My Portfolio

Helen remembers her favourite subject as Biology taught by Sister Mark later to become Sister Carmel.  She met up with Sister Carmel some time after leaving school and developed a life-long friendship with her.  

Helen remembers bathtime and bedtime in her childhood.  

Helen tells us about the great variety of family pets that her family had when she was a child - ranging from chooks, cats and rabbits.  She talks about how she learned to care for her rabbits, Peter and Cottontail and their ultimate demise.   

Helen had no formal pre-schooling and remembers well her first days at St Francis Xavier School in Whyalla in the Prep Calss.  She didn't like school and would run away.  After a couple of attempts the Nuns thwarted her plans.  But she later learned that her father also had run away...

Helen's extended family lived in UK when she was young.  She became penfriends with two cousins during her childhood and one of their father's work mates became their adopted Uncle and Aunty - Clarrie and Fay Maynard. Eventually one of her father's brothers emigrated to Australia and settled in Wollongong.  Helen...

Helen tells us about her relationship with her four siblings - Geraldine, David, Susan and Jo-anne.  Geraldine was tragically killed in a horse riding accident when she was a teenager.      

Helen traces the llives of her parents, George Michael Walker and Joan Mary Gibbs.  They were married in 1950 in UK and emigrated to Australia, George in 1952 and Joan in 1951.  George worked for BHP Whyalla until his retirement and Joan raised their children and immersed herself in the local...

Helen did not know her maternal grandparents, John Edward Gibbs and Millicent Read.  However she tells an interesting story of their lives as well as the feats of some on their more notable ancestors.