Good days at the old pub

A recent offering from Keith Whitfield mentioned, amongst a number of old local identities, Jim O'Donnell and the Old Woy Woy Pub.

I played piano with the band that entertained in the beer garden back in those days.

The band leader, Bert McCullough, asked me to fill in for one weekend and I eventually stayed for well over two years.

The other band members were Frank Byrnes on drums and 'Banjo' Bill Baird.

We played to capacity crowds most Saturday nights, some Fridays and the occasional Sunday afternoons for the benefit of bona fide travellers.

On some occasions, we were joined by a troupe from Les Girls who would come up from Sydney to try out new material.

As well as playing toe tapping sing-a-long music we also ran talent quests and accompanied anyone who wanted to render a 'little number' whether in tune or not, with sometimes hilarious results.

Gentleman Jim had a nice line of patter to introduce the proceedings and his daughter Ann would sometimes sing a couple of songs.

Like her father, she had style.

His wife kept an eye on the general goings on from her favourite spot next to the beer garden bar.

The Old Pub was a well-run establishment with hard working and efficient staff, some of whom such as Kevin Oxford, Big Harry and Maurie are still around and no doubt would have their own stories to tell.

The Old Pub was unique at that time in that it provided a well-run venue where the patrons virtually ran their own show with a little help from the band.

The modern day equivalent would be karaoke.

When Jim sold up, the band broke up and subsequent owners never managed to create the same atmosphere.

Good old days?

Indeed they were.

Letter, 19 Aug 2009 Bill Flynn, Blackwall