Item MM 110848 Digital Photograph - Boy & Girl Sitting Outside Wantirna General Store, 1949

Description of Content

Young boy and girl sitting on the steps of a 'fibro' building, with a sign saying 'Wantirna General Store'. This photograph shows Joan and Geoffrey Atkinson sitting outside Wantirna General Store, 1949. When the Atkinson family arrived from England they shopped around to buy a business. The Atkinson family's mother and father had given them some start-up money, 1000 pounds to buy a business. Unfortunately the young couple struggled and eventually bowed out of the business having learnt a hard lesson. They ended up moving to Gippsland when Cliff Atkinson found employment with the Gas & Fuel Corporation. This was one milk bar they considered. Here the children are sitting on the front step occupying their time while the parents made huge life decisions.