Surf City, Sydney

Manly Pacific Boardriders Club gathering 1965, photo by Vic Joyce, courtesy Bryan Hughes (who also produced the numbered list below)

John Smythe writes… Manly Pacific was formed in 1964 at a meeting in Pacific Hotel.

Thanks to Ray Joyce, John Smythe and Bryan Hughes, who are working to get all names listed. Please email Bryan Hughes if you can fill in any blanks.

1. Sandy Graham

2. Ron Graham (Babalooey)

3. Lyn Holmes (holding Tracey)

4. Darryl Holmes

5. Peter Neal

6. ?

7. ?

8. Chris Peel (Squeek)

9. Geoff Hannan

10. Bill Hannan

11. Judy Malonyay

12. Peter Dunshea

13. Judy Nunn

14. Sue Cullen

15. Bob Munro

16. Ian Goodacre (Goody)

17. David Treloar (Baddy)

18. Derrick Lyon

19. ?

20. Robert Thomas (Tag)

21. Liz Rimmer

22. Peter Wall (?)

23. Bruce Anderson

24. Dave Smythe (Big Miff )

25. John Brunskill (Brunny)

26. Michael McCormack (Macka)

27. John Smythe (Little Miff)

28. Brook Koopman

29. Phil Booth

30. Trevor Booth

31. Bryan Hughes

32. Ted Spencer

33. ?

34. Ross Le Bris

35. ?

36. Tony McNevin

37. Graeme Hulme-Moir

38. Ray Joyce

39. Glen Metcalf

40. Tony Ayres (Dummy)

41. Peter Wright

42. Max Doerner

43. John Calligan (Bones)

44. Graeme Bennett

45. Peter Amiot (Foddy)

46. Frank Ericson (Erro)

47. Paul Watkins

48. Bob Pike

49. Steve Gillett

50. Jane Farrelly

51. Bruce Campbell

52. Glynn Ritchie

53. Bob Mills

54. ?

55. ?

56. Lester Priday

57. Dave Darley

58. ?

59. Mick Hall

60. Andrew Nairn

61. Barry McDonald

62. Barry King (Kinga)

63. Alex Chobanoff

64. John Fleck (Fireman)

65. Peter Hellmrich

66. ?

67. Peter Bido

68. Mick Murphy (Murf)

69. Ralph Callaghan

70. John Watson (Bomber)

71. Peter Greenwood

72. John Williams (Nipper)

73. Malcolm Dutch

74. Cathy Skein

75. Gail Sorby

76. Charmaine Cornell

77. Sandra Lane

78. Viv Doerner

79. Grace Hopewell (Viv Campbell)

80. Paula Hopewell

Please add or change any names (include nick-names) and any other info.

Peter Bowes over at petebowes.com posted this recently along with details of blokes pictured and a few tales from his old friend Scott Dillon.

Thanks to Peter for passing this on and for the use of the above pic.

Sydney newspaper clipping from 1962 courtesy Barry Magoo McGuigan

Gordon Woods taking orders at Brookvale in the movie Ride A White Horse Bob Evans Promotions Productions 1967

Cup of tea and a biscuit with Gordon Woods today and barely scratched the surface on an amazing story of canoe building at Bondi in the 1930s, tom blake hollows in the 40s, contemplating Peter Lawford’s balsa and glass mal in 1951, picking up his Velzy balsa board from Bob Burnside in 56 and the first hollow mals, the arrival of balsa, foam and paradigm shift to Brookvale, fruitful interactions with Californians Dick Metz and Chuck Foss, having kids and running a busy board building operation into the mid 70s, before switching to yachts and other things. Very grateful for Gordon’s time and support.

Gordon mentioned that he drove a taxi for a short while in 1950s, while his board making business caught on. It made me wonder what kind of jobs surfers did to make ends meet and keep them surfing: Jack Bluey Mayes also drove cabs, Magoo McGuigan was a fireman, Nipper Williams was a beach inspector, Max Bowman was an electrician, Bob Pike was a wool classer, Mick McMahon a butcher, Mick Dooley was a garbageman, while others, it appears, were policemen, accountants, labourers, shift workers, dock workers, etc, etc.

Ray “Dags” Greenaway Wanda Beach Easter ’62 photo Jack Eden, grabbed (with big thanks to Chris Stroh) from Cronulla Surf Museum

Check out this post over at CSM for a great glimpse into early days of foam at Cronulla.

Thanks again to Ron Saggers and Kath Perrott for this knockout early 60s Ron Perrott photograph of Scott Dillon (pointing with pen) and Bob Evans (wearing hat) who appear to be judging a contest at North Narrabeen. That’s probably Bob Fell on the left, according to Peter Bowes and fearless ‘Bower Boy’ Robbie Lane in the speedos on the right.

Just in…Phil Jarratt reckons its the autumn 1961 get-together of the South Pacific Board Riders Club, mentioned in Australian Surfer #2, a photo of which turned up in 1962 on Teenagers Weekly cover…thanks Phil.

Two surfers, Mona Vale 1960, photo Gervaise Purcell, courtesy Leigh Purcell

Leigh Purcell, son of well known Sydney commercial fashion photographer Gervaise Purcell, stopped by the other day to drop off a handful of terrific prints taken down at Mona Vale in 1960 of random surfers in action. Leigh recalls that his dad was merely testing equipment and snapped off a roll or two to get used to a new telefoto lens. Gervaise was renowned for his swimwear work, so its no surprise he’s managed to capture the local preference for speedo trunks over white rope-belted board shorts.

Three surfers, Mona Vale 1960, photo Gervaise Purcell, courtesy Leigh Purcell

Thankfully Bruce Usher has nailed a few IDs …Ok, Bob Boot is the blond headed Dewey Webber stylist on LHS of the top pic. Still surfs the same. Looks like one of the Gosden brothers (possibly Dave) middle of the bottom pic. Bob Boot should have all that MV SLSC history in his head…

Great photo by Fiona Murphy of Rhonda Davies, Vic Croawell, Peter Brownhill taken in 1969 at North Narrabeen, with the old clubhouse in the background.

I asked Fiona if the bikers were surfers, along with a few other questions… Yes [according to Fiona] all surfed to some degree. When we weren’t riding bikes or hanging out at the beach, we were probably at the pub!! We were all regulars at all the local pubs, LOL. Workwise, Rhonda worked for an accountant, Vic was a boiler maker, Peter worked for an airline, forget which one. I worked in a shop (that’s me at the beach with Rhonda), Mick Marlin worked at the markets. It was a big mix of people. Lots of the guys were tradies as well.

Photos and notes courtesy of Fiona Murphy.

more great photos from Fiona Murphy, taken around Warriewood in the late 1960s

Cracker collection of photos sent in by Ron Turton, who surfed with the ‘Beachcombers’ at Palm Beach around 1959. Ron’s sister Pearl Turton became a Sydney surfing sensation when she won the national contest at Avalon Beach in 1963 and as Ron writes… became an overnight hit with the media. Brian Henderson’s Bandstand (in a bikini!), The Australian Womens Weekly and Everybody’s magazine. Her uncle in England even saw her on the front page of a Pommie magazine in a barber shop in Surrey . She was only 16 at the time.

Thanks again to Ron for sending these pics my way.

The first Australian surf board riding club – the ‘Beachcombers’ of Palm Beach NSW and their boards 1959. Seated – John ‘Olly’ Oliver, John ‘Johnny Mac’ McIlroy,  Ron Turton, Neridah Wright, Joy Gassman, Billy MacTaggart, John ‘Pine Apple’ Prosser. Back ‘Ho Dad’ John Pullenger, John Dunn, Peter Dever, Frank ‘Speedy’ Gonsalves. (info Ron Turton)

Leone Power of Collaroy Beach NSW a great fan of the surf. (info Ron Turton)

Ron Turton Palm Beach NSW Winter 1959. One of the guys had an underwater camera and used to take pics of marine life. I was on this wave near the dressing sheds and up he popped in front of me and took this fuzzy photo! Evasive action required on this 9 footer! (info Ron Turton)

Some original Beachcombers Surfbord Riders Club Palm Beach NSW 1961 near the present day dressing sheds. Note Johnny Hawkes Beach Buffet in the background washed away in king tides. The Beachcomber’s Club was underneath the Beach Buffet. Back row – Ken ‘The Blue Streak’ Mackey, John ‘Pine’ Prosser, Richard Parkinson. Front – John ‘Olly’ Oliver, Ron Turton, Pearl Turton, Glenys Pearson, John ‘Beaver’ Gonsalves, Ronnie Berczelley and Laci ‘Hompus Stompus’ Berczelly. Note the jackets with the initials on them. ‘Cooky’ Burnes style from 77 Sunset Strip! (info Ron Turton)

John ‘Pin’ waxing board, Rodney ‘Rouge’ Harris standing, Sitting – Two Campbell brothers (the Elder is Lee ‘Bombie’ Beacham, Alan Ward, another Campbell and Laci ‘Hompus Stompus’ Berczelly. Pic taken at Palm Beach dressing sheds. South Palm Beach in the background the washed away Beach Buffet and Beachcomber’s club. Check out Col Brown’s famous Ford Twin Spinner it went on many a surfing safari. (info Ron Turton)

A nice take on Little Pattie’s debut single He’s My Blonde-Headed, Stompie-Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy, co-written according to wikipedia by Jay Justin and Joe Halford that surfaced in the final months of Sydney’s surf-music craze at the tail end of 1963, just as Beatlemania was starting to stir.