Transcript of a letter sent by Florence Rose Walker to her brother Sidney Brown sometime about the end of ww2.

78 Mary Ann street,

Ultimo,

Sydney,

NSW.

Dear Syd,

I was very glad to hear from you again, a lot of my letters must have gone astray, because I’ve written to you often since 1943, but I’m glad this last one came through.

Yes I find the ration for one a bit small, although we get six ozs. of butter to your three, but we are only allowed one lb. of sugar & 2 ozs. of tea a week. Meat is rationed too, but I do not eat much meat. Of course we can get plenty of everything on the black market, but I could not pay that price.

All household linen & clothing are still rationed, but not bread or vegetables, carrots are 9d lb. this week & beans are down to 1/6d, you are lucky to get tobacco. The men here scram from shop to shop, to get a packet of cigarettes and matches are doled out one box at a time, but I think everything will brighten up shortly, when our men get sick of striking. No potatoes this week, the wharf labourers were out & the spuds went bad on the ships and were dumped. But I’ve still managed to live, somehow, and keep our chins up.

I’m sure you were glad to get your family home, although, if your like me you don’t see too much of them. I am not fond of visiting. I like to roam around on my own & come & go as I like. Yes we hear that people want to come here, but there are no houses for the folk already here, although the Gov. is building some for families with two children or more & there are plenty of restrictions here too. Another two years will be better for most immigrants, but I suppose they will chance it and come.

Now that our summer is coming, I am going to take a few bus rides all over the place, I am getting cobwebs through staying quiet so long, and I think I might just as well get round as much as I can while I can (what say you?)

I heard from Walter a few weeks ago he seems to be keeping quite well, and is getting around a bit you know, you should pay one another a visit now and again, it would be a change for both of you, or is it too much trouble to leave home, it seems very funny how attached we get to our own little corner.

 I wish I had your little house out here it would cost over £2,000 to build. Ena bought one for nearly £1,000 (brick) and it is not a patch on yours or Walter’s, only 4 rooms & bathroom & laundry, small frontage & small garden. I’ve only got a balcony room & I’ve got to stick it whether I like it or not, I’m paying a £1 a week for it & it’s quite as much as I can afford. That is supposed to be a cheap rent, most are 25 or 30 shillings a week, so I’m lucky.

Well cheerio & take care of yourself from your loving sister Flo.