The Diaries of Russell James Sparrow 1908 to 1991
On that next day Colin went to New Guinea, as he did at intervals, and other places too to conduct clinics, and Jean and I took him to the airport.
Premier Blinds Shortly after we got home a message came through to say that I had secured the post and would I go again to see Mr. Best on Saturday June 3rd. This pleased me I can tell you, after being told that this was a young man’s country and there was no hope for anyone over 40! and I was 59! I obtained my driving licence and then on the Saturday I went to the headquarters of Premier Blinds in Windsor and was shown around. I was introduced to Harold Bacon who would be my mentor and to other members of the staff who were proud to show me the 2 way radio system recently installed. In the meantime we had rented a flat, one of three in a converted house in Toowong. Queensland was known as the backward State, lots of the suburbs were without mains drains and with B class roads, which consisted of a tarmac centre and strips of gravel on either side. I started work on June 5th spending that day in the office and was lent a Ford Falcon ‘Ute’ until I was established, which didn’t take long because the very next day I was sent out on my own. For the rest of that week and the following week I went out with one of the measurers. We moved into the flat on June 7th and on Saturday Jean and family came to tea. Fiona stayed over the weekend because Monday the 12th was a Bank Holiday. We shall never forget that weekend because Brisbane was visited by a frightening tropical storm a) frightening to us because we had never experienced rain and wind of such intensity and b) our flat was roofed with corrugated iron. The noise 72
