Wartime Woy Woy

I was a student at Woy Woy Public School when the Second World War started and Gosford High School when it finished.

The following changes come to mind: Almost the entire bus rank at Woy Woy Station was taken up by Swancott's Sawmills, except for three businesses on the northern end. Askins, Bargain Bizarre, the Owl Store and Bert Voked Real Estate Agent.

Then you proceeded to the ramp and onto the overhead bridge to take you to the railway platform, at the other end of the bus rank was the station masters house taken by Mr O'Leary and his family.

Bruce Kerr's Real Estate Agent was well established later taken over by Bruce Junior along with his son.

The other real estate agent which was to start later was Eric Wilsons Real Estate which was situated opposite the Bay View Hotel, and now operates on Blackwall Road opposite the court house.

Albert Quigley took over after Eric's retirement.

When I met up with Eric and Albert just last year, we talked about when Eric owned and ran the ferry business from Woy Woy Station to Woy Woy Bay, Phegans Bay and Horsefield Bay and to the movies and other functions that took place in Woy Woy.

The two barbers that operated that time were Ned Hayes and Claude and Mary Sugden, who lived on the primacies at the time.

Claude's nephew, Les and his wife moved into the area a couple of years ago and I reminded him of how his uncle would throw a couple of handfuls of halfpennies into the air every Christmas for all the kids to scramble for.

Les remembered being told about this many years ago.

There weren't many cars on the road in those days and the trains would come from Sydney absolutely packed with passengers standing in between the carriages.

The buses, taxis and ferries ran a shuttle service to get the holiday-makers to their destinations.

It was a big occasion when the first 3801 steamed through Woy Woy: the Sydney to Newcastle express halved the journey from four hours to two.

The Riley Brothers owned the buses as well as the three picture shows, one at Woy Woy where the Peninsula Plaza now stands, one at Ettalong and one at Umina.

I was an usher at Woy Woy theatre for 10 years until television came along and they closed up one by one, although Umina was turned into a roller skating rink for a couple of years.

At this time, the aerodrome was started at McMasters Rd almost through to Umina.

They used 40 Clydesdale draught horses in its construction.

In the evening, they'd bring them down Blackwall Rd to the Waterfront to feed, you could hear them coming before you could see them.

All the live stock arrived buy a goods train and was unloaded at Woy Woy Station.

The cattle were taken out on horseback and the sheep by sheepdogs to Everglades Golf Course where the abattoirs were situated and at that time a dairy also operated from the Golf Course.

The dairy was to move to Somersby run by the Shield's family.

My father, brother and Ernie Wilson ran the abattoirs at that time until it was moved near Woy Woy tunnel.

Alderton's Fish Shop was well and truly established. It was run by a father and two sons, Manny and Jack.

Jack would go out by horse and cart to sell the fish and prawn bait.

Milk, bread, groceries, meat, ice and telegrams were all delivered by hand.

Jack Alderton's second daughter, Dorothy who was dux of the school, wrote this poem before we both left Woy Woy to go to Gosford High School:

Woy Woy is a beautiful place

With its tall trees, mountains and lakes

Staples lookout is very pretty

Looking down on each house and jetty

People come here to hike, swim and fish

For mullet and brim

Make a very nice dish

Yes Woy Woy is a beautiful town

The best that was ever found

Bruce Richards, Woy Woy