Louisa Mary Glover & Flora Wright - Late-1920s

L-R: Louisa Mary Glover, Flora Wright - Late-1920s

I estimate this lovely photo of my mother, Emily Flora (known as Flora) Wright nee Glover, was probably taken in her late teens, approaching age 20, in the late 1920s, or 1930 at the very latest. With Mum is her mother, Louisa Mary (known as May) Glover. They are on the front verandah of the family home, "Cooinda", at 1224 Pittwater Road, Narrabeen, in Sydney. Mum looks very pretty and I have often wondered if Dad may have taken this photo, possibly when he visited the Glover home to take Mum for a date. 

Ray & Kathy Wright - ca.1928

Ray & Kathy Wright - ca.1928

My father, Ray Wright, was married before he married my mother. His first wife was Gwen Hunt, who died giving birth to their only child, Kathleen (Kathy), in 1927. Kathy herself died in a tragic accident in 1936, when she was aged 8. She had taken a bus to visit her maternal grandparents at Collaroy. When she got off the bus, she ran behind it to cross the road and was hit by a car travelling along Pittwater Road. She is buried at Manly Cemetery, in the same grave as her mother. My father was to go on and have four sons with my mother, Flora. I am the youngest of those four sons.

Pittwater - 1920s

Taken the same day as the previously posted image, Dad (Ray Wright) can be seen here in the centre-right of this picture, to the right of the pointing man and behind the standing man in the bow-tie. Dad's hat is jauntily tilted. Looks like everyone was having a jolly day!

Dad told me the photo was taken at The Basin on Pittwater in Sydney, a picnic/recreation area which is only accessible via water, even to this day. I don't know the reason for the gathering, but I'm guessing that because several of the men are wearing Rugby jerseys, it may have been to play football. Some of the men are also wearing paper party hats, traditionally worn at Christmas time in Australia, which may be another clue.

Pittwater - 1920s

My Dad, Ray Wright, is in the second row, 3rd from the right, immediately behind the feet of the reclining man. Dad told me the photo was taken at The Basin on Pittwater in Sydney, a picnic/recreation area which is only accessible via water, even to this day. I don't know the reason for the gathering, but I'm guessing that because several of the men are wearing Rugby jerseys, it may have been to play football.

Raymond Harry Wright - 1920s

My Dad, Raymond Harry (Ray) Wright, in the 1920s.

Ray & Bill Wright, et al - 1920s

Ray & Bill Wright, et al - 1920s

This photo of  Dad, Raymond Harry (Ray) Wright (front) and his brother, William (Bill) Wright, was taken in the 1920s. I am not sure where it was taken, but I am guessing from all the pretty young women surrounding Dad and Uncle Bill that it may have been at Nanny Mullins' guest house, "Kegworth", at 207 Ocean Street, Narrabeen, on Sydney's Northern Beaches. I never knew my paternal grandmother, who died before I was born. She was always referred to in the family as "Nanny Mullins" (Mary Ann Mullins nee Wright). She had remarried after Dad and Bill's father, Thomas Wright, (my paternal grandfather and her first husband) had died. She had two further sons, Reginald (Reg) and Alan, by her second husband, Jack Mullins. Nanny Mullins' guest house specialised in providing young city women from Sydney with a holiday by the sea. I never knew my Uncle Bill either. He died tragically young, not so long after this photo was taken. I understand there had been a storm which had blown-down power lines. Uncle Bill stepped in a puddle where the power lines were and was electrocuted. It happened in Florence Avenue at Long Reef in Sydney.

Raymond Harry Wright - 1920s

My Dad, Raymond Harry (Ray) Wright, in the 1920s.

Raymond Harry Wright - 1920s

Raymond Harry Wright

1920s

My handsome Dad, Raymond Harry (Ray) Wright. Dad was born at the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington, Sydney, Australia, on 24 November 1907.  He once told me that he was named after his place of birth, in that the Royal Hospital for Women was at that time widely  referred to simply as "RHW".  Dad  told me that this was primarily because the initials "RHW" were emblazoned in large letters high-up on the side of the hospital building and that when his mother saw them, she decided to name her son with the same initials. Dad was raised on a rural property at Jack's Creek near the town of Willow Tree, on the fertile black-soil Liverpool Plains of the upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Dad’s family relocated to Narrabeen on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in the 1920s.