Money for dresses

During her teenage years, Bertha saved most of what she earned as a governess, but she spend money on dress fabric.

Her wages were ten shillings a week but she only got paid four times a year.

"There was nothing to spend it on where I was out in the bush, so when I was going home for the holidays, old Archie'd write me out a cheque," recalls Bertha.

"You'd need about three and a half yards to make a dress and that'd cost you about seven shillings.

"My sister, Linda, she used to make them, she was good at sewing."

(Image by 'Elegant musings' reproduced under

creative commons licence)