Looking Back - Down memory lane - just for a short while

By Leo Billington

Previous local history articles in this column have focussed on “the what could have been” rather than what eventuated.

Just recently, a comment was passed to your scribe that our Post Second World War development in this municipality became pre-occupied with coal and power stations. This is quite understandable; nonetheless local history took second place and has been trying to catch up since.

Hence, this month’s history takes a different direction to pull our minds back to a few memories of the Post Second World War period.

In the early 50’s, chewing gum was highly popular, being available in wax paper wrapped four piece packs, costing only 3d (thrippence/threepence) in the 1950’s. It was made by the Wrigley Company, first established on April 1, 1891 in Chicago by William Wrigley Junior. It is now a subsidiary of the Mars Food Company.

Three flavours were readily available - PK, Juicy Fruit and Spearmint. William’s son, Phillip K took over as CEO in 1925. It is written that P.K. chewing gum brand was named in his honour.

Juicy Fruit seemingly contained a broad mixture along with sugar - artificial sweeteners, aspartame and Acesulfame potassium. Some nutritionists have speculated about other ingredients - corn syrup, banana and pineapple, combined as an artificial flavouring.

During 1956, British skiffle musician, Lonnie Donegan asked us:

Does your chewing gum lose its flavour on the bedpost overnight?

If your mother says don't chew it,

Do you swallow it in spite?

Can you catch it on your tonsils,

Can you heave it left and right?

Does your chewing gum lose its flavour

on the bedpost overnight?

Life in fledgling Morwell was looking up as the 1950s swung into action. Chewing gum, movies, domestic hot water systems, a new fire station and, Myers. First established in Melbourne in 1911 in Bourke Street, Myers announced it was coming to Morwell in editorial on Thursday May 27, 1952.

It was a small shop, but still called the Myer Emporium. Initially co-located with Clematis Art Florists at 208 Commercial Road, a revolutionary - for Morwell - teleprinter order service was installed.

A big future was heralded when a new location was opened at 22 Commercial Road next to Frank Johnston’s radio and electrical business. It was a small, non-retail space with emphasis on a teleprinter service - customers ordered items from Melbourne, which were subsequently delivered, sometimes the next day. Amazon and Temu are not new to buying online!

A large advertorial that appeared in The Argus (Melbourne) on Thursday July 2, 1953 proved to be effective marketing. Nonetheless, Myer’s stay was short-lived. There was too much local competition being established. Anyway, customers always want tactile experiences.

At 24 Commercial Road, Frank sold HMV’s great invention, the Little Nipper, or an Astor Mickey, even offering free home demonstrations. Creative, logical marketing we must all agree.

Later into the 60s, to have a marvellous opportunity when buying LP’s - an abbreviation for "Long Playing" or "Long Play", was/is a type of vinyl record characterized by its size (12 inches), speed (33 1/3 rpm) - from Johnston’s Record Bar became a real treat.

Advertisements often quoted prices as gns/GNS; referring to a guinea, which was worth £1,1s (one pound and one shilling).

We must all remember Ekon Heating and Engineering, a substantial business in Latrobe Road, Morwell, specialising in briquette/electric water heaters, air conditioning, arc welding and steam pipe fabrication. These were initially built in Morwell in the 1940s to cater for the growth in post-WW2 house building.

Establishing his plumbing business, in early 1938, William Goodley received a licence to tap Morwell’s water mains and make the necessary connections. Initially located at 290 Commercial Road (eastern end), then to Buckley Street - where Morel heaters are mentioned plus other services - and onwards to larger premises at 75 Latrobe Road (Morwell Advertiser, July 9, 1964).

It seems William was creative in selecting “Ekon” as the business name - a word associated with strength, bravery, and the ability to face challenges

Tourism popped its head up about this time - the idea of attracting tourists gained some momentum as power stations and open cuts held a degree of new interests. So did trips through the Strzelecki hills taking in all kinds of flora and fauna.

Consequently, the Tourist Development Authority of Victoria was established by Act of Parliament, with responsibility for promoting tourist development and publicising the State's tourist attractions. It gathered up tourism ideas once held by the Victorian Railways Commissioners and in April 1959, the authority was in momentum.

Nonetheless, it was Morwell who wondered about tourism’s knowledge, when on July 23, 1964, a tourist map appeared in the Morwell Advertiser without any reference to Morwell. By reading the editor’s reaction, one can conclude anger and frustration was building.

“You would scarcely think it was possible, now would you, to draw an authoritative map of Central and Southern Gippsland and ignore the existence of Morwell?”

The map was drawn and supplied for publication by the South Gippsland Development League in conjunction with the Tourist Development Authority of Victoria

One more “for the road.” Henry Conduit Hill died on May 3, 1957, in Morwell, aged 50, and was buried in Hazelwood, Victoria, Australia. His wife, Alma, died on February 18, 2014, in Ocean Grove, Victoria, at the age of 100.

After moving to Morwell, together, they worked tirelessly to successfully establish H C Hill Plaster Works. The company started in Church Street (approximately where the former Morwell Squash Courts were built) on land owned by Mrs James Bolger. Her husband, James Bolger, was a general carrier and undertaker who passed away in 1935. (His favourite promotional slogan was “Funerals conducted by motor hearse.”)

Hill’s plaster works began advertising for employees during the mid 1940’s. By late 1954, and after relocating from Church Street, their new brick office and manufacturing factory was established at the corner of Commercial and Driffield Road, Morwell. Following Henry’s passing, Mrs Hill managed the business until retirement.