Bill Andersen - the last horse and lorry carrier fondly remembered.



W.C(Bill) Andersen with his horse Snip and dog Kim on a Saturday going to a hire job - as he is not wearing an apron. The horse is around thirty years old. It is the number one lorry. Photograph taken by Elwin Andersen. Part of the Elwin Andersen collection. 

A former resident and keen reader of the blog has written in about W. (Bill) C. Andersen one of the last horse and lorry carriers to operate in Maryborough. She said “Mr Andersen is indelibly etched into my Maryborough childhood memories.  When we first moved to Maryborough in the late 1950’s and lived in the flats in Lennox Street he was there. When I left to move to the big smoke to study at 17 years old, I feel he was still there” she said.

“Children hear a noise and begin calling out to others running – Mr Andersen, Mr Andersen. The growing throng moves in one direction and gathers speed. Most of us barefooted, what is it we are running to? Some of us struggle to hear anything yet.  An unseen horse, cart and driver ambles along the next street. At the intersection we catch sight of the cause of the sound and gaze in awe” she recollects.

She continues “It is huge and getting bigger and louder as we gaze with glazed eyeballs and incredulous expressions on our grubby faces. Our ears ring.  Pushing and shoving to get to the front of the line.  Some of the more outgoing kids start calling out. The whole moving mass slows and comes to a halt. We gaze in awe at the huge horse; everything about it seems enormous, eyes, nostrils, hair, feet. The flat timber tray is crowded with packages, nondescript now, but yes hooray, there are some spaces. Some sort of verbal utterance from Mr Andersen signals as approval and we start clambering up onto the tray. Skinny, swinging bare legs hang down and we are seated crammed beside each other in all the spare spaces along the sides and back of the cart. Another sound from Mr Andersen and we begin to move forward as the horse walks on. Our hair flies free and most of us are silent, mesmerised by the movement of its effects on our bodies. Now the horse is trotting and we are in the moment, our senses so absorbed. Time stands still yet continues. This is wonderful.” She said. She wanted to thank Mr Andersen for the lovely memory.

In 1954 Mr J. (Jim) L. McDonald retired after working as a horse and lorry carrier for thirty years.  This left Mr W. (Bill) C. Andersen as the sole horse and lorry carrier in Maryborough. He worked in this way until the mid 1970's. He used to carry packages for shops such as Donny Bowes in Adelaide Street, Maryborough. He was sometimes seen to carry furniture. Parents of smaller children would walk alongside the tray as their children got a ride on the back. The older children were able to hold on as the horse trotted.

Mr Andersen was the last icon of a bygone era of horse power in Maryborough.

We would love to hear your memories of him.

Do you remember him delivering packages?

Were you one of the lucky ones to get a ride on the tray?

Elwin Andersen will be conducting a Local History talk on her father  Bill on the 11 March, 2016 at 12pm in the Maryborough Library E-Space. Bookings required.

 Recollections published with consent from the author.

Tags: #Maryborough #Frasercoastlibraries #Horseandlorry #MrAndersen #Localhistoryqld

Source:  National Library of Australia,. (2015). 08 Oct 1954 - LOCAL & GENERAL JIM MCDONALD RETIRES: A CARRIER .... Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 17 December 2015, from trove

Sandra Armstrong - an active and valued historian

Sandra Armstrong- immersed in history

After graduating with a Psychology degree from the University of New England in 2002, Sandra Armstrong turned her attention to one of her most loved hobbies, family and local history, and received her Master’s Degree in History. “One of my projects for that degree was the Aboriginal Mission on Fraser Island (Bogimbah Mission) and I became immersed in the subject, deciding it needed much more attention than that required for a Master’s Degree.” she claims. After exploring the subject of the mission and its contrasting management, and writing her dissertation, she received her doctorate in 2011.

Dr Armstrong has been active in the field of local and family history since 1992 and has held many positions including that of Secretary, Vice President and President of the local Family History Society at a time of great progress and activity.

 “I have  been a guest lecturer on the Bogimbah Mission in many organisations and at the University of Southern Queensland where I tutored, lectured and supervised Master’s students before I retired to enjoy my many hobbies” she continued. 

“I am now mostly involved in the local history of Maryborough and I have led the fight to list the Original Township Site on the Queensland Heritage Register, a fight that was successful in October, 2015. I continue to engage with the local community with my many interests and I take regular breaks to spoil my grandchildren and support my family in their lives” she says enthusiastically. “I can’t envisage a time when I would not be part of an active historical focus in Maryborough, talking and attending the many Lunchtime History Talks at the Maryborough Library and continuing to fight to preserve what is precious to local history.” I do not think this community could either.

Her PHD thesis The Failure of Noble Sentiments: Bogimbah Mission on Fraser Island is in the Local History vertical files at Maryborough library.
Published with consent from Sandra Armstrong

Tags: #Maryborough #Frasercoastlibraries #Bogimbahmission #Fraserisland #Familyhistorysociety

Walkers remembered by the Erbachers

John and Sue Erbacher - prolific writers

John and Sue Erbacher have been prolific writers of local history with many of the books part of the Fraser Coast Libraries local history collection. On the 6th of November, 2015 they presented a local history talk based on the stories found in their book Trade Secrets. This book details recollections from John's time working as an apprentice and later as a draughtsman at Walkers Ltd, Maryborough. 

Drawing office L-R Byron Christmas behind post, Ian Gordon, John Erbacher, Colin Wilschefski

The incidences he shares occurred between 1959 and 1966 and are told with the Erbacher’s trademark sense of humour. John remembers with clarity the machinery used and the people who worked at Walkers.

Large flywheel being machine lathed

John has an amazing collection of photographs as he was asked by Walkers to be their official photographer.

Walkers Ltd. Main entrance to workshops

Mary River with the shipyards in the background.

Of all the stories told The Bike Riders is a shared recollection of many folk who have lived in Maryborough until the 1980’s. At knock off time Maryborough would hear the whistle blow out through the city and hundreds of Walkers workers would pour out of Walkers grounds and take up the full width of Bowen Street and then stream into Kent Street, riding seven abreast. John told us the story of “Swervy” and about an encounter with the police that had the audience laughing as they collectively remember this era. Many other tales were told as Sue’s carefully prepared slide show brought them to life.  The Erbacher’s have donated a copy of these images to Fraser Coast Libraries to add to their catalogue. The book Trade Secrets is located in the local history room with the plethora of other books published by this couple.

Published with consent from John and Sue Erbacher

Tags #WalkersLtd  #Maryborough #Frasercoastlibraries #Qldheritage

Source Erbacher, J., & Erbacher, S. (2001). Trade Secrets. Urangan: Erbachers.