More memoirs

Mum thought I had brains, and thought I should take up school teaching. So I enrolled at Marist Bros. Lismore to study for a teachers exam which came on later in the year, October. It was for admittance to Hereford House which was a training college at the time. It was a competitive exam and only 30 or 40 of the top markers were admitted. This was all they could accommodate. The came on but I wasn’t among the chosen few. I don’t want to make excuses but I was a sick boy at the time. The exam was on Wednesday and by Thursday morning I was covered in measles. However as it worked out maybe I was better off to have failed. While going to school I boarded at Navin’s boarding house. There was a motor mechanic boarding there too with his young wife. I used to admire his dirty hands and finger nails, he would drive a car home to lunch and all this appealed to me. So instead of persevering with teaching I persuaded my parents to let me try my hand at the automotive industry. We canvassed the local garages of which there weren’t many, But no one wanted me. Then there was a place in north Lismore, Denny and Son.

They called themselves Coach and Motor Works. The motor part appealed to me. They said they intended entering the automotive side sometime and gave me a start. I spent two weeks striking for the blacksmith. Then one day they sent me in a horse and buggy over to Coates Garage to pick up some petrol tins. By the way bowsers were few and far between in those days and petrol was mostly sold in four gallon tins. Coates had a premises not too elaborate in Woodlark Street behind Quilty’s Tailor’s shop. I didn’t know it existed till now. So I enquired if they could use a lad my size. He had agencies for various trucks. Trucks in those days ran on solid tyres . The rubber was moulded onto a steel band which in turn was pressed into a corresponding steel band which went to make up the wheel. He had a one hundred ton hydraulic press with which he preformed this pressing operation as tyres wore out and had to be replaced. To be sure the tyres would press on tightly without any packing it had to be measured with the wheel. He was in the process of taking this measurement when I asked for the job. He said “what’s half of one eighth” I said “one sixteenth” He said “what’s a third of a sixteenth” I said “a forty eighth” He said “you can start on Monday”.
Just think if our dad had been sent to the store in front he could have answered similar questions and become a tailor.

So I started a career. He paid me ten shillings a week with the promise of a raise of 2/6 two shillings and six pence every three months. This arrangement worked well for the first twelve months when I was due for one pound. However my dad was still paying my board, although I was keeping myself otherwise. So I appealed to the boss to make it thirty shillings that I might relieve my dad of his responsibility and pay my own board. He thought that big of me and agreed to co-operate. I felt very proud to be self supporting and no longer a burden on my parents. He was really good to me and really treated me like a son. He’d send me to his home to help his wife move some furniture, or whatever she might want help with. He had a shack at Evans Head and later when I had a drivers licence I’d take her and the family there and pick them up again in an old Talbolt car.
When the armistice was signed in 1918 we celebrated for two days. I drove a two ton Star truck table top with seats on the back and a load of boys and girls around Lismore. We stopped in front of the various hospitals and places where people were assembled and sang the current war songs. “boys of the Dardenelles” “Tipperary” etc.I recall now an occasion very early in the piece when I was very green, he took me to Kyogle to tow back a two ton truck. I had to steer the thing and generally control it and so not run up the back of him. It was pretty hectic as I doubt I had ever sat behind a steering wheel before. However we made it alright.

In about 1919 a schoolteacher chap was transferred from Lismore to Inverell. He wanted his furniture shifted so Coates agreed to transport it by road in a Reo Truck. This type of transport was unheard of in those days. He took me with him as a spare driver. He also took a big strong chap whose name I’ve forgotten, in case we needed a strong man along the way. We’ll call him Jack for the sake of convenience. We spent the first night in Tenterfield. After tea Jack and I went down the street. We met up with Sam Allingham. Sam was a pretty rough type and drove the mail lorry Tenterfield to Casino. We went into the pub. Soon after a chap came in looking for a bed. He was pretty full. The barman told him he didn’t have a bed. The chap pulled out a roll of notes to prove he could pay, but still no bed. Sam decided, this was too much money for a drunk to be carrying around, and thought we should follow him. However I wouldn’t be in that and went back to our own pub. Whether or not they got his money I don’t know. Anyway we took of again early next morning. It was cold July weather so before we left Coates gave me a whiskey and milk. I thought it the best thing I ever had. So we delivered our load to Inverelle in due course and arrived back in Lismore none the worse off for the experience. During all this time I boarded at Navins and became almost one of the family. Ted Navin decided to get married and called on me to act as best man. Bid Navin also tied the knot and called on my services. Likewise a mate Jack Connelly called on me to do the honours. These were all small shows with only the participants involved.

Later in Murwillumbah, Jack “?” I’ve forgotten his name, another mate, had me officiate at his wedding. Likewise my cousin Phill Ripps called on my services. These latter two were sit down affairs with all the trimmings, making five appearances in all, before I took the plunge myself. The Navin Girls and I were good mates. Ada played the piano and I still played the fiddle. We had a lot of fun. If we heard a new tune at a dance we wrestled with it till we got somewhere near. We enjoyed the same circle of friends and went to all the local and near country dances. Waltzing competitions were the rage at the time and Ivy always competed. While never winning we were never unplaced. If my brother Mat was dancing he usually won. I remember one night three couples were left on the floor comprising Mat and his partner whose name by the way was O’Keefe although no relation. Phil Spillane dancing with my sister Mary and Ivy and I. Mat was still there after we other two couples were asked to sit down.

Whew almost to the end of page 5 and isn’t the hint of romance spicing the plot. I’m so glad at last to hear Mat mentioned, I was beginning to despair that he had forgotten his brother. Seems I don’t have to be so embarrassed about dancing, not my fault it’s in the genes.