In order of recording…
This page is computer generated page and (hopefully!) collects all “The Kitchen Tapes” posts in one spot.
Just click on the title of each post to read it.
If you have arrived here without looking at other pages on the site it might be helpful to go to this page for some context. And for other insights into Trenna, look here.
I hope you find these transcripts interesting.
- The Kitchen Tapes
Growing up in Perth in the 1960s and 70s by Greg Mahney Trenna always liked to tell a story. She knew that her life story was interesting and that some people could find comfort in hearing how she coped with what life threw at her. We had talked about it for a long time and in April 2018 Trenna asked if we could record her tales. We didn’t have a… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes - The First Recording
Recording #1 of The Kitchen Tapes 9 April 2018 [GM: This recording of 9 April 2018 was the very first in a series of 24 recordings] THM: The nineteen sixties were a decade of huge change for me and … for the world. “…so my childhood was in some ways idyllic, in some ways terrible. I didn’t know the difference between the two” My family had started to disintegrate. … Read more: The First Recording - The Second Recording
Recording #2 of The Kitchen Tapes 10 April 2018 GM: OK we’re recording. It’s the 10th of April 2018. Mofflyn THM: Right. We’re back at Mofflyn Homes, some more things have come to my memory. In our cottage the older children looked after the younger children. They had responsibilities. Younger children had to be bathed by someone. I know that we shared bath water, which was a common thing to… Read more: The Second Recording - The Third Kitchen Tape
Recording #3 of 24 Recorded 12 April 2018 GM: This is a recording of Trenna Mahney made on the 12th of April, 2018. Tren, let’s talk about the time you lived down near the Old Mill. 19 Mill Point Road THM: Alright, OK, well that was 1975. I was heading to being 17, 18. I had been living previously with some of the girls I had met from GFS. … Read more: The Third Kitchen Tape - The Fourth Kitchen Tape
Recorded 13 April 2018 Before we Start [GM: As the title suggests, this was the fourth of 24 recordings done at our kitchen bench in Kensington, Western Australia. As part of the preparation for putting it on this website, in February 2022, I asked our friend Helen to read through this transcript and the one from 7 June 2018. Below you will find some of Helen’s comments interspersed. My thanks… Read more: The Fourth Kitchen Tape - The Kitchen Tapes #5
Recorded 14 April 2018 GM: OK, so we’re here with Trenna Mahney. It’s the 14th of April, 2018. Tren, you were going to tell me about when you left Mofflyn Homes and went off to Craig House. THM: Alright. It is a blurr. That time in my life was lost to me a little. I was well… I thought I only went to grade 1 when I was aged six… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes #5 - The Kitchen Tapes # 6
Recorded on 15 April 2018 Primary School Days GM: OK, today is Sunday, the 15th of April 2018, I’m with Trenna Mahney, and she’s going to continue telling us about her memories of her past. Tren, last time we were talking with you you were on your way to school … THM: I was talking about that slightly in the future, when Helen had arrived, I think. But I should… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes # 6 - The Kitchen Tapes #7
Recorded 19 April 2018 Meals at Craig House GM: OK, today is the 19th of April 2018, with Trenna Mahney. Tren, can you tell me whatever you can think of about Craig House. THM: Well, Craig House was quite posh in some ways. It was formal in that we had to dress for dinner each night. In the large dining area there were three tables, one very big jarrah, which… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes #7 - Floor 7 1/2
… and Trenna’s Voice, Recording Kitchen Tape No. 8 By Greg, and then Trenna’s own voice The popular-culturally literate among you will immediately be thinking “Being John Malkovich“. What’s this got to do with Trenna? Well…. I have decided that in most cases I’m NOT going to put the original sound recordings on this website – at least for now. However, I thought I should put up at least one,… Read more: Floor 7 1/2 - Tape 8 from the Kitchen
Recorded on the 20th April 2018 Mainly About Meals [GM: Before we start. Also see the post “Floor 7 1/2” as it contains a player to hear “Tape 8 from the Kitchen” spoken in Trenna’s own words.] GM: OK, today it is Friday the 20th of April, 2018. Tren, yesterday we were talking about Craig House and meals. Tell us a bit more about Craig House. THM: Having talked about… Read more: Tape 8 from the Kitchen - Number Nine, Number Nine…
This Kitchen Tape Recorded on 21 April 2018 GM: OK, today is Saturday, 21st of April, 2018 and I’m with Trenna Mahney. Tren, you were going to tell us a bit more about Craig House, I think? THM: Alright. The main house – I was talking about the kitchen and the back enclosed… well, I guess, in a way it was a bit of a pantry, where it had the… Read more: Number Nine, Number Nine… - The Kitchen Tapes No. 10
Recorded 22 April 2018 Early Years at Craig House and with the Andersons GM: OK, today is Sunday 22nd of April, 2018. We are with Trenna Mahney. I think Tren you wanted to talk a bit more about the early years at Craig House. Craig House THM: Right. I don’t really remember getting to Craig House. I knew I was getting excited to go to where my sisters and brother… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes No. 10 - 11 – Trenna’s Favourite Number
The Eleventh Kitchen Tape Recorded 4 May 2018 Greg’s Notes: During this recording Trenna started to remember more details about her very early life as she cast her mind further and further back. You can “hear” this is some of the sentences in this transcript. At the end she told me that it had felt like she had been talking for an hour, but in fact it was just 30… Read more: 11 – Trenna’s Favourite Number - The Twelfth Kitchen Tape
Recorded 5 May 2018 Sadness Warning [GM: I found this perhaps the hardest transcript (as well as the hardest recording), both because of the sad content, and it shows how Trenna blocked out a few years from when her dad died until she went to Craig House. I don’t think when we started the conversation that either I or Trenna had any idea where it would lead.] GM: Today is… Read more: The Twelfth Kitchen Tape - “Dead at 27 and Never To Marry”
Bonus Edition – Addition to the Kitchen Tapes One of the heart warming aspects of putting this website together is to learn that there are a number of people who are reading everything that I put up. I’m also happy with the comments I am getting on individual posts. One such person is Trenna’s only brother Colin Seckington, who for many years has lived in Europe. I received a message… Read more: “Dead at 27 and Never To Marry” - The Kitchen Tapes No. 13
Recorded 7 May 2018 [ GM: Note before we start. In these recordings of Trenna’s early years I can hear that she almost puts herself into a trance like state, as if she was channeling a very young, and a very different Trenna. She gave this whole account speaking quite fast and with almost no breaks.] [GM: In this recording, perhaps more than others Trenna has retold stories she has… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes No. 13 - The Kitchen Tapes No. 14
Recorded 12 May 2018 Violet Crumble Bars from the Catholic Church GM: OK. Today is Saturday, the 12th of May. We are with Trenna Mahney, talking about her memories of her childhood, at this stage. Tren, there were a number of things we were just talking about before we started recording. They were things that happened mainly at your primary school. Would you like to tell us some of those… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes No. 14 - The 15th Kitchen Tape
Recorded 24 May 2018 Starting High School GM: OK, We’re here today with Trenna Mahney. Today is Thursday, the 24th of May, 2018. Tren, we’ve done a lot on your primary school, could you start now by telling us a bit about what you remember about High School? THM: High School was at the start of a new decade, it was 1970. Everything in the world had changed in 1970. … Read more: The 15th Kitchen Tape - No. 16 in the Kitchen Tape Series
Recorded 1 June 2018, at our kitchen bench Bullied at High School GM: OK. Today’s date is the 1st of June 2018. We are with Trenna Mahney. Tren, you started to tell us about high school before, can you tell us a bit more about your high school time? THM: Well in the 70s I think there was a much less regimented approach to teaching. I don’t recall having… Read more: No. 16 in the Kitchen Tape Series - The Kitchen Tapes No. 17
Recorded 5 June 2018 Some Better Days at Kent Street GM: OK, today is the 5th of June, 2018. I’m here with Trenna Mahney with her recollections. Tren, last time we were talking about your high school days, after we turned off the recorder you mentioned several particular incidents. Perhaps you’d like to go to a few of those. THM: Well, I think I spoke about the various classes I… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes No. 17 - The 18th of 24 Kitchen Tapes
Recorded 7 June 2018 Leaving Craig House GM: Today is Friday the 7th of June, 2018, I’m with Trenna Mahney. Tren, tell me a bit about, you had been living at Craig House whilst you were at school until third year high school. What happened then? THM: Well I was in 3rd year and Craig House was going to close in 1972. I don’t know why, we assumed they had run… Read more: The 18th of 24 Kitchen Tapes - The Kitchen Tapes No. 19
Recorded on 9 June 2018 Other Craig House Stories [ GM: This was one of the longest recordings at 1 hour and 6 minutes. In it Trenna sounded less tired than she had in other recordings, especially in the ones that were to follow. To see why this one was a bit different I looked at Trenna’s diary for this date and was surprised to see that she was not… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes No. 19 - The Kitchen Tapes # 20
Recorded 11 June 2018 Girls Friendly Society (GFS) – but will they be friendly? GM: We are continuing our recordings with Trenna Mahney. Today is Monday, the 11th of June 2018. Tren, we’ve talked a lot about Craig House. Eventually you moved out to Girls’ Friendly Society. I think you were 15, it was 1973. Tell me about that era. THM: Well I turned 15 in September 1972, and that… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes # 20 - No. 21 in the Kitchen Tapes Series
Recorded 12 June 2018 GM: Today is the 12th of June 2018, it’s a Tuesday. Trenna Mahney is here talking about her memories of her life. Tren, we were talking yesterday about when you first moved into Girls’ Friendly Society. You described the accommodation there, and a little bit about what you did. Tell us a bit more about that era of your life. THM: I really enjoyed my time… Read more: No. 21 in the Kitchen Tapes Series - The Kitchen Tapes #22
Recorded 14 June 2018 More On GFS GM: Today is Thursday the 14th of June, 2018. Trenna Mahney is telling us of her memories. I reckon we ought to talk a little bit more about your time at Girls’ Friendly Society, in Adelaide Terrace in Perth. THM: Just to place it a bit better… I remember that it’s at 122 Adelaide Terrace. And across the road a little bit… Read more: The Kitchen Tapes #22 - The 23rd Kitchen Tape
Recorded 20 June 2018 The Brown Towel Caper GM: Today is Wednesday the 20th of June 2018. Trenna Mahney will be speaking. Tren, we’ve talked a bit about your time at Girls’ Friendly Society in Adelaide Terrace? It sounds like an interesting period to do a bit more discussion. [GM: phone call interrupts us] I think we should look a bit more at this time at Girls’ Friendly Society. The… Read more: The 23rd Kitchen Tape - Kitchen Tape No. 24 – but not the end
Recorded 21 June 2018 GM: This recording talks a lot about Trenna’s time at Girl’s Friendly Society (GFS), where she moved after Craig House closed down. The year was 1973, which was the only year in that period of her life that she kept a diary. Later, in 2018, Trenna with my assistance transcribed that diary and it is worth reading in relation to this recording. One point Trenna was… Read more: Kitchen Tape No. 24 – but not the end - Trenna’s Rough Notes on the 1970s
Notes by Trenna, Intro by Greg What Are These “Rough Notes” This is the first of a small number of these “Rough Notes” that I will be publishing from time to time. As regular readers might expect they come from Trenna’s iPad. This document was headed “1970s” and it lists some key points and changes in Trenna’s life in the 1970s. I think she has compiled it to remind herself… Read more: Trenna’s Rough Notes on the 1970s - The 1973 Diary, Part 1
1st January – 14th January 1973 A brief intro and rave from Greg, then a transcript of Trenna’s first diary. Intro In the Kitchen Tapes Trenna mentions that she kept a diary for the first time in 1973. As it turned out there were many days she didn’t diarise and the 1973 Diary was the last she did regularly until until 2006. Trenna and I partly transcribed the 1973 Diary… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Part 1 - Barb’s Craig House Memories
A Kitchen Tape Extra By Trenna’s sister Barbara, with an introduction from Greg Introduction In 2018 Trenna asked her sister Barb to jot down her memories of Craig House. Barb is six years older than Trenna. It was at exactly the same time as Trenna and I were recording Trenna’s stories and I have no doubt it was as part of Trenna’s research in preparation for writing her own story.… Read more: Barb’s Craig House Memories - The 1973 Diary, Part 2
15 Year Old Trenna’s Own Words 15th – 31st January 1973 – The Start of Business College, and arriving at GFS Monday 15 January It was the first day of Business College. I got up at 7 and Uncle Frank drove me in to town. I got there fairly early and went straight to the office. I had to fill in a form, then I was given my timetable.9-11am –… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Part 2 - The 1973 Diary, Part 3
When I woke up my eye was still blind and I could have cried 1 February – 14 February 1973 Thursday 1 February When I woke up my eye was still blind and I could have cried. BC was pretty well the same as yesterday. I hurried home and put my Levi’s on and then went out. “with your looks and my money we could do things” I rang Nancy… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Part 3 - The 1973 Diary, Part 4
15 -28 February 1973 Thursday 15 February Got up at 7.00 had a shower and breakfast. Left for BC at 8.15. Met Julie and Sue at 8.40. BC was the same as usual. Met Sue at 4.20 after waiting for about 15 minutes. She said Julie had to leave BC early, and she had just seen Murray Benton and was hiding from him. We went and had a drink. I… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Part 4 - The 1973 Diary, Part 5
1 March – 15 March 1973 Thursday 1 March Got up at 7.00 had a shower and breakfast then I met Julie and Sue at 8.30. BC was the same as usual. I met Julie and Sue at 4.15 we talked then I walked Sue to her bus stop, we were really being stupid. I got home at 5.15. There was a message for me to ring Jan. I had… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Part 5 - Why She Left Bey Apartments
– Racism in Perth in the 1970s By Greg I recently published Part 5 of The 1973 Diary. In the Comments section, at the bottom of the post our friend Helen has written “I think once Tren met the Gibson sisters and moved into Bey Apartments her life changed dramatically and she had to grow up quickly“. The Gibson sisters were “the Twinnies” (Sharon and Joyce), and their older sister… Read more: Why She Left Bey Apartments - The 1973 Diary, Extra Bits
By Greg and by Trenna A Little More on the 1973 Diary The Post The 1973 Diary – Part 12 contains the last of the daily entries in Trenna’s hand written diary. However, towards the back there is a section for “Accounts” where Trenna has put some figures down. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect it is an attempt at budgeting. Good on her for trying when she… Read more: The 1973 Diary, Extra Bits - Meals at Craig House
Trenna’s Writing on the Subject – And Plans to Write About Herself Mainly by Trenna, Brief Intro by Greg Introduction This piece of writing by Trenna was on her laptop computer (not her iPad) and appears to have been commenced on 21 July 1997, and further work done on it in 1998. It looks like she did most of the work, but never came back to it. The first part… Read more: Meals at Craig House - The Keaver Stich-Up – a Kitchen Tapes Extra
By Greg This is just a short anecdote to cover an incident at Craig House that I don’t think made it into The Kitchen Tapes recordings. As those oral histories were never completed that isn’t all that surprising. We both just ran out of puff. A Picnic For the Kids “Now everybody – pay attention!” Matron was her usual stern self, or maybe even a bit more on edge this… Read more: The Keaver Stich-Up – a Kitchen Tapes Extra - Angsty Teenage Poetry #1
Intro by Greg, Poems by a Teenage Trenna Another Kitchen Tape Extra Trenna’s School Era Poetry Book Trenna loved reading, and she loved writing. She also loved, a lot, but for many years this was very often unrequited. She tells in the Kitchen Tapes, HERE, of the dozens of love poems and letters she wrote to Murray Malski. Trenna also kept a notebook during her high school years and wrote… Read more: Angsty Teenage Poetry #1 - Angsty Teenage Poetry #2
Poems by a Teenage Trenna The first instalment in this series of angsty teenage poetry is HERE. Friends (14 August 1972 – Dedicated to A Friend) Friend, is a word you’ll hear or use nearly every day But do you really know the actual meaning of the word Is it to be kind to someone and talk to them? No, a lot more! A friend is someone who is comforting… Read more: Angsty Teenage Poetry #2 - Trenna’s iPad
Life in 500 Words – 4 Minutes of Fame for Trenna & Greg Note: The recordings I refer to in this piece formed The Kitchen Tapes series. It starts HERE. Introduction The ABC is Australia’s national media and broadcasting service. And on the ABC Radio National station on weekday mornings the Life Matters show has been running an interesting segment entitled Life in 500 Words. I have listened to quite… Read more: Trenna’s iPad - The Mill Point Road Song Lyrics
More Details Arising From The Kitchen Tapes Intro by Greg, Lyrics by Trenna Introduction Trenna had quite a nice study desk when I first met her in 1987. It was very solid, and had one of those inlays on the desk top that look like green leather. It has three drawers on either side, and it is solid. It was one she bought new, so it is no antique, but… Read more: The Mill Point Road Song Lyrics