Equestrian

by Jemma Lewis, aged nine.

In September we went to the three-day event for cross-country show jumping. We drove to Wonderland then caught a bus from there to Horsley Park.

First we sat down and watched the riders from a place near the entrance. When we were sitting there we saw a man and his horse take the jump, but they didn’t make it and the horse fell on top of the man and he broke his rib. An ambulance came and he had to go to hospital. Then we went to other parts of the jumps and saw other riders and their horses.

The jumps were very interesting, they were decorated with Aboriginal artwork, plant sculptures, water jumps and many more interesting things. One of my favourite jumps was the water jump, you would go over a jump, go down a ledge into the water, wade across, go up a ramp out of the water, straight away there would be a jump, take the jump then go on with other jumps.

It was very interesting and by the end of the day it was amazing. We went back to Wonderland on a bus and then drove home.

It was an amazing day!

Brief History Of Nichols Service Station

Prepared by Michelle Nichols from family records
and with assistance from Ern and Geoff Nichols

The Nichols family are proud of their association with Riverstone, having operated a service station in the town for 60 years. William Robert (Bill) Nichols who was born in 1903 in London and arrived in Sydney when he was nine years old originally established the business. The family settled in Richmond about 1917 and Ern, Bill’s father, (a baker by trade), ran the Nichols Bakery and General Store in Windsor Street, Richmond. On completing his schooling, Bill was apprenticed to Wally Heap, a Motor Engineer in Windsor Street Richmond. He also drove hire cars for Wally Heap.

In the early 1920s Bill started his own Hire Car Service in Richmond. Around this time, Bill’s girlfriend Florence Jennings and family moved from Richmond to Riverstone and established a poultry farm. Bill became interested in the potential of Riverstone and eventually moved there, leasing an old stable building opposite the present day Post Office in Garfield Road in 1926. This was the first motor repair shop opened in Riverstone. Petrol was dispensed from bowsers at the NSW Produce in the main street from kerbside manual pumps. Lane’s Cycle shop (located where Fred and Wavy Coulter later had their store) also had a single bowser.

Bill’s eight-seat Studebaker was often in demand. Taking persons from the train station to outlying areas such as Rouse Hill, Kellyville etc. He also transported carloads in excess of his eight seats to sporting events such as cricket, football, motor races, as well as to dances all over the district, including the Hawkesbury and Penrith areas.
In about 1927 Bill moved to a workshop partly occupied by Harry Williams the Blacksmith, on the corner of Garfield Road and Carlton Streets besides Riverstone Park, and worked long hours, sometimes seven days a week as work demanded. Two years later Bill married Florence Jennings at St. Andrews Church, Riverstone. They then moved into 20 Castlereagh Street with Bill’s parents Ern and Annie, where they lived until 1939.

Sometime before 1935 Bill purchased land directly opposite what was the Olympia Picture Theatre in Garfield Road. (The site of the old theatre is now a Fruit Shop.) This site was situated in the centre of the Riverstone commercial district. The first purpose built garage building was completed and opened in 1935. The site, long since demolished is the present site of the Commonwealth Bank in Riverstone. This site had three hand operated petrol pumps of different brands on the kerbside.

During 1939 Bill had a new ‘all electric’ house constructed and the Nichols family moved into their new home in Pitt Street, adjacent to the old Methodist Church, shortly after World War II commenced. Things became difficult as the war developed and Bill joined the Volunteer Defence Corp in Riverstone. Early in 1942 he enlisted in the A.I.F. and was a mechanic/fitter in the Australian Armoured Division, serving his time in the northwest of Australia. Towards the end of the war in 1945, he applied for a discharge, as he was very concerned with his father’s health. His father, affectionately known around the town as ‘Pop’ was at this time, 70 years of age and had looked after the business single-handed, whilst Bill was away. This was a mammoth task for a man of his age, he performed tyre repairs for cars and bikes, charged batteries and did general handyman work on broken equipment for people in the town. Pop’s biggest worry was to equal out the petrol ration tickets coping with those who were in desperate need of petrol because of an emergency, and without the necessary coupons.

Following the end of World War II, Bill signed a deal with Mobil Oil. Bill’s eldest son, Geoff (born 1930) started work at the garage and commenced his apprenticeship in 1946. As part of his training he attended Ultimo Tech. A mechanic’s apprenticeship at this time was over a period of five years. Ern (born 1932) the second eldest son, named after his Grandfather, commenced in the workshop in 1947 with a pay of £1 per week. The following year he began his apprenticeship and attended Granville Tech. His apprentice pay increased to £1-7-6 per week.

According to an account book still held by the family, many local identities utilised the business. In 1949 Dr Carroll had his Ford greased for 7/6; Frank Norris needed a new expensive headlamp for £2; Mr N. Heather bought a quart of kerosene for 9/-; Clem Kelly (trucking contractor) purchased six gallons of petrol for 17/-. Other regular customers during 1949 included Mr Penman, A. James, Mr Shillington, Charlie Fisher, Mr Turnbull and Mr Simmons.

Bill planned to relocate his business and other venues were investigated. At one stage the Riverstone Terraces came under discussion but never got very far. With foresight he eventually purchased the block next to Tozer’s old house, opposite Oxford Street and the Presbyterian Church (now Uniting Church). Bill was always game to have a go at something new and often undertook new ventures in the business. In the mid 1950s he obtained the Chrysler Peugeot agency and also sold second hand cars. At this stage rough sketches had been drawn up showing Bill’s dream of a new garage. A memory of the 1950s was when the Riverstone Meatworks petrol tanks were waterlogged and the meatworks trucks had to purchase fuel at the Nichols Garage. The queue went back around Conway’s corner, along Railway Parade.

Both Bill and Flo became very ill in the late 1950s with influenza and as a result Bill developed heart trouble and the relocation plan was set aside. Sadly Bill Nichols passed away in 1958, following a short illness, as a result of heart problems, aged only 54 years of age. He is remembered as a gentle and reliable man who built his business on integrity. As a result of Bill’s death, Ern aged 26 years, took over the running of the business. Geoff at this time was working in Parramatta. Flo Nichols, Bill’s widow was enticed to become involved in the business where she looked after the accounts and helped out with selling petrol on the driveway. A noteworthy incident took place in the late 1950s. Mobil ran the Bobby Limb’s Mobilgas Millionaire Competition. Flo encouraged George Bond, a TV repairer of Vineyard, to enter the competition on a Friday afternoon and the following week he was announced the winner. It was worth over £4,500 and included a trip to England and Europe, a Simca car, a boat with a trailer and spending money. Ern was involved with the official prize ceremony, which attracted considerable publicity, and the family business was proud to be associated with the win.

The business grew and prospered and in the early 1960s it was decided to follow Bill’s plan to relocate. The new Nichols Service Station began construction on the site in Garfield Road. It was designed in consultation with Mobil and was built by W. McNamara Pty Ltd. (The head of this well-known construction company was Bill McNamara, who was married to Flo’s niece, Patty.) From the 1960s petrol for the business was purchased from Mervyn Bassingthwaite, commonly known as ‘Bass’ of Pitt Town. After many teething problems the business opened in 1962. It boasted a modern driveway, lubitorium and pit with two extra workshop bays. To keep things going and build up the business many late nights were experienced finishing motor repairs.

Although Pop no longer worked at the Garage, he remained a popular figure at the business, where he visited daily. His visits always coinciding nicely with ‘cup of tea time’. He was often seen tottering down Oxford Street towards the Service Station at a great speed, almost unable to stop at the busy intersection of Garfield Road. In 1962 Geoff returned to the business and modern wheel aligning and balancing equipment was installed. The old Tozer house, adjacent to the garage was purchased and demolished in readiness for a new upgrade. Around this time the business became a
Proprietary Company. ‘Pop’ Ernest Nichols passed away in 1967. Patriarch of the small Nichols clan, he was 92 years old at the time of his death.

During the early 1970s extensions for the next stage of the complex were underway. The petrol at this time was purchased through Mobil Oil Australia from the Rose Hill refineries. One of the major considerations of the new construction was that it was to be built off the road, as there were plans for widening Garfield Road. Thirty odd years later and this still has not taken place. During this period, the children of both Geoff and Ern, fourth generation members of the Nichols family were working at the service station, both full time and part time. Customers were also collecting Tiki Green stamps from purchases at the Garage which could then be exchanged for prizes.

In 1974 the new Service Station and extensions were opened with much fanfare in the town. A searchlight lit up the skies and there were giveaways and prizes. The old garage was converted into workshop areas plus the two extra bays (hoist and pit) providing eight bays of a modern service centre. There were three working pits, a hoist and four other bays. The huge driveway canopy and shop front with a store room was quite progressive in the town and the industry as a whole. Larger capacity fuel tanks were also added to the new site and two islands of pumps were now available. During the next ten years there were 12 to 16 staff members employed plus casuals. Nichols Auto Centre as it was known in the 1970s celebrated 50 years in business in 1976. There were free gifts with every $3 purchase of petrol (yes $3) plus a guessing competition with valuable prizes such as a ‘portable transistor cassette player’. The people in Riverstone will remember the frustrating petrol strikes of the 1970s and 1980s when the queues of cars wound down Garfield Road, into Pitt and then Market Street.

Nichols Service Station was awarded the contract for the NRMA depot in Riverstone in 1979. This included 24-hour road service for the Riverstone district, membership and insurance. In 1980 the first payment was taken by Wendi Nichols, Ern’s daughter and made by Geoff Follett. The NRMA was a bolster at the time when business was a struggle. Then in 1985 a decision to sell the business came about. Ern and Geoff had decided they had reached the time where they either sold out or invest for a big change to go to Mobil Mart style marketing that required a big financial investment.
This was the period when service stations became self-serve and commenced selling a wide range of items.

None of the family seemed to have a lot of enthusiasm for this plan and although the decision to sell was not difficult, it was an emotional strain for the three partners Flo, Ern and Geoff who were giving up a whole way of life. The business was sold to Dan Jaworski in 1986. He renamed the business Dan’s Motors. After a short illness, Flo Nichols passed away in 1988. The Nichols Service Station retained a good reputation throughout the years in Riverstone. It was established at a time when Riverstone was still a small country town but grew as Riverstone developed. Ern remembers the way the people of Riverstone rose to the occasion in times of crisis such as war, floods,
bushfires and personal tragedies, an attitude that set Riverstone people apart.

A number of family members were employed at various times in the business including Ern and Geoff’s brother Warren (a qualified tradesman) who worked on the driveway casually, and their younger sister Janice Ham. Ern’s daughter Wendi was employed for many years on the driveway and then in the NRMA department. Geoff’s wife Gwen and son Graham worked for a number of years. Ern’s wife Joyce worked for a brief period and daughters Karen, Michelle and Tracey worked casually on the driveway for many years. Geoff’s daughter Julie and Ern’s daughter Jennifer worked for a short stage after they finished school. A number of local people were employed over the years. Some of the employees included: Archie Davis, Stan Hibbert, Gough Wilson, Ken Knobbs (and his brothers Peter and Ian) Alan Gould, Ted Thomas, John Thomas, Bill Wilson, ‘Archie’ Arthur Davies, Matthew Mockovic, Jim Flowers, Bill Burnett, Alan Brookes, Graham
Kelly, Garry Wilson, Ron Collier, Ted Vredegoor, Neville Bennett, Vic Hockley and Robert
Calvert. Part time and casual staff included Beverley Crouch, Robert Wallace, Geoff Follett, Pat Shields, Chris Soley, Ronnie Parker, Chris Thomas, Mark Keegan and Howard Lee.

Both Ern and Geoff vividly recall some of the early customers in the business. They remember some of the real ‘characters’ and pioneers of Riverstone, as well as the business people who worked so hard to make a living. Another recollection is of the various European migrants who farmed in and around Riverstone, Marsden Park and Schofields. They were hard working and brought many different ideas as well as much character to the town.

Some of the business customers included NSW Produce and Bert Lillia/Manager; Carlisles Shop and Roy Cooke/Store Manager; Riverstone Meatworks including managers Bloxsom and Gleeson; Lyle Rosenthall and Les Schilling of Rosenthall’s Store; Taylor’s Produce and Claude Schofields. Other early customers were Gerald and Rod Terry as well as the Hamilton’s from Rouse Hill House. Local doctors such as Rich, Carroll, Boag, Lapin, Wilkie, Gazzard, Dixon and Penhall plus Sister Barnes were regulars. Other customers in alphabetical order included: Jack Arnold (shopkeeper), Bill and Edna Blair (shopkeepers), Eric Brookes (bootmaker and shoe shop), Fred and Wavy Coulter, Bill Dawson, Charlie Fisher (baker), Tommy Freeman (shopkeeper), Rev Hawkins (Anglican Church), Jack Knudsen, Bill, Brian and Tom McNamara, Jimmy Martin (dairy and milkman), Connie Moulds and son Lawry (trotting breeders and drivers), Rosa brothers, Laurie Rothwell, Bill Saundercock and sons Alf and Henry, Arthur Smith and daughter Erna, Dick Stacey and children Dick, Jean, Joy and John (greengrocers), Ray Tozer and family, Visocchi’s of Cow Flats (home made ice cream), Aunt Mary Wallace, Wally Woods (businessman and trotting driver).

Those were the days…

 

World War 2 Soldiers

List of soldiers from Riverstone & district

 

Shops in Riverstone up till 1960

Including Garfield Rd North Side, Riverstone Parade & Over the Railway Line

by Riverstone & District Historical Society 2002

Garfield Road, Riverstone (at the time known as Windsor Road), circa 1907

Garfield Road – North Side

A photo of the north side of Garfield Rd coming up from the railway in c.1900 shows no shops, only vacant paddocks. There is a slab building further up the hill and Parrington Terrace is shown on top of the hill. It is not known exactly when the first shops appeared on this side of Garfield Road.

#s 1 – 5 Garfield Rd

A photo taken from the corner of Garfield Rd and Riverstone Parade in the late1 800’s shows a residence with store and Refreshment Rooms, facing the railway and set back from the corner. This shop was owned by Tom and Mrs. Schoffel, it was probably demolished in the mid 1920’s.

These three blocks, between Riverstone Parade and the lane, were part of the James estate that was sold to Bill East in 1931. Conway’s, who owned the adjacent newsagency, then bought this land in Garfield Rd. in 1940 and it remained vacant up to the 1 9509s, though they did build a tennis court on the site. It is of interest to note that these blocks up until this time had faced Riverstone Parade, it was only when Conway’s decided to sell the land to the Commonwealth and Commercial banks, the blocks were altered to face Garfield Rd.

The Commonwealth Bank built on the corner in 1950, prior to this the bank had been operating from temporary premises next door to the Post Office. In 1951 the Commercial Bank moved from No. 7, across the lane to their new larger premises at No’s. 3 and 5.

#s 7 -9 Garfield Rd.

These 2 shops were built for a Miss Shirley in 1923 and used for dressmaking and the sale of dresses and costumes. It appears she used one shop and leased the other.

The Gazette 20/7/1929, noted dentist Murray visited Riverstone each Friday and practiced in one of Miss Shirleys shops in 1929. Mr. F. Pezet was another dentist who practiced in this shop.

The corner shop was leased in 1928 to the Commercial Bank and they occupied it till 1951, when they moved across the lane.

Miss Shirley continued to use No. 9 until she retired in 1934. In 1935 it was leased to the baker Harold Wallace for a short period when he returned to Riverstone.

Garfield Road, Riverstone. Showing Miss Shirley’s 2 Shops; Nichol’s Garage and Billy Hugh’s Boot makers [Photo Courtesy of the Edwards family]

Garfield Road, Riverstone. Showing the Butchers and Chemist shops, Circa 1954.

Chemist Lyle Mitchell opened his chemist shop in 1936. He sold it in c1 944 to Chemist Earl Williams who operated it until the late 1950’s when he moved into larger new premises at No. 17 Garfield Rd.

Brian McNamara used the corner shop for his hairdressing business from 1964 to 1968. These 2 shops were demolished prior to 1979, with the present Commonwealth Bank opening in September 1980.

# 11 Garfield Rd.

In 1934 Bill Nichols, a motor engineer, bought this site and built his garage and repair shop, opening for business in 1935. The garage is remembered by many for its three petrol pumps on the kerbside, each selling a different brand of petrol. While Bill was serving in the Army during the 2nd World War, the garage was managed by his father ‘Pop’ Nichols. The Nichols family operated from this site until the 1960’s when they moved the business to the site opposite Oxford St. An ad in 1957 shows Nichols to be the local Dodge and Peugeot agent.

Bill had opened his first garage on the other side of Garfield Rd in 1926, opposite the present day post office, 12 months later moving down and over the line to the Carlton St. corner, where he operated for 7 years in part of the workshop owned by Harry Williams the blacksmith.

#l3 Garfield Rd.

It was on this site and set back from the road that George and Connie Moulds had their house and stables for their trotters. Fronting Garfield Rd were two small shops, possibly built c1 91 0. The top shop was used by the Moulds family as a fish and chip shop, although a 1928 business directory shows George Moulds with a smallgoods shop. Mrs. Harris occupied it in the 1940’s as a fish and chip shop.

WILLIAM ARTHUR (BILL) HUGHES 1890-1956

William Arthur Hughes known as Bill was born at Balmain, New South Wales, on the 6th. February 1890, and as a boy, delivered meat around the area on horseback for his father who owned the first butcher shop in Balmain.

Bill left school at an early age and went to work in a boot factory in Redfern where he learnt his trade as a bootmaker and repairer.

He opened his first shop in Glebe in the early 1920’s, moved to Leichhardt in 1929, then in 1932 moving again, he came to live in Riverstone with his wife and family of six children, two boys and four girls.

Living in the old slab house also known as “The White House” on the Western side of the Eastern Creek, Garfield Road, the family were flooded out many times. The Hanna family who also lived on that side of the creek owned this old house. The rent was Two Shillings (Twenty Cents) per week.

Employed by the Blacktown Council, Bill worked two days one week and three days the next week repairing relief workers boots, this was a type of working for the dole during the depression of the early 1930’s.

He opened his Riverstone shop in 1934 in the main street, Garfield Road, selling and repairing all footwear. Here there were two semi-detached shops built of mud bricks and owned by Mrs. Connie Moulds. Connie lived behind the shops and at the back of her house she had her trotting horse stables. Bill Hughes together with Dr. Brim Carroll and Wally Cornwell of Riverstone were silent partners with Laurie Moulds in the ownership of two trotters namely Derby Commerce and Machine Wood, they were trained and driven by Laurie Moulds, Connie’s son. Machine Wood won a race on the first night of night trotting following the War of 1939-1945. The old boot shop was a stopover for many who wanted a yam about trotters and the doings of the meat works. The shop was situated just above the Motor Service Station of W.R Nichols. (See the accompanying photograph) Mrs. Harris who also lived across the Eastern Creek had a “fish and chips” business in the second shop on the topside.

The eldest son Jim, worked with his father in the boot shop until 1940 when he joined The Royal Australian Air Force. Following Jim’s return after the War he wasn’t interested in working in the boot shop, so “Old Bill” as he was known by now, continued on alone until failing health caused his retirement in 1954. A quite family man liked and respected by all who knew him he passed away in 1956, aged 66 years.

Written by his daughter, Mrs. Anne M. Staib. March 2002

The only known occupant of the shop adjacent to Nichols garage was Billy Hughes, who arrived in Riverstone in 1932 and after a short period repairing boots for the dole relief workers, opened a boot repair business. Billy retired c1 955 and moved to Blacktown to live.

Billy is also remembered for his role at the local ‘2 up’ school of the day, and as being the part owner of “Machine Wood”, one of two Riverstone trained trotters that won at the historic first night of trotting under lights at Harold Park, lst October 1949.

Prior to its demolition the shop was used for a short period as a barber’s shop by Ron Todd.

#l5 Garfield Rd.           Appears to have been vacant till 1953

Riverstone Meat Co. opened a butchers shop here on the 5th January,1953, after they had sold their old shop over the railway line, opposite the hotel. Today (2001), it is still a butchers shop occupied by Country meats.

# 17 Garfield Rd.          vacant till 1950

Chemist  Williams  built  this  larger  shop  in  the  19501s,  moving  up  from  #9.

Today(2001) it is still a chemist, occupied by Soul Pattinson.

# 19 Garfield Rd

Jack Arnold built a mercery shop here in the mid1 950’s Today it a Delicatessen and supermarket.

#s 21 -23 Garfield Rd.        vacant till the late 1940’s.

The Commonwealth Bank built a temporary bank on this site prior to opening of the new premises on the corner of Riverstone Parade and Garfield Rd.

Allan Pfoeffer built the A & A shoe store here in 1954, though part of the shop was leased for haberdashery for several years. After serving the community for 33 years, its doors were closed on the 20th June 1987. Today 2001, it is occupied by Wilkinson’s Real estate.

#s 23 -25 Garfield Rd           vacant till 1942

The Post Office moved into these premises in 1942 from the old premises located in the railway station parcel office.

On the other side of the Pitt St. corner, a list compiled in the 1970’s by older residents shows a Frank Wheeler -Auctioneer on this site. It is not known whether the premises were located on the corner or in the Parrington Terraces shop. This is now # 39 but an advert in 1957 shows it to be occupied by Estate Agents Driscoll and Reid, at address #660 Garfield Rd.

The Terrace was built in 1883 by Joseph Parrington, who used part of it as a general store and as a butchers. Parrington at various times was described as a publican, store keeper, orchardist, and hawker. He left Riverstone in 1898. Over the years the terraces were leased to other storekeepers, but it appears to have been more widely used as flats.

# 45 Garfield Rd            built 1885?

The Hawkesbury Chronicle 14/2/1885 noted “Mr. Laws, a storekeeper has built himself a very nice house, the material being of brick -cemented; up the road a bit from the station”.

The ‘brick-cement’ comment indicates that this is the house, used as a residence for many years, then as a private hospital from 1924 to 1941 by Sister Barnes and others, and has been used as a Doctors surgery since the 1950’s.

Riverstone Parade

# 2 Riverstone Pde          vacant till 1950

Land titles show James Alison & Florence Hay as the first owners, selling to George James in 191 5. Sold to Bill East in 1931, then in 1940 bought by Conways who owned the adjacent newsagency . These building blocks were 33 feet wide and at the time faced Riverstone Parade, extending back to the lane. It was not until the 1 9501s, at the request of the Commonwealth Bank that the lots were changed to face Garfield Rd.

#4 Riverstone Pde          same as above # 2

Land titles show James Alison & Florence Hay as the first owners, selling to George James in 191 5. Sold to Bill East in 193 1, then bought by Conways in 1940.

A photo taken in 1880 shows a house and shop with a sign indicating ‘Refreshment Rooms’. The store and rooms were run by Thomas Schoffel and his wife. Next-door is the Riverstone Hotel. These 2 buildings are believed to be among the first business’s built in Riverstone, with Joe Parrington being the Publican.

When Thomas Schoffel began his butchers business, Mrs. Schoffel ran the refreshment rooms on her own. Tom had his slaughterhouse out on the Windsor Road, records show it still operating in 1916.

# 6 Riverstone Pde                  Riverstone Hotel

The first license for a hotel was issued for the Riverstone Hotel in 1879. It was single storey building facing Garfield Road near the intersection of Riverstone Parade. The book Hawkesbury Journey by D.G. Bowd, shows the licensees for the Riverstone Hotel have been; Joseph Parrington 1879-82; George Ireland 1883-92; Emanuel Joseph 1893-1909; Thomas Buckley 1910; Charles Watson 1911-1913.

In 1879 Joseph Parrington was described as the town publican, storekeeper, butcher and baker.

The corner of Riverstone Parade and Garfield Road, showing the Riverstone Hotel and Schoffel’s store and refreshment rooms, Circa 1900.

Norm Conway bought the site from George James in February 1925 and built his 2-storey brick hairdressing salon, with a residence on the top floor. Conways occupied this store until 1984, the family taking over following Norms death in 1936.

It appears that the land between Conways shop and Market St remained vacant from the 1920’s until the 50’s. Land titles show that this block was bought by George James in 1915. Little is known of any buildings on this site, if any.

It was known as Conways green and used as the site for visiting circus’s and sideshows etc. The land was bought by Dick Stacey in the 1950’s and he had the land fenced. For many years the paddock was used as a home by “Jockey” Stephens, a down and out type who slept there in all types of weather, sometimes under a sheet of iron and sometimes under sheets of newspaper. On cold frosty nights “Jockeyn was also known to have used the palings from the fence as firewood. The first shops, a cafe, a butcher and a greengrocer were built in the 1950’s and Marketown opened on the site in 1978.

Across Market Street, which in those days connected with Riverstone Parade, much of the land was owned by Henry West, who built the Cosmopolitan Hall and several terrace houses on it in 1884. In 1895 the land and buildings were sold to Emanuel Joseph who then built a store on the corner.

Harry Smith’s store, built 1900 on corner of Market St and Riverstone parade, operated by Ted Vaughan and Lionel McCutcheon in the 1920s-30s.

The W and R Gazette noted –
11/8/1900 –Harry Smith moved into Mr Josephs new shop,
2/11 /l907 –Mr. E Vaughan worked at H. Smiths store,
5/5/1922 –Mr. Vaughan bought the corner store in partnership with L. McCutcheon.

Ted Vaughan and Lionel McCutcheon continued to operate the store until the late 30’s.

Billy Brookes used the building as a billiard room during the 1 9401s, until it was taken over by Eric Brookes in 1952 as a boot repair shop. Eric and Fay operated their business from here until they moved in 1968 to their shop in Garfield Rd. The shop then became a doctors surgery for Dr. Quadri. In later years it was used by Rex and Marcia Brookes as a baby clothes shop.

Facing Riverstone Parade and adjacent to this corner store were 3 terrace houses that were originally used as shops.

In December, 1885 the Hawkesbury Chronicle noted there were ‘3 shops on one side of the Cosmopolitan hall, and a blacksmiths and wheelwright on the other’.

It is believed that the terrace of 3 shops in Riverstone Pde and the 4 shops at the rear of the hall were only used as shops for a short period. From the early 1900’s they appear to have been occupied as residences. Ern Byrnes in his article on ‘cockroach alley’ stated that the 3 terrace homes in the 20’s were occupied by his parents, a lady known as ‘Beadie’ Mary, and a Mrs. Johnston.

In the terrace of 3 shops, situated between the corner store and the hall, the only occupant we know of as a shopkeeper is a Mrs. Amour. The Gazette 25/6/1898 noted ‘Mrs. Amour opened a refreshment room in one of E. Joseph’s shops.’ The P.O. Directory 1899 notes Mrs. Amour as a fruiterer.

The Hawkesbury Chronicle on 14th February,1885 noted that Mr. West “had run up a row of small shops at the back of the hall”. The same article referred to Mr. Jeffcott in one of these shops with his boot and shoe making business.

Betty Hope, whose family lived in one of the two houses in the paddock opposite Taylors Produce store in the early 30’s, recalled one of the Alcorn families living in the back row of terrace houses. The houses by this time were in a derelict condition, and the lane was known locally as ‘cockroach alley’.

The Cosmopolitan Hall was built in 1884 for Mr. H. J. West. April 1895 saw the name changed to the Oddfellows Hall, when Emanuel Joseph became the proprietor. Land titles also indicate that Joseph bought the 3 adjoining shops. The land was sold to James Pye in 1921.

In the 1920’s Len Parry recalled the library being located between this corner store and the Oddfellows hall.

The Oddfellows hall was widely used for meetings, concerts, dances, balls, receptions etc, and the Gazette noted that in July,1893 the hall was used twice weekly for skating. Len Parry also recalled the hall being used for skating in the 1920’s and Lance Strachan recalled it used as a skating rink in the 1930’s.

Betty Hope recalls it being used by Mr. and Mrs. Onslow for the “Sunshine Circle”, a children’s club, and in the 30’s as a room for the payment of the dole.

The last recorded use of the hall was for piano lessons and for youth groups in 1940, but the exact date of demolition is not known.

On the opposite side of the road H.R. Reid built a large galvanised iron structure that opened as a Produce store on the 11th December, 1913. Taylor Bros, took over the store in 1924 and operated it until 1961 when it was sold to Steggles.

Referring to the plan of Riverstone business area below:

  1. and 2. These 2 homes were built c1 900. Families that resided in these homes include Claude and Thelma Schofield (1 920’s to 1946), the Edwards, Stubbins, Johnsons, Haywards.
  1. A cottage believed to have been occupied by the Alcorn family in the 1930’s
  1. A terrace of 4 small shops built in1 885 by Henry West who owned the nearby Cosmopolitan Hall. The only known storekeeper was the bootmaker J Jeffcott. Later years saw the rooms used as residences.
  1. The lane that in later years became known as ‘cockroach alley’.
  1. Cosmopolitan Hall built 1885 by Henry West. Bought by Emanuel Joseph in 1895 and became known as the Oddfellows Hall and library.
  1. A terrace of 3 small shops built in 1885 that in later years were also used as residences.
  1. It is believed this corner store was built in 1900 by Emanuel Joseph. The first occupant was Hany Smith, followed by Ted Vaughan and Lionel McCutcheon.
  1. The fire station, built in 1931
  1. A gal. iron shed used to store fuel.
  1. The produce store built by H.R. Reid in 191 3 and occupied by Taylors from 1924 till 1962.
  1. Originally the site of the town’s sawmills. In the 30’s and 40’s the land was used as stockyards for horses, mostly destined for the knackery at Rouse Hill. Believed to be the site of the first fire station, 1925 to 1931.
  1. The Baby Health Centre built in 1934.
  2. Riverstone Railway Station.

Riverstone Railway Station early 1900s

Riverstone Railway Station, C.W.A. Room, at right of photo.

The Railway Station

When the railway line was built from Blacktown to Richmond in 1864, a small timber platform was built for Riverstone. Also built was a brick building that housed the stationmaster, a waiting room and a booking office. At the time a siding was built to service the sawmills and in the 1880’s another siding was extended to the meatworks, it was known as Richards Siding. Two trains each way per day was the only traffic for many years.

Following the population growth of the early 1880’s a new station office was built in 1886 and this building is still in use today. Also built was a new residence for the stationmaster at the railway gates on Garfield Rd. The original station building became the railway parcels office and the town’s Post Office, a function it was to serve until 1942.

The growth of the meatworks resulted a considerable increase in rail traffic with more passenger trains, stock trains and the freight trains used to transport the meat to Sydney. Older residents well remember the stock trains lined up at the front of the works while being unloaded. For many years stock from the west was unloaded at Rooty Hill and then walked from there to the Riverstone paddocks, to be rested prior to slaughter.

Early morning saw the passenger trains bring an army of workers to the station, this army then walking along the line and Richards siding up to the works, and then back again in the afternoon. For many years the Railways provided special trains for these workers, the afternoon trains at 3.0 pm and 5.0 pm terminating at Riverstone to begin the return journey to Sydney.

At times the station was decorated for special occasions such as the homecoming of soldiers from the First World war. Storekeeper Charles Davis was well known for organising these homecomings and leading the townsfolk with ‘three cheers for our heroes’.

For the wedding of George Terry to Nina Rouse on the 24th April 1895 “the station had been garlanded with bunting and flowers”. Most of the guests travelling from Sydney were alighting at Riverstone.

During the early 1900’s when George Terry was the Master of the Hounds for the Sydney Hunt Club, special trains were used to bring the riders and their horses to Riverstone, where they were unloaded to begin the hunt in the paddocks of Box Hill and Rouse Hill. Competing along with the Sydney gentry and local riders like Frank and Bill Mason, were such famous names as ‘Banjo’ Patterson and ‘Breaker’ Morant

Arial shot of Garfield Road over the railway line in the 1956 flood.

Nichols Garage, the garage on Garfield Road in the late 1930s/40s, now the site of the Commonwealth Bank [photo courtesy of the Nichols family collection]

From the 30’s to the 50′ horses destined for the knackery at Rouse Hill were unloaded on this platform and held in the yards where the railway car park is now sited. They were then walked along Market Street up past the public school and along Garfield Rd. to the knackery.

At the station end of this yard/car park a small weatherboard building was erected as the Baby Health Centre in 1934.

“Over the Railway Line”

Being a flood prone this area has never really developed as a part of the town’s commercial centre, however it did figure prominently in the early days of Riverstone.

Riverstone’s first park was located on the land owned by the meatworks, on the corner of Richards Avenue and Garfield Rd. The land was used for sporting fixtures such as football and cricket, and surrounding this field was a racetrack used for cycling and trotting events. These grounds were used by the Riverstone A. and H. Society for their annual shows that were held in the 1930’s and 40’s.

In this area in the 1950’s the Riverstone Meat Co. built 2 tennis courts, with lights, tennis being a very popular sport in the district from the early 1900’s through to the 1980’s.

A new training track and playing fields were built on the site of the present park in the 1940’s. The old pavilion was dragged over to the new site using a truck owned by Dick

Butcher’s Row, with Neverfail Hotel, 2 storey building on right of photo.

Never Fail Hotel

The second hotel to be built in Riverstone was the Never Fail, a 2 storey weatherboard building on the park side of the corner of Carlton St and Garfield Road West. The hotel was built in 1887, the Gazette in 1889 noting that there were 2 hotels in Riverstone.

It functioned as a hotel for only ten years or so as in 1896 it appears the license was transferred to the new brick hotel that was built near the railway gates, on the corner of West Pde and Garfield Road and known as the Royal Hotel. After the transfer of the licence, it is not known what the Never Fail premises were then used for, but it may have been for accommodation. It is not known when the building was demolished.

Riverstone could boast of 2 hotels for a period of 28 years, from 1887 to 1896 -the Riverstone and the Never Fail, and the Royal and the Riverstone from 1896 until 191 5.

Never Fail hotel licensees were –

1887-96 There is some confusion on the licensees of this hotel as D. Bowds book only shows A. G. East.

Land Titles show the owner as Mary Kane from 25th ~a~ 1887, leasing it to Joseph and James Marshall. She then sold it on the lst July 1892 it to John Thomas Neale who died shortly after taking over. The lease was taken over by his wife Hannah Maria.

The W & R Gazette noted –
-1889 -1896                 J Collumb -publican
-1896 -1900                 J Wonson -” (may have been Royal)
-1989 that there were 2 hotels in the town.
-26/8/1893 publican -Mary Kane.

The Post Office Directories and Moores Almanac show licensees as –
– 1890 Emanuel Joseph Never Fail Hotel
– 1891-2-3 No licensees shown
– 1894 -5 Mary Kane Never Fail Hotel

Royal Hotel, corner of Garfield Road and West parade, circa 1905.

Royal Hotel

1896 With the building of the new Royal Hotel, it is likely the licence was transferred from the Never Fail at that time. In the period from 1896 to 1906 the Gazette notes the holding of several race meetings on the race track at back of this Royal hotel.

Royal Hotel licensees

1896-98 James Collumb 1943-51 W. Morgan
1899-03 James Wonson 1951 G. Punch
1904 Fred Kingham 1952 E. Butler
1905 Roger Glanville 1953-57 J. Shapiro
1906-07 Mary Kane 1957-61 F. Butcher
1908 Patrick Kirby 1961-62 J. McGrath
1909 -15 George James 1962 -64 G. Jefferies
1915 -19 William East 1964 -66 K. Williams
1919 -28 William East Jnr 1966 -68 E. Webb
1928 -35 Mrs. V. East 1968 -69 A. Rafael
1935 -39 Frank Hosford 1969 -70 D. Ewings
1939 -40 E. Harten 1970 -71 E. Lewis
1940 -43 W. Douse 1971 -80 L. Dawson

The hotel appears to have been extended c1930’s and was demolished in 1977 to make way for the new Royal Tavern, with the old site becoming the car park.

The Blacksmiths

Along from the corner of Garfield Rd. and Carlton St. was a coach builder and blacksmiths occupied by H. J. Williams(l), first noted in the W. and R. Gazette in 1889. It is likely that he commenced his blacksmith business prior to that date as he had already developed a reputation as a top class coach builder.

Following the death of Harry(1) in 1902 it appears Richard Parry took over the business as the blacksmith and coach builder, and soon gained a reputation for his craftsmanship. The Gazette reported Richard Parry sold the business to Mr. E. Burke and Mr. J. Stockwell on the 22nd March 191 8.

It is likely Burke and Stockwell sold the business to Harry(2) Williams when he returned from the 191 4-1 8 War. He was the son of the original blacksmith. From the 1920’s through to the 60’s Harry became widely known as one of the districts best blacksmiths.

Harry(2) passed away on the 9th October 1969.

Between the blacksmiths shop and the corner of Carlton St. were premises that Bill Nichols operated as a garage from 1927 to 1934. The Gazette 19th August 1905 noted that a bootmakers shop adjacent to the blacksmiths was occupied by Mr. Briggs.

Len Parry remembered Bill as a good mechanic who had a 4 cylinder Chevrolet motor set up and used it as a compressor to pump up the tyres, an innovative invention for those days. Bill Nichols sold this garage to Vic Knight when he opened his new garage in 1934 in Garfield Rd. opposite the Olympia theatre.

Vic Knight was the occupier of the garage from 1935 to the 701s, expanding the business to become an agency for Nuffield, selling Morris cars and trucks. He won a competition in 1962 for selling the most Mini Minors, and in later years Alf Saundercock became the manager. Many older residents were intrigued by the sign hanging in the garage, which read:

“No Swearing Aloud “

The premises were sold in the 1980’s and site became a car saleyard, with an auto electrician operating in the workshop.

On the opposite side of Garfield Rd, just through the railway gates, a double storey brick butchers shop with residence on top, was built by the Riverstone Meat Co. and opened on the 6th February, 1922. A customary practice in those days in all butchers shops was to cover the floor with sawdust from the local mills, to make cleaning the premises easier.

Staff that worked in this shop over the years were -butchers Jim Mawson, Sid Turner, Sid Jarrett, Jock Hilton, and some of the cashiers were Betty Schofield, Molly McNamara, Doreen West and Sid Turners wife Dot. The shop closed in 1953 when the company built a new shop at 15 Garfield Rd.

When the shop closed in 1953 it was leased by Jack Smallwood for a short period to sell fruit and vegetables. Jimmy Andrews was the next occupant, prior to his moving into the shop in Riverstone Pde, opposite the Railway station.

In the late 50’s it was used as barbers shop by Jack Davies and then Norm Foley and son Peter both used the shop as hairdressers. In latter years it has been used as a veterinary practice.

In West Pde next door to the hotel was the building that in later years became known as the Riverstone Markets. The date built is not known and the first known occupant is Mrs. Bottles who sold fruit and vegetables.

Bill Granger and his wife came from Ryde to Riverstone in 1934 to operate a store and petrol pump on the Windsor Road. He ran an Army canteen at Ingleburn during the war and then bought the store near the picture show from Tommy Freeman. When he sold this Garfield Road store to George Trahanas in the late 40’s he bought this Markets store near the Hotel.

He operated half the store with groceries and haberdashery and leased the other half as stalls to Freda Wallace who sold baby clothes, and to Mrs. Harpur who sold plants. In later years his daughter took over the shop and also sold hamburgers etc.

In the late 1950’s, it was used by Ambrose Driscoll, as an Auction room to sell second hand furniture and in the 60’s and 70’s it was occupied by L.S. Beck the Estate Agents. It was probably demolished in 1977, at the same time as the Royal Hotel

The Terrace, possibly the building referred to in the Gazette as Aylings Terrace, and located next to the markets is believed to have been built for C. P. Ayling in c.1889. It had several tenants over the years, but no long term ones, probably due to its isolation. Some of the storekeepers who leased in the early years were Charlie Mortley the boot maker, Mrs Becke, Mr Duffin & CO, and Mr. Drake in 191 5

It appears to have had more use as residential building, with the Walsh family living there in the 30’s. The Britton family moved from over the creek to there during the 1940’s and occupied it for several years before moving to a Housing Commission house in Garfield Road in 1949. Graham (Thrippence) Britton recalled the day of moving, as a small boy sitting on his dinky, watching his parents lowering their furniture off the verandah on to Alec Fisher’s truck.

Riverstone Commerce

Records from the Post Office Directories, Moore’s Almanac and the Windsor and Richmond Gazette list the following storekeepers in Riverstone up to 1950:

J Parrington 1879 publican & storekeeper and in 1890a butcher
Mr Jeffcott 1885 bootmaker
Hobbs & Brown  1885 butchers
J J Lepherd 1885 general
G Ireland 1885? butcher (1893 sold out after 10years)
A Williams 1886-
P J Craddock 1886-
W Bankier 1886-
C J Harris 1886  
W Knight 1886 -89
C Walsh 1886 -90 produce
A Laws 1886- 91 general
G Norman 1886 bootmaker
Mr Laws 1886 general
Benny  Wood 1886-1901  general  & Auctioneer
McMillan 1886-88 general
Johnstone 1886-90 blacksmith
J. & R Rumery  1886-90 fruiterers
W Walker 1886-90 saddler
C P Ayling 1886-96 in Terrace
Nicholson 1887 -92 watchmaker 
J Aird 1888 -1901 tailor
J Links 1888 -90 general
Davis Bros  1889- 1927 general
A Smith 1889 baker
W Smith 1889 bootmaker
R S Knight 1889 draper
Bambridge 1889 general
H Williams 1889-1902 blacksmith
J & T Schoffel  1889-1920 butch/gen
W Deemer 1890 
J George 1890 baker
Krause & Gobel  1890 bakers
J Doyle 1890 butcher
T Huxley 1890 coachbuilder
Hobday 1890 general
G Hayes 1890 hairdresser
H Skinner 1890-bootmaker
F Wheeler 1891-1911 auctioneer and registrar
Mr Winter 1891-92
Mrs Becke 1892 dressmaker
Bambridge & Darling  1892 general
Merrick 1892 hairdresser
Cordial maker  1892 rear Cosm. Hall
Mrs Goodall 1893 
R J Wheeler 1893- 1918 blacksmith
Haberstrok 1893 –97 watchmaker
Bauchop 1893 blacksmith
Reid 1893 bootmaker
Leermon 1893 butcher
Atlas Jam factory  1893 commenced
J Petchell 1893 fish
Holland 1893-4 hairdresser
Montgomery 1893-99 greengrocer
P Johnston 1894 hairdresser
Wendell 1895 
C Mortley 1895-1902 bootmaker
J Bird 1895-6
Bam. & Darling  1896 take over Aylings
George Green  1896-02 general
JH Cragg 1897 Auctioneer
Bam. & Dar 1897 split; Darling only
Mr Newnham 1898 baker
Mr. Shepherd  1898 butch. cart 
T Schoffel 1898 butchers cart
Mr. Schipp 1898 butcher’s cart
Bob Gunton  1898 butchers cart 
H Wood 1898 milk cart
Benny Wood 1898 moved over railway line to Aylings
Miss Knight 1898 music & dressmaking
Mrs. Amour  1898 ref. room & gen 
H Windell  1899
G Arnold 1899 baker
P Reynolds 1899 butcher
Gray Hope Co.  1899 butchers 
Bambridge  1899 opens new store 
A & C Jarrett 1899 tailors
Joe Williams 1899 tinsmith
H Wittig 1899-1917 hairdresser
H J Smith 1900  to Joseph’s new shop
Ms. Kirwan 1900 boot shop
Buchanan 1900 chemist
W Moon 1900 ref. rooms
Miss Johnson 1901
Mr. Lee 1901 furniture
T Mangold 1902- hairdresser
Mrs Wendell   1902 wine shop
H Saundercock  1904 -27 auctioneer
Alfred Smith   1904 blacksmith
W Johnson 1905-08 greengrocer
C J Briggs 1905-1 5 bootmaker
R Parry 1905-1 8 blacksmith
F Rosa 1905-26 greengrocer
Dibley 1906- 13 hairdresser
T Schoffel 1906 -15 greengrocer
W McCarthy  1906 blacksmith 
R P King 1906-08 baker
Edwards 1909-10 baker
Mrs Donohoe  1910 ref rooms
C Gurney 1911 baker
W P Conrad 1911-15 baker
C B Jones 1911-1919 ref rooms
H R Reid 1911-23 produce
M M Cohen 1912- 23 general
C Davis of NSW 1913 -27 agent for bank
M O’Connor 1913-17 general
J Green 1913-18 tinsmith
H Skinner 1913-23 greengrocer
N Conway 1914 -hairdresser
W Griffen 1914-15 bootmaker
H R Reid 1914-23 produce
T Schoffel 1915 moved to hotel
Mr Drake 1915 to Aylings
W Wallace 1916 -29 baker
T Griffen 1916-23 bootmaker
S George 1917 bought Rosa’s greengrocer
J Posselt 1917-22 general
Burke/Stockwell  1918 blacksmiths
Edward Vaughan and Lionel McCutcheon  1918 bought H Smith’s store
R Fell 1918 produce
A Kendall 1919-20 hairdresser
W Thompson 1921 -22 blacksmith
F Storey 1921 -23 general
J Agar 1921 -25 greengrocer
Mrs Gough 1921-32 ref rooms
G Moulds 1922-34 general
Stacey/Amett 1923 -24 general
J F Foley 1923 hairdresser
Hunt Bros 1923-25 blacksmiths
Miss Shirley 1923-34 dressmaker
J Petchell 1924 -33 bootmaker
R Beutel 1924 bootmaker
H Bambridge 1924 general
C Davis 1924 hairdresser
Taylor Bros 1924 produce
J Mckenna 1924-28 produce
Aird 1924-5 tailor
H J Williams 1924-60 blacksmith
W Edwards 1926 
H Wallace 1926  baker  joins  W
H Young 1926 -30 greengrocer
W Nichols 1926-86 garage
J Hart 1927-31 general
Wyles/Jones 1927-32 tailors
W Blair 1927-60 greengrocer
Mrs Free 1928-31 ref rooms
Mrs Jarrett 1928-31 ref rooms
L Rosenthall 1929 new store
J Trenery 1929-33 auctioneer
C Fisher 1929-53 baker
Mrs Jarrett 1930-31 ref rooms
Mr Sutch 1930’s-44
Dickerson 1931 -33 general
C Knight 1931 -49 general
Morgans 1931-32 ref rooms
Moulos Bros 1932-34 ref rooms
Jarrett 1932-40 tailor
Jarrett 1932-40 tailor
Mrs. Edwards  1933-40 ref rooms
NSW Produce  1933-62
C McConnell 1934-36 agent/auct
M Power 1934-37 bootmaker
Billy Hughes 1934-54 bootmaker
Nelson Andrews  1935-40 hairdresser
R Fell 1937 agent/auct
L Brookes 1937-40 agent/auct
Mrs Roberts 1937-42 ref rooms
Carlisles 1938-general

Public Servants, Agents,etc.

Auctioneers:

1887-1900 Benny Wood
1891-1911  Frank Wheeler, also the Registrar for Births, Deaths, and marriages
1898-1908  Joseph Henry Cragg
1901-05  J.J. Smith H Saundercock
1928-34  E. Trenery
1934-36  C. McConnell
1934-40  Robert Fell

Post Masters:

Notes; Mail was collected from the railway post office until 1934, when deliveries of mail commenced to the local residents.

Telegrams were delivered on horseback, the first messenger was Claude Ireland.

1877 Post Office opened at Railway station. Mr Burge the Station Master held both positions
1879 Cornelius Rowe, Lousia Rowe and James Rowe shared the positions.
1880 -83  H.J. Addison -held both positions
1884 -86  Henry Campion -held both positions till 1886
1886 -1914 Harry Kirwan -appointed first Postmaster
1915 -17  A.B. Fenwick
1918 Mr. Gates
1919 -22  Mr. Neall
1923 -33  T.B. Davis
1934 -36  W.V. O’Connor
1938 Mr. Knox

Station Masters:

The Railway arrived in Riverstone in 1864

1870 Mr. Titterton
1877 C. Burge
1879-80 C. Rowe
1880-83 HJ. Addison
1884-97 J. Campion
1898 J. Campbell
1899-1907 W. Allen
1908-09 F. Barling
1910-13 R. Small
1914-17 Mr. Musgrave
1918-20 Mr. Butler
1921-23 Mr. Elliott
1924-25 J. Lammas
1926-36 F. Phillipson
1937-40 H. Howse

Police Officers:

1889-92  E. Grace, Constable
1893-1903  A. Grigor
1904-11  Mr. Auckett
1912-24  A.C. Crisp
1925-28  C. Clugston
1929-34  J. Gallagher
1935-40  Pyke

Doctors:

# 64 ? Garfield Road The doctors surgery records show the following Doctors have practiced in Riverstone. It is not known if they all practiced at this address.

1898 – Dr Studdy
1905 – Dr Dight
1906 – Dr. Blue
1909 – Dr. Chisholm
1912 – Dr. A Johnston
1925 – Dr. Baden Cooke
1928 – Dr. Harold George Rich
1940 – Dr. Mollie Lapin
1950 – Dr. Fraser Boag


Chemist: 

1902 Mr. Buchanan shown as chemist in PO directory
1936 Earl Mitchell, leasing the shop from Miss Shirley at 9
  Garfield Rd, opened a chemist shop
1944 Lyle Williams took over from Earl Mitchell
1961 W D  Kull  opened  chemist  shop  in  Riverstone  Pde,
  opposite station.
1958 c Lyle Williams opened new shop at 17 Garfield Rd.
1963 Lyle Williams sold to W Callanan
1981 W Callanan renovated chemist shop

 

Mulford’s Tuck Shop

by Betty Coleman and Fay King (nee Mulford)


Mr and Mrs L.H. Mulford moved to Riverstone in late 1939 with their four small children, Betty six years, Faye five, Leslie three and the new baby Roy who had been born in November of 1939.

Leslie Henry Mulford married Ruth Doreen Jurotte in 1932. For the first seven years of their married life they lived and worked in the Sydney area. Mr Mulford was a machine operator at the Sydney Woollen Mills, making blankets for our servicemen in the Second World War. Mrs Mulford was, before her marriage, a seamstress in a shirt-making factory.

Mrs Mulford’s aunty, Mrs Stella Hughes, whose husband Bill was, for many years, the local bootmaker in Garfield Road, encouraged the young Mulfords to open a shop in the town. They came directly from Dulwich Hill to Riverstone where they lived in a tin shed at the bottom of their property. This shed consisted of a dirt floor with hessian bags covering the window openings and the only door. These were difficult times for the young Mulford family, no running water, no electricity, scorching hot summers and freezing cold winters. The block of land, which the Mulfords bought for five pounds from Blacktown Council, was in Garfield Road East near the Riverstone Primary School and opposite the Masonic Hall, which today is the Blacktown City Bicentennial Museum.

Les worked night shifts at the Woollen Mills so he could spend his days preparing the land for the building of his shop. He continued to do this until they had saved enough money to hire two local tradesmen, Mr Walker from Quakers Hill and ‘Bull’ Greentree from Riverstone. Jack Jurotte, Ruth’s younger brother, and Les himself worked as the builders’ labourers. As this was the beginning of the war years, building materials were in short supply and the days of rationing had begun. Later, when the Tuck Shop was open, ration books for many necessary items was the only way customers were able to buy the things they needed.

The Tuck Shop was built, bit by bit, as money became available. The shop front was full brick, with a large display front window purchased with five pounds borrowed from Mr Mulford’s elderly parents. The back of the shop was a fibro living area consisting of two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. As more money became available a third bedroom, a dining room and a lounge room were added.

Ruth Mulford also worked very hard, caring for her four small children while cooking meat pies, sausage rolls, potato scallops, making hot dogs, apples on sticks, frozen oranges and her own milk ice blocks. Perhaps today, in the year 2001, some may still remember her toffees with a lucky halfpenny in the bottom of some of them. These were very popular as the children loved looking for the halfpenny.

As there was no delivery of goods in those days, Les had to go every Thursday to the Homebush meatworks to buy smallgoods for the following week. This he carried on his shoulders, from the meatworks to Flemington railway station and up hill from Riverstone station to his shop.

The first commercial ice cream came from Lynams’ factory in Parramatta, arriving by train in steel containers packed in padded containers called ‘shippers’, a little like our esky bags of today, only much larger. These shippers were packed with dry ice to prevent the ice cream from melting. These containers were then picked up at the station by Les and taken to the shop as soon as possible to be placed under refrigeration. During this period Les was still working night shift at the Woollen Mills
at Parramatta and Ruth was running the shop by herself during the day while Les caught up on some much needed sleep.

One day, whilst Ruth was alone in the shop, a group of Gypsies entered, asking her to cross their palms with silver and they would tell her fortune. This frightened the young Mrs Mulford and she tried to give her daughter Betty the eye and nod to go and wake Les. But Betty was only eight and failed to see the danger in the situation. Thus the Gypsies were able to take advantage of Ruth being alone and robbed the old-fashioned wooden drawer till. Boy, was the young Betty in trouble!

There were times too, during this period, when the Mulford children felt the wrath of their parents for handing out free lollies and chocolates to their many ‘friends’ through the bathroom window!

Some time later, Noons Soft Drink Factory, from South Windsor, started delivering drinks to the Riverstone shops. Their Ginger Beer and Creaming Soda came in stoneware flagons and were the best flavoured soft drinks ever! Whenever the family went on a picnic to the river at Windsor they would bury the flagons in the sand near the water’s edge to keep them cool. It was some years later that Les worked to have both Shelleys drinks and Westons biscuits start deliveries to Riverstone.

By this time Les had acquired enough finances to buy himself a second-hand Bedford truck which was affectionately known in the family as ‘Pancho’. This allowed him to give up his job at the Woollen Mills and to start home deliveries in the Riverstone and surrounding areas. During the winter months he would deliver wood, coal and coke, while in the summer he would deliver soft drinks. This was tiresome work as Les had to travel to Mortlake in Sydney to pick up the coal and coke. At times during these journeys old Pancho would ‘spit the dummy’ and refuse to work, or would throw a flat tyre, always, it seemed, with a full load of coal or coke on board.

Another trip for Pancho was to Arnotts Biscuit Factory in Homebush where Les would purchase his regular supply of biscuits for his shop trade. These biscuits came in tins of five or six pounds weight (about two and a half kilograms) of loose biscuits. When sold these were put into paper bags and weighed to the customer’s requirements. The tins later became famous for the Arnotts wrapping around the outside of the tin which had a picture of a Rosella on a perch standing on one leg while munching on the also famous Sao held in its other claw.

Other items bought in bulk, bagged and sold by weight were sugar, flour, tea, salt, potatoes and onions. Milk was bulk delivered in steel containers from Jimmy Martin’s dairy in McCulloch Street and was sold over the counter by scoop measure, poured into the customer’s own billy cans.

Around this period a double brick garage was added to the property, not just to house the car, but as a storeroom for soft drinks and other non-perishables, a much grander house than the fibro house in which the family lived.

Les Mulford also started a bottle collection business in partnership with his two brothers. This business operated from the back of the Tuck Shop and was very successful for a few years, until the partnership fell through.

Each Christmas the Tuck Shop was closed and the family, together with some friends, would climb on the back of old Pancho and head for Coogee Beach (no seat belts in those days). There were no eskies so we used to pack the food in tubs with ice. There were fresh garden salads, home cooked chicken (freshly killed by Les himself). There was watermelon, lollies, soft drinks and homemade fairy cakes. At that time chicken was a Christmas treat only, not available throughout the year. They were wonderful fun-filled Christmases for the Mulford family. Sometimes the Tuck Shop was closed for two weeks over the Christmas school holidays, when the family would migrate to Tuggerawong Lakes, where Les had three married brothers and their families living by the lakefront…Wonderful summer days were spent beside the then pristine lake.

1948 and the Mulfords decided to lease their Tuck Shop and move on. For a short time they both worked at the Riverstone Meatworks until they were able to buy a small fibro Kiosk opposite Riverstone railway station. With this Kiosk they started from scratch again. Here they created a small Tea Room selling hamburgers, tea, sandwiches, cakes, pies, milkshakes, soft drinks etc.

The success of the Tea Room encouraged Les and Ruth to build a large Café/Milk Bar, so they purchased two blocks of land next to what was then Conway’s Newsagency and Ossie Robbins’ Barber Shop combined (now Geoff Pfister’s Barber Shop). The remaining block of land next to the new Café was later sold to Frank Culina, who built what was originally a fruit shop and now, in 2001, is a Take-Away Food Shop.

The new Café/Milk Bar, called the ‘Aussie Café’, was completed in 1952. In the following five years, with the help of their adult children, the Mulfords created yet another successful business. In 1957, with most of the children married and moved away, the café was sold, and Les and Ruth moved to Parramatta, where they stayed until 1969.

The School Tuck Shop was first leased, in 1948, to a lovely family called McDonald. They had a daughter, Rosemary, and a younger son, Terry, who was tragically killed whilst riding his push bike on the Windsor Road. The family left the Tuck Shop a few years later and it was then leased to the Agten family. Les and Ruth later returned to run their Tuck Shop, with the assistance of their daughter, Betty Coleman, husband Vic. and children Peter and Debbie. Once again they turned the Tuck Shop into a thriving business, employing four casual staff.

In 1971, at only 56 years, Ruth Mulford was killed in a car accident when a young unlicensed driver made a fatal right hand turn in front of the car in which she was a passenger. Ruth had a very generous heart and would always help anyone in need. This was evidenced at her extremely large funeral where the cortege stretched from St. John’s Catholic Church in Garfield Road to the Castlebrook Cemetery at Windsor Road, Rouse Hill.

After the death of his wife, Les sold the Tuck Shop and premises to his daughter Betty and her husband Vic Coleman. The Coleman family extended one side of the shop to include a Barbecue Chicken area, and added costume jewellery, toys and some Filipino clothing and artefacts. They then turned the front room of the living area into a Pinball Room, where the young people of the district could enjoy many happy times under the direct supervision of the Coleman family. Any swearing cost the young offender twenty cents, which went into the Salvation Army box. Any other offence would incur a two weeks’ suspension from the Pinball Room.

The Colemans had a casual staff of six ladies, Joyce Erskine, Margaret Mills, Joan Freeman, Nancy Mulford (Les Junior’s wife), Maureen McGaughey and Gladys Coleman (Vic’s mother). From 1939 until 1982 the Tuck Shop business had expanded to include the sale of fireworks (when they were legal), livestock, personal items of real estate and motor vehicles.

Late in 1982 the shop front was leased to St Vincent de Paul and in 1984 the entire premises passed out of the hands of the Mulford/Coleman families for the first time in forty-five years.

In 1985 Carlo Aloi sadly demolished the original shop and premises and built the structure that stands today, which is now called ‘Carlos’.

From 1971, until his death on the 15th March 1998, Les Mulford lived in retirement in Gladstone Parade, Riverstone.