Today I had the pleasure of capturing Cooranbong local Viv.
I first met Viv when I ran into a friend of mine (Kel) at the local shops. Kelly is known for being a bit of a shit stirrer & that days she was pretending she was Viv's carer.. she linked arms with her & said "come on Viv let me help you get back to the car" Viv responded by breaking free of Kel's grip & saying "oh F... off Kelly you are not my carer" I just thought it was so funny.. Viv like me is also an avid op shopper. So I made her setup with lots of treasures I have collected, & an amazing pitcher & basin I was recently gifted.
Vivienne Lee Fox born March 1944 in Yass Nsw at their home, then taken to hospital in a suitcase for her checkup!
She has one sister
Her Father was in World War 2 in the Airforce. her mother stayed at home with the children while they were infants & then at the local service station owned by Viv's Grandfather in Yass.
They lived on a property owned by her grandparents as a child. Her father was still away at the war.
They went from Yass to Sydney when she was around 4. Her father got a shop in Balgowlah (small supermarket) both her parents worked there.
Viv went to school Seaforth her parents split not long after. Her dad lived in Sydney, & she would fly to see her dad once a year.
In the Mid 1950s Viv's mum and aunt bought a grocery shop in Mossman and Viv went to Mossman school, she then moved to her grandparents in Sydney for a short time then off to Canberra to live with her aunt and uncle.
Viv didn't stay there long, then went back to her grandparents and attended Manly west school. Lived there at Balgowlah heights for 4-5 years. She attended Manly home science school to learn house duties like making beds, cooking, cleaning and typing.
At about 14 Viv learnt ballroom dancing at Balgowlah with her sister.
Her Mother married Fred when Viv was 16 & they lived at Narabeen
She worked in her stepfathers clothing factory at Brookvale learning to sew etc.
Viv went to art school for 3 years, in an old jail building in Darlinghurst, she went into various art studios around Sydney over the years the last one being John Sands the card and gift wrap place. Viv designed them for them & her artwork adorned the cards.
While working in the factory she met Bill they married 1966 in Beacon Hill, where they brought a block of land and built a house.
They had two children Karen born in 1976 and Jason in 1971
Viv returned to work after having the children, times were tough. They bought a wine bar in 1973 in Woolloomooloo ( the building in the photos) called Sorens Australian wine bar. She could only sell Australian wine there. they had that for around 7 years & she worked there with her husband.
In the 80s they sold the wine bar and got a divorce, Viv stayed on with the new owners at the bar an helped out for a few years.
She then worked at Martins topless bar in the restaurant,
Viv said there was a lot of prostitution happening in around the area she parked near “the wall” where the male adolescent prostitutes stood trying to get business as she felt she was safe among them.
In her time, she also worked at. Royal prince Alfred yacht club. Royal motor yacht club, Collaroy services beach club, Coffee shops in Balgowlah and Seaforth
Viv moved on to ceramic design and teaching at Newport
Viv met her current partner John on the beach at Scott’s head while she believes she was topless bathing in 1999, & in 2000 they moved to Cooranbong.
Viv looked after both her stepfather and stepmother in their old age. She then needed a break.
Viv has 5 grandchildren. She loves sewing, crafts, painting, finding treasure at the opshops, cooking, & reading.
She makes some beautiful crafts like jewellery, paint vintage suitcases, & she also made dolls, and they were sold to help raise money for breast cancer.
