© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

History

Read more about the article Conductresses on the buses – and back off again

Conductresses on the buses – and back off again

IN late 1942, Australia was committed to total war in the Pacific. Its economy was practically 100 per cent geared to war production and "manpower" was a critical problem. A country with a relatively small population, it was isolated from accustomed imports, had large numbers of men fighting or in enemy captivity overseas and was struggling to boost industrial production. More and more men were drawn from their pre-war occupations and put into uniform, leaving big gaps in the industries from which they had been taken. The government turned to Australia's women for part of the…

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Read more about the article Henry Leighton Jones: more than just monkeys

Henry Leighton Jones: more than just monkeys

Dedicated to my dear friend, the late historian Dulcie Hartley, whose long-time fascination with Dr Henry Leighton Jones led to many interesting discussions and many lines of research. By the 1920s when Australian doctor and dentist Henry Leighton Jones heard the news that, in far-off Europe, a highly respected surgeon was apparently revitalizing the energy of ageing men by grafting onto their testicles pieces sliced from those of baboons, chimpanzees or monkeys, he was himself already 60 years old, single, and missing a kidney. Not that he was, by all accounts, frail or sickly. Far from…

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Read more about the article Some photos of old Hunter Region hotels
Ralph Snowball photo of the Grand Hotel in Bolton Street, Newcastle. During my time as a journalist this was a popular spot for stop-work meetings in times of industrial strife.

Some photos of old Hunter Region hotels

In times gone by hotels were often among the grandest buildings in many Australian towns. Not surprising, since they generally made their owners a decent income, and a substantial investment in good quality food, drink and accommodation facilities could pay a handsome dividend. Hotels were meeting places for locals, resting places for visitors, temporary offices and display rooms for travelling salesmen ("commercial travellers" as these were known) and centres for important public events and private functions. As a result, hotels often feature in old postcards and collections of photographs, which makes them an interesting and useful…

Continue ReadingSome photos of old Hunter Region hotels
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