What You Find When You’re Not Looking

Having listened to Maria Northcote’s latest Genies Down Under podcast about heirlooms I was looking at an old suitcase I have which belonged to my 2x great auntie Gertrude Ada Beale nee Chapman.  I made a record of what I know about the suitcase, from what my Mum has told me, using Maria’s Heirloom Checklist document.  I’ll keep one copy in the suitcase and one in my family history files.  The suitcase was manufactured by the Everlite Travel Goods company which is still in operation in Victoria, Australia.

Everlite suitcase

Everlite Hard Shell Suitcase

Everlite suitcase

Everlite Hard Shell Suitcase - the Everlite logo is above the lock

I have had the suitcase since about 1987, it was my Mum’s before then and possibly my Grandma’s before that.  I used it when I went governessing in South Australia and New South Wales in 1987 and 1988.  As well as being a storage container it was also useful as a small table.

Since then I have stored my own treasures and memorabilia in it.  I had a great time this morning looking through old letters, a couple of photos, youth group programmes, church camps and more.  I had forgotten what was in it.  One of the items I found from my childhood was a bunch of BP Spotto Holiday Motoring Game cards.

Spotto game cards

Two Joined Spotto Holiday Motoring Game Cards

Spotto game cards

Back of two Spotto game cards

Did anyone else play this in the car on long trips?

I also need to write about my time spent working as a governess on sheep and cattle stations in South Australia and New South Wales but that’s a big job and will have to be another day.

5 thoughts on “What You Find When You’re Not Looking

  • December 18, 2011 at 7:50 am
    Permalink

    Great post Kylie. Loved the way you described and photographed the suitcase. What a wonderful heirloom to have and using it to store other family history docs was a super idea, I think:)

    -Maria
    Genies Down Under

    Reply
  • December 18, 2011 at 8:25 am
    Permalink

    Hi Maria
    I’ve just finished a checklist on my piano so I’ll be blogging about that soon!! Have a great day!

    Kylie 🙂

    Reply
  • February 18, 2013 at 7:50 am
    Permalink

    We played what seems like hundreds of games of Spotto on out road trips up the NSW coast. I remember tricking my sisters into looking out the wrong side of the car when I knew/saw a BP service station coming up! 😉

    Reply
    • February 18, 2013 at 10:00 am
      Permalink

      Hi Mark
      Being the youngest I reckon that’s what my brother and sister used to do to me!! LOL 🙂 Great memories though.

      Reply

Leave a Reply to admin Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.