Old Farts Memories

jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Mi
Dragon David said:
No Ritchie. Would have been nice to have grown up and be living in the area called by Peter Peters as "God's Country". But I was born in St George Hospital in 1947, the year in which the mighty Dragons finished in 4th position securing a spot in the finals but were beaten by the Western Suburbs Magpies in the elimination match.

My parents migrated to this Country escaping a war torn area overseas. My Mum and Dad travelled with my sisters who were 5 and 3 via a sea liner and arrived in Sydney and two weeks later I was born and I proudly call myself an Australian.

I lived in the Hurstville area (a Dragons area) initially as a babe and then the family moved to an inner suburb of Sydney called Pyrmont (a Tigers area) and I grew up in that area and attended the Ultimo Public School to year 6 (1958) - The one thing I can still remember when I was 8 or 9 at Ultimo PS, the deputy headmaster gave me a kick up the arse for not looking hard enough to pick up any litter on the ground at assembly (the bastard). We then moved to a mixed business shop in Camperdown which my Dad and Mum ran (so I do really know the goodies like triple treats ice cream and chiko rolls as we had them in the shop) and by the time we arrived at the shop there were 6 siblings in the family ( 2 older sisters, myself and 3 younger brothers) and I went to the Camperdown Public School for the balance of 1958. For High School in 1959 I was enrolled at Newtown Boys Technical High up to the Intermediate Certificate level - the really one bad thing that I experienced there was getting the cane for not passing a business studies test (another bastard of a teacher) and in 1962 went to Enmore Boys High to obtain the Leaving Certificate which I completed in 1964. I had a gap year in 1965 helping out in the family restaurant in King St City and in 1966 started working full time with the then Postmaster General's Department.

I started following the Dragons in 1958 (aged 11), a couple of years after the start of their 11 straight grand final wins. That was the beginning of my die hard love of the RedV, through thick and thin up to this day - 68 years later.

.......to be continued..
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Migrated from where?
 
jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
blacksafake said:
Annandale
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Grew up in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, attended St Cuthberts and Matrys primary school. Emigrated to Australia in October 1969. Starter following the Dragons in 1970.

Lived and grew up after leaving East Hills Hostel in Liverpool area. Went to Busby High, then moved to Liverpool Boys High. Some handy footballers were at that school, Geoff Gerard was in his last year and was in the same year as the Guru, Eric Groath.

Played junior football for Mounties played against the zip zip man Steve Ella to name one.
 
D

Dragon David

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
Grew up in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, attended St Cuthberts and Matrys primary school. Emigrated to Australia in October 1969. Starter following the Dragons in 1970.

Lived and grew up after leaving East Hills Hostel in Liverpool area. Went to Busby High, then moved to Liverpool Boys High. Some handy footballers were at that school, Geoff Gerard was in his last year and was in the same year as the Guru, Eric Groath.

Played junior football for Mounties played against the zip zip man Steve Ella to name one.
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What made you start to follow the Dragons Joe? Playing for the Mounties (Eels), grew up in East Hills (Bulldogs) and going to Busby High (Bulldogs) then Liverpool High (Wests)? My choice of the team at age 11 was for the Dragons because I was born at St George Hospital even though I only lived in Hurstville as a babe and grew up in the Tigers catchment area of Pyrmont it was where I was born that made me decide to follow the Dragons plus of course they had been the flavour of a few years as premiers.

It would have been pretty good playing against Steve Ella and seeing Geoff Gerard and Eric Groth excell for the Eels as well as of course the zip zip man.

I hope your safari is going well and enjoying a good break over in South Africa Joe.
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Dragon David said:
No Ritchie. Would have been nice to have grown up and be living in the area called by Peter Peters as "God's Country". But I was born in St George Hospital in 1947, the year in which the mighty Dragons finished in 4th position securing a spot in the finals but were beaten by the Western Suburbs Magpies in the elimination match.

My parents migrated to this Country escaping a war torn area overseas. My Mum and Dad travelled with my sisters who were 5 and 3 via a sea liner and arrived in Sydney and two weeks later I was born and I proudly call myself an Australian.

I lived in the Hurstville area (a Dragons area) initially as a babe and then the family moved to an inner suburb of Sydney called Pyrmont (a Tigers area) and I grew up in that area and attended the Ultimo Public School to year 6 (1958) - The one thing I can still remember when I was 8 or 9 at Ultimo PS, the deputy headmaster gave me a kick up the arse for not looking hard enough to pick up any litter on the ground at assembly (the bastard). We then moved to a mixed business shop in Camperdown which my Dad and Mum ran (so I do really know the goodies like triple treats ice cream and chiko rolls as we had them in the shop) and by the time we arrived at the shop there were 6 siblings in the family ( 2 older sisters, myself and 3 younger brothers) and I went to the Camperdown Public School for the balance of 1958. For High School in 1959 I was enrolled at Newtown Boys Technical High up to the Intermediate Certificate level - the really one bad thing that I experienced there was getting the cane for not passing a business studies test (another bastard of a teacher) and in 1962 went to Enmore Boys High to obtain the Leaving Certificate which I completed in 1964. I had a gap year in 1965 helping out in the family restaurant in King St City and in 1966 started working full time with the then Postmaster General's Department.

I started following the Dragons in 1958 (aged 11), a couple of years after the start of their 11 straight grand final wins. That was the beginning of my die hard love of the RedV, through thick and thin up to this day - 68 years later.

.......to be continued..
Click to expand...
Terrific stuff David. That is what I call a complete account of your early years. Mate teachers had total freedom to use the cane back then. They called it implementing discipline. These days caning would be banned as unessesary cruelty.
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Dragon David said:
started following the Dragons in 1958 (aged 11), a couple of years after the start of their 11 straight grand final wins. That was the beginning of my die hard love of the RedV, through thick and thin up to this day - 68 years later.
Click to expand...
Only a few yrs before me David. I had just turned 8 and I knew nothing about the Dragons but I loved their jumper with the big Red V emblazoned on the white background. My brother was following the Eels back then so he told me to follow Saints so we'd have a rivalry. Supporting a footy team also gave me an outlet away from the loneliness of that school. That and listening to music on my crystal set.
 
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jodragon40

jodragon40

Staff
Dragon David said:
What made you start to follow the Dragons Joe? Playing for the Mounties (Eels), grew up in East Hills (Bulldogs) and going to Busby High (Bulldogs) then Liverpool High (Wests)? My choice of the team at age 11 was for the Dragons because I was born at St George Hospital even though I only lived in Hurstville as a babe and grew up in the Tigers catchment area of Pyrmont it was where I was born that made me decide to follow the Dragons plus of course they had been the flavour of a few years as premiers.

It would have been pretty good playing against Steve Ella and seeing Geoff Gerard and Eric Groth excell for the Eels as well as of course the zip zip man.

I hope your safari is going well and enjoying a good break over in South Africa Joe.
Click to expand...
Believe it or not England's national flag is a white background with a red cross. In Cape Town at moment enjoying cultural dinners and shows. Actual safaris start next week. Cheers
 
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RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Dragon David said:
I had a gap year in 1965 helping out in the family restaurant in King St City and in 1966 started working full time with the then Postmaster General's Department.
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As a postman? My first job was in photographic sales as I was a camera nut having covered family gatherings. Within a yr I was developing my own work, had purchased a flash new camera and had plans to be a professional photographer. I lucked in a yr later when I found a cadet job in a photographic studio. I was as happy as larry, that was until my expensive but uninsured camera was stolen and then the company that ran a photographic course I was doing went bust. After that I kinda fell out of love with photography. Besides my mother was trying to get me a journalism cadetship with a newspaper which I had to accept. For about 18 mths I was little more than a slave for that paper. Only once was I able to go out on a job and even that was with a senior journo. I left and went back into sales, this time with Nock & Kirby with which I actually played footy on the weekend. After that I bagged a job with David Jones department store in Broadway where I stayed for five yrs after being promoted to 2 ic of their hi fi department. I also joined their traveling drama group and that was where I got a taste for acting and took to it like a duck to water.
 
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D

Dragon David

SGI NSW Cup
RedVHeartbeat said:
Terrific stuff David. That is what I call a complete account of your early years. Mate teachers had total freedom to use the cane back then. They called it implementing discipline. These days caning would be banned as unessesary cruelty.
Click to expand...
Thanks Ritchie. I have still to complete it at another time.

They gave out canes in those days like nobody's business. Some kids used to have competitions on who would get the most on a day - I read there was a kid who had the record of 21 cuts of the cane - hands must have been bruised forever. Remember the milk breaks they had at primary school? I hated it as the milk was warm and disgusting and tasteless.
 
D

Dragon David

SGI NSW Cup
jodragon40 said:
Its actually called the flag of St George, the cross is called the St George Cross. That was good enough for me. My first game in 70 I saw was at Kogarah oval 3 train rides away from where I lived with Dad at Liverpool.

Saw Changa, Billy Smith, Barry Beath Phil Hawthorne, Johnny Peard to name a few. It was mid season game we flogged the Eels
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Yep. Good reasons why you became a Saints supporter.

Something that you will never forget Joe. We had the best didn't we? What a time.

Even the Taj Mahal was the envy of the League world.
 
RedVHeartbeat

RedVHeartbeat

SGI NSW Cup
Dragon David said:
Thanks Ritchie. I have still to complete it at another time.

They gave out canes in those days like nobody's business. Some kids used to have competitions on who would get the most on a day - I read there was a kid who had the record of 21 cuts of the cane - hands must have been bruised forever. Remember the milk breaks they had at primary school? I hated it as the milk was warm and disgusting and tasteless.
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I only had the one yr at Engadine Primary then the B junior school, both served warm milk at recess. How difficult would it have been to put the milk crates in a cool place rather than leave them near or even in the sun.

To be honest the education side of that boarding school was not that bad, firstly the Cropley primary level school and later Westmead High where I actually felt like a normal boy and could play normal sports and buy normal food at the tuck shop. What were your favorite tuck shop eats?
 
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D

Dragon David

SGI NSW Cup
RedVHeartbeat said:
As a postman? My first job was in photographic sales as I was a camera nut having covered family gatherings. Within a yr I was developing my own work, had purchased a flash new camera and had plans to be a professional photographer. I lucked in a yr later when I found a cadet job in a photographic studio. I was as happy as larry, that was until my expensive but uninsured camera was stolen and I kinda fell out of love with photography. Besides my mother was trying to get me a journalism cadetship with a newspaper which I had to accept. For two yrs I was little more than a slave for that paper. Only once was I able to go out on a job and even that was with a senior journo. I left and went back into sales, this time with Nock & Kirby with which I actually played footy on the weekend. After that I bagged a job with David Jones department store in Broadway where I stayed for five yrs being promoted to 2 l c of their hi fi department. I also joined their traveling drama group and that was where my love for acting was born.
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I didn't work at the PMG's Department as a postman Ritchie. I worked in the administration handling all forms of public service functions in the motor vehicle and mechanical aids Section used by all Engineering and Postal establishments in NSW. Working my way up the ladder in acquiring and leasing properties for the Organisation which subsequently was split into both Telecom and Postal Commissions. I remained in the Telecom Commission which is Telstra today until I decided to take a redundancy to help out with my finances after 2 divorces (one with no child, the second with a son) and spending my time with my one day 3rd spouse who I have been with for 35 years and is 20 years my junior bearing 2 sons who are now in their 30's. After being unemployed for a couple of years, I started a new career as a Property Manager in a number of Agencies in and around Sydney and a period in England - that is when I did become a postman for a year sorting, delivering, driving mail vans etc in the Milton Keynes area through hail, rain and shine and wind. Now I am retired and spending too much time on the Forum hahaha!

Your career has been varied Ritchie - photography would have been rewarding a pity your camera was stolen. I can remember Nock & Kirby - There used to be a handyman come on TV for them - He was Joe the Gadget Man - remember him? Then your days in retail selling hi fi for DJ's. Did you manage to get any roles in acting on stage, TV at all?

I did a stint in 1972 as an extra in the Channel 9 series called Spyforce and I've appeared in a beef ad, been an extra in the movie Penguin Bloom with Naomi Watts and Jackie Weaver and extras in other movies and ads. Not my cup of tea really.

Anyway, I have spent too long writing my stuff and I still have my other to do one day.

Cheers.
 
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