Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Blucher Brothers

Mackay's Cross Printery owners. Neil Blucher and Brian Blucher.
My employers in the mid seventies. The business has grown into a large office stationery business as well as printing establishment.

Vince O'Brien

The late Vince O'Brien, a racing personality from Walkerston. Vince was the fella came into the pub one day and looked really worried and wanted advice from Publican, Darcy O'Shea. He was on heart tablets. This particular morning he had taken the pill... to his amazement, he realised he had taken the dog's heart worm tablet. O'Shea, very helpful, in many ways, came from behind the bar and started leading him outside. Vince asked what was he planning. Darcy replied: I am going to tie you to the post with this rope and wait to see what happens. We will be all safe with you out here.

"Licker" Bowkett

"Licker" as he was always known, an ex-serviceman, Walkerston-born, passed away some years back. A sugar mill worker at Pleystowe Mill, Walkerston.

Kenny Townsend

Structural Engineer all his working life. This day he announced his retirement. 20 years later he was still working around the various Sugar Mills in Mackay.

Jim Hansen

Jim, a Walkerston man, works for the Salvation Army. He calls around picking up and delivering furniture.
His son owns a Mackay Carpet business.

Bob "Ground Rigger" Bishop

Bob Bishop... The ground rigger. He got that name, jokingly because they reckon he never got any higher than 18 inches off the ground. Worked for many years with Construction companies, as indeed I did, particularly REB Engineering. Doing construction work and shutdowns on the Bowen Basin Coal mines, west of here at Mackay.

John "Bowser" Connors

The first portrait sketched at O'Shea's Hotel, Walkerston. A house painter by trade. He hails from Kempsey, NSW originally, way back. Was the Mayor of Sesame Street, at Orlando Resort, Dingo Beach area.

Christopher O'Connor

An Irishman from Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland.
A Wollongong man, working at the Port Kembla Steelworks. Lived at Walkerston for a year or so then moved out to Nebo. He worked for the Nebo Council at Glenden Dump.. which he knicknamed Mitre 11. Mainly because the miners found it easier to dump their electrical appliances rather than pack them up and take them with them when moving camp from town to town. He could have opened a store.

"Groper Gob".. Howard Gillis

Howard is the uncle of Delvene Delaney.
She is a Walkerston girl. Was a star on the Paul Hogan Show.

Darcy O'Shea, Walkerston

The late Darcy O'Shea... O'Shea's hotel, Walkerston, Mackay. Queensland