“I tried one of those AI thingies for my grandfather, Patrick Magee, who was a fireman on the Titanic during its construction and delivery voyage from Belfast to Southampton,” writes Don Bain of Port Macquarie. “The AI correctly identified my forebear but went further to credit him with helping to save many lives during the subsequent sinking, whereas Grandpa Paddy had been given his marching orders at Southampton, following a physical altercation with his foreman. Close, but no cigar!”
Penny Gilkes of Glebe is yet another to add a little muscle in favour of clamato (C8): “Michelada is a spicy and tart Mexican beer cocktail using clamato. Like Warwick Sherman, I found clamato in the deli at the fish markets. I had a Michelada in Mexico in a tankard and recently in a restaurant in Kirribilli in a tall glass. Delicious and refreshing, especially in summer.”
“Regarding neighbourhood namesakes (C8), I can think of a few,” offers Meri Will of Northmead. “I knew a Laurie who lived in Laurieton, a John who fished in the Johns River, and a Colin who swam at Collins Flat. And, lately, I find myself spending quite a bit of time in Merrylands. I also knew Margaret Hills, wife of Lance Hill who invented the Hills Hoist. She said that the suburb of Terrey Hills was named after her husband and his partner, Mr Terrey.”
Andrew Taubman of Queens Park adds, “There is still a fruit-and-flowers roadside shop with the Hills’ name in the area.”
“A few decades ago a colleague asked me where Terrey Hills was,” adds Doug Richards of Tamarama. “I truthfully told him that he was playing on the wing for Manly.” Granny was about to correct Doug and say it was in the centres but then realised that two Terry Hills have represented the Silvertails.
Applications for Vegemite (C8) have now gone far beyond a combination with beans, as Pamela Kerr of Moonta Bay explains: “The clinic sisters advised putting a dob in the baby’s milk bottle, which I did. He partook, survived and my happy little Vegemite is now 51.” And perhaps Catherine Reddan of Rocky River has a new use: “In the ’80s, our German exchange student posted a small, sealed sample of Vegemite to her parents as a treat. They responded: ‘What is this? Shoe polish?’” Are the Kiwis going to claim this as well?
Column8@smh.com.au
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