History Notes - Ron Hiscock talks about cars

History Notes

by Terry Threlfall

Ron Hiscock continues his story - this week and next week he tells us about his time at Roy Collins and Sons.

Ron Hiscock talks about cars

Ron Hiscock started his mechanic’s apprenticeship with White’s garage. In 1961 he moved to work for Roy Collins and Sons; Collins Garage was the building now occupied by Phil Denyer Mechanical Repairs, on the corner of Alice and Queen Streets.  Ron has many happy memories of the customers and their cars he serviced.

It was “the golden years” for vehicles in Barraba from the 1950s to the 1970s. From the local advertisements at that time, there were least four garages that sold cars in Barraba; among them G R White, Cliftons, J S Loveday and Roy Collins and Sons; there were probably more. Apart from all the Holdens and Fords, there was a great variety of makes and models available; Bedford, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Austin and Morris, Dodge, Chrysler, Valiant, Plymouth, Riley, Vauxhall, Hillman, Renault, etc, etc – Toyota Landcruiser was rather an afterthought!

So how did your new car you ordered from Roy Collins get to Barraba?  Ron Hiscock certainly drove some of them here. When the deal was sealed, and the vehicle ready, Roy Collins picked up Ron at his house at 6am and drove him to Tamworth Airport to catch the early morning flight. Arriving in Sydney, with dealer’s plates in his hand, Ron caught a taxi to the Distributor’s yard at Milperra, where he picked up the vehicle, car or truck, and drove it back to Barraba that day.

Ron tells me he wasn’t always that trusted with cars. Early in his time with Roy Collins, he gained his Driver’s Licence, but was unable to afford a car. During this time, Ron’s mother had to attend a late afternoon appointment with a specialist in Tamworth. “What a nuisance,” she said. “I’ll have to catch the train down and stay overnight.” Ron thought perhaps he could borrow the shop car, a 1937 Ford, and drive his mother down to Tamworth and back after work. He asked Mr Collins – no way, he said. Then a few days later, the workshop foreman, Mott Smith, called out to him: “Ron, get the shop car, and drive me out to Black Springs”. Ron did what he was told; as they were getting near ‘Lynmollie’, Ron asked “Who’s broken down?” Mott replied “No one. Mr Collins said you asked to borrow the car, and told me to check that you can drive properly. You can have it, but don’t go past Darling Street. Now turn round and go back to the garage.” So, Ron did drive his mum to the doctor.

I asked Ron his favourite make of car in those years; the Chrysler he thought.  His first car was actually an EH Holden; David McDouall traded the Holden in on a new Chrysler Royal, and Ron bought it there and then. Ron subsequently owned three Chryslers. In the late 1950s, early 60s, the Chrysler Royal certainly stood out with its enormous tail fins.

Chryslers were popular then, Ron says. Apart from David McDouall and himself, other loyal Chrysler owners included Len Benson and Charlie Smith.

Chrysler Royal – early 1960s

Do you have stories about cars or driving in those days, or, even better, stories from much earlier days? We would love to hear them – write to or email The Editor, Barraba Community News.