This was sent in 1993 by Robert CUST to the Western District Dictionary of Biography Project. He had asked that a copy be sent to the Warrnambool Standard Newspaper, who suggested that it go to the Warrnambool Library, where a copy is now kept.
Childhood
My first memory was the minor earth tremor in Warrnambool when about 3 years old. Altho� I can remember the houses I lived in then, I have just the vaguest memories of my mother who died at the age of 35, even tho I lived with my parents for several years in Port Fairy and my brothers and sisters. and again for several years when my
father remarried in 1911. I was mainly brought up by my Grandmother in
Warrnambool, which probably accounts for my not remembering my mother. I was always fascinated by seeying sailing ships coming into the harbour, laden with timber from New Zealand for the 2 big box factories in W�Bool. Abbeys factory in Sth W�Bool & McLennans near R S in Western reserve. Practically all goods were packed in wooden boxes & some produce in jute bags. When a ship was approaching the harbour, the lighthouses used to hoist a huge black ball on the flagpole. Later on, the steamers Casino and Eummeralla (?) used to berth at the breakwater & conveyed by goods train to the huge good sheds at W�Bool Railway Station.
Schooling
Apart from the brief periods spent at Port Fairy, the rest of my education was at the W�Bool State School. And I left school when aged 14. And worked at Reeds Newsagency in Timor St. I worked 6 days per week for 10 shillings. Working hours then were 48 weekly.
Employment
I joined the PMG Dept as telegraph messenger in 1916. Stamps were then 1 penny, telegrams within 16 miles, 9 pence within other areas in Victoria 1 shilling, interstate 1 shilling & 4 pence, for 16 words in each category. Later, I was appointed Telephonist, operating the manual exchange, using plugs, & recording calls on cards with 1 stroke for each effective call. Other calls had to be booked with the respective exchanges. Installation of telephone cost �3 pounds. All services were under the control of the PMG, a Minister in Cabinet.
Lighting
Altho there was gas produced at the Gasworks near the railway Station, only those who could afford it had it installed, using incandescent globes, most relied on Kerosene Lamps and candles. A lamp lighter on horseback operated the street lights, using a long pole with a hook, to pull the pilot light & get lights operating.
Communication
News throughout Australia was by morse telegraph and from overseas by cable. Press reports used to be on view outside the W�Bool Standard. There was no radio or wireless until the 1930�s.
Marketing etc.
All foods had to be weighed and bagged, - often orders were picked up & later delivered. The milkman called & scooped out the required quantity from a big can. Bakers, Butchers & other providers of goods called to the door. Hawkers were prevelant, selling rabbits etc at a cost of 1 shilling a pair for rabbits. The chinese were the main group of non Australians & grew most of the vegetables in Russells Creek and Spring Gardens. They also had a laundry in Lava St & a few fruit & vegetable shops.
Prices
Prices of everything were low, but of course wages were also low, just a few examples - Leg of Lamb 2/6 to 2/11. Potatoes up to 4/- a huge bag, Icecream 1 penny a cone - bag of chocolates, 2/- all drinks very cheap, beer 11d bottle, soft drinks 3d a bottle. Currency was pounds, gold sovereigns, & half sovs, half crowns (2/6) 2 shillings, 1 shilling, sixpence, threepence, pennies & halfpennies, even farthings.
Storage
No refrigeration, for early part of century, and perishable goods kept in Coolgardie safes, and butter in earthen wear butter cooler - Later on, Iceworks started & icechests became popular. There was no insect sprays, & Sticky fly catchers were used to trap
house flies & blowflies. Butchers especially had difficulty in coping with them.
Bullock Waggons
It was a common sight to see these in the streets of W�Bool. Mainly loaded with bales of wool from surrounding areas, to be shipped out by rail & ship - usually 8 bullocks per waggon.
Entertainment
Silent films, with sub titles depictured, were shown in the Town Hall, with a pianist playing the appropriate music to what was being screened. Prices were as low as 3d for front seats & 6d for those further back. Later 2 picture theatres were built named
the Capitol and Mansions. Families made their own fun, with sing songs around the piano, picnics to the breakwater, Shelly beach, Hopkins River, etc. also by boat or drays to Jubilee Park. There was 2 boatsheds, Fletts & Proudfoots & rowing boats could be hired from them.
The tragic sinking of the �Nestor�, owned by the Gearys cost the lives of 7 or 8 people - not far from Fletts. Wonderful balls were held, with 4 or 5 in the band. The balls were popular & often went on until 3 or 4 am the next morning. A beautiful supper was served in an adjoining hall, seating approx 150, often 2 sittings were required. Everyone was safe to go home in the early hours free of any fear, of personal safety. Sunday most families went for a stroll to the beaches or the Hopkins River. Thunder Point at Shelly Beach was the star attraction. The Citizens & the City bands used to alternate playing music in the gardens at Cannon Hill most Sunday afternoons.
Aircraft
The first aircraft to land at the racecourse attracted thousands, & was piloted by Basil Watson of Bendigo, later killed in crash at Queenscliff.
Quarries
There was at least 4 sandstown quarries in W�Bool, the most spectacular was Steeres quarry with the home perched on top of the quarry. Sandstone blocks were cut by saws, & the many buildings were made from these blocks. The Fletcher Jones factory, was erected on the site of a disused quarry, with huge box thorn hedges.
Livestock
Cattle, pigs & sheep were driven by herders on foot from the saleyard to the abbatoirs near showground. Many residents had cows, they were collected every morning by William Latta (?), & then returned in the afternoon after grazing at the common & then returned to owners.
Radio & Wireless
This form of communication was in the 1930�s, and became a wonderful experience for most people. Prior to this, Chrystal sets were popular.
Amenities
Washing was done in a Kerosene tin on the wood stove before the copper was available; with wood heating, ironing was done by flat iron warmed on the wood stove. As was heating the bed, with hot brick or water bottle.
Sewerage
This was started in W�Bool during the depression, which commenced in 1929 & continued for years. To earn the dole those capable of working had to work on the sewerage project, & was quite hard work, without the modern equipment now available. It was quite a big job seeing that W�Bool has many hills etc. Of course, there was celebrating when this project was completed, as well as the advent of electricity.
War Efforts
Street carnivals were the means of raising funds to provide amenities for the troops in France, for the 1st World War which started in 1914 - The women were wonderful in knitting socks & garments for the troops.
The Great Depression
This caused extreme hardship for everyone, and even surviving was a problem. The response to help those in need was marvellous & the many callers for food, was never refused. Thousands of men took to swagging around the country, to obtain food, & prepared to do any job for help received.
Racing
The W�Bool Racing Club had an address system Altho there was no radio etc. Tic tackers (?) were used by bookmakers to convey information re betting etc from the lawn to the Hill enclosure - The Hill had bookmakers, bar & eating facilities. A further charge was made to those wanting to enter the enclosure. For those wanting to enter the hill, a pass was issued for re entry to the lawn. When the hill enclosure was scrapped - thousands still go to the hill to watch the spectacular jumping races. I remember the names of outstanding jockeys & bookmakers but too numerous to mention here.
(2 lines indecipherable)
Industries
The main industries in the early years, were the W�Bool Woollen Mill, the box factories, & Nestles Milk factory, where condensed milk was made & exported. The shipping & railways were also busy places.
Pensions
When the Govt introduced pensions, the maximum was 10/- per week, but according to means, some were less. Recipients had to attend the drill hall in W�Bool once a fortnight to collect their pension. This must have been quite an effort, for some having to walk a long distance, despite weather conditions. Those who couldn�t attend the hall could receive payment at the P.O.
Public Transport
2 Steam trains operated between Spencer St & W�Bool & a single horse cab was used by passengers to & from the R.S. Seating up to 5 people. For up to about 40 people 2 horse vehicles were used to convey people to sporting fixtures such as races, football etc. and known as Drags.
Bathing
???ed sea bathing was banned & costumes had to be neck to knee. Separate dressing sheds for both sexes. The womens section was on the east side of the jetty & the men on the west side. The jetty was built to provide the pipeline into deep sea water, which was pumped from the city baths to the swimming pools situated at the foot of Gillies St.
There was separate pools for men & women & they were strictly enforced by
separation & swimmers had to remain in their own area. Hot sea baths were also available & proved very valuable & extensively used. There was 6 private cubicles attached to each pool & for the hot sea baths. Fees for use of pools or hot water baths very reasonable. Many years ago the pools & baths were discontinued, the site being filled in, and now used for other purposes. W�Bool eventually had modern pools erected on a site close to the Botanical Gardens and now well patronised and extremely popular. When the old city bathing pools were in use, classes from schools used to march there, and receive swimming lessons. Entrance fee was 1 penny. Additional charge for a private box or use of a towel. The caretakers residence of the old pools is now being used for the Warrnambool Historical Society.
Albert Park
W�Bool is fortunate to have this huge area available for public use. In earlier days there was only the Golf Course & Club and a few football games, mainly used by schools. Now there is the popular Reid oval where the main football games are played. The Golf Club is now located in South W�Bool & overlooks the ocean. It is one of the best in Victoria.
Outstanding Citizens
For obvious reasons I consider it unwise to list the names here but quite a few deserve to commemorate their names. Eccentric characters were well known during my time in W�Bool, probably the best known was �Monkey� Bellis, who was the Town Crier & had a junk yard on his premises in Raglan Parade. He was also the main seller of race books, often using a bell to attract attention.
Fires
A few very big fires occurred during the first three decades in Warrnambool. The Anglers Hotel on the eastern side of the Hopkins River was completely destroyed and never rebuilt. St Johns Presbyterian Church was completely gutted with all records & contents destroyed. With only the outer walls standing, Repairs & renovations were
undertaken & the Church restored to its former glory. The Royal Archer Hotel was also destroyed by fire, but not rebuilt in Koroit St. Newcombes timber mill was a huge fire destroying practically everything on the site, also in Koroit St.
The most spectacular fire was the 3 storied Ozone Hotel - formerly a coffee palace. Nearly all the people of W�Bool witnessed this fire. The Hotel Mansions was built on this site at the corner of Koroit & Keplar Streets. It is now known as the Warrnambool Hotel. The Mansions picture theatre & the big hall at the rear was built on the big site and the hall was widely used for dancing, concerts & other forms of entertainment. I have an enlarged picture of the original Ozone. It had a tower & huge dome at the top.
Other Items
The big W�Bool - Melbne bike races used to start at 6am at W�Bool, attracting huge crowds - now the finish takes place at W�Bool. I used to speak to the scratch men, Hubert Opperman - Harry Lamb (?), Jack Beasley & other great cyclists. Before sewerage was available, everyone had a W.C. commonly known as Dunny. The night cart called weekly, taking away the big can & replacing a fresh one. This was a hard job and one most would have shunned. The waste was buried in the sand
dunes from the jetty at the surfing beach to near the Hopkins River. The W.C.s were located well away from the house. These memories are of the early decades and the rest of the amazing things that happened since then are probably well known - Such as TV 1956, Friges, Washing Machines & dryers, travel by air, space ships, satellites, man on the moon etc.
Remarkable changes have taken place this century which I consider to be the most eventful in history, and now we are in the electronic & computer age. The communist movement has been rejected, the cold war ended, the united nations established and national bounderies altered & also new names for many countries.
Observations
Altho there has been such a remarkable change everywhere & life appearing to be much easier - I firmly believe that despite all the improvements, life earlier in this century was happier & safer. Family life was so important, crime less prevelent & discipline applied far more then than at present. As I am now in my 92nd year, I decided it may be of interest to record some of the facts in the first few decades.
Whilst my memory is capable of compiling the main outline of events that applied to the earlier days during my lifetime. I feel privileged to have lived during practically all this century. I suggest that if any of these memories are of interest & possibly published, that they be edited & placed in better sequence than I have done. There is likely to be errors, & difficulty in deciphering this record, so I seek patience & understanding. With poor eyesight it has become difficult to read & write effectively. I sincerely thank the �Lord� for his goodness in that I still have all my faculties, and in good health, except that mobility and activities are restricted. I have travelled most of the world, in long tours in 1975 & 1980.
(Signed)
Robert (Bob) Cust
6 Jackson St
Niddrie 3042
24th July 1992
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