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 Hard Shell 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.

Two Joined Spotto Holiday Motoring 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.