'Old Ashes' Cyril Sainty photo from Melksham (1996). |
Many
remember the man with the wheelbarrow from the 1950’s who collected ashes from
the boilers at the old power house in Maryborough (on the corner of Tooley and
Kent Street) (Tinana:bridging the gap, nd.)
He also
collected scrap metal and bottles. Melksham (1996) remembers him walking past
his house early in the morning cracking a whip and letting out a wild yell.
Other people remember that children use to torment him until “he would chase
them with his fist in the air scowling or he would make a high pitched sound
with his nose using his fingers.” (Audrey Court as cited in Buchanan, p. 54,
1991)Audrey Court (as cited in Buchanan, p. 54, 1991) tells us that Old Ashes' real name was Cyril Basil Fleetwood Sainty and that he was born near Hobart in Tasmania, Australia in 1901. She states “When he was about fourteen years of age, Cyril and Daphne, his sister travelled overland by horse and cart from Melbourne to Queensland with their aunt and uncle and four cousins.”
Melksham
(1996) claims that forty years prior to his death Maryborough had a branch of
what was known as the Round Table Debating Club and he was a member and was a
very good debater.
Others
recall Dr Aldridge visited him often to check on him out in the bush where he
lived.
He died
on the 4th September, 1976 at the age of 75 in his little tin shed at the back
of Tinana School (Audrey Court as cited in Buchanan, p. 54, 1991).
Do you
know any more details about this man?
He was a Maryborough Icon that many remember
and we would like to know more about him.
References
Buchanan,
V. (1991). Sunbury. [Maryborough, Qld.]: Sunbury State School Centenary
Committee.References
Melksham, D. (1996). Every Town Has its Colourful Character The Way We Were. Maryborough Chronicle.
Tinana: bridging the gap - a special promotion, brought to you by The Maryborough Herald, (n.d.). One of Tinana's most colourful characters.
Tags #Maryborough #Frasercoastlibraries #oldashes #localhistory #qldheritage #tinana