Born and bred in Thirroul, Flame reader Russell King shares a history of Hewitt’s Avenue in the 1950s and the people who lived there.
My Father’s parents moved to Thirroul in 1917, followed by my Mother’s family in 1923.
My parents built their home in 1934 at 14 Hewitts Avenue, Thirroul. I was born 10 years later in 1944 and lived at that address for 25 years until 1969 when my wife Glenda and I were married. Now, 54 years later, I have walked around Hewitts Avenue again and noted the changes, trying to remember how it looked and who lived in those houses that have now been renovated.
Growing up in Hewitts Avenue in the 1950s, the road was unsealed, just dirt and rocks, no curb and gutters. The Main Roads Board had ideas of making it the main road, demolishing the house at No.8. Even after the road was sealed years later, the eastern side had no gutters as the road was to be widened. There was a culvert next to No.10 that took the runoff water back to the creek; it was lined with fruit trees, apples, figs and lemon trees.
Other things that come to mind: getting coupons to take to the shop to buy butter and other goods that were in short supply at the time. When the Iceman delivered your ice to your home and lifted it out with a big set of tongs. The Milkman delivered milk in a large container and poured it into your Billy Can.
The Baker had a horse and cart and the old horse just used to follow him up the road while he did his deliveries. Bill Reeves used to go to the Sydney Markets to get fruit and vegetables and then drive his truck around the streets. He would stop, and the housewives would come out to buy his goods.
Other household items were bought from Lenehans Corner Store, later it was taken over by Don and Lenor Grey. Outside the store was the only public telephone box, local calls were only 1 penny. Mr Hunt lived next to Hewitts Creek, he also had vegetable gardens and sold his produce.
Nobody locked doors in those days, everyone looked after each other, older kids kept an eye on the younger kids when we walked to school, we all played cricket and football and swimming depending on the season.
Old Mr McCauley owned the farm down on the corner, he used to plough the paddocks with his old draft horse and would often let us kids sit on the horse as he moved around. He grew vegetables, corn etc. had cows that you could go and milk or collect the eggs from the chook yard. Always plenty to do in those days without TV or Phones.
At the southern entry to the Avenue was George Bond’s fruit and vegetable storage shed and a vacant block of land opposite, then the houses started, finishing at the other end of the Avenue with the Corner Store and Sorrell’s garage.
I have tried to remember the families at each house in the 1950s, each one has a story and memories of a time gone by.
Families of Hewitts Ave, Thirroul in the 1950s
Russell remembers all but a few of the names of those who lived on his street over 70 years ago – can you help fill in the gaps?
No.1 ? (The man in No.1 worked for W.G.Williams, Funeral Director). No.2 Denham. No.3 Judd. No.4 Arnott. No.5 Brown. No.6 Edwards. No.7 Dryden. No.8 Bell. No.9 Hargraves. No.10 Sutton. No.11 Cambourne. No.12 Douglas. No.13 Nicholls. No.14 King. No.15 Bailey. No.16 Smith. No.17 Fromont. No.18 Sneddon. No.19 Jones/Hepper. No.18 Hargraves. No.21 2 Flats. No.20 Woods. No.23 ? No.22 Meheal. No.25 Lenehan. No. 24 Campbell. No.26 ? Holmes. No.28 ? No.30 McCauley. No.32 McCauley. No.38 Smith.
