Subiaco Children And Their Neighbours (1909).
So what was it like for children, families, residents and business owners trying to live together in Subiaco during the early 1900's ?
There are many letters and articles published on Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia in newspapers about the topic over the years, not only from adult residents but from children themselves.
In 1909 a series of letters from residents were written to the editor of the West Australian, titled 'Life In Subiaco' and were published.
The initial letter published on the 15 February, 1909, complained about the negative conduct of children and young people playing in the streets of early Subiaco. However, not all residents agreed with the opinion of the original letter writing about children in their street.
The letters provide an interesting insight into the play both positive and negative of some children and young people experienced by the residents who lived there.
The letters are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
The photographs taken are of children playing outside in the early 1900's in Perth and are from the Alexander State Library webpage. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 19 February 1909.
LIFE IN SUBIACO.
To the Editor, Sir,
I would like to ask if anything can be done to put a stop to the endless torment of life, day and night, in Subiaco. A few months ago the whole of our front gardens were destroyed, bulbs smashed down and flowers and plants everywhere ruined, by gangs of boys playing football, every day, Sunday and week days alike, throwing stones, climbing fences, and breaking windows with the footballs in our gardens and on the roofs, and simply everywhere that it pleased them to kick them.
We have three very large vines full of grapes, but have not as much as had one bunch off them. One fig tree alone had over £3 worth of figs on it. Five of these boys climbed one tree a few days ago, and not content with taking as many figs as they could carry and eat, they broke whole branches off the tree, and 17 dozen of hard, unripe figs were picked up under the tree after they had gone, and the house had only been left without someone to watch it for a short half-hour.
The other morning, at 4 o'clock, the firebell rang, and in a few minutes hundreds of yelling hoodlums were out in the streets. There was no fire to see, so they came back shouting at the top of their voices, opening everybody's gates as they went along, throwing stones on the roofs, barking like dogs, swearing and hooting as if they had just escaped from a lunatic asylum. There was no rest for anyone till nearly 6 o'clock, when it was time to get up.
This morning (Sunday), at half-past 3 o'clock, a gang of 19 (oh yes, we counted them) came up from Shenton Park, young lads from 17 to 18 or 19 years old. They came into Bagot-road and made the morning hours simply unbearable. They were fighting and cursing and swearing in a fearful manner. It was utterly impossible for any person in any of the houses near them to sleep or rest. The streets are never free from them here.
Let anyone go along Perth-street or Barker-road, or any of the streets here after school hours, and he will have a hundred chances of getting his head smashed or an eye knocked in, or some other damage, the trees that are planted in the streets for shade and ornament being full of boys with their pockets filled with stones to shy at the unfortunate foot passenger who dares to use the footpath.
They get balls of string and tie them on the fences and the trees, and the same gangs steal our morning papers, and the milk and the jugs and cans that are left out for it and the early loaves of bread left for breakfast, and at night our fowls and wood are taken wholesale. We have made complaints over and over again, but things are getting worse than ever.
Yours, etc., T. R. Subiaco, February 7.
West Australian, 24 February 1909
LIFE IN SUBIACO.
To the Editor. Sir,
In this morning's issue of the "West Australian" under the heading of "Life in Subiaco" I read a bitter infective against the youthful residents of various streets. Perth-street is mentioned, and that alone I shall defend, although I have no children of my own.
As a resident of Perth-street for nearly three years I must protest against the charges laid by your correspondent. In all that time I have never experienced any of the behaviour "T" complains of. Our milkman and baker call at 5 and 6 a.m. respectively, but we are always able to enjoy our morning's cup of tea, etc, and read the "West Australian" before starting the duties of the day.
During the hot weather we have left doors open and chairs on the verandah, and the latter have never been removed. We also posses figs and grapes in abundance, but the trees have never been visited by these youthful marauders, that, according to, your correspondent, are in our midst.
Poor "T.R." seems to "have fallen among thieves," or subject to a kind of persecution, and as for the pranks indulged in, such as stone throwing, and dirty water on the unwary passerby, it is a thing unheard of in Perth-street.
Going along one sees groups of boys indulging in games of marbles, but so intent are they on the game and its attendant rules that not even a glance is bestowed on any passing individual. The girls are also engaged in play, noisy, but innocent and healthy.
Your correspondent complains of their presence in the street, but Is it not to expect children to stay in their own backyards with very often ill smelling drains, or play around vacant allotments in an aroma of dead cat, thereby endangering their lives with the dread scourge, diphtheria or typhoid.
Why, it is against the very laws of hygiene to think that any mother is going to deprive her children of the fresh air after their being cooped up in school often in a stuffy atmosphere. Surely "T.R." remembers his own childhood days, or is it so long ago he has forgotten how during school hours he looked forward to a game after school and tea? He complains of the noise.
Why, we hear much of the decline of the birth rate, and it is almost an accepted fact that the dislike of children (these truants from home and heaven) in homes in the highest and lowest grades of society is a growing evil. It is refreshing to see and hear these groups of noisy, happy children at their play and the laugh of a child.
God bless the children. It would be a sad world without them. Fancy a world of grown ups. Was it not Cardinal Manning who, as he walked through the parks of London, blessed the children at their play? And another eminent ecclesiastic has said that where he met a child or band of children in the street he felt inclined to take off his hat to the little ones.
I also take exception to the resection cast on our efficient staff of police Subiaco. They are courteous, obliging, and always anxious for the protection of the public.
Yours, etc., A LOVER OF CHILDREN. Subiaco. February 19.
West Australian, 24 February, 1909
LIFE IN SUBIACO
To the Editor. Sir,
As another tortured resident whom necessity forces to live in Subiaco, I can endorse the assertions of your correspondent, "T.R." with reference to be seemingly uncontrollable vagaries of the rising generation in this salubrious suburb, and I may go somewhat farther and say that if the Government of the State or some other power does not take some active measures to coerce the lawless tendencies of the apparently semi-savage hordes of young larrikins and larrikinesses, too, who daily and nightly infest our byways and thorough-fares, Subiaco will soon be able to put forward a corps of young hoodlums equal, if not superior, to the world-famed "Rocks push" which terrorised Sydney, in bygone days.
Doubtless, many will be found here and elsewhere to glamorously protest against this and who will endeavour to palliate the offences of the corps already referred to by quoting that perniciously stereotyped adage, "boys will be boys" and "girls will be girls," but if such unbelievers will only take the trouble to observe these young animals as they get off the State school chain on any day of the week, or if they will only walk around the streets of Subiaco between the hours of dark and midnight on any night of the week, they will hardly fail to realise the fact that neither "T.R." nor I have exaggerated the ruling policy of the numerous juvenile gangs which, like the mosquitoes, are everywhere to be met with.
Nor is it to the juvenile portion of our population alone that life in Subiaco owes all its very unenviable notoriety. Besides the gangs already referred to, there are other gangs who, whilst their offspring rig many cases infest the street, will invade the shops and business places of the poor, struggling, tradespeople (newcomers particularly) and by almost every conceivable form of scheming, trickery, and misrepresentation, endeavour to obtain credit which they have neither prospect nor intention of ever discharging, and the worst feature of this notorious, or rather I should say nefarious, practice is that the law as it stands, or at least as it is administrated, seems to aid and abet rather than punish this glaring system of public thieving,
During my four years residence as a struggling shopkeeper in Subiaco I had many bitter lessons from customers of that stamp and many others to my knowledge can boast of a similar experience, but what strikes me as very familiar is the fact that Subiaco seems to be the favourite dumping ground of the proverbial "grass widow" with the usual "star boarder" or "genteel dependants". This class of individual whose husband is usually a mine manager, bank manager, or provost marshal of some unknown settlement, has been in reality the cause of many business failures in Subiaco as well as the cause of a part at least of the malodorous reputation which "Subi" now enjoys; and to this class of individual I would respectfully draw the attention of those entrusted with the administration of justice.
These experienced sharpers who, as a rule, are the personifications of plausibility, have very seldom any great trouble in victimising the unwary tradesman, but when, as not unfrequently happens, they are able, by the aid of lawyers or otherwise, to victimise justice in securing for themselves a mistaken leniency, it is high time the Government, or some other power, cast an eye in this direction and either by an amendment of the existing law or by some new enactment endeavour to ameliorate the troubles and trials of life in Subiaco.
Yours, etc., STRAIGHT-OUT Subiaco, February 22
West Australian, 25 February 1909.
LIFE IN SUBIACO.
To the Editor, Sir,
In reference to the letter in your valuable paper on the 7th inst., "Life in Subiaco," signed "T.R." about the boys in that neighbourhood.' "T.R." says that they play football in the streets, weekdays and Sundays alike. He is quite right on that point, and this ought to be stopped but he goes on to say that they break the windows with the footballs. That is incorrect; they broke a couple of windows playing cricket, but they all put in 6d. each and bought new windows.
The boys also get up the trees planted by the Council, but they do not fill their pockets with stones to shy at the unfortunate foot passengers, as is stated by "T.B." 'T.R." said let anyone go along Perth-street or Barker-road after school and he is likely to get his eye knocked out. Such a thing has never taken place in Perth-street and never will, I hope.
Yours, etc., ONE OF THE MOB. Perth-street, Subiaco, February 23.
Children play on a wrecked boat on the shore of the Swan River, Fremantle. (1908).
Children playing outside with pets and toys (1912/1913).
Warren Family at play (1906 -1909).
Children and Teddy bear with billy cart (1908).
