ST. JOHN’S WOOD MEMORIES
Alan Carver.
Early memories?
I lived in Gailey Street, Ashgrove. I first came into the Woods when I was about 6 years old, which was around 1934. I came on a Sunday school picnic with the Ashgrove Methodist church. Complete with tin mug around my neck, tied with a ribbon, which I did not particularly like. We came into the Woods on the back of an old truck, which had solid rubber wheels. The picnic ground was on the other side of the creek from where the Scout hut is now.
There were virtually no homes in the area. The picnic area was at the bottom of Piddington Street. Looking up the street, I can remember perhaps one or two homes. Next memory was when I was about 12 years old, Dad and I used to come out here on our pushbikes and fish in the creek. There was a deep hole in the creek upstream from the bridge near the bamboos. The hole was quite deep and the water pristine. Quite a few people fished there on a weekend, after the fresh water catfish. We would go home with a sugar bag full of fish. Things were pretty tough for people in those days. Dad would skin them and soak them in salt water overnight and we would eat what we wanted and I would take the rest around to the neighbours. That was about 1940.
What made you move to the Woods?
I bought the first block of land that I ever bought in 1953. It was No. 40, Piddington Street, St. John’s Wood. I got married the following year and started building in 1953 and finished in 1963 and moved into the house when it was livable, which was in 1954. We raised four children and they all went to the local schools, Mater Dei, Mount St. Michael’s and The Gap High. Why did we move to the Woods? Well frankly, I was keen on a block of land at The Gap. The land was off Payne Road. I had 3 acres offered to me at the same price as the block of land in Piddington Street cost. My wife, Val, thought it was a bit far to go to the shop! We don’t regret coming here to St. John’s Wood; it was quite a pleasant place to live. I had very little to do with any activities for a long time as I was too busy building a house, which I did in my spare time and holidays. I was a bit stupid and I would never try and build a house again. My Dad was a builder and without him, I would not know which way was up, but I catch on pretty quick. So he came around and gave me a hand and I designed things and built things.
What do remember about the local area?
The first few years we were here, there were only a few people here. It was like a little country village. We were all friendly and we used to visit each other’s homes, everyone knew one and another, which is a little different to today.
Were you or your partner employed in the local area?
My partner was a teacher and I went back to university and got my AISM and ended up in the local area. I had an AMP office, where the ANZ bank at Ashgrove is situated now.
Where did you do your shopping and how would you get there?
We did shop locally, Frank Bocalatte was the fruit store at the West Ashgrove tram terminus and Hintons were down on the corner where the Ambassador Picture theatre was and across the bridge was the butcher, Alex Lancaster. There was a small grocer and garage nearby to the butcher. As far as groceries were concerned, Val did that and probably went up to Ashgrove.
Entertainment and recreation?
I joined the Ashgrove golf club in 1957 or 1958. No one can remember when exactly as they have lost the records! Every Saturday night they would have a dance out there and we always used to attend. Also, quite a lot of folk in the area have house get-togethers. I am thinking of Len Vann, who lived up the road and “Slim” and Marjorie Summerville in Royal Parade. There was also David Gordon, the doctor who lived over by the creek, about half-way up St. John’s Avenue. There was a whole group of us that had parties. Max Burke springs to mind too.
What did the children do in the Woods when they were younger?
They rode their bikes, but no billy carts. The kids would hike up the mountain behind us in the Woods. On holidays we would all go down to Bribie Island, where we had a couple of boats and went fishing. The kids used to go crabbing, and they would catch crabs by the sugar bag full. We would start preparing them at 12pm, for dinner and then about 8 o’clock at night, all our friends and neighbours would come over with their beers and we would feed them.
Transport?
Usually, always drove the cars. People used the trams or their own vehicles. When I eventually worked in the city, I would get the bus.
Do you have any favourite memories of living in St. John’s Wood?
Apart from the kids and the things we did together. You knew your neighbours and others in the Woods, met them through saying “G’day”. Most of our social contacts happened at the golf club and also the parties that we used to have around the Woods.
Would you describe the natural environment and how it differs from today?
We were countrified initially, and it has slowly got to where we are today. It is probably pretty much the same and probably a little better than the average suburb today.
Going back to when you used to go down to the creek fishing, someone mentioned catching eels, did you every catch any eels?
Yes we caught eels, lots and lots of eels. When we used to catch the catfish, we would catch 2-3 eels while we were waiting. They were anything up to a metre long. Dad would dig worms out of the garden for bait.
Were there any challenges or difficulties in living in the Woods or so near to the creek?
Not really. Once or twice I had to sleep in the office at Ashgrove because of the flooding of the creek. One night I was at Ashgrove Lions Club and we had some exchange students and one was staying at The Gap and it fell upon me to take him to a concert at City Hall and get him back to his accommodation. It rained and rained. When I had dropped him off and I was turning back into the Woods, I saw through the wind-screen wipers something in front of me that I could not quite understand what it was. The front wheels were half buried in the water. What I saw was a tree floating down the creek. If I had gone another six feet onto the bridge, I would have been floating down the creek too. I reversed back out and went to the office where I had a couch, phoned home and went home the next morning.
I lived in Gailey Street, Ashgrove. I first came into the Woods when I was about 6 years old, which was around 1934. I came on a Sunday school picnic with the Ashgrove Methodist church. Complete with tin mug around my neck, tied with a ribbon, which I did not particularly like. We came into the Woods on the back of an old truck, which had solid rubber wheels. The picnic ground was on the other side of the creek from where the Scout hut is now.
There were virtually no homes in the area. The picnic area was at the bottom of Piddington Street. Looking up the street, I can remember perhaps one or two homes. Next memory was when I was about 12 years old, Dad and I used to come out here on our pushbikes and fish in the creek. There was a deep hole in the creek upstream from the bridge near the bamboos. The hole was quite deep and the water pristine. Quite a few people fished there on a weekend, after the fresh water catfish. We would go home with a sugar bag full of fish. Things were pretty tough for people in those days. Dad would skin them and soak them in salt water overnight and we would eat what we wanted and I would take the rest around to the neighbours. That was about 1940.
What made you move to the Woods?
I bought the first block of land that I ever bought in 1953. It was No. 40, Piddington Street, St. John’s Wood. I got married the following year and started building in 1953 and finished in 1963 and moved into the house when it was livable, which was in 1954. We raised four children and they all went to the local schools, Mater Dei, Mount St. Michael’s and The Gap High. Why did we move to the Woods? Well frankly, I was keen on a block of land at The Gap. The land was off Payne Road. I had 3 acres offered to me at the same price as the block of land in Piddington Street cost. My wife, Val, thought it was a bit far to go to the shop! We don’t regret coming here to St. John’s Wood; it was quite a pleasant place to live. I had very little to do with any activities for a long time as I was too busy building a house, which I did in my spare time and holidays. I was a bit stupid and I would never try and build a house again. My Dad was a builder and without him, I would not know which way was up, but I catch on pretty quick. So he came around and gave me a hand and I designed things and built things.
What do remember about the local area?
The first few years we were here, there were only a few people here. It was like a little country village. We were all friendly and we used to visit each other’s homes, everyone knew one and another, which is a little different to today.
Were you or your partner employed in the local area?
My partner was a teacher and I went back to university and got my AISM and ended up in the local area. I had an AMP office, where the ANZ bank at Ashgrove is situated now.
Where did you do your shopping and how would you get there?
We did shop locally, Frank Bocalatte was the fruit store at the West Ashgrove tram terminus and Hintons were down on the corner where the Ambassador Picture theatre was and across the bridge was the butcher, Alex Lancaster. There was a small grocer and garage nearby to the butcher. As far as groceries were concerned, Val did that and probably went up to Ashgrove.
Entertainment and recreation?
I joined the Ashgrove golf club in 1957 or 1958. No one can remember when exactly as they have lost the records! Every Saturday night they would have a dance out there and we always used to attend. Also, quite a lot of folk in the area have house get-togethers. I am thinking of Len Vann, who lived up the road and “Slim” and Marjorie Summerville in Royal Parade. There was also David Gordon, the doctor who lived over by the creek, about half-way up St. John’s Avenue. There was a whole group of us that had parties. Max Burke springs to mind too.
What did the children do in the Woods when they were younger?
They rode their bikes, but no billy carts. The kids would hike up the mountain behind us in the Woods. On holidays we would all go down to Bribie Island, where we had a couple of boats and went fishing. The kids used to go crabbing, and they would catch crabs by the sugar bag full. We would start preparing them at 12pm, for dinner and then about 8 o’clock at night, all our friends and neighbours would come over with their beers and we would feed them.
Transport?
Usually, always drove the cars. People used the trams or their own vehicles. When I eventually worked in the city, I would get the bus.
Do you have any favourite memories of living in St. John’s Wood?
Apart from the kids and the things we did together. You knew your neighbours and others in the Woods, met them through saying “G’day”. Most of our social contacts happened at the golf club and also the parties that we used to have around the Woods.
Would you describe the natural environment and how it differs from today?
We were countrified initially, and it has slowly got to where we are today. It is probably pretty much the same and probably a little better than the average suburb today.
Going back to when you used to go down to the creek fishing, someone mentioned catching eels, did you every catch any eels?
Yes we caught eels, lots and lots of eels. When we used to catch the catfish, we would catch 2-3 eels while we were waiting. They were anything up to a metre long. Dad would dig worms out of the garden for bait.
Were there any challenges or difficulties in living in the Woods or so near to the creek?
Not really. Once or twice I had to sleep in the office at Ashgrove because of the flooding of the creek. One night I was at Ashgrove Lions Club and we had some exchange students and one was staying at The Gap and it fell upon me to take him to a concert at City Hall and get him back to his accommodation. It rained and rained. When I had dropped him off and I was turning back into the Woods, I saw through the wind-screen wipers something in front of me that I could not quite understand what it was. The front wheels were half buried in the water. What I saw was a tree floating down the creek. If I had gone another six feet onto the bridge, I would have been floating down the creek too. I reversed back out and went to the office where I had a couch, phoned home and went home the next morning.