Balmoral – a Village
Balmoral was a self-contained village in the 1950’s. From the south my world started at the Naval Depot pool (used by the Balmoral Swimming Club after the original Balmoral Baths were washed away around 1948). Next was the 1st Port Jackson Sea Scouts shed and then the Balmoral Sailing Club. Further around was the Sunshine Club, Joel’s Boatshed and the “New” Balmoral baths.
The real part of Balmoral started at Botanic Road. The first building was “The George”, a fibro and timber two storey building that had accommodation, tennis courts and a great café that served magnificent chocolate sundaes made from Peter’s Ice Cream. Prior to WWII “The George” was known as “Braemar House”. My grandparents, who were married -facing the Heads – on The Island in late 1919, had spent the night before their wedding, along with all the wedding guests, to ensure they could be ready for the dawn ceremony. Just after “The George” tennis courts was a small mixed business “The Balmoral Store” owned by Mr. Coffee – the business later became Balmoral Vintage Cellars. A short distance away was a complex built in 1952 that comprised a typical beach shop/delicatessen that sold cigarettes, sandwiches, lollies, pies, Streets ice cream and milk shakes; there was also a fruit shop next door. I scratched my initials in the new concrete block work and my handiwork can still be seen. I had my first real job in the delicatessen owned by Mr. Thomas and made sure my mates were well supplied with extra malt and other delicacies in their milk shakes.
A bit further along was the ladies hair salon and, on the corner of Raglan Street, a butcher shop. The floor of the butchers was always covered in sawdust and the chiller had heaps of lamb carcases hanging by their legs. Meat was always wrapped in greaseproof paper and enclosed in crisp white butcher’s paper (no newspaper in the butcher’s shop). Between Raglan Street and Esther Road was a vacant block that was destined to become the Balmoral Infants School.
Along from Esther Road was the post office and, next door, Mr. Jim Miller the Chemist. I had a part-time job as a delivery boy with Mr. Miller – orders were dispatched all over the area. I disliked the ones that meant riding up Raglan Street and over to Clifton Gardens, although it was all good exercise. Next to these two shops was a small gravel drive that lead to an area behind the shops that used to be the Balmoral Garage – it sold petrol and undertook repairs but it had gone by the 1950’s.
A few houses and then the original fruit shop. Fruit and vegetables were wrapped in newspaper and they paid 2d for a stack of newspapers – reasonable money for a six-year-old. Next to the fruit shop was a mixed business, originally owned by champion boxer Dave Smith and later an English family. In the early 1950’s it was sold to Mr. Boutaji, a Lebanese. Mr Boutaji’s shop provided most grocery needs; sugar was weighed out into paper bags, biscuits were counted out of the biscuit tin and cheese was cut from a giant block of very hard dry cheese kept behind the counter. Ice creams were 3d. Mr. Boutaji was understandably very suspicious when I turned up to recover the 3d deposit on Marchants soft drink bottles – he knew that my mother hadn’t purchased that much soft drink and that the bottles had been collected from the park or the beach.
The park – I never knew its name but now discover it is Hunter Park – occupied the land between Almora Street, Hunter Road and The Esplanade. From Hunter Road towards Mandolong Road there was a vacant block of land, a tennis court and finally the shop on the corner of Mandolong Road that sold groceries AND McNiven’s ice cream. The vacant block on the corner of Hunter Road was THE location for the Empire Day bonfire and fireworks. For the weeks preceding 24th May all the kids would locate all sorts of combustible material and create a huge bonfire. Around 6 pm the bonfire would be lit and crackers let off. Penny bungers were the most popular but tom thumbs, Catherine wheels and sky rockets were up there – provided you had the money. The whole of Balmoral was covered in a dense fog of smoke and the dogs never stopped barking. Next day everyone was out bright and early to locate the “fizzers” that could be cut up and their gunpowder extracted for other uses. There was always some damage to participants of cracker night, the most common being the loss of a whole bag of crackers with sky rockets hurtling off in all directions.
A bit further down the road (around 59 The Esplanade) was a tiny mixed business, owned by the Nightingale family, that seemed to struggle for an existence but its position opposite the Bather’s Pavilion helped. At the corner of the Esplanade and Awaba Street was a substantial shop selling groceries, newspapers and magazines. Exciting books such as “Digit Dick on the Barrier Reef” were sold as well as “The Phantom” and “Donald Duck” comics.
On the beach side of the Esplanade the Bathers Pavilion kiosk sold Blue Bow soft drinks (only at weekends). The bottle deposits (from bottles collected after a southerly buster) were a big source of income but could only be redeemed at the kiosk. A small kiosk that sold hot water (for making billy tea) and pies also existed between the Bathers Pavilion and the now demolished Wyargine Flats.
The last little shop was at the very end of The Esplanade, around no. 83, and opposite the small access road to the beach. Some groceries were sold but pies were a specialty. The clientele was very limited – it was one of the first Balmoral shops to close its doors.
Balmoral was well serviced with trams every half hour to Athol Wharf and Chatswood with limited services direct to Wynyard. The trams went up though a cutting from Botanic Road and ended up in Beaconsfield Road and then Gordon Street before turning into Middle Head Road. At King Max Street the Athol Wharf tram (that met the zoo ferry) turned left and joined the tram line from Mosman Junction to the Zoo. At the Zoo, the track became a single line and a complex arrangement with a key to unlock the points was used to ensure that only one tram could be at Athol Wharf at a time. Special arrangements were made on holidays and weekends to cope with Zoo trams and also in the evening when up to three trams were needed to handle the thong of businessmen wanting to get home from the ferry. The trams gave access to Sydney City and all the shopping areas along Military Road – Mosman Junction, Spit Junction, Cremorne and Neutral Bay.
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Chris—Behind & adjacent to Nightingale’s shop lived Cyril Angles Race caller Family ? twin daughters.? The grocery shop at bottom of Awaba I used to ride in motor bike sidecar delivering groceries.
Great story and sad that we lost all the shops etc. Its interesting seeing the former Beaches restuarant (corner of Esplanade / Mandaloing) having paint removed recently , revealing its former identity as a Grocers ?
when i was young i caught the tram and ferry to school then to work my thoughts are that the tram lines from zoo ferry to balmoral beach should be reopened but if only from the wharf to the top of zoo old trams are out there people that know about them are out there it only needs a vision to make it happen old toastrack up to the last of them can happen what great tourest attaction it would be
Well done Chris.
I remember Balmoral in the late 1950s and 1960’s. After the time you speak of, the cracker night bonfire moved to the beach. There was always extended debate as to which side of the Island bridge it should be. For a few years we alternated but the North side was better, between the bridge and the net.
The shop at the end of Awaba St was called “The Aquatic” and it was a bit more for the tourists than, say, Nightingales. Your story brought back memories of being asked (told) to “nip down to Nightingales…” and get something immediately necessary. Tomato sauce or something like that.
The shop at the end of Mandolong Rd was run by a family Riddols, (or Riddels) who lived above. The daughter, whose name eludes me, was married to a sailor who lost his life in the Voyager accident.
Speaking of sailors, who remembers the sound of the submarines charging their batteries? The sound of the diesal motors would echo all around. Often they did it at night and, in the morning, one or two subs were gone.
Phil Huby and I used to paddle our kayaks across and go under the wharf while the submarines were moored there. we’d pretend we were spies or commandos or something like that. In those days the authorities were more worried about us getting into strife and possibly drowning than any hint of terrorist threat.
the boatshed was Waltons, I think, then Ousbacks. Their son, Anders Ousback became an internationally acclaimed chef and champagne expert before he sadly died too young.
We had great times, us “Bally Brats”, even when Mr Boutagi (sp?) charged us for a drink of water because he had to wash the glass.
There’s a new team in Mosman now, with their own bats and balls and sense of entitlement and agenda, I sometimes wish they could see the past, see how nice it used to be. Then again, maybe they’re right, a Maccas at the beach WOULD be convenient…
Yes I recall well the humming from the submarine depot and the sea-scouts shed on the way around and the airplane even before that used by Navy for fire-drill…right where the building now is at the oval at the most southern part of Balmoral. These evocative sites of an evocative era of greater contentment and spiritual peace than today have gone the same way as peace and security.
At the far end also, corner Awaba, was a shop which, was mentioned elsewhere, it became owned by Mrs Clancy…no relation to me….and was hers for many many years.
I recall well some of the the pretty girls and so very charming who came there to Balmoral, including the Isaacs (Anne and her Sister whatever happened to the Isaac girls, they went to Cremorne Girls I think…..I think one sister died in an accident…which was a shock ). Darryl, their great friend,….who’s sur-name just eludes me right now, began with an “F” I feel…he was also a drummer in a band and I think maybe in the army..He was a motor bike enthusiast who sold me his 1927 Harley 1200..lived 2 streets up from the beach….Waitovu? I think he owned a Matchless. I had a 650 Matchless some years later and a Triumph Bonneveille 120, WLA Harley and others, before I moved onto vintage Buicks and so on. .
Often I cooked potatoes in the ‘aboriginal’ cave opposite the Balmoral baths ..and I fished at the Pier often,almsot daily for many years… I recall fishermen bringing in a large Hammerhead caught off the Naval Depot…which abounded also in flounder…behind a boat which I prevailed on them to send to Taronga….I called and they duly arrived and took it away in a seawater tank..well alive and kicking, needless to say no feedback LOL!!..Did it live to become a feature?
Does anyone recall “Old Newt” and his mate who fished at the pier almost every day?
The Delpratts lived in the most idyllic old beach-house just below the street and to the side of the stairs at Wyargine…Paul was an artist and his sister was terribly, famously, pretty….Of course Balmoral was deservedly famous for its gorgeous girls from Queenwood who’s suntanned legs and short skirts were a joy to behold. many memories of Balmoral…,
The shop called Georges fell victim to the council’s mania for ruining anything interesting in the suburb in the interests of “ development” so called…one of it’s greatest crimes being the superb house at the corner of Mandalong Road and Clifford Street ..on a huge block of land, destroyed to build a large apartment block covered in mosaic tiles and very poorly built….
Georges’ was really terribly interesting…Sparten, the building was large and fibro…the counter set well back and eminated from the right hand wall..they made , great milkshakes and sodas!!…there were a few tables as I recall but mostly open space. It’s sad to have lived through through such destruction of truly outstanding places which today still evoke nostalgia…some of us still recall the Clifton Gardens Hotel as well…
By the way, remember that there was an ampi-theatre built opposite the rock pool area but I think never completed, for believers to a christian sect to have ringside seats to see variously either Jesus or J. Krishnamurti, sailing through the heads . The cash however sailed away in the opposite direction I believe. …one up to Mammon!! Below is an extract on it…an what a shame it was demolished…although I suppose like the pavilion it would have been given over to.the rich in so called “business” deals.
Along sadder lines but still notable Balmoral history, one of my grandfather’s friends was sewing near the window of her home on the cliff above above Wyargine and witnessed to her horror, the sea to her transparent, the attack on the young man (Willis?) who had , so sadly, ignored a shark warning when spearfishing and had fish on his belt. I think the shark attacked them and this poor lad became the casualty. I also encountered a nurse shark of considerable size when spearfishing at the point but was not attacked. There was as I recall another attack near the baths.
I also encountered to my amazement a sunfish of considerable size at the Baths in quite shallow water when snorkelling…I should mention that I was warned by the general manager of the council not to report his refusing to erect a sign about blue ringed octopus’ in the shallower section above the rock pool on two separate occasions..however .be warned…also bear in mind that sharp toothed eels lived below in the sea side of the wall….their descendants may still well do so, if not killed by the pollution or starved by the demise of fish at Balmoral…seemingly permanently as the place is still lunar 50 years later.
Under Balmoral promenade are huge pumps….you could live there for years and not know…As an adventurous youngster I saw them when the hatch was open not far from the old tram shelter near the island….ladders reached down for maintenance. I wonder if they still run..?
The Star Amphitheatre, Balmoral, Sydney—Facts and Fiction (see this site for the photo of the magnificent structure )
The little shop at the end of The Esplanade{ 83} was owned by Mr and Mrs Perry, they lived up in The Grove and their son Michael{ mouse} Perry was a long standing breakaway forward with the Mosman Rugby Club.
— Ian Kirkwood · 9 February 2010, 23:24 · #