meat

In the 1930s, rabbits cost four shillings a pair, and for some families, they were the only affordable meat.

Price of bread

During the 1930s, bread was delivered twice a day and sold for five pence a loaf.

Common occupations of Australian breadwinners in 1933

In 1933, the workforce was primarily engaged in trade and transportation (26%), manufacturing and mining (22%), agriculture and forestry (20%), and government or personal services (20%).

Domestic and service work conditions and pay

Domestic maids often lived in partitioned cubicles without recreation rooms and earned about 10/- a week plus board. Cooks at hospitals were paid 30/- a week and expected to manage equipment like gas and steam to feed 100 staff members.