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John "Bunny" Snaddon (1923-) - Bus driver, Cessnock area. Recorded 9 November 1983. Part 1/1.
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SummaryJOHN "BUNNY" SNADDON
Recorded 9 November 1983
Part 1/1
0:57
Worked on buses for Govoronsky - used to "muck around on them on the weekend when he was 12". Especially for Friday night shopping.
1:23
John was born Cessnock, July 21 1923.
2:15
Arthur Hancock - he worked for him while he was at school
2:26
Billy Hancock - he and Arthur used to fight like cats and dogs.
2:35
Recalls feuding between Hancock's
2:42
Arthur Hancock's buses were kept in Gordon Avenue in South Cessnock. There was a garage there. The run used to start from where the Old Strand used to be. They went up Kempe's Hill. Through Aberdare, up Northcott Street. Sometimes they used to have to push them up the hill.
3:42
"May" (name of Arthur Hancock's bus)
3:45
"Canberra" (name of Arthur Hancock's bus)
3:50
"Marguerite" (name of Billy Hancock's bus)
4:01
Recalls two buses colliding - knocking into the side of the bus "on purpose too".
4:23
Arthur Hancock died in 1933. Bill (possibly) died in 1926.
4:53
How Govoronsky's worked for Arthur Hancock 1923/4
5:46
Recollection of Govoronsky's father
5:52
Nicholas Govoronsky was the eldest
5:57
Wally Govoronsky was the youngest
7:27
Recollection of Hancock's buses - they had a Leyland Cub. "It wasn't a charabanc like the rest of them". They had the Canberra, the May and the Cub. When John went to the war they had a Mack, another Bedford, and a few more. They never did a pit run. The Govoronsky boys went to live with old Mrs Hancock after the accident. Gov (Nicholas) got married to Miss Sheridan. Govoronsky didn't like John. He used to throw him off the buses.
9:19
John used to wag school and got on to the buses. Eventually they realised they couldn't get rid of him so they gave him a job. he was 14.
9:47
Description of opposition bus routes to Kearsley.
10:04
Amos Fogg then Rovers. Rovers and Govoronsky got together to negotiate buying each other out on that particular run. Govoronsky bought out Rovers. They just bought the run. Fogg and Rovers were in together.
11:42
Recollection of Govoronsky's buses - Bedford, Leyland Tiger with two automatic doors.
12:35
Peter Phillips bought out Govoronsky. John then drove for Phillips.
13:14
Vern Peart, early bus operator to Millfield began working for Govoronsky. Peter Phillips ran to Maitland Main. Much of the mechanical work was done by Phillips or Govoronsky.
16:16
Recalls running service for pictures every night of the week after the War.
18:34
Recalls driving on day tours - specials for groups. Recalls driving for miners' picnics
20:30
Recollection of Rowley's bus service
22:17
John retired in 1974.
22:24
Recalls travels throughout Australia.
25:28
Recollection of hospital run service - it was a packed bus.
26:37
Cessnock-Newcastle rail fare 1/- c.1950. The passenger service finished and then there was a diesel service for a short while. Young men returning from the war would buy a car and that was the end of public transport. John got $500 long service leave and thought he was very lucky. Then worked for Peter Phillips till 1974.
28:33
Les Brown
28:45
Ken Magor - photographer of buses.
29:29
The Grey Bus Company changed to brown and white.
30:47
Bob Endean
31:34
Recalls court case involving a passenger who he "helped off" the bus.
32:56
Val Endean - Bob's sister.
33:43
Dick Howard's daughter from Kearsley.
33:50
Hope May - "a good sort"
34:08
Ned Ling
34:51
Tommy Thompson - "he black-balled the pub"
35:25
Ab Thorpe, Mars, Archie Hair, the Trenomes, Peter Kerr, "Pinto" Tomlinson ( his old man had a vile temper). Freddy Parsons (John's uncle), Ethel Parsons, nee Wilkinson (aunt) - (John's mum's sister). Idris Evans, Gammels, the Gibbons.
38:05
The fights over two up, Scotty Rourke. "You could hear the punches a mile away". Billy Griffin Alan McCrohan
38:35
The two brothers Jack and Charlie Wickstick.
38:54
Scotty Weir
39:02
Albert and Peter Pont were both policemen and their mother Minnie Pont, Frankie Swan.
40:13
Recollection of Kearsley "cyclone" one Saturday night- the miner's hall was blown to pieces. Rain came through the roofs of houses. Two churches "were shifted off their hinges". The Presbyterian church was never rebuilt.
41:50
Jack Sheehan- boxer
42:19
Arthur Campbell - Abernethy boxer
42:30
Jack Campbell - killed on the road riding a bike.
43:28
Recollection of dances at Abernethy.
43:45
Alec Linton had an orchestra
44:18
Recollection of early bus fares - fares started out with a ticket, then they were stopped.
Tape duration: 46:00
Snaddon, John, 1923-PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToPeter Phillips - Owner of Kearsley Bus Company. Recorded 13 October 1983. Part 1/1. Ken MagorNick GovoronskyCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] CessnockIdentifier271A
Recorded 9 November 1983
Part 1/1
0:57
Worked on buses for Govoronsky - used to "muck around on them on the weekend when he was 12". Especially for Friday night shopping.
1:23
John was born Cessnock, July 21 1923.
2:15
Arthur Hancock - he worked for him while he was at school
2:26
Billy Hancock - he and Arthur used to fight like cats and dogs.
2:35
Recalls feuding between Hancock's
2:42
Arthur Hancock's buses were kept in Gordon Avenue in South Cessnock. There was a garage there. The run used to start from where the Old Strand used to be. They went up Kempe's Hill. Through Aberdare, up Northcott Street. Sometimes they used to have to push them up the hill.
3:42
"May" (name of Arthur Hancock's bus)
3:45
"Canberra" (name of Arthur Hancock's bus)
3:50
"Marguerite" (name of Billy Hancock's bus)
4:01
Recalls two buses colliding - knocking into the side of the bus "on purpose too".
4:23
Arthur Hancock died in 1933. Bill (possibly) died in 1926.
4:53
How Govoronsky's worked for Arthur Hancock 1923/4
5:46
Recollection of Govoronsky's father
5:52
Nicholas Govoronsky was the eldest
5:57
Wally Govoronsky was the youngest
7:27
Recollection of Hancock's buses - they had a Leyland Cub. "It wasn't a charabanc like the rest of them". They had the Canberra, the May and the Cub. When John went to the war they had a Mack, another Bedford, and a few more. They never did a pit run. The Govoronsky boys went to live with old Mrs Hancock after the accident. Gov (Nicholas) got married to Miss Sheridan. Govoronsky didn't like John. He used to throw him off the buses.
9:19
John used to wag school and got on to the buses. Eventually they realised they couldn't get rid of him so they gave him a job. he was 14.
9:47
Description of opposition bus routes to Kearsley.
10:04
Amos Fogg then Rovers. Rovers and Govoronsky got together to negotiate buying each other out on that particular run. Govoronsky bought out Rovers. They just bought the run. Fogg and Rovers were in together.
11:42
Recollection of Govoronsky's buses - Bedford, Leyland Tiger with two automatic doors.
12:35
Peter Phillips bought out Govoronsky. John then drove for Phillips.
13:14
Vern Peart, early bus operator to Millfield began working for Govoronsky. Peter Phillips ran to Maitland Main. Much of the mechanical work was done by Phillips or Govoronsky.
16:16
Recalls running service for pictures every night of the week after the War.
18:34
Recalls driving on day tours - specials for groups. Recalls driving for miners' picnics
20:30
Recollection of Rowley's bus service
22:17
John retired in 1974.
22:24
Recalls travels throughout Australia.
25:28
Recollection of hospital run service - it was a packed bus.
26:37
Cessnock-Newcastle rail fare 1/- c.1950. The passenger service finished and then there was a diesel service for a short while. Young men returning from the war would buy a car and that was the end of public transport. John got $500 long service leave and thought he was very lucky. Then worked for Peter Phillips till 1974.
28:33
Les Brown
28:45
Ken Magor - photographer of buses.
29:29
The Grey Bus Company changed to brown and white.
30:47
Bob Endean
31:34
Recalls court case involving a passenger who he "helped off" the bus.
32:56
Val Endean - Bob's sister.
33:43
Dick Howard's daughter from Kearsley.
33:50
Hope May - "a good sort"
34:08
Ned Ling
34:51
Tommy Thompson - "he black-balled the pub"
35:25
Ab Thorpe, Mars, Archie Hair, the Trenomes, Peter Kerr, "Pinto" Tomlinson ( his old man had a vile temper). Freddy Parsons (John's uncle), Ethel Parsons, nee Wilkinson (aunt) - (John's mum's sister). Idris Evans, Gammels, the Gibbons.
38:05
The fights over two up, Scotty Rourke. "You could hear the punches a mile away". Billy Griffin Alan McCrohan
38:35
The two brothers Jack and Charlie Wickstick.
38:54
Scotty Weir
39:02
Albert and Peter Pont were both policemen and their mother Minnie Pont, Frankie Swan.
40:13
Recollection of Kearsley "cyclone" one Saturday night- the miner's hall was blown to pieces. Rain came through the roofs of houses. Two churches "were shifted off their hinges". The Presbyterian church was never rebuilt.
41:50
Jack Sheehan- boxer
42:19
Arthur Campbell - Abernethy boxer
42:30
Jack Campbell - killed on the road riding a bike.
43:28
Recollection of dances at Abernethy.
43:45
Alec Linton had an orchestra
44:18
Recollection of early bus fares - fares started out with a ticket, then they were stopped.
Tape duration: 46:00
Snaddon, John, 1923-PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToPeter Phillips - Owner of Kearsley Bus Company. Recorded 13 October 1983. Part 1/1. Ken MagorNick GovoronskyCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] CessnockIdentifier271Aloading google map....
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Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, John "Bunny" Snaddon (1923-) - Bus driver, Cessnock area. Recorded 9 November 1983. Part 1/1., [271A]. Living Histories, accessed 11/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55931