Did Sir Charles Kingsford Smith inspire my grandmother to travel?

What will historians be saying about us in 100 years time?  

Growing up. I always considered my grandmother to be very old fashioned.  She was a very strong lady, who was very matter of fact.

She NEVER struck me as an adventurer!  But now I wonder?

Lloyd, Hazel, Lorna & Eva Pilgrim
on Trix 1924

"I boarded with Aunty Alice while going to High School and had visions of being a teacher, but Mum was going through change of life and when she went down with measles, I had to go home at 14.  I only had 6 years of schooling, as we lived over 3 mls from the school.  At first we had to walk.  They kept me home till I was 8 and John was 6.  Then he [dad] bought a pony for us and we got boils in summer from horse sweat, as we rode bareback........While at High, I always went home for wk ends and often got a ride back with the minister on Sun.  If not I rode Trix in Monday morning – 10 miles.  Tied the reins up and let her go.  Once she didn’t arrive home so Dad went looking for her.  She had pulled in to a farmers stable.  It was a paddock away from his house and only worked there some times.  There was a dam, green feed and some chaff in the mangers.  This old Trix was cunning and would come up with the horses Sat and Sun but not wk days.  When we had holidays, it would put her out.  I had to go and catch her as my brother could not.  I think he was cunning too.  He had a horse later – Kit.  Dad would drive Kit and Tammy in the buggy and the fruit van (before he got a motor vehicle) and they were a flighty pair.   In the van, we all sat on a board across the width of it and no back.  It used to take us over an hour to trot into Nhill – 10 miles – with a load and under the hour to go home.  The horses were always in a hurry to get home.  I love horses and working dogs, but not lap dogs." Eva Scott (nee Pilgrim)


Imagine if you can..............You live on a farm with your family and the main form of transport is horse and buggy, which you take into town (Nhill) every Friday to do the shopping.  How would you feel seeing your first aeroplane?   Would you be excited at the new technology and the possibilities?  Or would you be worried about the safety? Would you have had the courage to go for a flight?  

Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203366719
The Age (Melbourne, Vic.:1854-1954),
Thursday 16 November 1933,page 10

8th November 1933 - Nhill
Southern Cross
From the album of Eva Scott (nee Pilgrim)

8th November 1933 - Nhill 
Southern Cross
From the album of Eva Scott (nee Pilgrim)

8th November 1933 - Nhill
Percival Gull Speed Plane
From the album of Eva Scott (nee Pilgrim)

 Nhill 1933
Gran's first plan ride (in the centre with white collar and cuffs wearing pilots hat) -  cost was 7/6 for 10 minutes

She rode a horse to school and needed to stay with her Aunty as the High School was too far from home (10 miles) and then 44 years later as a pensioner, she was able to fly to the other side of the world!

Imagine how Gran felt over 44 years later when she boarded an aeroplane bound for UK and Europe?

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