dusted in flour, and other things

For all those who couldn't make tuesday's glebe oral history group at the old fire station, here's a wrap up (and all welcome again next tuesday, wearing a colourful hat if possible, for a little Melbourne Cup festivity):

Let's start with Rowanne Couch, who said goodbye (for now) to all of us with sad-funny story about her great grandfather who died in an avalanche of flour. some wondered whether it was plain or self-raising flour, and if he came out white, or had a gluten intolerance. it's a sad story, but Rowanne says even her family laugh about it now.

This all came about from a discussion of hauling flour and wool sacks on the Sydney wharves, and Harry Black, who Dugald met last Sunday at a public talk about Glebe's wharves, given by Max Solling. Dugald suggested Harry would be a great local resident to interview. Max Solling says he will come and talk to our group, maybe later this year. Rowanne says a lot of flour can be dangerous, and that if she married someone called Mr Potato her surname could be Rowanne Couch Potato.

Marla said she knew someone called Russell Sprout, or was it Barbara Dwyer (known otherwise as Barb Dwyer)? Uh-huh, we got sidetracked, talking about the old boxers of Glebe, and the "Marrickville Mauler", and unusual names.

Other names to crop up from Sunday's talk - and discussed by the group - included John Dengate, a local folk signer we Googled and who looks interesting and was a primary school techer for 35 years (at Glebe PS?) who now busks regularly, Meredith Bergman (much discussion about her), Les McMahon (who we all know Patrick has interviewed and we should all listen to shortly), and the Foley family, including "Doc Foley". Although we're not entirely sure who this Foley family are, but some said they have a local park named in their honour. We don't think the famous Aboriginal activist Gary Foley is related. Or is he? And if this Foley was a prominent doctor, was he practicing at the same time as the Dr Potts that Dianne and Eric are interested in researching? The plot thickens.

There was talk also ablout St Scholastica's College on the site of the old Toxteth Estate. One in the group (who may or may not have been a former student..) said a popular local nickname for the student of the prominent girls Catholic school was "Scholes moles". We laughed. And thought it couldn't be true. Irene, sitting at the end of the table, chirped in with a story of the girls at Holy Cross at Bondi Junction, who were nicknamed "Holy Crotch". Batman!

Again, we digressed. (Although Dianne Russell is going to talk to a neighbour who is going to talk to a nun at St Scholastica's who's in her 90s and could be a good interview. So no disparaging comments about their students, please!)

There was talk also about the local Aboriginal community and how we may gather some of its stories. Suggestions were through Tranby College, or the Aboriginal liaison officer at the local school, or through a contact at the police, or through the Ingrahm family. These are all avenues to be explored. George Bracken was a name that came up. Who is he again? Is anybody interesting in contacting him?

then we started talking about the Harold Park trotting track, in Glebe since 1902, and voted by members last week to be sold to the highest bidder. This led to discussion about Callan Park in Lilyfield, and again stories from Marla and Irene and others about their memories of this site. We should do something about Harold Park. I am keen for Dianne Russell, using her skills on historic architecture, to research where all the old horse stables still stand in backyards in Glebe. I reckon this would be a great way to map where the industry was once located in the suburb.

that's probably a big enough wrap up. Hopefully we can listen to Marla's interview of Frank next Tuesday, and as a group to Patrick's talk with Les, and maybe also tackle a little exercise on "senses", and how we could record Glebe through the "five senses". Irene was talking about Maslow's hierarchy of needs (and lipstick) in the tea break. what about the five senses of Glebe? What does it look, sound, smell, touch and taste like???

who knows..

hope to see you all again on tuesday,

dugald

Highlights of Galluzzo interview

Salvatore Galluzzo and his wife came to Australia from Calabria in 1927, bringing with them one year old Frank.

Circa 1934 Salvatore bought the fruit shop at 187 Glebe Pt. Rd. from Francisco d'Albora.

Frank attended Glebe Public School where he was an average student and got up to quite a bit of mischief ... or so he says!

Years later young Frank took over the shop and with his wife Melina turned it into the thriving business it is today.

They have one daughter and five sons, all of whom grew up understanding the workings of the shop.

Today Joe and Damien keep the shop running and the staff are made up of Glebe locals.
Frank has diabetes 1 and at 82 years old is now blind and wheelchair bound and spends his days upstairs in the private quarters of the shop being spoilt by his many children and grandchildren.