Member of the Month- Profile
April
Ivan Holley
Ivan has had a varied and interesting life. Born in Cabramatta, NSW in 1941. He was not particularly interested in school. He started an apprenticeship with International Combustion at Rydalmere as an apprentice fitter and turner. He progressed to the drawing office where he studied mechanical engineering.
At the age of 21, Ivan married his life-long partner Audrey. It was love at first sight. They have 3 children; two sons and a daughter. Shortly after they married they moved to Gloucester where Ivan worked as a fitter at an engineering works. Due to his ability to be multi-skilled, he was persuaded to go and work on a dairy farm. On a rapid learning curve, he was required to milk cows, drive tractors, repair fences, fix machinery and weld.
After 8 years in Gloucester the Holley family moved back to Sydney where Ivan worked making welders for Aston Welders. He remained there for six years.
Ivan’s next adventure was to move to North Richmond to work for the Hanna Match Company. His job was to maintain all the machines. Audrey also went to work there. Her job was packing the matches. One of the lines the match company made was folding matchbooks. The machine could spit out 2,500 books in 41/2 minutes. Audrey was too busy packing to talk to Ivan at work.
His next adventure was designing and building machines for the glass industry.
Ivan’s final job before retiring was to work for the famous Peter Jackson at St Mary’s. Anyone involved with vintage cars would know of Peter Jackson. Ivan’s job was working on replacement panels and rubber moulds for vintage cars.
On retirement the Holley’s moved to Taree in 2008. Ivan’s hobbies are fishing, vintage cars and woodworking.
Ivan Holley
Ivan has had a varied and interesting life. Born in Cabramatta, NSW in 1941. He was not particularly interested in school. He started an apprenticeship with International Combustion at Rydalmere as an apprentice fitter and turner. He progressed to the drawing office where he studied mechanical engineering.
At the age of 21, Ivan married his life-long partner Audrey. It was love at first sight. They have 3 children; two sons and a daughter. Shortly after they married they moved to Gloucester where Ivan worked as a fitter at an engineering works. Due to his ability to be multi-skilled, he was persuaded to go and work on a dairy farm. On a rapid learning curve, he was required to milk cows, drive tractors, repair fences, fix machinery and weld.
After 8 years in Gloucester the Holley family moved back to Sydney where Ivan worked making welders for Aston Welders. He remained there for six years.
Ivan’s next adventure was to move to North Richmond to work for the Hanna Match Company. His job was to maintain all the machines. Audrey also went to work there. Her job was packing the matches. One of the lines the match company made was folding matchbooks. The machine could spit out 2,500 books in 41/2 minutes. Audrey was too busy packing to talk to Ivan at work.
His next adventure was designing and building machines for the glass industry.
Ivan’s final job before retiring was to work for the famous Peter Jackson at St Mary’s. Anyone involved with vintage cars would know of Peter Jackson. Ivan’s job was working on replacement panels and rubber moulds for vintage cars.
On retirement the Holley’s moved to Taree in 2008. Ivan’s hobbies are fishing, vintage cars and woodworking.
March
Kim fetherston
Kim fetherston
Kim Fetherston
Well it’s time to give a little background about myself, I started in the workforce at age 15, as a Tank Boy on the NSW Railways at Eveleigh Running Sheds at Redfern. My job along with a mate from school was to empty water from the tenders of the steam engines, climb into the tanks and gather up loose scale, mainly rust, sometimes yabbies if the engine had been working country. From there I applied for a Roster clerk position at Enfield Loco, not quite as dirty, then an Engineers clerk at Delec at Enfield. By early 1967, I dropped out of work moving to Kings Cross joining the Hippy movement. I would do work around the Wayside Chapel for the Rev Ted Noffs in exchange for food parcels and grabbing floor space to sleep wherever I could. Late 1968 I returned to the railways as a Shunter at Cooks River Goods yard, that was a short lived experience when I nearly lost my leg during nightshift, decided I prefer to stay whole.
In 1969 I started work as a Spring maker just off Broadway, Sydney, I stayed there for a number of years attaining the grade of 1st Class Machinist. They relocated to Northmead after a few years; I left and went to work with a Plywood manufacturer in Gladesville. Six months later I returned to Springmaking at Northmead for another two Years. Saw a job advertised at Precision Springs West Ryde with better money and took it.
About two years later my marriage broke down, and I then took up yet another job I saw advertised, Cray fishing in the Great Keppels on Wilson Island. I thought scuba diving is one of my hobbies I might as well get paid for it. After six months the cyclone season set in and I returned to Noosa Heads where my dad was living, stayed another six months returning to Sydney. Started in a timber yard in Sutherland, stayed there for seven years then onto Sutherland Shire Council for twenty years.
I do hope you haven’t nodded off, and I will be looking for more stories from other members who have been a little reluctant to tell their story.
Well it’s time to give a little background about myself, I started in the workforce at age 15, as a Tank Boy on the NSW Railways at Eveleigh Running Sheds at Redfern. My job along with a mate from school was to empty water from the tenders of the steam engines, climb into the tanks and gather up loose scale, mainly rust, sometimes yabbies if the engine had been working country. From there I applied for a Roster clerk position at Enfield Loco, not quite as dirty, then an Engineers clerk at Delec at Enfield. By early 1967, I dropped out of work moving to Kings Cross joining the Hippy movement. I would do work around the Wayside Chapel for the Rev Ted Noffs in exchange for food parcels and grabbing floor space to sleep wherever I could. Late 1968 I returned to the railways as a Shunter at Cooks River Goods yard, that was a short lived experience when I nearly lost my leg during nightshift, decided I prefer to stay whole.
In 1969 I started work as a Spring maker just off Broadway, Sydney, I stayed there for a number of years attaining the grade of 1st Class Machinist. They relocated to Northmead after a few years; I left and went to work with a Plywood manufacturer in Gladesville. Six months later I returned to Springmaking at Northmead for another two Years. Saw a job advertised at Precision Springs West Ryde with better money and took it.
About two years later my marriage broke down, and I then took up yet another job I saw advertised, Cray fishing in the Great Keppels on Wilson Island. I thought scuba diving is one of my hobbies I might as well get paid for it. After six months the cyclone season set in and I returned to Noosa Heads where my dad was living, stayed another six months returning to Sydney. Started in a timber yard in Sutherland, stayed there for seven years then onto Sutherland Shire Council for twenty years.
I do hope you haven’t nodded off, and I will be looking for more stories from other members who have been a little reluctant to tell their story.
February
Peter Stemp
Peters Story
My name is Peter. I am 38 years old and I live in Forster with my mum Lesley.
I have always lived in this area and did all my schooling in Taree, in the Special Education Unit at Manning Gardens Public School, and later at Chatham High School.
I have been at Valley Industries for 20 years, and the best times there have been when I was in a team making wooden benches and planter boxes. I also made a coffee table for home out of recycled timber.
I can't read words or write much, but I am always doing things with my hands. I like strumming my guitar as I listen to country music, and I love working with wood in my own area. I have a few tools which I have learnt to use properly. Mum and I have just moved into my Nan's old home. It has enough space in the garage for me to set up a proper work place, so I am keen for my brother to help me make a workbench.
Now that I have funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I am able to choose the activities I really enjoy with the help of Dundaloo Support Services. Saturday mornings are now the best time of the week for me; my Support Worker brings me to the Woodworker Club and I can spend lots of time doing what I love, learning new skills and making friends as well.
Everyone has been so helpful to me, and made me welcome. It is wonderful to belong to this great club.
My name is Peter. I am 38 years old and I live in Forster with my mum Lesley.
I have always lived in this area and did all my schooling in Taree, in the Special Education Unit at Manning Gardens Public School, and later at Chatham High School.
I have been at Valley Industries for 20 years, and the best times there have been when I was in a team making wooden benches and planter boxes. I also made a coffee table for home out of recycled timber.
I can't read words or write much, but I am always doing things with my hands. I like strumming my guitar as I listen to country music, and I love working with wood in my own area. I have a few tools which I have learnt to use properly. Mum and I have just moved into my Nan's old home. It has enough space in the garage for me to set up a proper work place, so I am keen for my brother to help me make a workbench.
Now that I have funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I am able to choose the activities I really enjoy with the help of Dundaloo Support Services. Saturday mornings are now the best time of the week for me; my Support Worker brings me to the Woodworker Club and I can spend lots of time doing what I love, learning new skills and making friends as well.
Everyone has been so helpful to me, and made me welcome. It is wonderful to belong to this great club.
December/January
Lindsay Mitchell
Lindsay Mitchell
Having joined the Woodworker about 18 months ago I find that part of my time is on projects and part is socialising. As most of the members are what could be described as “mature aged”, they all have stories to tell. I have found a lot of these stories to be very enjoyable and interesting
I remember years ago, a radio presenter was talking to another radio man and said that he didn’t have to interview just famous people; he could interview anybody, because everybody has a story to tell. The radio man was sceptical and said he didn’t believe that you could interview just anybody and make it interesting. So they had a bet!
The next morning they set out from the suburbs. They drove down a quiet suburban street and saw a man watering the lawn. They asked if they could interview him for the radio show. While they were setting up the recording equipment in the lounge room, the radio man asked if he could use the toilet. “Sure”, said the owner, “but you will have to go out the front door and down the side and in the back door, because a swarm of bees has built a hive in the hallway and we don’t want to disturb them”.
So, for the next 30 minutes they discussed how hard it was living in a house with a swarm of bees. The presenter won the bet and proved that everybody has a story to tell. This was a true story.
So, I’m going to kick this off with one of my stories and hope you find it entertaining and other members will contribute their stories in Woodworm.
I remember years ago, a radio presenter was talking to another radio man and said that he didn’t have to interview just famous people; he could interview anybody, because everybody has a story to tell. The radio man was sceptical and said he didn’t believe that you could interview just anybody and make it interesting. So they had a bet!
The next morning they set out from the suburbs. They drove down a quiet suburban street and saw a man watering the lawn. They asked if they could interview him for the radio show. While they were setting up the recording equipment in the lounge room, the radio man asked if he could use the toilet. “Sure”, said the owner, “but you will have to go out the front door and down the side and in the back door, because a swarm of bees has built a hive in the hallway and we don’t want to disturb them”.
So, for the next 30 minutes they discussed how hard it was living in a house with a swarm of bees. The presenter won the bet and proved that everybody has a story to tell. This was a true story.
So, I’m going to kick this off with one of my stories and hope you find it entertaining and other members will contribute their stories in Woodworm.
October/November
KEN ELDRIDGE
I immigrated from England in 1949 at the age of five, we didn’t even rate a ten pound pom tag.
I started in the workforce as an apprentice Boilermaker, it was 1962. In 1968 Marion and I were married, I later had a career change, becoming an Electronic Trades Technician with Gilbarco. Afterwards I moved on to Computers and Electronics, I finished there in 2003. Prices of technology had come down and things had become a throwaway item, it was cheaper to renew than have products repaired.
In 2007 we left “The Shire” Sydney, moving to Taree.
My interests are Bonsai, woodworking, quilting and patchwork, and I have been a member of MGLWoodworkers Inc since 2013.
KEN ELDRIDGE
I immigrated from England in 1949 at the age of five, we didn’t even rate a ten pound pom tag.
I started in the workforce as an apprentice Boilermaker, it was 1962. In 1968 Marion and I were married, I later had a career change, becoming an Electronic Trades Technician with Gilbarco. Afterwards I moved on to Computers and Electronics, I finished there in 2003. Prices of technology had come down and things had become a throwaway item, it was cheaper to renew than have products repaired.
In 2007 we left “The Shire” Sydney, moving to Taree.
My interests are Bonsai, woodworking, quilting and patchwork, and I have been a member of MGLWoodworkers Inc since 2013.
September
Warwick Mitchell
I originally come from Armidale where my parents had a sheep and cattle property. When I was old enough, I travelled extensively around northern NSW and Queensland with shearing contractors working in the sheds as a shearer and wool classer.
In the early 1960’s I joined the Police Force and was stationed at various towns in and around NSW including Taree and Wingham. It was in 1980 whilst living at Wingham that I learnt the art of wood turning. In 1984 I was transferred to Chatswood in the city and decided to buy a home at Gosford where I travelled to and from work on the trains for the next 18 years. It was at Gosford that I joined the Central Coast Woodworkers and developed an interest in scroll sawing. After having spent 37 years as a ‘Bobby’, I decided the Force could get along without me so I retired, sold my home and moved back to Forster to become a full-time carer for my father until such time as I found it necessary to place him in a nursing home. I then bought a house at Tuncurry where I am now residing.
Since taking up scrolling, I have completed a number of portraits and art works and have managed to have photographs of some of them appear in the all American scroll saw magazines and have been fortunate enough to have won various prizes in wood shows. I also have a keen interest
in making grandfather clocks and have made several so far for various family members. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to keep the last one for myself!!
From the days when the MGLWC was located at the Taree Showground and I was the only member doing scroll sawing, it was a struggle to find someone else who also had an interest in the art and who could speak the same language.
The Club has come a long way since then and it is very pleasing to see a number of members taking an interest in a very rewarding hobby.
Warwick Mitchell
Warwick Mitchell
I originally come from Armidale where my parents had a sheep and cattle property. When I was old enough, I travelled extensively around northern NSW and Queensland with shearing contractors working in the sheds as a shearer and wool classer.
In the early 1960’s I joined the Police Force and was stationed at various towns in and around NSW including Taree and Wingham. It was in 1980 whilst living at Wingham that I learnt the art of wood turning. In 1984 I was transferred to Chatswood in the city and decided to buy a home at Gosford where I travelled to and from work on the trains for the next 18 years. It was at Gosford that I joined the Central Coast Woodworkers and developed an interest in scroll sawing. After having spent 37 years as a ‘Bobby’, I decided the Force could get along without me so I retired, sold my home and moved back to Forster to become a full-time carer for my father until such time as I found it necessary to place him in a nursing home. I then bought a house at Tuncurry where I am now residing.
Since taking up scrolling, I have completed a number of portraits and art works and have managed to have photographs of some of them appear in the all American scroll saw magazines and have been fortunate enough to have won various prizes in wood shows. I also have a keen interest
in making grandfather clocks and have made several so far for various family members. I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to keep the last one for myself!!
From the days when the MGLWC was located at the Taree Showground and I was the only member doing scroll sawing, it was a struggle to find someone else who also had an interest in the art and who could speak the same language.
The Club has come a long way since then and it is very pleasing to see a number of members taking an interest in a very rewarding hobby.
Warwick Mitchell
August
Peter Kinsella
Peter Kinsella
After a 3 year apprenticeship in the Royal Air Force, Peter spent the next 12 years servicing Airborne Interception radars on RAF fast jets. He followed that with over 25 years as a computer technician specialising in networks.
Now retired, Peter enjoys " messing about " with wood, and has learned a lot about woodworking generally since joining the Club. He is looking forward to getting to grips with scroll work by attending an in-house workshop this month. Peter is currently serving his fifth year with the committee, having spent the last three years as Secretary.
Finally, Peter would have a lot to explain if he had run for Parliament, as he is entitled to four citizenships- he only uses his Australian passport these days!
Now retired, Peter enjoys " messing about " with wood, and has learned a lot about woodworking generally since joining the Club. He is looking forward to getting to grips with scroll work by attending an in-house workshop this month. Peter is currently serving his fifth year with the committee, having spent the last three years as Secretary.
Finally, Peter would have a lot to explain if he had run for Parliament, as he is entitled to four citizenships- he only uses his Australian passport these days!
July
Woodworker on Duty
Horrie Beeton
Horrie has always had a long held ambition to do woodwork, and since he joined the Manning/Great Lakes Woodworkers, has enjoyed Wood Turning, making Boxes, Bowls, Vases and a variety of Rosewood tables.
Horrie is always happy to share his learned skills with new and interested members.
Horrie has twice been elected President and has always accepted a position on the committee. He is a hard working member and is proud to show interested parties the workshop and the Gallery where member made items are on exhibition and for sale.
June
Margaret Crapp
Woodworker on Duty
Horrie Beeton
Horrie has always had a long held ambition to do woodwork, and since he joined the Manning/Great Lakes Woodworkers, has enjoyed Wood Turning, making Boxes, Bowls, Vases and a variety of Rosewood tables.
Horrie is always happy to share his learned skills with new and interested members.
Horrie has twice been elected President and has always accepted a position on the committee. He is a hard working member and is proud to show interested parties the workshop and the Gallery where member made items are on exhibition and for sale.
June
Margaret Crapp
Margaret Crapp has been a member of the Manning Great Lakes Woodworkers after the new site was commissioned in 2011. After listening to her woody husband Geoff talk about his favourite hobby and critiquing some of them she decided that she should have a go too. Margaret started off with small projects involving Pyrography which is the process of burning images in wood and having Geoff frame them for her. A couple of club members kept giving helpful advice and soon she was producing intricate works of art. As if that was not enough she noticed the scroll saw operation by our members at various shows and thought to have a go. Geoff suggested she should have her own machine with a little bit of use by him also. Perhaps there was a hidden agenda here from Geoff eh?
Anyway soon Marg had a brand new Excalibur scroll saw that has enabled her to produce some interesting articles for our gallery; our home and of course the three granddaughters. With the help of a couple of guys Marg has also been exposed to Intarsia which is the art of producing 3D pictures in various wood colours to create the complete artwork. Marg is a natural at this as the many years working as a machinist in industry have given her a solid grounding in the skill of scroll saw work which is much the same as using a sewing machine but with a blade replacing a needle and timber replacing fabrics. Keep up the good work Marg waving the flag for our lady members.
Anyway soon Marg had a brand new Excalibur scroll saw that has enabled her to produce some interesting articles for our gallery; our home and of course the three granddaughters. With the help of a couple of guys Marg has also been exposed to Intarsia which is the art of producing 3D pictures in various wood colours to create the complete artwork. Marg is a natural at this as the many years working as a machinist in industry have given her a solid grounding in the skill of scroll saw work which is much the same as using a sewing machine but with a blade replacing a needle and timber replacing fabrics. Keep up the good work Marg waving the flag for our lady members.
May