At our Society’s final meeting for 2005 the topic of articles for our 2006 Journal was raised. The suggestion was made that it might be time to write something about the Meatworks’ fires. In the discussion that followed it became evident that the fatal fire of Thursday, October 8th 1970 was still a sensitive issue within the community. The comment was made that it was a shame that no memorial had ever been erected to honour the six men who were tragically killed in that fire. We decided that the Historical Society would try to rectify this.
Our first objective was to attempt to contact families of the six men to gauge their feelings, as we didn’t want to cause any further angst. Two families lived locally and they were happy with our plans. We sought the assistance of the Riverstone and District Lions’ Club and the Riverstone-Schofields Memorial Club and their support was superb. Wally Smith from the Lions’ Club took over all the technical aspects of the project – liaising with Blacktown City Council, obtaining quotes and arranging for the purchase and erection of the memorial plaque and accompanying storyboard. Matthew Dawson, Geoff Hunter and the Board of Directors of the Memorial Club agreed to fully fund the project. The Historical Society had the task of locating and keeping contact with the families of the six men, wording the memorial plaque, planning the storyboard and organising the programme for the unveiling of the memorial.
Excellent publicity and support from the Sydney Daily Telegraph and local papers enabled us to eventually make contact with all six families who were most supportive of our plans. Despite great support from all sections of the community, including one former resident, who having read the “In Search” article in the Daily Telegraph made a sizable donation towards our costs, the project was undoubtedly the most challenging our Society has faced. The Historical Society was deeply appreciative of the generous support received from Council, Lions Club, Memorial Club and the many people who made contact with offers of help in locating the families.
It was therefore most gratifying to see so many community members, past and present, in attendance when the unveiling ceremony took place on Sunday, 8th October 2006. Our society’s aim had always been to make the Unveiling Ceremony for the families of the six men, so we steered clear of inviting other official guests. We were therefore very pleased to have local State and Federal Members of Parliament, John Aquilina and Louise Markus, and local Councillors, Ron Alder, Allan Green and Alan Pendleton, show their support by their attendance.
The Memorial Service was most fittingly conducted by Peter Filmer, from Blacktown City Council. Peter is the grandson of Peter Steele, foreman of the Stores’ Department at the Meatworks for many years and, at one time, resident in Butchers Row. Steven Winter, studying to become a minister of religion, represented the Riverstone Ministers’ Fraternal. He offered a thoughtful, moving prayer. Mayor Leo Kelly, making an excellent speech, unveiled the plaque and storyboard. Families laid wreaths at the stone which would later bear the plaque. Then the large crowd mingled, enjoyed the Lions’ Club barbecue, visited the Museum and its Meatworks’ Display and/or adjourned to the Memorial Club where morning tea was provided, free of charge, by the Club.
The storyboard contained information and photographs about both the Meatworks and the 1970s Meatworks Fires
The latter read as follows:-
1970s Meatworks Fires
On 29th July 1970 a fire at night in the Skin shed, a three-storey building constructed from timber, demolished all but the ironbark posts from the bush at Jericho (a dairy near the Richmond Road in the Meatworks’ property). Over 3000 sheep and 500 pigs died in the inferno and all the skins stored in the Skin shed were destroyed.
On Thursday 8th October 1970 fire started in the old freezer building on the other side of where the sheep were being held. After the earlier fire there was criticism from some quarters that more should have been done to save the animals, though, with the ferocity of the fire, that would have been extremely difficult. Reacting to this criticism, a number of men tried to herd the sheep to safety.
As fire hoses were played on the brick wall between the freezers and where the sheep were being held the wall collapsed, killing six men and burying a number of others. In the hours that followed men risked their lives working frantically, with no thought of their own safety, to find those who were missing. Two men, Edward ‘Ted’ Follett and Henry ‘Pat’ Leslie were found alive, taken to hospital, and later recovered.
A coronial inquest delivered an open verdict on the deaths of the men. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals presented posthumous medals to the men’s families in recognition of their bravery.
The inside pages of the Unveiling Ceremony Programme contained photographs and information on the six men who were killed. They were:-
Leslie Chapman aged 50, of Nelson. He was husband of Valerie Helena, father of John Stephen, father-in-law of Merle Catherine and grandfather of Stephen Frederick.
Percy Fotheringham aged 42, of Wilberforce. He was husband of Roma, father of Pam, Stephen, Wendy, Kerry, Narelle, Neil and Paul.
Raymond Palmer aged 30, of Schofields. He was husband of Beverley, father of Wayne, David, Donna and Kelly, son of Addie and Harold, brother of Alan and Shirley.
Slawko Puzny aged 20, of Riverstone. He was the son of Bogdan and Lucia, younger brother of Bob, Helen and Marie, older brother of Ola, Michael, Veronica, Lila and Lucy.
Jacobus van der Donk aged 16, of South Windsor. He was the son of Lambertus (Bert) and Femia, younger brother of Adrian and Hans. Jackie was a keen sportsman who played competition cricket and rugby league.
Noel Wallace aged 42, of Riverstone. Head Supervisor of the Mutton Board, he was the husband of Peggy, father of Brian, John, Peter, David, Robert, Ian, Ross and Kerrilyn Mary and grandfather of Colin Noel Wallace.
Peggy Wallace has kindly shared her memories of that time for this year’s Journal.
One night after work, following the first fire, Noel took Peggy to the charred Skin Shed. He told her, “I will never forget the cries of the pigs being burnt alive.” When the second fire began Noel was one of several workers, who had been enjoying an after-work drink at the Riverstone Bowling Club, who raced back to help the sheep being held penned ready for the next day’s slaughter. Peggy said, “I knew why he went in and did everything he could to let the sheep out.”
She recalls, “I was sitting on the veranda waiting for Noel to ring me and say, as he always did, ‘Bring down the chariot (our Holden)’. Then the sirens began and I saw smoke everywhere. I didn’t know what was going on. Some smoke went up in a mushroom. That would’ve been when the wall went down. I didn’t know Noel was in there, but from then on all I did was hope and pray.”
Noel’s body was the last pulled from the wreckage, shortly before 10pm.
It is the Society’s hope that, sometime in the future, something will be done to commemorate the site of the Riverstone Meatworks which was the life-blood of this community for over 120 years.
My uncle, Brian Mason, had a potent memory of the early days of World War 1. It was of the day the army recruiting officers arrived at Riverstone. As a schoolboy of 9 or 10 years of age, it made a lasting impression on him. He recalled how the Army recruiters arrived on horse-back from Windsor. They were beating a drum and leading a riderless horse. They then addressed the townspeople from the verandah of the Royal Hotel issuing a challenge to the young men to take up the reins of the horse that they had been leading and to join the war effort. 1
Similar “Recruiting Meetings” were held all across the country and many young men enthusiastically volunteered to fight for the King and Mother England and of course to take part in what they thought would be a great adventure. Although Australia had a population of only about 5 million, not a great deal more than the current population of Sydney, 416,809 enlisted. Nearly 40% of these recruits came from NSW. This was significantly greater in both real terms and as a proportion of the population than any other state.
Although only a country village Riverstone, and the even smaller surrounding communities of Schofields, Marsden Park, Vineyard, Rouse Hill, Box Hill and Nelson all did their bit. Between 130 and 180 men volunteered – it is difficult to be more precise than this because of the arbitrary boundaries of the Riverstone district and the number of casual workers who, although living at Riverstone, enlisted at their home towns 2.
The first to enlist from the district was Private Fred Clark, a mutton butcher at the Meatworks and a veteran of the Boer War. 3 Clark enlisted seven days after war was declared and a few days before another local – Private Herb Davis [For more information about Davis see: “Herbert Davis – An Original Anzac”, 2005 Journal]. A week later, Clark embarked on the troopship Berrima as part of a 1,600 strong combined Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force identified as the “Tropical Unit”. 4 The exploits of this unit are not well known but they were to engage in the first Australian land operations of the war – not in the Dardanelles but much earlier and closer to home.
On the 7th August 1914 the British War Office requested that Australia seize the German colonies of Nauru, the Caroline Islands and New Guinea 5. The primary reason for this was to prevent enemy wireless stations from passing information to the German East Asiatic Squadron, commanded by Admiral Graf von Spee. This attack resulted in Australia’s first combat casualties – four sailors of a landing force and an attached Army doctor. However, unlike subsequent campaigns it was an overwhelming success, with the Unit rapidly achieving all the objectives set by the War Office.
Clark’s departure was so sudden that he left without ceremony or fanfare. This is in marked contrast to later farewells which were occasions for much speech making and celebration. [For more information see: “Riverstone in the Great War”, 2004 Journal].
Although the men who subsequently volunteered expected to be sent to Britain and then the Western Front, most were sent to Egypt to counter the threat posed by Turkey to British interests in the Middle East and to the Suez Canal. More surprising for them, although by no means a secret for even the Turkish Army leaders knew, was that after four and a half months of training near Cairo, the Australians were dispatched to the Gallipoli peninsula. The purpose of this was to facilitate a British naval operation which aimed to gain control of the Dardanelles Strait and to threaten the Turkish capital of Constantinople. 6
The story of the Australians’ landing at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915, and the subsequent campaign is well known. However, what is less well known is that there were at least seven and possibly eight Riverstone recruits at Gallipoli and that one – Private Archibald Robert Showers died there. The seven Riverstone recruits who fought at Gallipoli were:
It is also possible that Fred Clark fought at Gallipoli. At the end of his term with the “Tropical Unit” he re-enlisted and was posted to the 18th Battalion – one of the units that was deployed to Gallipoli.
With the exception of Bert Davis, all of the Riverstone recruits were wounded during their time at Gallipoli. However, Private Showers was the only one to die. He joined the 2nd Battalion at Gallipoli on the 6th August and was reported missing on the same day. His body was never recovered but it is believed that he is buried at Lone Pine where his name is recorded on the memorial 7. All that he left behind was a hairbrush, a testament, hymn book and a match box – a sad manifest and cold comfort for his loved ones.
Letters, almost always written in indelible pencil, were tangible links between the Anzacs and home. Many of these letters were published in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette and provide an intimate insight into the happenings and attitudes of the men. One account written by Private Jack Kenny after he was invalided home from Gallipoli gives an insightful account of his time at Gallipoli:
“We left Sydney early in May of last year, making a straight run to Colombo, where we had a route march, and were much impressed by the wealthy and prosperous appearance of this port. We arrived at Port Suez about the middle of June. We disembarked there, and were taken by rail to Heliopolis, which is one of the suburbs of Cairo. After a couple of months hard training there, we left on the 15th August for Alexandria, sailing the following day for Gallipoli. It was only on the day previous that the British troopship ‘Royal Prince Edward’, was torpedoed a few hundred miles out from Alexandria, and we saw the survivors arrive in port.
Every precaution was taken to ensure a safe voyage. We had a strong escort, but I think all were pleased when we reached Lemnos Island on 18th August. We had been sleeping in life belts on deck beside our respective lifeboats. We transhipped into smaller transports on the 19th, and at midnight were anchored off Anzac. During the short run from Lemnos to Anzac we were issued with the regulation [iron] ration [48 hours supply] ammunition and water. I think our full equipment weighted nearly 100 pounds. Landing the troops took time, and it was after daylight when my turn came to get into one of the small boats which ran us into shore.
We were noticed by the Turks, with the result that one of their batteries, of which the well known gun ‘Beachy Bill’ was a member, sent a few shrapnel shells over, but, except to add to our nervousness, which we already felt, and wounding a few men, they did practically no damage. It did not take us long to scramble ashore, and once our feet were on firm ground we felt more confident. Few of us will ever forget how weird everything seemed as we neared Anzac. The great flashes of the fleets guns and the terrible explosion on the side of Achi Baba and Gaba Tepe as we passed, and the tremendous amount of rifle fire and the popping of grenades sounded very weird and horrible.
When ashore, as soon as we were allowed to rest, we went sight-seeing through the different parts of the firing-line above the beach at Anzac. I think all were very disappointed at not being able to see the enemy, though at times we were only 50 yards from their trenches. I saw a good many of their dead lying on the ‘No man’s land’ in front of the trenches occupied by the 8th Light Horse, the result of an attack made a week before.
During our first fortnight in Gallipoli we supported and relieved units at various points of the line to the east of Suvla Bay. It was pleasing to realise that our arrival enabled those of the first division to get a much needed rest from the firing-line. It was in the early morning of the 23rd August at about 2 o’clock, that I received a slight wound in the left foot from a spent bullet. After a day’s rest I was able to go about my duties again. At the beginning of September we took over Quinn’s Post from the Queenslanders. Here we were fairly comfortable under Major C. R. A. Pye, of Windsor, who was much liked by everyone.
The trenches on Quinn’s Post were very close, the widest part being 20 yards, and for a good part not more than 27 feet separated us from the Turks. Needless to say one hardly dared to show even a finger above the parapet, or he would lose it. All firing was done through an aperture in armour plates, and one could only fire at the loopholes opposite in the hope of catching a Turk looking out, and we never knew whether we hit anyone or not. Where trenches were so close hand grenades are largely used by both sides, and as one never knows where the grenades are going to land, we had to be continually on the alert, as there is not much time to get out of the way when one does succeed in getting into our trench. It is customary in such cases, if time permits, to throw a blanket or coat over the grenade, and lay flat on the ground, trusting to luck, but the explosion causes a great rush of air into the lungs of those around, frequently bringing on haemorrhage of the lungs.
While in Gallipoli I saw several charges, though I took part in none. I was much surprised at the work of the fleet. The accurate marksmanship of the gunners is wonderful, almost unnatural. On several occasions there were bombardments of the Turkish positions in front of us, and during these bouts the noise is tremendous. The vibrations of the earth greatly resembled a violent earth tremor. Throughout the latter part of September the fleet and shore batteries kept up an incessant bombardment of Achi Baba, To us, as spectators, it seemed marvellous that the very hill itself did not crumble away – yet the Turkish guns replied as gaily as ever.
At night the whole of the slopes of this hill were lit up with bursting shells, which were of different calibre, up to the 15 inch shell. Aeroplanes were largely used on both sides. On one occasion a Taube dropped a bomb rather close to us, but it burst without doing any damage or injuring anyone. Some of the aeroplanes are fitted with machine guns. It sounds peculiar to hear these rattling among the clouds. In modern warfare danger not only lies on all sides, but above and below. In many places the trenches were being undermined the whole time, and one never knows at what moment the whole trench formation, with men and everything else, will go upwards in pieces.
While in Gallipoli I saw Sgt. Eric Pye of the A. M. C., and Privates Walker and Bell, all of Windsor. They were in fairly good health at the time of my leaving [Oct 2nd] but a good deal battle-worn. Owing to illness, I was obliged to leave Anzac on 2nd October and did not return before the evacuation. Trooper Frank White and my brother Bert, landed a few hours before I left, and though they were resting only a few hundred yards from the field hospital, I did not know they were on the Peninsula. Trooper White was observing through a periscope a few days later when a bullet struck the upper mirror, and he was wounded in the left shoulder and wrist by flying fragments of glass, but he did not leave for some weeks, when he had a very severe attack of influenza. My brother was struck in the nose by a bullet about the 16th October, and was sent to the hospital at Malta two days later. He was hit on the chin by flying splinters of a bullet, but this was not a serious wound. He was very fortunate getting off so lightly. Trooper White, who was with me in the hospital at…near Cairo, a few weeks before Christmas, wished to be remembered to his friends and looks forward to the day he is free to return.
Though the evacuation came as a surprise to all, we were more or less pleased that Gallipoli was a thing of the past. We could have crossed the Peninsula, no doubt, but it would not have been worth the sacrifice of lives that such an operation would have entailed. But there is one thing certain – the Turks could not have driven us into the sea by force, as they often boasted that they would do. The whole campaign in Gallipoli seems to have been a case of the irresistible having met the immovable. It was no use sitting behind a brick wall and barking at the enemy. It is only a matter of time, money and men, until we are able to crush Germany. But we need thousands of men yet – in fact, I think it will run into millions, but England and the colonies will get the men and the money too! 8
The Gallipoli operation cost 26,111 Australian casualties, including 8,141 deaths. Despite this, it has been said that it had no influence on the course of the war.
Following his repatriation Jack Kenny went to work at the Meatworks as a clerk. However, in 1918 he re-enlisted with two other Riverstone men – Ulric Blacket and Sid Clark 9. These three sailed for England in June 1918 as part of a contingent known as “Carmichael’s 1000”. 10 However, by the time they arrived the war was drawing to a close and Kenny was not posted to France. He arrived safely home in November 1919 – the “last of the Riverstone batch to return”. 11
The three Light Horsemen – Bert Kenny, his mate Frank White and Austin Smith, all returned to Egypt where they resumed their role as mounted troops. The Light Horse fought the Turks in Egypt and Palestine and Austin Smith took part in what is generally acknowledged as the last great cavalry charge in modern warfare. The attack took place at Beersheba. It was described by one eye witness as “the bravest, most awe inspiring sight I’ve ever witnessed, and they were…yelling, swearing and shouting. There were more than 500 Aussie horsemen…As they thundered past my hair stood on end. The boys were wild-eyed and yelling their heads off”. 12
Austin Smith later wrote: “If I live to be a hundred I’ll never forget it…The Turks were strongly entrenched in trenches, redoubts and they had plenty of machine guns and field guns. But we went through and over the lot some of us galloping right under the muzzles of the guns and jumping trenches with Turks firing at us in mid air and right through the main streets…I’ll never forget the roar of the shells and bombs etc exploding as we galloped up the street.” 13
Following the defeat of the Turks Bert Kenny and Frank White returned to the Dardanelles as part of a 7th Light Horse garrison force. The irony was not lost on Bert who remarked that “he little thought they would sail in through the Dardanelles when he left there, wounded, 3 years [previous].” 14
After surviving the landing through to the evacuation of Gallipoli, the indestructible Bert Davis was sent to the Western Front where he remained until the Armistice. He returned to Riverstone at the end of 1918 and commenced farming some land at Schofields.
Austin Smith, who fought at Gallipoli. Photo courtesy: Ron Mason.One of these men is believed to be Herbert Davis. Photo courtesy: Bev Harm
Recollections of Maurice Brian Mason [1906-1990] told to the author.
Figures based on a list compiled by Rosemary Phillis from the various Riverstone and District Honour Rolls, the Windsor and Richmond Gazette and information supplied by local residents.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 21st August 1914.
Frederick William Clark enlisted 11th August 1914 and Herbert Davies on the 28th August 1914, WW1 Embarkation Roll, AWM, Canberra.
Before Gallipoli – Australian Operations in 1914, Semaphore, Issue 7, August 2003.
Encyclopaedia, AWM, 27th May 2007.
Private Archibald Robert Showers, No 2209, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Killed in Action 6th August 1915, Roll of Honour, AWM, Canberra.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 3rd March 1916.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 21st June 1918.
Captain A. C. Carmichael MC, 36 Battalion AIF, raised 1000 recruits for the AIF in 1915. He was wounded on the Western Front for the second time, on 4 October 1917, and returned to Sydney in February 1918, where he proceeded to successfully raise another ‘Carmichael’s thousand’. Carmichael rode at the head of his ‘thousand’ when they left Sydney on 19 June 1918. He arrived in France in late September, by which time the war was coming to an end, so he returned to Australia.
Windsor and Richmond Gazette, 7th November 1919.
Account by Private Eric Elliot, “Defending Victoria”, website.
Although half way across the world, a number of Riverstone boys took the opportunity to have a photograph taken together. This photograph was amongst the possessions of Ambrose Mason returned to his family after he was killed in World War I. The inscription on the back of the photograph is shown below.
John Cole was born in Concord in 1928. John left school at the age of 15 and began work with the NSW Government railways, as a “Shop Boy”. Over the following years, John followed a number of occupations but when he trained with Roger Patterson and obtained his bus licence, he developed a love of buses that became part of his life forever.
In 1959 John attempted to purchase the Hawkesbury Valley Bus Service. He missed out, but placed an advertisement in “Truck and Bus” to purchase a Bus Run and the reply came from Mr Laurie Bower of Riverstone Bus Service, Riverstone. The business consisted of a rent free depot, which was located in Garfield Road (diagonally across from the Doctor’s surgery), in consideration of the purchase of all fuels through Laurie Bower. Also included were two buses, one Ford and one Oldsmobile that had been smashed and Laurie agreed to purchase a Lend Lease Chevrolet Bus. Full payment was completed within a five year period.
John commenced his dream on 7 November 1960. During the early years John worked a poultry farm together with his parents, Harry and Evelyn and wife Daphne, at Granville. John would share his time between the Farm and the Bus Service, in between school runs each day and then continue the township/Marsden Park runs until after 7pm at night.
In the early days of operation, prior to the Cole family making the move to Riverstone, the Notaras family, who owned and operated the Wattle Milk Bar, supported John and made sure he always had food provided during his long days away from his family. Between trips, either around the township of Riverstone or Marsden Park, John would be very well provided for by the family and he acknowledges the support given to him as the beginning of a true family feeling he came to have for both Riverstone and its residents.
During the first two days of his arrival John met with three people who remained part of his life, Ron Shields, who together with his family became an integral part of the Cole family and Riverstone Bus Service Pty Ltd; Aub James and his family. (Aub was always there to assist with repairs to the buses); Lyn Buchan, who worked for Laurie Bower and later became John’s second wife in 1979.
First female bus driver in Riverstone, Mrs Betty Murray and the Chev bus.
The 3rd February 1961 saw the first lady bus driver employed in Riverstone, Mrs Betty Murray.
The Cole family moved to Riverstone in 1963 and 1964 saw the purchase of their first new bus, purchased from John A. Gilbert. It was a Pressed Metal body built on a Bedford SB Chassis.
Times were tough in 1965. The business employed five full time staff apart from family members and John found it necessary to work nightshift at the Villawood Textiles at Riverstone to meet the cost of the men’s wages. Sleep was minimal during that time, as during the day it was necessary for him to drive school buses in the morning and the afternoon prior to commencing nightshift.
In December 1966, the Cole family moved into a home built on the new Bus Depot property at 26 Wellington Street, Riverstone. The property was later extended to encompass land in Hobart Street.
1969 saw an employee, Lew Stokes, transferred with a Coach Contract for Transtours work. This business was purchased from Tony Royle (Forrest Coachlines) and began the coaches known as Jetline Coaches, the name being registered that year. At its peak the company operated six coaches.
One of the weekend trips was to Falls Creek in Victoria during the snow season, for the cost of $13.50 a trip. These trips had to be interstate, as the law at that time did not permit such trips in New South Wales. John was a pioneer in giving the people of Riverstone a new service.
Coaches operated through Central Australia on a semi regular basis and these camping trips (Shiralee Tours) were enjoyed by all who ventured into the wilderness on them.
Needless to say the employees increased dramatically over the years and records show that over 80 full time employees, and many part time employees, were “part of the team”. The staff members were treated as part of the extended Cole family.
The Bus service, in and around the Riverstone district, was a valuable mode of transport and many friendships were born out of those trips and many happy times were spent by people just talking to the bus drivers at the stops. The Wattle Milk Bar Bus stop was a great place to see people chatting happily, both inside “The Wattle” and outside on the seat provided by Council.
The pot holes in the roads decreased somewhat over the years when Blacktown Council began to tar the roads. It was common courtesy to blow your horn as you entered a pot-hole in case a mini-minor was entering from the other side! The Council received constant encouragement from the Bus Proprietor to improve the roads.
The snow season always brought in extensive work for the coaches and Mrs Maisie Darling became well known for her famous CWA trips, travelling Australia on Jetline Coaches.
During times of flood it was not uncommon for the schools to contact John to provide early transport home for the children who lived in the areas that would become “cut-off” from the township. The grader provided by Blacktown Council for roadwork in the area was known to have cleared the water for the School bus so that it could fulfill the service. It was most unlikely that any child ever missed being taken home to their parents just because there was floodwater. John would see to that.
1976 saw the extension of the Bus Service, when the Sunnyholt Road, Blacktown area was extended to include Riverstone. Riverstone and Blacktown were now linked by a daily bus service commencing at 5.30am each weekday morning and returning around 7.30pm.
The bus fleet c 1984.
At the peak in the 1970s there were approximately twenty five buses and coaches and at the sale of the business on 18 September 1984, to Rowes Bus Service, there were seventeen.
Railway breakdowns/late running would see Jetline Coaches/buses transporting people from Richmond to Blacktown regularly. The Company supplied Railway buses in between school hours in the 70s to allow for electrification of the railway line.
Buses were provided free of charge for the Sunday School run to St Paul’s Church of England at Riverstone for many years.
The McCall Garden Colony residents, enjoyed many a trip on the buses. During street parades, “Jetline Coaches” would be seen in the parade with “the boys” aboard laughing and cheering.
The patrons who attended the Olympia Theatre in Riverstone could always rely on the buses to pick them up and return them home safely.
Due to the great love and respect that John held for the township and its residents, he became involved in other aspects of the township. He has remained Patron of the Riverstone RSL Sub-Branch for approximately thirty years and was treasurer of the Riverstone Swimming Club and part of the team who obtained the Olympic sized swimming pool for the benefit of the townspeople.
The Cole family took great pleasure in assisting John to fulfill his dream to own and operate a Bus Service. It was with great pleasure they watched it become an integral part of the township of Riverstone.
Our thanks to John and Lyn Cole for the information for this article. More detail about the bus service is available at the Bicentennial Museum.
Items in the Windsor & Richmond Gazette in the early 1920s show the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade in existence in Riverstone. The Brigade closed after a period of time and in this article, Ernie Byrnes documents the formation of the Brigade in the 1940s.)
In the Windsor and Richmond Gazette of 22 December 1943 it was stated that a St. Johns Ambulance Brigade was to be formed. Albert Keegan to be Superintendent, Pilton Marlin to be Ambulance Officer, Fred Purvines Treasurer and J. Mason as Secretary.
The Brigade was officially formed on 20 January 1944 and was allocated the Number 47, thus it became a Division of the St. Johns Ambulance Brigade. This number was worn on each shoulder of the uniform.
During the early years, the Brigade used the C.W.A. building near the railway station for its meetings and training, before moving to the Masonic Lodge and also the school in Garfield Road .
My Uncle Pilton Marlin asked me to join the brigade, on 7 February 1945. After doing examinations I qualified for membership to the brigade.
Each year all members were requested to have an examination to test their skills. We went to Windsor to what was, back then, the Windsor Council Chambers in George Street and were examined by the local Windsor doctor, Dr. Bateman. Later our local doctors conducted the exams.
I had to go into Sydney to be measured for my uniform. The uniform consisted of a coat with a high collar closed tight around the neck, silver St. Johns buttons and an emblem “S.J.A.B.” on each shoulder and long trousers with a white stripe down on the outside of each leg. Coat and trousers were of black material. A wide black leather belt with a large silver buckle was worn outside the coat. Our hat had a peak with the S.J.A.B. emblem on the front. Later the coat was redesigned to an open neck for more comfort and we wore a white shirt with black tie and black shoes.
Each member was issued with a wooden first-aid box. This consisted of small sections containing small bottles with different items for use, such as Iodine, Salvolatile and Mercurochrome. The bottom held slings and bandages. The box was sturdy and used as a seat on the sideline at events.
Tourniquets were used for snake – spider bites. There was a small hollow container made of wood. On one end it had a sharp metal scalpel, the other end was hollow and contained “Condies Crystals”. In the event of snake bite the tourniquet was applied to stop the flow of blood and stop the poison from reaching the heart. The bite was then cut open with the scalpel and the condies crystals was put into the cut. [This method is banned these days]. Another early practice was to suck the venom from the wound [also banned].
The kit also contained several St. Johns slings for fractures and limb support and also assorted small bandages. In the lid of the box there were good quality scissors and tweezers. There was also an eyewash vessel, which was necessary because, back then, football sidelines were marked using lime mixed with water.
We carried a water bottle over the shoulder and a small canvas bag about six by four inches in which was cloth material saturated with water. This was applied to an area such as a kick injury, and was referred to as “Magic Water” as it seemed to miraculously get the person mobile again. Smelling Salts were used if a person was knocked unconscious and this was an effective reviver.
We attended as many sporting events as possible, both local and away or to whoever requested our services. Being a voluntary organization we sometimes could not assist.
Rosehill racecourse was a regular event visited. The main events attended were the local football matches, home and away. I was asked to travel with the local team wherever they played and to look after them. The Hawkesbury Agricultural College at Richmond had their own football days that we attended.
On football training nights I was asked to attend and massage the player’s leg muscles after training, I had a special mixture for rubbing that we made ourselves from components bought at the chemist. It was Uncle Pilty’s own formula.
The highlight of my attendances was when Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip paid our country a visit during 1954 and a parade was held through Sydney streets. All available St. John personnel were mustered for the occasion. I was fortunate to be stationed at Broadway in front of a very large crowd and managed to get some photos as they passed by. When the parade was over we were sent to Bondi Beach for the surf lifesaving carnival which had been put on in her honour and at which the Queen was in attendance.
For the Queen’s parade and Bondi carnival we didn’t take the wooden first aid box as it was too cumbersome to carry amongst the huge throng of people. Instead we were supplied with a calico bag, slung over our shoulder and carried just the necessary items, mostly to treat people who fainted.
Some of our members came from Windsor and, because of the travelling, they decided to break away and form their own brigade at Windsor. We carried on for a number of years. Eventually our brigade later closed on 31 December 1952, due to lack of members.
Records supplied from the St. Johns Ambulance Archives in Sydney. – Riverstone Division
Date of Formation of Division. 20 January 1944.
Surgeon – Dr. M.A. [Molly] Lapin 1944 – 1945. Surgeon – Dr. J. F. Boag 1946 – 1952.
Superintendent – Albert Keegan and 12 members.
The Division met at the Public School Riverstone.
In the 9 years of the Division’s existence the members:
Attended 3,202 casualties on Public Duty.
Attended 5,207 instructional meetings, drills and inspections.
Officers and members of St. John attended Divisional meetings either weekly or fortnightly to practice and to arrange attendances at public duties.
Inspections of Divisions were carried out annually by Senior Officers.
The Annual inspections of all Officers and Members of St. John in New South Wales were performed at Government House by:-
Lord Wakehurst Governor of N.S.W/ – Major-General S.R. Burston, Director-General of the Medical Services of the Commonwealth Military Forces.
1947 1948 His Excellency Lieut-General J. Norcott Governor of N.S.W. The Governor-General of Australia the Rt. Hon. W.J. McKell.
Lieut-General F.H.Berryman, Eastern Command.
Lieut-Governor and Chief Justice of N.S.W. The Hon. K.W. Street.
His Excellency Lieut-General Sir John Norcott Governor of N.S.W.
In 1982 I was renting a flat at North Ryde. I had held an ambition for many years to learn to fly, and a work colleague, Janet Dicker, had introduced me to the Schofields Flying Club where she flew. I drove out to the airfield every second weekend for my lesson and enjoyed the pleasant semi-rural atmosphere of this little-known part of Sydney. Flying here was good value for money since without the congestion of Bankstown you got more “time in the air” for your dollar.
One day I thought about my position – “Jon, you are 32 years old and if you are ever going to buy a place of your own you must knuckle down and save a deposit.” The biggest sacrifice I had to make was to give up the flying lessons – although I enjoyed the flying, it was a very expensive hobby. I had flown about 30 hours in all, about 15 of those solo, and was happy with what I had achieved.
Within a year I had scraped a deposit together and had to decide – where to buy? For the amount of money I could afford to borrow I had two choices – either a one bedroom flat in the area I was renting, or a modest house in an outer suburb. A consideration was that I like fiddling with cars and needed decent garage and workshop space. After much debate I decided on the house and thought of the Schofields/Riverstone area that I knew from my flying. I saw Driscoll and Reid at Riverstone and specified a double garage. They showed me a house in Advance Street, Schofields. It had everything I needed and a deal was done. I moved in during August 1983.
A couple of early impressions were the “farming” smells that often permeated the suburb when a market gardener was putting fertilizer on his patch, and the friendliness of the local people – I would be walking down to the shops and would pass a stranger – they would usually say “g’day”. You don’t get that in other parts of Sydney! A few months after I moved in there was a huge storm one afternoon (early 1984 I think) and I arrived home to find the street littered with broken trees. Residents were out in the street comparing notes on damage sustained. Luckily I only suffered a few broken tiles. I believe the Weather Bureau, after investigation, classified this as a tornado.
A quaint local custom that took me by surprise on my first Christmas Eve in Schofields was the Bushfire Brigade’s Santa Claus tour of the streets giving gifts to the children – a wonderful event. I have been told this is a common practice in country towns. Then on New Year’s Eve the Brigade did a raucous couple of laps at midnight with lights flashing and sirens blaring!
A story about the disappearing apostrophe. Many Railway publications, even up till fairly recently, showed the name of the station with an apostrophe i.e. “Schofield’s”. Historically this makes sense, since the name is a contraction of “Schofield’s Siding” as it was originally known, but the official name of the suburb does not have the apostrophe. The station was upgraded around 1990 with much fanfare and I noted that the brand new station sign included the apostrophe. A few days later, perhaps after the Minister had done the Grand Tour, the offending punctuation mark had been painted out. This now left a gap between the two letters and didn’t look quite right. A couple of weeks after that a brand new sign appeared, without the rogue apostrophe!
The local shops haven’t changed much in my time – there used to be a small general store with a petrol pump opposite the Bushfire Brigade – there are townhouses on the site now. What is now the bakery was then a butcher’s shop.
The bottle shop had much more character in those days. It was still “Alpino Liqueurs” under the ownership of Geatino De Chellis. Geatino won a swag of awards for the liqueurs made in his small brick workshop at Schofields and had displayed them at the Milan Wine Show in Italy. In 1977 he won the Gold Mercury International Award. He remained little known in his own country however. My father recalled seeing him interviewed on the Don Lane show on television – Geatino and Don became quite tipsy sampling the potent brews! I would often take visitors coming to Schofields for the first time down to Alpino Liqueurs to sample the fiery concoctions.
The Flying Club staged some famous airshows in the late 70s and early 80s. These were a remarkable achievement considering the small size of the club. A temporary platform was constructed by CityRail at the airfield to make travel to the shows easier. A legendary incident (which I did not see myself) occurred when British Airways were invited to do a low pass over the airfield with a Boeing 747 during one show. The Captain got a bit carried away and came down to within a few feet of the runway with undercarriage down and flaps extended. A couple of Club members standing right next to the runway reportedly hit the dirt. The Captain was rapped over the knuckles for his exuberance and demoted to First Officer for a few months.
At one show I saw a B-52 bomber which the U.S. Air Force flew over especially from Guam to do a couple of passes over the airfield. Probably the most exciting display I have ever seen at an airshow consisted of about four Mirage fighters staging a mock bombing attack on the airfield. Explosive charges had been set up in the bush at the northern end of the field and were detonated to simulate a bomb strike each time a Mirage attacked. The sight and sound of the Mirages swooping in at 500 knots was unforgettable.
I must mention the Chief Flying Instructor at the Club at the time I was flying, “Kit” Carson, an ex-Indian Air Force fighter pilot who had fought against MIGs in the Korean War. He was a great character and not averse to “bending” the rules a little. I remember him “beating-up” the Clubhouse one day in a Bellanca aerobatic aircraft.
After the authorities stopped all flying at Schofields in the mid-1990s the Club relocated to Bankstown Aerodrome.
Alan Bond’s Swan Breweries Airship was based at Schofields in the mid-1980s and was often seen cruising around. The hangar is of course still there and now has many uses. It is used for T.V. and film production and has housed a practice ice skating rink for an international ice show. The hangar and forecourt were used as a rehearsal area for the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics. The hangar construction was innovative – the components of the framework were laid flat on the ground and anchored at one side. Jacks were then used to push the structure upwards in to the curved shape.
Schofields hasn’t changed a great deal in the 23 years I have lived here. The main difference is that many of the older fibro and weatherboard homes have been demolished to make way for larger brick homes and town houses. In coming years the market gardens and paddocks will sadly make way for more houses as Sydney’s insatiable appetite for expansion takes over.
On 28 April 2007, at a special ceremony at the Riverstone Football field, people gathered to watch the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the official naming of the playing fields at Riverstone after Basil Andrews. Basil was a long term supporter of Rugby League in Riverstone and the district. As our President reflected later, “It was a fitting tribute to a lovely man”. We thought that the following obituary would provide a picture of the man and why it is so fitting that the playing fields are now named after him.
This obituary, written by Bobby Lewis, assistant Secretary of the Riverstone Football Club, appeared in the Riverstone Press when Basil passed away in September 1971.
Vale Basil Andrews
The sudden and tragic death of Basil Andrews recently has taken from the Riverstone community one of its best loved and most respected members. His unselfish and tireless devotion to any task he undertook endeared him to all who came in contact with him, and a measure of the popularity and respect in which he was held was seen at the church service and in the funeral procession.
As well as personal mourners, representatives of all local Junior League clubs were in attendance, as were members from clubs in the Parramatta Junior League and Penrith District Club.
In his lifetime Basil had been associated with many organisations to which he gave that unswerving loyalty and attention that became his trademark, but perhaps the most lasting memorial to his name will be the time and effort he gave to the Riverstone Rugby League.
At the age of 16 he was a delegate to the Western Districts Junior League, he was a member of Riverstone’s premiership winning side prior to the outbreak of World War 2, and was a reserve for the Presidents Cup side that year.
At the outbreak of war he enlisted in the A.I.F. and served with distinction throughout the war. Even while serving overseas he never lost his love for Riverstone League, and donated a trophy to be competed for by young footballers in his town, still playing the game.
On his discharge from the Services he returned straight back to the community and the Riverstone Junior League, and here began an unbroken run of 25 years of dedication and work for the club.
For almost all of those years he was Secretary and was always on the executive side of the committee. For the 2 years that Riverstone amalgamated with Richmond he was their Treasurer, and on the return of Riverstone as a single club he became their Secretary again, a position he held until his untimely death.
It can be said that all the footballers in Riverstone since the War (and there have been many good ones), have passed through Basil’s hands. He was a quiet and unassuming man who seemed to bring out the best in anyone associated with him, either as a player or a fellow committeeman.
Throughout the lean years when Riverstone was struggling to field sides, Basil was almost a one man army. With the help of a few others, he held the club together, raising money one way or another to help keep the club on an even footing until they weathered the storm.
He was also an instigator of the fielding of smaller grade sides in the town and in the beginning he not only arranged transport for them to the various grounds, but he helped coach them as well.
I think he would have been proud to know that the funeral cortege passed through a guard of honour of young footballers wearing their blazers or jumpers in the colours he loved, and knew so well. In recent years while not enjoying the best of health, he still kept an unflagging interest in these younger players just as he did the senior sides.
Recognition of his work came to him in his later life. He was a life member of the Riverstone Rugby League Club and through his lifetime of work fostering and encouraging the game of Rugby League he was made the first Life Member of the Penrith Junior Rugby League, an achievement of which he and all League followers can be justly proud.
It is not so well known that he was also one of the founders of the Riverstone R.S.L. and only had to fill out the necessary forms to become a Life Member of that body. At different times he was also a member of the Riverstone Park Committee and I’m sure he gave that job the same care and attention of any job he undertook.
To me, Basil Andrews stood for all that was fine and decent in this world and certainly Riverstone is all the poorer for his passing. Generous to a fault, he was intensely proud of his town and his country, Through his unassuming ways he had a host of friends, and I was honoured to be among them.
His death not only leaves a gap which is irreplaceable, it leaves many of us without wise counsel and a true friend. From this can be said of Basil, to live on in the hearts of those we left is not to die.
Kate [1882-1970] is second from the left and next to her [with glasses] is her sister Cecilia [1877-1969].The above photo was taken while Kate Mason was at Teachers College. Both went on to become teachers, as did quite a few of the Masons – I have always put this down to the influence of James Cusack the Nelson Denominational School teacher who had married into the family.
Kate spent time in the country before returning to the family home in Marsden Park. Cecilia married Jack Keayes and moved to the north coast. However, they later returned to Marsden Park and built a new house next to the old Mason house. My memories of them are as a very young boy and I thought that both were quite formidable, although I think that Kate was very kind hearted and the mainstay of the old Marsden Park Masons. In fact I named my daughter after her.
When Kate retired in 1946, an article on her farewell appeared in the Cumberland Argus.
MISS K. MASON RETIRES
Forty-five years ago, slim, red-headed Kate Mason, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mason, one of the pioneer families of the Riverstone district, graduated from the Hurlstone Training College as a public school teacher.
Now, after a busy life spent in various centres in N.S.W. Miss Mason, who has been the headmistress of the Infants’ Department of Parramatta North School for the last seventeen years, has resigned from the Education Department, and, to the delight of her family and her big circle of friends, will settle down in her home town.
Silver hair and a dignified carriage add to the charm of the popular teacher, whose heart is as young as when she was a school girl brimming over with the joy of living.
Mr. F. E. Armstrong (headmaster) and Mrs. Armstrong, staff members, past and present pupils, and members of various organisations attended a recent farewell party to Miss Mason…
