History Notes - a chat with Ron Hiscock

History Notes

by Terry Threlfall

Substituting for Margaret Currell for a week or two, I thought I would do some Barraba “Car Stories”.              First, I spoke to Ron Hiscock – here’s a bit of his story. Thank you, Ron for sharing with us.

Ron, who turned ninety last year, became a mechanic because of a toothache!

In 1955, Ron was working as a farmhand on “The Oaks”, the McKid property. “Archie McKid was a hard taskmaster,” Ron told me.  Ron was allocated a small room at the back of the main house; he was aroused before daylight to bring in and milk the cows and his work day often went to after dark. “My life was made a little easier by Mr McKid’s two unmarried sisters,” Ron said. They also lived at The Oaks; they would save helpings of dessert and homemade cakes and biscuits for him to eat after work.

One Tuesday evening, after he finished work about 6 pm, Ron decided he would go to the movies (the Empire Theatre was in full swing then) in Barraba. He hopped on his push bike, rode into Barraba, and settled in the theatre with a bag of sweets. “Ouch” – Ron shot out of his canvas chair, the pain in one of his teeth excruciating. He went to spend the night at his parents’ house; none of the cures his mother or his uncle tried helped. Next day Ron was up very early to pedal back to work. His mother took one look at his swollen face and said “You can’t go to work like that; you must go to the dentist,” and walked around to Mr Pringle the dentist’s place. Ron was told to front up at 8.15 am, at which point Mr Pringle put his knee on Ron’s chest and yanked out the offending tooth.

Ron then hopped on his bike and pedalled back to The Oaks. It was after 9 am when he arrived. Mr McKid was furious – where had he been when there was urgent work to be done? Ron tried to explain, but it was useless. The young Ron had had enough of that job; he went into his quarters, picked up his belongings, strapped them on his bike, and rode off with a “I’m finishing up now” leaving behind a protesting Mr McKid.

When Ron got home, he was filled with dread – he now had no job; what would he tell his father? It was Wednesday – his father would be back on Saturday afternoon. He looked through the pages of the latest Barraba Chronicle – there was an advertisement placed by White’s Garage: “Wanted – a Bowser Boy”! Ron fronted up first thing next morning; Scotty White, the Proprietor, asked him his name, surmised he was one of the local Hiscock lads, and told him he could start next day. So, Ron was able to tell his father when he arrived home on Saturday that he had left his employment with the McKids but he now had another job.

Car stories from the 1950s and 1960s to follow. Do you have stories about cars in those days? We would love to hear them – write to or email The Editor, Barraba Community News.