Beryl Jean Pope
They didn't want housing commission kids

My name is Beryl Jean Pope. I’ve lived in Minto since the 6th of December, 1976, in this house. I’m 79 years old. I am the mother of seven children but I only had four boys at the time, so I put into the Housing Commission with my husband, and I brought four boys here.

We were the first ones to move into this house and this street, because the ones on the other side weren’t finished. When we first came here, all the residents that were coming into the street met in a house in Guernsey Avenue. The Housing Commission put on a little morning tea for us and we were all introduced to each other.

The first New Years’ Eve, all the neighbours in the street got out the front here and we had a big party. We all brought something and had a party to get to know each other. That was how it started.

My youngest son was four. He was just ready to start school but they wouldn’t take our kids at Minto School. They didn’t want Housing Commission kids, so we had to put our little ones on the bus at the end of the street here and they had to go through to a special school that they had for them in Bensley Road. In the afternoon, you’d see the teachers running around everywhere, they’d lose the kids. They’d be in their cars, looking for the kids because the kids would get lost. We only had one bus a day and no telephones.

Then they built Sarah Redfern [School] and our kids all went to Sarah Redfern. When I came out here, I was the grandmother of one; I’m now the grandmother of 26 and the great grandmother of 29. At one stage I had a son living at the end of this street, a son living at the back of me here, and my other son living just up further. I had my kids all around me. Now I’ve just got one son living with me, he lives in the next street.

I just love children. That’s all I ever wanted, to be a mother and have children. Up until two years ago, they’d all come up here for Christmas, but my husband’s in a home. He’s got Alzheimer’s, he’s been there two years so I don’t have [Christmas here] anymore.

I knit, crochet and embroider all the time. I used to do my garden with my husband. I can’t now because I’ve got a bad heart and a walking stick, but I cook, I sew, I do all those things. Even now my kids will come to me to get their clothes mended because their wives work. And I make cakes for their lunches for school and work. I’m pretty full up doing plenty now.

It’s sad. I love Minto and if I was younger… I’ll be 80 after Christmas, so I won’t come back.