This is a collection of raw material dating back to the 1950s by journalist John Stapleton. It incorporates photographs, old diary notes, published stories of a more personal nature, unpublished manuscripts and the daily blogs which began in 2004 and have formed the source material for a number of books. Photographs by the author. For a full chronological order refer to or merge with the collection of his journalism found here: https://thejournalismofjohnstapleton.blogspot.com.au/
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Wednesday, 23 December 1992
Thursday, 2 July 1992
Wednesday, 1 July 1992
Tuesday, 30 June 1992
Friday, 26 June 1992
On the job, pix, In Carcoar with Greg White, Sydney Morning Herald, circa 1992.
Clowning around with photographer Greg White.
We had been on the road for a fortnight doing excruciating feature stories for the Summer Reading section on bypass towns and railway hotels, neither of which struck us as very riveting. Softer than soft. It rained the entire trip, we had been damp, cold, cramped and wet doing stories we didn't want to do; and then we booked into this guesthouse just outside Carcoar.
It was owned by a gay couple who had fled Oxford Street for the quiet country life, and from a fortnight of misery, we were suddenly sitting in a pagoda being served breakfast with Mozart playing in the background.
The couple eventually were forced to abandon their dream when one of them died of AIDS, but I always remember their kindness and the absolutely luxury of the beautiful guesthouse they had extensively renovated together.
Greg was a great photographer to work with.
On the job, pix, Out in Western NSW with Greg White, The Sydney Morning Herald, circa 1992.
At night on one of the far western nature reserves or national parks of Western NSW.
Senior environment officer with the NSW National Parks Richard Kingsford is on the far left. I'm sitting next to him.
And standing up in the middle after setting up the time delay shot is SMH photographer Greg White.
From memory this particular reserve was not open to the public.
From memory this particular reserve was not open to the public.
Thursday, 25 June 1992
Old Friends in the day, L-R, Kim O'Brien, Richard Trevaskis, Justin Brash. Circa 1992.
Old Friends in the day, L-R, Kim O'Brien, Richard Trevaskis, Justin Brash. Circa 1992.
I was particularly close to Richard Trevaskis, who starred in a play I wrote called The Police Commissioner's Grandmother.
We had been friends in Adelaide, Sydney and London, through many different situations.
He died in 1997, at the age of 35. Reflections on his death can be found here:
http://randomstrikesrawmaterial.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/raw-data-death-of-one-survival-of-many_25.html
http://randomstrikesrawmaterial.blogspot.com.au/2017/06/raw-data-death-of-one-survival-of-many_25.html
Monday, 22 June 1992
Thursday, 18 June 1992
Monday, 11 May 1992
Tuesday, 5 May 1992
Sunday, 3 May 1992
Saturday, 2 May 1992
Thursday, 30 April 1992
Friday, 24 April 1992
Henrietta, 11 days old. The Consul would not accept these photos.
Henrietta, 11 days old. The Consul would not accept these photos.
Their regulations are that the child's head cannot be flopping.
But heads of newborns flop, that's all there is to it.
On my own, back and forth in the freezing cold of a Manchester winter with two kids, trying to get these passport photos.
Eventually in exasperation I asked if they could advise a photographer who could take a picture they would accept.
Oh, we couldn't do that Sir.
Typical piece of Australian government bullshit.
And as for the Department of Foreign Affairs, DFAT. I have always found them entirely unhelpful, and they couldn't have been less helpful with the birth of Henrietta.
Their regulations are that the child's head cannot be flopping.
But heads of newborns flop, that's all there is to it.
On my own, back and forth in the freezing cold of a Manchester winter with two kids, trying to get these passport photos.
Eventually in exasperation I asked if they could advise a photographer who could take a picture they would accept.
Oh, we couldn't do that Sir.
Typical piece of Australian government bullshit.
And as for the Department of Foreign Affairs, DFAT. I have always found them entirely unhelpful, and they couldn't have been less helpful with the birth of Henrietta.
Thursday, 23 April 1992
Wednesday, 22 April 1992
Tuesday, 3 March 1992
Monday, 24 February 1992
Monday, 3 February 1992
Thursday, 2 January 1992
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