Conversation with the Past
Midnight found me in my armchair researching Samuel on my Ipad. If only I could talk to you grandfather, I thought.
Suddenly I was sitting on the verandah of Stanville, his home in Collaroy. I could hear the waves crashing on the beach in the background.
Across from me in a rocking chair was my grandfather Samuel Stanley Briggs..
“I have so many questions for you grandfather.”
“Ask away my dear, he said. “what is troubling you.”
“ I have a photo of your three Thornycroft Trucks with SS Briggs Contractor painted on the side of the trucks. But I can’t seem to find much about them.”
“As I think you already know, this photo was taken in 1922. I had only just received delivery of them, it was taken as an advertisement for Thornycroft.”
“ This looks to me as though you were fairly well off, owning three trucks.”
“Ah, but appearances can be deceiving my dear,” he replied. “it was hard times, businesses were only just getting on their feet after WWI.”
“So what happened that you went from business owner of three trucks in 1922 to being taken to court in 1937 for non payment of your mortgage, with the possibility off losing this lovely house?”
“Well in one word, no make that three,” he said, “the Great Depression.”
“For goodness sake Marcia, you are asleep. Will you put that iPad down before you drop it and come to bed,” my husband yelled from the comfort of our bedroom.
“ I have a photo of your three Thornycroft Trucks with SS Briggs Contractor painted on the side of the trucks. But I can’t seem to find much about them.”
“As I think you already know, this photo was taken in 1922. I had only just received delivery of them, it was taken as an advertisement for Thornycroft.”
“ This looks to me as though you were fairly well off, owning three trucks.”
“Ah, but appearances can be deceiving my dear,” he replied. “it was hard times, businesses were only just getting on their feet after WWI.”
“So what happened that you went from business owner of three trucks in 1922 to being taken to court in 1937 for non payment of your mortgage, with the possibility off losing this lovely house?”
“Well in one word, no make that three,” he said, “the Great Depression.”
“For goodness sake Marcia, you are asleep. Will you put that iPad down before you drop it and come to bed,” my husband yelled from the comfort of our bedroom.
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