60 Years Ago.

[Sturdee]

60 Years ago on this date I, a young impressionable lad of 14, set foot on these shores. After 33 days at sea I stepped onto Station pier at Melbourne to begin a new life together with my family in this land of opportunity.

After finishing my schooling I started work in a bank, then for the Swagman restaurant, an accountancy firm and then finally a golf club from whence I retired.

During my life I always enjoyed woodworking after having been taught a few years at High school, and I still have made the footstool I first made there, and then upon retirement started taking up wood turning as well.

During my retirement I joined the Triton Club in Holmesglen and from there I learned about this forum where on joining I adopted the the forum name of Sturdee.

It's been a great 60 years and now look forward, with the help of the doctors at the Austin Hospital who have kept me well during the last 10 years, to the next 60 years.

Peter.

[BobL]

Sounds like an interesting journey - I hope you have written a more fleshed out version for your family?

[Sturdee]

Bob, I haven't done that but my brother did write a book about his life as well as studied our family history. From his research we can trace our male line of descent back to 1525 in a small town in Groningen in the Netherlands very close to the German border.

I can remember a fair bit of Amsterdam where I was born ( eg frolicking and exploring through sections of the German Atlantic wall and walking through the red light district which is a very enlightening experience for young boys ) and have good recollections of our boat trip coming here.

Peter.

[Sturdee]

Thanks for the comments, likes and pm's guys, much appreciated.

Peter.

[Wongo]

Good one Peter

[prozac]

Hope you continue making shavings for some time yet Sturdee.

[rrich]

Peter,
You scared me! About 63 years ago an exceptionally patient and skilled wood shop teacher (Mr. Capel) taught me how to hold and use a hand plane. I have been addicted ever since. The scary part is that it has been that long.

The first project was as useless then as now was a desk blotter. (It held a blotter material and was shaped like the rocker of a rocking chair and was used to blot anything written with a fountain pen. My parents complained that they had to buy the knob hardware for the desk blotter.) I don't want to explain what a fountain pen is. LOL. That was sixth year. By eighth year I made a 3 leg wall table that my mother used for about 45 years.

So here I am, an official member of the 'Old Pharts Club' looking back and realizing that I have been a wood worker for that long.