“Tom Hughes was Lucy Turnbull’s dad”, I whispered into the ear of my friend Graeme. Though it wasn’t specifically mentioned on the Mardi Gras History Walk, it was something I knew which added to the story. Historian, Robert French was talking about a meeting of the Liberal Party of NSW held in the early 1970s. Tom Hughes, as Attorney-General was considering a range of homosexual law reform, Robert explained, and was being opposed by conservative forces in the Liberal Party.… Read the rest “Mardi Gras History Walk”
“Bloody weather! What do you think?”, was the text message I sent out to the three friends I’d organised to spend the day with on the annual “Mardi Gras History Walk” and “Fair Day”. Two out of three responded in the affirmative, hopeful the weather would clear. The third, however, responded initially with “Would it be bad to stay in bed?”. I was on his side for a fair while, and then peer group pressure got the better of me.… Read the rest “Fair Day”
You know you’re starting to get old when you begin to hear yourself say things like, “Oh yes, I remember when that happened” and… “Oh that used to be so-and-so the dry-cleaner, before they tore it down to make way for the high-rise”. I found myself both thinking and saying similar things today during a Mardi Gras History Walk.
It’s not the first time I’ve been on one, of course. Last year’s walk focussed on Kings Cross and Darlinghurst during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, including the very first Mardi Gras.… Read the rest “Living History”