ACTF

My Place - 1928 Bridie

1928: Bridie

A young girl stands smiling, wearing a floral-patterned dress layered with a beige apron. She has short brown hair adorned with a flower clip and is dressed in knee-high white socks and brown shoes.

Bridie and her sister Kath are expected to care for baby Colum and complete household chores while their parents’ work. Bridie feels excluded as Kath and her friend Lorna sneak away for a picnic. When tragedy strikes, Bridie must navigate grief, guilt, and the emotional weight of responsibility.

The late 1920s were marked by economic strain, shifting gender roles, and cultural traditions. Families faced growing hardship as the economy edged toward depression. Children like Bridie and Kath carried heavy responsibilities at home while parents worked long hours. Irish migration shaped cultural identity, and funeral customs reflected deep emotional and spiritual values.

  • 1920: The Country Party (later the Nationals) is formed to represent rural and regional Australians.
  • 1921: Edith Cowan becomes the first woman elected to an Australian parliament (Western Australia).
  • 1922: The Country Women’s Association (CWA) is founded to support rural families and strengthen community ties.
  • 1923: Vegemite goes on sale, becoming a uniquely Australian food icon. 2SB, Australia’s first radio station, begins broadcasting in Sydney, transforming communication and entertainment.
  • 1924: Electricity from the La Trobe Valley is transmitted into Melbourne, powering homes and modernising daily life. Compulsory voting is introduced in federal elections, increasing civic participation.
  • 1927: Aeroplane Jelly is released, soon becoming a household favourite.
  • 1928: Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm complete the first trans-Pacific flight from San Francisco to Brisbane, a major aviation milestone.
  • 1929: The Jazz Singer, the first film with synchronised dialogue, is shown in Australia, ushering in the era of “talkies.”

 

First Nations Focus: While not foregrounded in this episode, students can explore how First Nations families experienced similar economic pressures and maintained cultural traditions through kinship, storytelling, and resilience.

 

Provocation Questions

What helps us carry responsibility, and how do we cope when things go wrong?

Clip 1: Children's Chores

Bridie's family is having breakfast and discussing what they will do that day. Her father and brother are going to work at the brickworks, her mother will be cleaning floors for neighbours, and Bridie and her older sister Kath are expected to look after baby Colum and do chores around the house. Bridie spies on Kath and her friend Lorna as they plan to sneak away from their responsibilities and have a picnic by the river.

Tuning In

Think about what family life was like in the 1920s and how children contributed to household responsibilities.

As a class, discuss the following questions:

  • What chores are the girls responsible for?
  • How do these compare with chores today?
  • What does this tell us about family roles and expectations?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Investigate what childhood responsibilities were like in different times and why they were so important. In small groups, reserach:
  • What chores and responsibilities did children have in the 1920s and 1930s?
  • Why were these responsibilities important for families during tough economic times?
  • How do these compare with childhood responsibilities today?
Use primary and secondary sources such as:
  • Oral histories (interview a grandparent or older family member)
  • Photographs and diaries from the 1920s–1930s
  • Online archives or library resources
Create a “Chores Then and Now” table comparing tasks from the past and present.

Making Connections

Connect what we’ve learned to your own lives and values. Reflect on these questions:
  • How do chores and responsibilities shape family life today?
  • Have I ever wanted to escape chores like Bridie?
  • What helps me feel proud of contributing to my family?

Write a short journal entry linking your own experiences to Bridie’s story. Then, as a class, create a “Family Roles Then and Now” display that shows how expectations have changed over time.

Clip 2: The Funeral

It is the day of Lorna's funeral and the procession to the cemetery is commencing. It is a tradition to celebrate the life of the deceased person by holding a 'wake'. During this sombre celebration, Bridie tries to console her sister with the help of Miss Miller.

Tuning In

Explore how families and communities honour loved ones and cope with loss. As a class, discuss the following questions:

  • What do you notice about the funeral traditions shown in the clip?
  • Why do you think wakes are important for families?
  • How do these traditions compare with funerals today?
Create a quick observation chart:

Column 1: Traditions shown in the clip
Column 2: Traditions you know from your own family or community

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Research how different cultures and communities honour loved ones and why these customs matter. 

Investigate two or three cultures and find out how they honour and remember people who have passed away. Look for details such as ceremonies, clothing, music, food and symbols. Create a presentation and share what you have learnt with the class.

Imagine you are writing a sympathy card to Bridie and Kath. Use respectful language and include a comforting message. Decorate the card with simple, thoughtful designs or symbols that represent care and hope.

Making Connections

Connect these ideas to our own lives and traditions. Reflect on Bridie’s emotional journey and the cultural practices shown in the story. Use these prompts:

  • Have I ever felt responsible for something that went wrong?

  • What helps me feel connected to my family’s traditions?

  • How do rituals help us express grief?

Design a scrapbook showing how families keep memories alive. Compare old ways (like photo albums) with modern ways (like digital photos or social media). Write a short reflection about why these traditions matter and how they help us feel connected.

Australian Curriculum Links

Explore how gender roles, grief, and cultural traditions shaped identity and belonging in 1920s Australia.

 

Year

Content Description

Inquiry Sprint Link

CCP Integration

Year 3

AC9HS3K01 Causes and effects of changes to the local community

Tuning In: Tuning In: Compare Bridie’s chores with those of children today

Investigate how family roles and technology shaped daily life

 

AC9HS3K02: Significance of individuals, events, places and developments in the local community.

AC9HS3S03: Interpret information and data from observations and sources

Explore Bridie’s family, Irish migration, or local funeral customs.

 

Analyse visual clues in funeral scenes or compare chores across eras.

Year 4

AC9HS4K01 Role of individuals, events and groups in shaping communities

Sorting Out:  Explore Irish migration and family traditions

Examine cultural heritage and community resilience

 

AC9HS4K02: Significance of First Nations Australians’ cultural practices and perspectives

AC9HS4S04: Discuss perspectives related to people, places and events

Compare Irish traditions with First Nations mourning or kinship practices.

 

Supports empathy-based tasks like writing from Kath’s point of view or exploring grief.

Year 5

AC9HS5K02 Causes and effects of change in Australian society

Finding Out: Investigate funeral customs and mourning rituals

Explore changing views on grief, gender, and cultural identity

 

AC9HS5K01: Significance of people and events in shaping Australian society

AC9HS5S05: Draw conclusions and make proposals

Analyse historical sources when researching Edith Cowan, Country Women’s Association, or Charles Kingsford Smith.

Use for debating children’s responsibilities or designing cultural memory projects.

Year 6

AC9HS6K01 Democratic values and processes in Australia

Taking Action: Debate children’s responsibilities and design a cultural memory project

Link Bridie’s story to civic empathy, cultural diversity, and historical memory

 

AC9HS6K02: Significance of migration and cultural diversity in Australia

AC9HS6S06: Develop narratives and share observations using sources and terms

Activities related to Bridie’s Irish heritage, family trees, and multicultural funeral customs.

 

Supports podcast creation, sympathy letters, and historical storytelling.

 

Explore how language, grief, and cultural nuance shape character development and emotional understanding in 1920s Australia

Year

Content Description

Inquiry Sprint Link

CCP Integration

Year 3

AC9E3LE01 Personal responses to texts and characters

Tuning In: Write a diary entry from Bridie’s perspective after Lorna’s death

Explore how language expresses grief, guilt, and emotional growth

 

AC9E3LY03: Create and edit literary texts using realistic and imagined experiences

Diary entries, imagined monologues, or retelling scenes from Bridie’s Point Of View (POV).

Year 4

AC9E4LY06 Create imaginative and persuasive texts

Going Further: Write a monologue from Kath’s point of view

Promote empathy and perspective-taking through character voice

 

AC9E4LE02: Respond to texts by expressing preferences and sharing opinions

Such as comparing Bridie’s emotional journey with other My Place characters.

Year 5

AC9E5LE01 Analyse character motivations and emotional depth

Sorting Out: Compare Bridie’s emotional journey with another My Place character

Explore emotional complexity and cultural context through narrative comparison

 

AC9E5LY03: Create literary texts that explore character development and emotional depth

Such as writing sympathy letters, five-line poems, or cultural reflections.

Year 6

AC9E6LE01 Respond to texts shaped by historical and cultural contexts

Making Connections: Create a podcast or letter exploring funeral traditions across cultures

Connect storytelling to cultural diversity, mourning, and civic empathy

 

AC9E6LY03: Create literary texts that reflect historical and cultural contexts

Activities such as podcast scripts, cultural comparisons, or adapting Bridie’s story.

 

Explore how cultural heritage, emotional resilience, and intergenerational memory deepen empathy, belonging, and respectful representation.

Country/Place: Compare Bridie’s home routines and family rituals with First Nations relationships to Country and kinship care.
Culture: Explore storytelling, mourning, and cultural pride across communities, especially through funeral customs and oral histories.
People: Highlight the role of grandparents, Elders, and cultural traditions in shaping emotional guidance and family responsibility.

Asia and its Diversity: Use 1920s migration and family heritage (e.g. Irish ancestry) to explore cultural contribution and diversity.
Achievements and Contributions: Celebrate migrant families’ roles in shaping civic life, work ethic, and cultural rituals.
Asia–Australia Connections: Reflect on how storytelling, family trees, and traditions foster belonging and intergenerational identity.

Additional Resources

Episode Stills

Two girls in vintage dresses stand facing each other with serious expressions, one with a satchel. A third girl in a lighter dress stands behind them, watching the confrontation. They are near a large tree, with a woven basket resting on the ground between them.

Lorna, Bridie And Kath

A young girl sits on the grass, looking up with a concerned expression. Behind her is an old-fashioned baby stroller draped with a knitted blanket, set against a blurred outdoor background.

Kath Sheahan

A man with a mustache wearing a classic black suit and tie stands beside a woman in a black dress and a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a sheer veil. They appear to be posing for a portrait, with a rustic background featuring a wooden cart and horses.

Bridie's Father And Mother

A family sits around a dining table in a modest home, sharing a meal. The scene captures four children and one adult, all engaged in their food with expressions of contemplation, surrounded by simple kitchen decor and a green stove in the background.

The Family Eating Breakfast In The Kitchen

Three women are engaged in domestic tasks in a softly lit, rustic kitchen. The foreground features one woman in a blue and pink patterned top with a focused expression, while a teen girl in a patterned dress attends to a task nearby. Another young woman glances over her shoulder, creating a sense of camaraderie among them. The setting includes vintage kitchenware on shelves and a lace tablecloth, enhancing the atmosphere of a bygone era.

Kath Washing The Dishes

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