Local writer Graham Armstrong has captured a lifetime of memories in his self-published autobiography Across The Years.
“I wrote the book because I wanted my grandchildren to know where I came from,” Mr Armstrong said.
His story stretches across decades of sweeping change.
Born into a world of horse and cart, Mr Armstrong said he has lived long enough to see the rise of electric cars.
Mr Armstrong grew up in Smailes Mill, surrounded by the jarrah forest. Here he lived from age 7 to 16 and attended a one-teacher school in the area.
“Our house, constructed of weatherboards, consisted of four rooms plus a bathroom, with verandas front and back,” he said.
“The toilet was ten yards away, at the rear of the block.
“There was no electricity so our light came from kerosene lamps with bright burning mantles, hurricane and Tilly lamps.
“With two doors and no windows, a hot task was made even hotter.”
Mr Armstrong said produce arrived by mill truck three times a week.
This was a reminder of how remote the settlement was.
Yet for all its challenges, Mr Armstrong remembered its beauty.
He said springtime was a particularly special time in the hills.
“Orchids of all shapes and colours were plentiful,” he said.
“Spider orchids came in a verity of shapes, sizes and colours.”
Mr Armstrong described an immense feeling of freedom enjoyed by himself and the other children as he grew up, which he thinks may be missing among today’s children.
“We ran the bush at our leisure,” he said.
“We never had a supervisor with us, and we never had a problem.”
At 16-years-old, Mr Armstrong said he joined the local junior football team, travelling to Kelmscott for Thursday night training sessions and playing matches from Cannington to Armadale. Often, fixtures would occur more than 30 kilometres away from home, meaning a 60-kilometre round trip might be needed to keep up training.
“We played anywhere from Cannington to Armadale on ovals of varying surfaces.
“Players’ boots had aluminium studs nailed to the sole which had to constantly be replaced.
“If you were very lucky, a warm shower could be had after training or a game, depending on how quick you were before the hot water ran out.”
When the seasons changed, attention turned to cricket and Mr Armstrong joined the Roleystone club.
“Spring had sprung and so the talk turned to cricket,” he said.
“I joined the Roleystone club which was approximately halfway to Kelmscott.
“Roleystone home ground had a sloping gravel surface, which made it very hard to run after balls.
“All the pitches we played on were concrete with matting laid over the top.
“Fast bowlers could make the ball rise very fast.”
Across The Years reads like a carefully kept diary, despite much of it being written from memory.
Mr Armstrong said detailed family records helped piece together the past.
“We kept a lot of calendars,” he said.
“My wife recorded it all.”
He credited his wife Pauline for turning recollections into a finished publication.
“To my wife Pauline, without her computer knowledge, patience and record keeping, this book would not have been possible,” he said.
