“The glamour, Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast, Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.” – DH Lawrence
I used to sleep in the Rogues Gallery, a room just off the main corridor. Across the hall was the big living room, a huge old Federation space which might have been called a drawing room somewhere along the line.
Next to that was the formal dining room, where the adults would take their brandy-and-drys in to dinner. I could hear them laughing late into the night. It didn’t bother me, it was a comforting sound. Still later in the night, I’d hear my Uncle Bill creaking down the hallway to the bathroom, sometimes several times.
Before I went to sleep, I’d lie there looking up at the photos on the wall. The 1936 Wallabies to New Zealand. The 1963 Wallabies to South Africa. The great Army XV’s of the war years. My Uncle Bill was in all of them. Rogues Gallery, the grandly named spare room, held his souvenirs from a hundred tours.
On the floor was a zebra skin, brought home from Africa in the days when you wore a suit and hat to fly Qantas, holding your airline bag which said proudly “Australian Rugby Team – Tour to South Africa 1963”. It was on one of those tours when Uncle Bill was asked by the great Dr Danie Craven whether the Australian rugby union would ever pick a black player to tour. “You wouldn’t do that to us would you?” said Craven. “My oath I would” said Bill. “If he was good enough, we’d pick him”.
Rogues may have been Uncle Bill’s childhood bedroom. The house was certainly his home as a boy. Just up from Parramatta Road it was, at 77 Shaftesbury Road, Burwood. About a mile down the hill was Concord Oval, where my Uncle Bill played his rugby with Western Suburbs, and not too far from Speedy Springs, his first job after school.
Also not far away, but in the other direction, was his old school, Newington College. Funnily, at school he was more of a cricketer than a rugby player. A good keeper the old timers used to say.
It was only in winter that I used to sleep in Rogues Gallery with the zebra skin. In summer, I’d sleep on the side verandah, which was closed in with lattice and fringed with jasmine. It was scary out there sometimes, open as it was to the night air and the sounds of the street not far down the drive.
The driveway was also the thoroughfare to the squash courts at the rear of the house and in the evenings, I could hear men talking and laughing among themselves as they walked to and from their squash matches.
In 1960-something there was a standoff in the drive between gangster Lenny Macpherson’s thugs and some rugby players. McPherson owned some courts at Five Dock and sent his gang to close down the McLaughlin’s competing courts. The rugby players had other ideas and told McPherson’s boys where to go. Uncle Bill’s courts stayed open.
Many of the squash regulars were rugby players. Some from Wests, but lots from other clubs and places. Uncle Bill’s courts were always a rugby hangout. A lot of the players were in the photos on the wall and as a kid I knew more about the greats of the 60’s than I knew about the current players in the 80’s.
Years later when I met Rob Heming at my Uncle Bill’s funeral, I could hardly reconcile the lean and spritely Manly optometrist, with the framed sepia image of the brawny Heming flying above the pack in a lineout at Newlands. At his peak, he could clap his hands over the crossbar from a standing start.
In the Wallaby team photo in Rogues Gallery, Heming’s head was cocked at an odd angle. A closer investigation revealed cunning razor cuts and a replaced head. Apparently he made a funny face during the shoot, so the printers had to manually replace his head in every picture.
Near Heming in the back row of the same photo was CP ‘Charlie’ Crittle. I was lucky enough to tour with an elderly Crittle to the 2011 World Cup. He remembered going to the Burwood house several times, once to watch a television broadcast of the Ali-Foreman fight in Zaire in 1974.
It was Crittle who made a prank call to Uncle Bill on the 1963 South Africa tour, convincing a local lass to call the Wallaby hotel and accuse centre and Baptist lay-preacher Ian Moutray of molesting her. Bill heard Crittle giggle down the line from the phone box. The next day saw Crittle as duty boy for an undisclosed period, and Bill ordered several double whiskies on the Crittle hotel bar account.
Standing on my toes on the zebra skin, I could gaze up at the big 1963 photo for hours. It was the centrepiece of perhaps 30 or 40 rugby team photos on the wall. A bit further along the row from Crittle and Heming was Jules Guerassimoff, the Queensland tearaway who once locked a monkey in Uncle Bill’s bathroom during a boring moment on tour. Bill chuckled through the smoke of his Rothmans as he told the story.
As a small boy, staying with Aunty June and Uncle Bill for holidays, I’d venture down the drive in the afternoons to see Uncle Bill at his desk at the squash courts. He’d often palm us a Golden Rough from the trays next to the till. If we were lucky and mum and dad weren’t around, we’d get a Fanta, but we’d have to wait until the players were finished chatting to Uncle Bill first.
Our Aunty June was a capable lady. She had to be, with a husband who was on tour overseas for around half of their first 30 years of married life. She’d walk us from the house down Shaftesbury Road to the Burwood Station for a train outing to the city. Sometimes the Museum, maybe the QVB for tea and cakes.
If the station was dirty she would tut-tut about how Neville was doing an ordinary job of keeping things in order. I thought Neville was the station master, it was only years later I found out that she meant Premier Neville Wran.
They had one of those gruff marriages typical of their era. When we kids were old enough to eat at the dining table with the adults, we’d delight in seeing Uncle Bill bring a torch to Aunty June’s candlelit dinner. “Jesus June!” he’d faux-grumble. “Can’t see a bloody thing!”.
This was the same man who as ARU President sent down a written warning to Wallaby coach Dave Brockhoff to “call off the dogs” during the second Test against England in 1975; and the same man who as Wallabies manager, sent home Wallaby hooker Ross Cullen for biting Ossie Waldron in 1966.
But to us, he was just Uncle Bill living at 77 Shaftesbury Rd in front of the squash courts.
When they could no longer keep up the courts, the house and buildings were sold to the Presbyterian Church, and the courts were turned into a theological college. For years, I would drive past if I was in the neighbourhood and look at the old place. If I closed my eyes, I could hear the chat of the players as they trotted down the driveway in the late evenings, while I was tucked up on the verandah.
My sister went past the house yesterday. It had been demolished – a block of units was under construction. I looked in disbelief at the photo she sent me. The half-built boxes looked like a crappy Meccano set covered with mud. The Federation elegance was torn apart and buried somewhere under the muck.
Luckily, the memories stay with me, as clear and vivid as ever.
Carol Owens
Guest
Such interesting story. I now live in the building at 77 Shaftesbury Road Burwood. It is an over 55s independent living apartments. I would love to see the previous building. I was married in Burwood in 1972 and had our wedding reception at Elim just a block up from here. Over 50 years we have returned to Burwood. We have done a complete turn around. Hopefully someone can provide some photos. Thank you Carol
Sue taylor
Guest
Hi Andrew. I don't know you but what a fabulous read. I knew the old home and I remember the squash courts. My grandmother lived across the road in Wyalong st That federation home was simply beautiful. Such a shame it has been pulled down. One of many beautiful homes lost forever. My uncle Austen smith also lived in Wyalong st. he owned smiths radio in burwood road. I went to Burwood public school in the 50s as did your cousin. I've forgotten her first name now but she was a year ahead of me and much taller. Maybe Margaret. Can't remember. I also remember ian moutray. He was around the same age as one of my older brothers 8 or so yrs older than me and he lived around the corner from us. My main memory of him is seeing him in his fort street blazer crossing the road. He had the finest reputation and highly regarded by the locals. By the time he was selected for the 1963 tour I was nursing at western suburbs hospital but his name was on everyone's lips or so it seemed at the time. Enjoyed reading your article. Don't know if this will find being such a long time since you wrote it
Andrew Logan
Expert
P-tah.....mate could you tell me how to get to the profile section that you mention above. I clicked on the link obviously, but then I can't seem to find my way to any other profiles.
jim boyce
Guest
Andrew - After the outpouring , I had a look at the Wallaby profiles which p.Tah has referred to. Well Bill deserves better than is on there. No 296 only has 3 sentences and not one word of his administrative career. There needs to be a para about his playing career and his support of clubs like Briars. His career as manager of the Wallaby teams deserves a fairly bulky para and then his role as President of the ARU. If you read it ,you would think his attendnce at Newington College was the highlight of his career. Best Jim
jim boyce
Guest
Andrew- I know the team was not happy how the Cullen incident was handled. The 1958 UK tour was notable for an over enthusiastic punch or two and I guess Bill was trying to restore a better Wallaby image in England. It also might have been a bit of the Australian cultural cringe which was still around in the 1960s. Hell we all make mistakes .Bill was under a bit of pressure on that 1966/67 tour as Alan Roper was starting to lose his grip. As for a blast against Brock, good on him. You knew where you stood with Bill. Best Jim
Andrew Logan
Expert
Hi Mal, My dad played at Briars in the early 1960's after doing his leaving at Homebush Boys High in 1962. He was a good mate of Bill Jr who also played at Briars before joining the Army.
Andrew Logan
Expert
Hello Jim.....long time no speak.....glad you are still reading The Roar. That is great news about the plaque, I was not aware of it. I know that Bill was not everyone's cup of tea in rugby in Australia, and that his stance on retaliation on the 1966/67 tour and the sending home of Cullen polarised opinions about him in Australian rugby, as did his blowup with Brock during the 1975 England tour of Australia during the Battle of Ballymore. But he was a towering figure in the game and an inspiration to me. Off topic, it appears that Englishman Mike Burton (who was sent off during that 1975 Ballymore match) still holds a grudge against Australia in general. At the end of 2013 I organised an Australian Barbarians Masters team to travel to the UK to play Classic England for the 10 year anniversary of the 2003 World Cup final. It was a charity event well supproted by English corporates including Heathrow Express. Burton contacted us to say that if we travelled under the Australian Barbarians name he would take legal action as the name belonged to the Barbarians club. He suggested we call ourselves the "Boomerangs". In the end we were promoted as Australian Legends, but played in Australian Barbarians strip with the Baabaas logo of two leaping sheep. Needless to say he did not join us for a drink! Please keep me posted on the plaque progress and let me know if I can help. Best regards, Loges.
Billy Bob
Guest
Great article and fantastic detail Sheek! Small correction- Slaggy was an electrician, not a plumber.
Andrew Logan
Expert
Sheek....an awesome recollection of some of the true greats who missed out. Rob Heming told me that he also carried an ankle injury into that tour and could barely walk in the Perth match where Lenehan was ruled out. He managed to hide the injury sufficiently, but suffered again in the Newlands Test, where there were no replacements and he had to continue. An old photo of Mike Cleary in those days shows a veritable Adonis, it is hard to believe that a man could look like that just on the back of running and genetics, and without any modern supplements and methods. His physique was staggering and if he could run as well as he looked like he could run, he would have been hard to leave out. Kevin "Kandos" Ryan would have been a great asset against the tough Afrikaner provincial sides.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Capital effort old chap - a well written evocative account for the old blokes who are stuck in the distant past and who are always guilty of always maintaining "things were better in my day" (quote found, about 76 times, in one of the regular threads touching on player behavior). Notwithstanding this oft repeated, ever amusing dismissive assertion by the omniscient young Roarers, the likes of Sheek bat on stoutly. ;)
Crash Ball2
Guest
Great piece Andrew. Thanks.
Steve Johnson
Guest
Great read Andrew, would love to hear more stuff like this on a regular basis.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Thanks for sharing Loges, great stories and great responses triggered.
p.Tah
Guest
It amazes me who joins in rugby conversations in rugby forums. Thanks for posting. I hadn't realised the ARU had the profiles of wallabies on their site http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/TheTeam/WallabiesProfilePage.aspx?pid=387
Strachan
Guest
A truly great read, thanks so much for sharing such great memories -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
riddler
Guest
cheers andrew.. great article.. keep them coming please.. maybe have rose coloured glasses but just can't see too many of today's supposed stars like this.. remember being on a train trip somewhere in euorpe and sitting with a few other expats, while we rattled off the names of the 84 team.. in 84, we would have been between 6-12 years old all of us but we nailed it, 20 years later.. am hoping though that there are some young kids watching today's wallabies and know all there names and details of by heart..
Mal Boyd
Roar Rookie
Brought back many memories, Andrew. I had my first taste of rugby at Burwood in the late 50s - my father took me along to the Briars Club where they had some junior teams. I recall Bill being about as I think his son (Bill Junior) was playing. I remember some British Lions coming along to one of our games at Ashfield courtesy of Bill. He was truly one of the great characters of the game. Many thanks for that.
jim boyce
Guest
Andrew - Boy do the walls have ears. I was shuffling down the various emails that I have, including the daily" The Roar " and having digested Spiro's piece chanced upon your piece . Initially I did not know its content but interested in your pieces any way. Great piece and a little side note about the house at 77 Shaftesbury Rd, the Burwood Historical Society and particularly Jon Breen are trying to get a pavement plaque installed outside the house to acknowledge Bill's contribution. The ARU should support Jon in his endeavours . The ARU should be far more active in arranging short but dignified plaques for people who made an important contribution to Australian rugby. There are 2 grave sites in the Manly Cemetery , which should have a small plaque, one for Tom Richards and the other for Frank " Banger " Rowe, the first captain of an Australian team. If we were in South Africa or New Zealand, it would have been done long ago. Few minor housekeeping remarks. In 1963, John Thornett was selected as a second rower ( Sheek may be using the NZ system referring to locks, and could be forgiven ). I do agree with all Sheek's points about players who were either unavailable ( including my twin brother ) or were playing league.Thanks to The Sherriff, the years have been kind. Andrew, this is a brilliant. Bill was good bloke and I went on 3 tours with him, although from 21 to 23 years of age, I did not appreciate all his qualities till later. I still consider the test we won at Ellis Park , the greatest game I was involved in. At that stage, the All Blacks had never won a series in S Af nor won at Ellis Park. Bill did a remarkable job in keeping 30 players focussed upon the goal, over nearly 4 months in a strange country. Lets see if we can get that plaque set in the pavement outside Shaftesbury Road. Best Jim
sheek
Roar Guru
Thanks Phil, The unavailability of 11 players from that Wallabies to South Africa in 1963 for a myriad of reasons shows just how much rugby suffered being an amateur game back then. Six of the 11 had transferred to league. NZRU & SARU were both much better at keeping their stars in the game for as long as possible. And I say all this as a fan of both rugby union and league.
Phil
Guest
Great article and I endorse your comments,Sheek.Rugby lost so many great players to league back in that era and interesting how those guys couldn't tour due to Uni,jobs etc. Sheek,you brought back memories to me of the great Thornett family.As well as being a rugby fan,I am a die hard Parra league supporter and one of my greatest memories was when Ken Thornett came to Parra the first time in 1962,but only for a shortened visit due to him still playing for Leeds in England.I think he played 8 games,from memory,and they never lost with him playing(had 1 draw).Unfortunately he returned to England prior to finals and Parra got flogged by the great St George team after having earlier beaten them with Ken playing.He came back for good the next year and of course played in that wonderful Kangaroo team in 1963,pushing Graeme Langlands(also a wonderful fullback) into the centres. I have never seen one player have so much influence on a team as him.Did not have any weakness in his game and for sure would have been a Wallaby legend.