National Library of Australia - Digital Collections - Audio

  • Ginibi, Ruby Langford, 1934- (interviewee)
  • Ruby Langford Ginibi interviewed by Frank Heimans [sound recording].
  • 2000 3 digital audio tapes (140 min.)
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Transcript (page 8 of 8)
When we came to St George I was told that all the messages had gone back and that the police were looking for me and trying to find me to tell me that my fatherd gone. So we sold everything up, because Gordon had already gone and there was only me and Chub and the kids with the fenceline, you know. So we sold the car and everything and come to Sydney. I wanted to come back to see whats gone wrong with my dad and that, you know, about his death and that.
Frank Heimans: Why did he die, from what?
Ruby Langford Ginibi: Hey?
Frank Heimans: From what causes did he die?
Ruby Langford Ginibi: Dad? My dad was a strong man and he used to lift ... he had a coronary occlusion. He used to lift anvils so white men could make money on him. Henderson Federal Springs, he worked there for about 10 years, in Alexandria in Sydney. So he ended up with a heart attack, or I think he had two and the third one killed him.
Frank Heimans: How old was he when he died?
Ruby Langford Ginibi: My father was 44, but hed lived a stressful life, all his life worrying about mum and us girls. So stress kills you. Now you know why I laugh a lot, to try and keep myself going. But he was only 44 when we lost him, Dad. When we come back Chub, Peter, went to stay with his sister - this is before we were married - and I would have had to put my children in the homes to help Mum Joyce out, you know, because I had no place of my own and I was staying there with them. One day then, wed had a row with Peter and he was gone, and I thought he was gone forever, you know, and this night ... now, theres only a two-bedroom terrace place in Phillip Street Alexandria, which is where Dad and Mum Joyce lived, and Dad, as I said, fathered two children to Mum Joyce. She took them into her room and let me have this room for me and my kids, see. The night before the church people come to take my kids so that I could go back to work to support them and that, you know, they were going to take the kids and they could have my endowment and Id pay something, because I was going back to machining, I had a job set up, you know.
Ruby Langford Ginibi: This was the night before and I was crying myself to sleep because of having to give my kids up, you know, and all of a sudden my fathers spirit was there with me. The wind was howling up the stairs, like it blew the door right open - the door was locked - blew the door wide open like that. I could feel Dad right near me - I couldnt see him but I could feel him - and I felt him tapping me, as much as to say, Dont cry, itll be all right, its going to be all right, and I went off to sleep. When the presence of a spirit is with you they make you go to sleep, you know. They terrify you at first, they frighten you, but when the presence is gone you go to sleep.
I went to sleep and the next morning I woke up and guess who was knocking on my door? It was Peter saying, Go put your prettiest dress on, Im taking you somewhere. Ive got Sister Lucys car. So I rushed and hurried and said, Where are you taking me?. He took me off to the top of King Street Newtown and pulled up in front of a bloody jewellery shop and said, Pick which ring you want, were getting married. What could I say to that? Here I wouldnt have to put my kids in the home and the end of dramas, end of sorrow, got my kids. I was so happy. I said, Well, this was must be meant to be, and thats how it was.
Frank Heimans: Thats the end of tape one of the Ruby Langford interview.
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To cite this page: http://nla.gov.au/nla.oh-3966-0000-tr-cd