© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Author: Greg Ray

This author has written 481 articles
Read more about the article Dinny O’Brien’s legendary Newcastle pawnshop
Dinny O'Brien's pawnshop in Hunter Street, Newcastle.

Dinny O’Brien’s legendary Newcastle pawnshop

DINNY O'Brien was a Newcastle legend in his lifetime, and even today his name conjures memories for many who recall his landmark pawnshop on Hunter Street. He and his wife Margaret had five sons and a daughter. I interviewed Tom O'Brien some years ago, when he was aged 94 and the last survivor of Dinny's children. Tom was deeply proud of the business his father built, and which sustained generations of the extended family in good years and bad. One of very few photos of Dinny O'Brien. Dinny lived originally at Largs, and his first business…

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Read more about the article Boomers v Millennials: who’s robbing who?

Boomers v Millennials: who’s robbing who?

YOUNG people have been robbed by older generations, some political and media prawns love to assert. How do they figure this? It’s because old households have more wealth than younger ones, and because many younger people are wondering forlornly whether they will ever be able to afford to buy homes of their own. According to some commentators this is the fault of oldies, who are selfishly sitting around taking up space in the cities and the burbs that could be occupied by the young, if only they’d get out of the way. I don’t know whether…

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Read more about the article When Newcastle went with Jayes

When Newcastle went with Jayes

Jayes Travel Service was an iconic Newcastle business through a large part of the 20th century. The founders, John and Lottie Jenkins (pictured below), came to Newcastle in 1928, having emigrated from Scotland in 1920. Their first business in Newcastle was in accountancy and collections. John and Lottie Jenkins, circa 1920 The Depression made business hard to come by, and Lottie started helping Katoomba guest houses find staff to run their operations, trading as Jayes Employment Agency.John Jenkins had served in World War 1, but signed up again to fight in World War II. Lottie kept…

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