© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Author: Greg Ray

This author has written 481 articles
Read more about the article Rundles: A Novocastrian tailoring institution
Newcastle's old borough markets, with Rundles Workrooms.

Rundles: A Novocastrian tailoring institution

The Novocastrian tailoring institution of Rundles began in 1908 when founder Richard Thomas Rundle set up business in Thorn Street, later moving to 108 Hunter Street. Rundle saw the potential of sewing machines to speed up suit manufacture before many other tailors and found a profitable niche. Richard Thomas Rundle Rundles staff picnic, photo by Ralph Snowball In December 1939 Mrs C.E.A. Rundle bought the Hunter Street building formerly occupied by the Lane and Trewartha store. She moved her tailoring business into half the new premises on Christmas Eve of that year. The old Lane and…

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Read more about the article Dangerous days deep underground at Paxton.
Headframe of Stanford Main colliery at Paxton in 1987. Photo by Don Ebbott

Dangerous days deep underground at Paxton.

Fred Caban started work at Stanford Main No. 2 mine at Paxton in 1947 when the mine employed 400 men and produced 1000 tonnes of coal a day. One thing he remembers is the great speed at which the steam-powered winding engine could haul a cage up the 400 foot shaft. A cage could carry two tonnes of coal or 12 men to the top of the unloading gantry in 10 seconds. “When the cage dropped away you would swear the bottom had fallen out and you were falling,” Fred recalled. “When going up you had…

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Read more about the article A Paterson River incident: when the Guthrey ran aground.

A Paterson River incident: when the Guthrey ran aground.

For a number of years early last century, riverboat excursions from Newcastle Harbour to destinations such as Hinton, Seaham and Paterson were popular. Steamboats of various shapes and sizes (including at least one retired Sydney Harbour ferry) took hundreds of passengers at a time on picnics, hikes and cruises. One of the boats was the Guthrey, (referred to as a "funny" vessel in this post: https://www.phototimetunnel.com/the-german-sailor-the-tailors-daughter-and-the-tragic-white-wife-of-otterswick The Guthrey on Newcastle Harbour, circa 1910. Courtesy Bill Ruddick. The Guthrey on Newcastle Harbour, circa 1910. The Guthrey (left) and the Shamrock at Newcastle, circa 1910. The day after…

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