VALE - Geoff Neville

I received an email from John Inglis today advising that Geoff had passed away last week.
Sad news and I extend my sympathies and condolences to Daphne and the family.

When I started at Arnold's in February 1964 Geoff was the Sales Manager and I recall with total clarity an incident which occurred when I was working at Buckinghams, helping to install the first Ziehl-Abegg units as a major modernisation.

Amongst others, the crew consisted of George Farham ("Flange"), Dave Rutter (for whom I was the allocated 1st. year apprentice), Ken Rousham, Ray Johnson and a couple of others whose names escape me.
Because these were the first installations to incorporate the new Ziehl-Abegg motors they were used as demos and it wasn't unknown for Geoff to bring a prospective customer to the site to see them.

Thursdays was pay-day and Tommy Moffatt usually delivered the pays before lunch.
On this particular Thursday I was "asked" to stay in the motor-room whilst the "men" went across the road to the pub and I was given instructions that if a boss turned up to say they were in the pit or down the shaft somewhere, high-tail it out of the motor-room and get down to the pub quick smart to let them know.

It may have worked except that I lay down on a bed of cotton waste and the next thing I know a toe is nudging me and a voice is saying that if I have nothing better to do then I'd better go and get the rest of the team from the hotel. The owner of the toe and voice was Geoff, with a prospective client.
My blood ran cold as I was sure I'd be sacked but he never said another thing about it.

We often laughed about that incident over the later years of Geoff's career following the take-over by Otis.
Geoff became one of the gang of sales reps working out of Goulburn St. but he always was considered by us all as the senior representative and was respected as such.

We had some great times - all of us - during those heady days of the late 1970s and on into the 1980s, right up until Geoff retired and even after that time, when we'd get together at the annual Veteran's Dinner.

Lansdowne Hotel fire

The accommodation section of the Lansdowne Hotel suffered damage from smoke and flames in a fire in early January but contrary to earlier reports, the hotel was not destroyed.

It was here that we held the reunion in 2005 and where we enjoyed, back in the Arnold's days, many counter-lunches and after-work drinks.

Here is the report from the Sun-Herald:-

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/lansdowne-hotel-evacuated-after-fire-20130111-2cjq6.html

VALE - John "Joe" Goulder

It is with sadness that I advise that we have just learned that John Goulder passed away in May of 2011.
Our sincere condolences are extended to his wife Thea and their family.

John, or "Joe" as we knew him at Arnolds (as in "Surfer Joe", due to his blonde hair and liking for the beach), was a draughtsman with the Engineering Dept. and along with several other young Arnold employees (including myself) at the time, was required to register for National Service.
John went to Vietnam, together with Garth Brook and, as far as I am aware, at least two others whose names escape me.

On his return to Arnolds and resuming his role with the drawing office, and in response to the standard question "What was it like over there?", I remember with great clarity John replying "I designed shit-houses for colonels"! He was one of the rare exceptions where someone actually did what their profession had trained them to do.

John left Arnolds prior to the merge with Otis and it was during our search for ex-employees in 2004 that we were fortunate in tracking him down for the reunion of 2005, which he attended (see photo, below. That is John on the extreme right, behind John Inglis and next to Stan Sek).

John, may all your days be sun-filled and may the surf always be "up".

PART 15: Another oldie surfaces!

Martin at Catalina Park, Katoomba on 12th. November 2012

Between 1963 and when he left Arnolds to join Elevators Pty Ltd (EPL) in 1969, Martin Seturins was employed as a detail draftsman (or "draughtsman" as the word was spelled back then) in the drawing office at Arnold's.
He was very much into sportscars (and is still a car enthusiast, like most of we old revheads) and I recall very clearly a time when he invited a crowd of us around to his home at Meadowbank to help rewire his "bugeye" Austin Healy Sprite. More alcohol was consumed than work was done!
He is now into Alfa Romeos, one of which is a restoration project.

Martin was unable to attend the 2005 reunion and just six months ago he moved from Sydney to Lawson, in the Blue Mountains. Bob Deahm contacted him and made arrangements for the three of us to meet on Monday 12th. November. I drove up from Canberra, accepting a kind invitation from Bob and his wife Beverly to stay overnight at their Leura home.

The three of us then spent a nostalgic Monday as we revisited the old circuit at Catalina Park for the first time since we used to go to motor-racing meetings some 45 years ago. The reminiscing continued over lunch at the Lawson pub.

So I'm tickled pink to be able to add Martin to the list of those old Arnoldians and to have met up with him after such a long time.
He hasn't changed - lost a bit of weight and hair is about all. Great to see him!

PART 14: Another name emerges!

Out of the blue I had an email from one of Arnolds Elevator Service's apprentice electricians (as was I) who was enquiring after the whereabouts of Kevin Garland.
Peter Rusanow is the gentleman's name and he worked under Kevin as an apprentice between 1963 and 1968.

It's nice to know that the website is serving a purpose and I am also pleased to be able to add another name to the "FOUND!" list.

Welcome home, Peter!

Incidentally, for those wondering where Kevin is living, it is a suburb of Brisbane.
I have contact details if you require them.

Until next time.
Bruce

PART 13: Faces from the office.

(Click on the image for a much larger version).

This photograph was sent to Bob (Deahm) by Sharon Tankard only a couple of days ago and is the only one we have that features the office staff.

We reckon that it was taken around 1967/1968, that guestimate simply based on memories of who was there, when. It was definitely after 1966 and before 1970.

Aren't the hairstyles great and also the mini-skirts?!

Bring back the 1960s, that's all I can say!

The names - from left to right:-

Unknown - Renee Little - Chris Whitney - Jim Tankard - Paula Wright (nee Tulk) - Anne Kovacs - George Blanning - Gail Connor.

Do you remember George wandering through the building at the end of the pay-week, pointing to each person and saying "Time cards! Time cards! Time cards!"?

VALE - Jim Tankard

I am sorry to report that I received an email from Bob Deahm yesterday (9th. Nov) in which he related that he recently called Jim's home (in Toowoomba) and was advised by Enid Tankard that Jim had succumbed to bowel cancer in July.