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Stan Smyth (1913-1996) - Funeral director. Recorded 2 November 1981. Part 1/2.
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SummaryTAPE268A STAN SMYTH
Recorded 2 November 1981.
Part 1/2
0:38
Cecil Smyth was Stan's father.
048
Cecil Smyth first came to Cessnock in 1908 and he was with Fry Brothers
0:53
George Pring was also an undertaker in Cessnock
0:59
George Pring's business was on the Maitland Road. He then moved near the Henry's Building
1:50
Henry's Building was opposite "The White Rose", Cessnock
2:05
Description of Pring's horse-drawn hearse with the glass case. He had black horses and white horses to suit the occasion.
2:28
Ernie Barringham. Pring was in Cessnock before Fry Bros - possibly from 1900 to 1906.
3:01
George Brown was briefly involved in the undertaking business
3:06
Joe Doyle used to supply the hearses and the mourning car until Fry Bros supplied their own.
3:23
Father worked for Fry Bros. funerals
3:35
Eddie Davies
3:46
The business extended to Terry O'Toole's place and then where Flemings were situated.
In 1925 Cecil was on holiday at the Lake when Fry Bros replaced him.
4:60
Bob Fry, Bert Fry
5:27
How father started business, 1925
5:51
Cessnock School of Arts. His shop was next door to the Post Office.
Cecil started up in February and in September, Fry started to close down.
6:58
Ern Barringham began business, 1920
7:33
Bill Johnson - the joiner associated with the timber yard. He was the coffin maker in partnership with Barringham. They were brothers in law. (Barringham married Bill's sister.)
8:52
Recollection of G. Pring's business - his business finished in 1918.
9:52
Arthur Sarroff was a neighbour with his ground floor store. (Where the Empire Theatre operated from.)
10:18
Carl Sarroff, Stan Sarroff and their sisters.
10:24
Location of Doyle's homestead - the Doyle kids and the Smyth kids played together.
The telephone girls
10:53
Bessie Cahoon (Colhoun?sp) was there in 1920.
11:20
Rene Durham.
12:02
The Smyths had the phone on in 1925.
Miss Buffier, Muriel Higgins.
13:23
Charlie Eaton, Manchester Unity Secretary.
14:00
Recalls Bellbird disaster funeral - Stan was 10 years old.
14:34
The carriage of the coffins, draped in black Italian cloth. Recalls changes in funeral business. One or one and a half funerals week was big business. Nowadays they don't have time to make coffins.
16:04
Noel Lovett, Frank Teggins
16:25
Noel King, Kevin King - Jack drove from Cessnock to Maitland in first gear one night - having never driven a car before.
19:23
Joe Callaghan
20:34
Recalls father leaving instructions.
21:11
Bill Hannell
21:41
Recalls constructing first coffin, working all night for the funeral the following day.
22:17
Les Dodds
22:54
Recollection of Cecil Smyth - a man with plenty of jokes to tell. Interested in the fire brigade. A fat man, who later in life, began to waddle.
23:31
Recalls father serving on Council for one term
23:33
Sam Horne, Frank Lovett, Eugene O'Neill - "true Independents"
25:15
Frank Maddocks
25:34
Recalls passenger train service which continued until 1961. The community only protested when it was discontinued. The service had been running at a loss.
27:25
Father passed away, 1951
27:32
Started working in the business in 1927 aged 15.
His father worked in the business until he had a stroke on a Monday and died on the following Saturday. He worked from 1908 - 1951.
Stan had worked for 44 years.
29:12
Relocated business premises, 1950. The day they shifted premises he had the stroke. The new shop.
30:53
Changes in undertaking procedures - using a church, the hearse leaving the church rather than the undertakers. The effect of a funeral procession on the flow of traffic. Coordinating services with other undertakers. Legal rights of way on the road - you can't break into a procession. A funeral doesn't have right of way on any
intersection. Following cars at the lights have to stop on the red light.
Recollection of early funerals
37:41
Recall the Bubonic plague outbreak - 1917. The family wasn't affected despite their involvement in the funerals.
36:35
Aberdare school quarantine area. The patients went there because the hospital was full. Stan went there to school afterwards.
40:03
Peggy O'Neill, Metcalfe.
40:18
After high school Stan went to Cessnock High.
George Lewis was the headmaster.
Frank Maroney was the Latin teacher. Mr Edmunds was the French teacher, Lorrie Eaton was the English mistress, Miss Monette was the Maths teacher.
41:08
The Science room was in the old Primary 6th class room. This was the flu area.
41:34
Bob Armstrong's mother was one of the nurses during the epidemic, Jean Armstrong was Bob's sister.
41:58
Dixie Biggers married Jean Armstrong.
43:00
Dr MacArthur, Dr Cecil Bloomfield
43:06
Dr Tom Street
43:12
Dr Bernard Bloomfield
43:42
Dr Henry's surgery was where the old Express office used to be. Dr Allen, Dr Ward, Dr Wardell
44:12
Cessnock Fire Brigade.
44:44
Cessnock Methodist Church.
45:27
Matt Craig - first Fire Chief - McDonald
Tape duration: 45:50
SubjectSmyth, Stanley Beresford, 1913-1996PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToBob ArmstrongCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] CessnockIdentifier268A
Recorded 2 November 1981.
Part 1/2
0:38
Cecil Smyth was Stan's father.
048
Cecil Smyth first came to Cessnock in 1908 and he was with Fry Brothers
0:53
George Pring was also an undertaker in Cessnock
0:59
George Pring's business was on the Maitland Road. He then moved near the Henry's Building
1:50
Henry's Building was opposite "The White Rose", Cessnock
2:05
Description of Pring's horse-drawn hearse with the glass case. He had black horses and white horses to suit the occasion.
2:28
Ernie Barringham. Pring was in Cessnock before Fry Bros - possibly from 1900 to 1906.
3:01
George Brown was briefly involved in the undertaking business
3:06
Joe Doyle used to supply the hearses and the mourning car until Fry Bros supplied their own.
3:23
Father worked for Fry Bros. funerals
3:35
Eddie Davies
3:46
The business extended to Terry O'Toole's place and then where Flemings were situated.
In 1925 Cecil was on holiday at the Lake when Fry Bros replaced him.
4:60
Bob Fry, Bert Fry
5:27
How father started business, 1925
5:51
Cessnock School of Arts. His shop was next door to the Post Office.
Cecil started up in February and in September, Fry started to close down.
6:58
Ern Barringham began business, 1920
7:33
Bill Johnson - the joiner associated with the timber yard. He was the coffin maker in partnership with Barringham. They were brothers in law. (Barringham married Bill's sister.)
8:52
Recollection of G. Pring's business - his business finished in 1918.
9:52
Arthur Sarroff was a neighbour with his ground floor store. (Where the Empire Theatre operated from.)
10:18
Carl Sarroff, Stan Sarroff and their sisters.
10:24
Location of Doyle's homestead - the Doyle kids and the Smyth kids played together.
The telephone girls
10:53
Bessie Cahoon (Colhoun?sp) was there in 1920.
11:20
Rene Durham.
12:02
The Smyths had the phone on in 1925.
Miss Buffier, Muriel Higgins.
13:23
Charlie Eaton, Manchester Unity Secretary.
14:00
Recalls Bellbird disaster funeral - Stan was 10 years old.
14:34
The carriage of the coffins, draped in black Italian cloth. Recalls changes in funeral business. One or one and a half funerals week was big business. Nowadays they don't have time to make coffins.
16:04
Noel Lovett, Frank Teggins
16:25
Noel King, Kevin King - Jack drove from Cessnock to Maitland in first gear one night - having never driven a car before.
19:23
Joe Callaghan
20:34
Recalls father leaving instructions.
21:11
Bill Hannell
21:41
Recalls constructing first coffin, working all night for the funeral the following day.
22:17
Les Dodds
22:54
Recollection of Cecil Smyth - a man with plenty of jokes to tell. Interested in the fire brigade. A fat man, who later in life, began to waddle.
23:31
Recalls father serving on Council for one term
23:33
Sam Horne, Frank Lovett, Eugene O'Neill - "true Independents"
25:15
Frank Maddocks
25:34
Recalls passenger train service which continued until 1961. The community only protested when it was discontinued. The service had been running at a loss.
27:25
Father passed away, 1951
27:32
Started working in the business in 1927 aged 15.
His father worked in the business until he had a stroke on a Monday and died on the following Saturday. He worked from 1908 - 1951.
Stan had worked for 44 years.
29:12
Relocated business premises, 1950. The day they shifted premises he had the stroke. The new shop.
30:53
Changes in undertaking procedures - using a church, the hearse leaving the church rather than the undertakers. The effect of a funeral procession on the flow of traffic. Coordinating services with other undertakers. Legal rights of way on the road - you can't break into a procession. A funeral doesn't have right of way on any
intersection. Following cars at the lights have to stop on the red light.
Recollection of early funerals
37:41
Recall the Bubonic plague outbreak - 1917. The family wasn't affected despite their involvement in the funerals.
36:35
Aberdare school quarantine area. The patients went there because the hospital was full. Stan went there to school afterwards.
40:03
Peggy O'Neill, Metcalfe.
40:18
After high school Stan went to Cessnock High.
George Lewis was the headmaster.
Frank Maroney was the Latin teacher. Mr Edmunds was the French teacher, Lorrie Eaton was the English mistress, Miss Monette was the Maths teacher.
41:08
The Science room was in the old Primary 6th class room. This was the flu area.
41:34
Bob Armstrong's mother was one of the nurses during the epidemic, Jean Armstrong was Bob's sister.
41:58
Dixie Biggers married Jean Armstrong.
43:00
Dr MacArthur, Dr Cecil Bloomfield
43:06
Dr Tom Street
43:12
Dr Bernard Bloomfield
43:42
Dr Henry's surgery was where the old Express office used to be. Dr Allen, Dr Ward, Dr Wardell
44:12
Cessnock Fire Brigade.
44:44
Cessnock Methodist Church.
45:27
Matt Craig - first Fire Chief - McDonald
Tape duration: 45:50
SubjectSmyth, Stanley Beresford, 1913-1996PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToBob ArmstrongCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] CessnockIdentifier268Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Stan Smyth (1913-1996) - Funeral director. Recorded 2 November 1981. Part 1/2., [268A]. Living Histories, accessed 05/10/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55925