Christmas Day 1919

Leslie was the handyman at Bondi in 1919. He was a nephew of Joseph and Elizabeth Tapley, as far as we can tell. We don't know much about him, just notes left in old diaries. We do know Leslie didn't want to leave Bondi, on the Lake of Bays. How do we figure that? Well, in the 1920's he was working at the farm for $12/month. When Joseph noted that he really didn't have enough work to justify keeping Leslie on, Leslie came back with the offer to work for half wages. Time passed. Again, Joe pointed out that he really didn't have enough work to keep Leslie on. Leslie came back with the offer to work for room and board.

That's Leslie, on the left of the photograph, next to Violet Tapley, her father Joseph Tapley, and young Paul Tapley. This photo dates from about 1930, and is taken facing towards our existing gardens and the three car garage.

What we know of Leslie comes from snippets and brief comments in Joseph's diaries. But we also have a scrap of one of Leslie's diaries, from 1919. This is how he spent Christmas day, all those years ago, at the Lake of Bays.


"Pretty Cold, but Fine. Cleaned Stables. Breakfast. Preparations for a visit to Friends -- Mr. Walmsley.
Walk across Lake, 1/2 hour. About 1 hour drive to Mr. Walmsley's.
Chicken, Mashed Potato, Christmas Pudding (25 cents in pudding!), mince pie and tart.
Gramophone played Christmas Chimes and Cathedral Chimes -- very fine. Father Christmas visits the children. Gramophone once more -- Sang "Homeland" and "Red Rose of England"
Ride back to lake. Walk across Lake to home."

So, here on the edge of 2009, with internet and ipods, we hope you have the kind of Christmas that gets written in YOUR diaries, that you find the equivalent of 25 cents in the Christmas pudding (that must have been like winning a lottery for Leslie!), that the day is full or warmth and friendship.

Wishing you all the best of today, good health, peace and good friends in the year to come.

From all of us at Bondi, on the Lake of Bays, Merry Christmas.