This article brought back some memories, as a boy one of my many jobs for pocket money was working on a horse and cart bread delivery round as an assistant to cart driver, working from a bakery in Scarborough WA and delivering to surrounding suburbs.
The horse would automatically stop at each customers house and each of us had a cane basket with bread in it and shared the delivery, usually both taking houses on opposite sides of the road.
Good storey Vic. I can remember the Milkie with horse & cart in pommie land but not the baker.
Dougwe said
06:13 AM Jul 29, 2014
Yep, I too remember the baker and milko. We also had the ice man and a lady selling duck eggs. Oh! who could forget the man with the dunny can on his head. That just bought back a funny memory but not for the dunny can man.
Vic41 said
10:31 AM Jul 29, 2014
I also had a door to door newspaper round, most women did not work those days and I saw some funny sights with women coming to the door with open dressing gowns etc as my round was made after school before the husbands came home from work. Customers could put papers on the tick until pay day (I carried a little book as well as my leather cash bag).
Another job I had was on fruit & vege trucks that went around the streets ringing a bell etc. Us kids rode on the back of the truck and made up the orders as people hailed the truck, the drive below would then tally up their sale and take their money. When we had watermelons on board we would "accidently" drop one so we could eat it, I think the driver/owner knew but turned a blind eye to it, he never ever chastised us for it.
moamajohn said
11:21 AM Jul 29, 2014
Hey Vic and Doug ,do you remember the lovelly smell of bread when the baker opened the little doors on the side of the cart.Sometimes if he was in a good mood you would score half a roll ! and how good was the crust in those days ? I lived in Moonee Ponds Vic. and my girlfriend lived about a mile away, after a late night out I would sometimes get a lift home with the milkie and run the bottles with him, in gratitude and he would give me a pint for mum.Very fond memories .John
Vic41 said
11:45 AM Jul 29, 2014
Yes, love the smell of fresh bread, the horseshoe rolls were a favourite.
The butcher made the rounds of homes too, in fact you could get almost everything by home delivery without leaving home, not everyone had cars in those days. At home the back door was left unlocked if you went out, and the delivery blokes would bring your order into the kitchen and place it on the kitchen table or in the ice box (ice delivered to the ice box too).
Garbo's would come down the side of the house to collect your metal rubbish bin, empty it and return it back again. At Xmas time you would lay some newspaper inside on the top and leave them a couple of bottles of beer.
Life was so uncomplicated then and people more trustworthy. A lot more fun then too, kids could roam free with no concerns by them or their parents.
Off Topic, but I saw this article today about Dairies in The Desert which made interesting reading, see;
John, you are right with the best memories. I also did a paper round on the old bike in the morning before school then one in the afternoon on a street corner. Also had a part time job in the local flicks selling "Screen News" then moving to Usher then Head Usher then relief Manager, all PP. Great memories with Hoyts Cinemas for shore.
Selling news papers.......Never made the money that some people make on street corners though
2foot6 said
03:55 PM Jul 29, 2014
Memories from early days were deliveries and pick ups that were free or part of the service MILK ,ICE ,BRIQUETTES,BREAD,MEAT, RUBBISH ,DUNNY ANS,NEWSPAPERS. We had insurance reps call to collect the insurance money,another rep called to collect the two bobs out of the coin operated clock and we paid to have a TV licence .How life was soooo simple and easier. Peter.
Dougwe said
04:03 PM Jul 29, 2014
Geez Peter, I just had a vision of the briquette man slinging that bag over his shoulder and carrying it on his back down the driveway. How would OHS like to see that done now
Another thing I just remembered too was the rabbit lady
capricorn and pisces said
04:28 PM Jul 29, 2014
I can remember my old grandad had a hard time with pounds shillings and pence. He used to talk in florins, "alf a crown" and a guinea ! I suspect that he was just reluctant to be like everyone else as I can remember that he often mentioned "a tray bit" which I think was slang for something in pounds, shillings and pence money. I think it might have been a blessing that he had passed on by the time dollars and cents arrived
I can also remember members of our family being very excited getting a "Kelvinator" refrigerator, no more ice man. cheers Capricorn
Vic41 said
09:25 PM Jul 29, 2014
capricorn and pisces wrote:
I can remember my old grandad had a hard time with pounds shillings and pence. He used to talk in florins, "alf a crown" and a guinea ! I suspect that he was just reluctant to be like everyone else as I can remember that he often mentioned "a tray bit" which I think was slang for something in pounds, shillings and pence money. I think it might have been a blessing that he had passed on by the time dollars and cents arrived
A Shilling was "one bob" A Florin was 2 shillings, or "two bob", Half a Crown was 2 shillings and 6 pence, a Crown was 5 shillings. A "tray bit" was 3 pence, and 5 pence was a "zac" . In the copper coins, a farthing was 1/4 of a penny, a half penny and a penny. A Guinea was 21 shillings (one pound one shilling). There were 10 shilling notes, one pound notes, five pound notes, 10 pound notes etc.
-- Edited by Vic41 on Tuesday 29th of July 2014 09:26:52 PM
2foot6 said
10:36 PM Jul 29, 2014
Dougwe,I don't remember the rabbit lady,but the briquette factory ceases to operate next week (Morwell) so no OHS issues anymore.Those bags were heavy and dusty...... Peter.
Dougwe said
05:44 AM Jul 30, 2014
Bugga, another one bites the dust.
Pitty you don't remember the rabbit lady Peter. A nice bunny stew is the best. Mmmm, can smell it cooking now.
Glenelg said
06:33 AM Jul 30, 2014
hay Vic. no 5 pence it was 6 pence. i can remember the silver three pence it was round same as the 6 pence but about the size of a farthing
we use to call them threepenny bit
Vic41 said
07:41 AM Jul 30, 2014
Glenelg wrote:
hay Vic. no 5 pence it was 6 pence. i can remember the silver three pence it was round same as the 6 pence but about the size of a farthing
we use to call them threepenny bit
Sorry, old farts disease Dave.....yes sixpenny bit (zac), the "thripenny bit" (tray) was very small.
Some put the zac bits in the home made Xmas Pudding, had to watch breaking the teeth, but you considered yourself lucky if you got one on Xmas Day (Xmas Pud with custard for sweets).
Glenelg said
07:48 AM Jul 30, 2014
ya forgot about christmas pud, remember the silver coins in it
Vic41 said
08:11 AM Jul 30, 2014
Glenelg wrote:
ya forgot about christmas pud, remember the silver coins in it
See the previous post Dave......we had zac's in ours.....
Ole_Grizzly said
02:26 PM Jul 30, 2014
"Dunny Can" on his head?
Struth mate....was he part of the Kelly Gang?
Glenelg said
02:45 PM Jul 30, 2014
Vic41 wrote:
Glenelg wrote:
ya forgot about christmas pud,i remember the silver coins in it, wrapped in foil. that looks better Vic
See the previous post Dave......we had zac's in ours.....
-- Edited by Glenelg on Wednesday 30th of July 2014 02:46:19 PM
2foot6 said
09:16 PM Jul 30, 2014
"Dunny Can" on his head?
I once heard of a nightman that tripped and spilt the contents onto the footpath,He then proceeded to put the contents back into the can,he was asked by a passerby if he was OK. He replied ,,,,YEAH I'm just doing a stock take . ............ sorry couldn't resist. Peter.
turbopete said
04:37 PM Jul 31, 2014
There was also the horse and cart man that sold the clothes props,,,long before the hills hoist was around my area,,,, Glebe
This article brought back some memories, as a boy one of my many jobs for pocket money was working on a horse and cart bread delivery round as an assistant to cart driver, working from a bakery in Scarborough WA and delivering to surrounding suburbs.
The horse would automatically stop at each customers house and each of us had a cane basket with bread in it and shared the delivery, usually both taking houses on opposite sides of the road.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-28/millers-bakery-museum-palmyra/5629854
I also had a door to door newspaper round, most women did not work those days and I saw some funny sights with women coming to the door with open dressing gowns etc as my round was made after school before the husbands came home from work. Customers could put papers on the tick until pay day (I carried a little book as well as my leather cash bag).
Another job I had was on fruit & vege trucks that went around the streets ringing a bell etc. Us kids rode on the back of the truck and made up the orders as people hailed the truck, the drive below would then tally up their sale and take their money. When we had watermelons on board we would "accidently" drop one so we could eat it, I think the driver/owner knew but turned a blind eye to it, he never ever chastised us for it.
Yes, love the smell of fresh bread, the horseshoe rolls were a favourite.
The butcher made the rounds of homes too, in fact you could get almost everything by home delivery without leaving home, not everyone had cars in those days. At home the back door was left unlocked if you went out, and the delivery blokes would bring your order into the kitchen and place it on the kitchen table or in the ice box (ice delivered to the ice box too).
Garbo's would come down the side of the house to collect your metal rubbish bin, empty it and return it back again. At Xmas time you would lay some newspaper inside on the top and leave them a couple of bottles of beer.
Life was so uncomplicated then and people more trustworthy. A lot more fun then too, kids could roam free with no concerns by them or their parents.
Off Topic, but I saw this article today about Dairies in The Desert which made interesting reading, see;
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-28/pilbara-ag-vision/5621778
John, you are right with the best memories. I also did a paper round on the old bike in the morning before school then one in the afternoon on a street corner. Also had a part time job in the local flicks selling "Screen News" then moving to Usher then Head Usher then relief Manager, all PP. Great memories with Hoyts Cinemas for shore.
Selling news papers.......Never made the money that some people make on street corners though
Memories from early days were deliveries and pick ups that were free or part of the service MILK ,ICE ,BRIQUETTES,BREAD,MEAT, RUBBISH ,DUNNY ANS,NEWSPAPERS. We had insurance reps call to collect the insurance money,another rep called to collect the two bobs out of the coin operated clock and we paid to have a TV licence .How life was soooo simple and easier. Peter.
Geez Peter, I just had a vision of the briquette man slinging that bag over his shoulder and carrying it on his back down the driveway. How would OHS like to see that done now


Another thing I just remembered too was the rabbit lady
I can remember my old grandad had a hard time with pounds shillings and pence. He used to talk in florins, "alf a crown" and a guinea ! I suspect that he was just reluctant to be like everyone else as I can remember that he often mentioned "a tray bit" which I think was slang for something in pounds, shillings and pence money. I think it might have been a blessing that he had passed on by the time dollars and cents arrived
I can also remember members of our family being very excited getting a "Kelvinator" refrigerator, no more ice man. cheers Capricorn
A Shilling was "one bob" A Florin was 2 shillings, or "two bob", Half a Crown was 2 shillings and 6 pence, a Crown was 5 shillings. A "tray bit" was 3 pence, and 5 pence was a "zac" . In the copper coins, a farthing was 1/4 of a penny, a half penny and a penny. A Guinea was 21 shillings (one pound one shilling). There were 10 shilling notes, one pound notes, five pound notes, 10 pound notes etc.
-- Edited by Vic41 on Tuesday 29th of July 2014 09:26:52 PM
Dougwe,I don't remember the rabbit lady,but the briquette factory ceases to operate next week (Morwell) so no OHS issues anymore.Those bags were heavy and dusty...... Peter.
Pitty you don't remember the rabbit lady Peter. A nice bunny stew is the best. Mmmm, can smell it cooking now.
we use to call them threepenny bit
Sorry, old farts disease Dave.....yes sixpenny bit (zac), the "thripenny bit" (tray) was very small.
Some put the zac bits in the home made Xmas Pudding, had to watch breaking the teeth, but you considered yourself lucky if you got one on Xmas Day (Xmas Pud with custard for sweets).
See the previous post Dave......we had zac's in ours.....
"Dunny Can" on his head?
Struth mate....was he part of the Kelly Gang?
-- Edited by Glenelg on Wednesday 30th of July 2014 02:46:19 PM
"Dunny Can" on his head?
I once heard of a nightman that tripped and spilt the contents onto the footpath,He then proceeded to put the contents back into the can,he was asked by a passerby if he was OK. He replied ,,,,YEAH I'm just doing a stock take . ............ sorry couldn't resist. Peter.
There was also the horse and cart man that sold the clothes props,,,long before the hills hoist was around my area,,,, Glebe