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Earl Sternbeck (1896-1984) - Proprietor, Ambulance driver, Cessnock. Recorded 4 November 1982. Part 4/4.
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SummaryEARL STERNBECK
Recorded 4 November 1982
Part 4/4
0:08
Recollection of "Lafayette" car
1:20
Location of early hall, Cessnock 20ft x 40ft hall
2:01
David Cohen, Robert Reid "would invite the shopkeepers to come down and place their orders" from basket loads of goods that they had on show in the hall. This was replaced by direct delivery.
3:31
Sternbeck's Garage took over the hall until 1917. It was then called Cessnock Motors.
3:52
Attwater's Hotel, Cessnock. Attwater advised and facilitated the purchase of the site. It was a Picton's site. The original stables were at the back for the coach change over between Wollombi and Maitland.
4:53
Recalls coach service to Maitland. Chapman, Diplocks and Jurd were part of the coach service.
6:12
Recalls problems with land deeds. The Sternbecks were in the premises before the deeds were prepared. It had to be redrawn.
7:36
Recalls first motor car which drove.
8:36
"Dion Buton", 1902 - 4 cylinder car.
8:47
Recollection of learning to drive a car. Brierley, the Butter Factory Manager bought the car and his son and Earl learned to drive it where the Motor Registry Office is today. They placed the old milk cans spaced sufficiently apart so as not to bump them.
10:17
Recalls catching perch in Lavender Creek When the water was pumped out of Extended the fish began to die.
10:40
There was an early natural spring which used to flood near Brown's Vineyard.
11:38
Location of first cycle track near the current football ground is today.
12:12
"Scripts Booth", Ernie Woodhouse
12:24
E. Woodhouse's residence was on the corner of Hall and Vincent Streets.
16:31
Ernie Eaton (relative of Ted Eaton).
16:57
Father built the first family home at Cessnock. Behind the house was a garage operated by the Essex representative.
19:30
The first bank turned into the Council Chambers later. In 1875/6 the Telegraph Office was attached to the end of the Court House. It was used before the Exchange was built. The photos being referred to are most likely held by Cessnock Library.
23:09
Robert Rooney - auctioneer.
24:05
Bill Leggett
24:21
Jim Sanderson's pie shop
27:27
Mr Cameron, "Benton-Woods" agent in West Maitland who always drove 4 cylinder FN motorbike
27:44
NRMA began operating in Cessnock in 1927.
27:55
Reg Smythe started in Cessnock and Bruce Smythe worked in Newcastle. Both belonged to the NRMA.
28:20
Bruce married Sam Horne's daughter.
28:38
Peter Baus' son, Ron Baus also married one of Sam Horne's daughters.
29:21
Vera Cagney.
30:14
"The Brush", Francis Birtles drove it from Sydney to Perth. It was the first car to travel this road.
30:41
Recalls how began mechanical trade - the Sternbeck's business was the first garage from Singleton to Newcastle. Earl did most of his mechanical training on motor bikes, cycles. His father was badly injured at the Butter Factory chimney stack. He would come home from school and find a dozen push bikes needed for the morning.
32:43
"Red Bird", "Massey-Harris" were two Canadian bikes he worked on. William's Bros in Sydney were the big distributors for these bikes.
33:03
"The Waratah" - the Sternbecks sold a lot of these which were manufactured by Williams in Sydney. Earl built a lot of these too. He'd assemble them and send them back to Sydney.
33:28
The family sold "Douglas", "Triumph", "BSA" bikes - coil ignition. They had the agency.
34:16
Recalls winning 1919 Reliability Trial from Taree and back. All gravel roads. 120 miles over a two day trip.
36:03
Origins of motorcycle racing from the early 20's in Cessnock.
37:11
Paddy Dean, the Dadsen Brothers.
38:02
Hector Tulloch one of the secretaries of the club.
39:14
Father imported cycles from U.K.
40:49
Ivy Hungerford, nee Joass. Reference is made here to the interview Jack made with Ivy and her daughter Joan.
41:48
George Keim, "Bess Hill" Jack was trying to locate Bess Hill. Earl thought it was opposite Hungerford Hill, the home. All the land on the left looking south to the Keim’s home. "You take the turn to take the Broke Road and you pass the wine shops...then opposite the Hungerford Hill home, on the left, all that is Bess Hill." In 1910 Earl used to go out there to fix their stationary engines, "some were kerosene, some were diesel, some were petrol." He had to check and attach the appropriate pulleys.
45:31
Jack Barrett, Wilson Barrett's older brother
45:38
The two early bake houses on Sawyers Gully - Flanagan's and Bowral's.
Tape duration: 46:00
Sternbeck, Earl Stanley, 1896-1984PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToIvy HungerfordJack BarrettCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock, NSWIdentifier277B
Recorded 4 November 1982
Part 4/4
0:08
Recollection of "Lafayette" car
1:20
Location of early hall, Cessnock 20ft x 40ft hall
2:01
David Cohen, Robert Reid "would invite the shopkeepers to come down and place their orders" from basket loads of goods that they had on show in the hall. This was replaced by direct delivery.
3:31
Sternbeck's Garage took over the hall until 1917. It was then called Cessnock Motors.
3:52
Attwater's Hotel, Cessnock. Attwater advised and facilitated the purchase of the site. It was a Picton's site. The original stables were at the back for the coach change over between Wollombi and Maitland.
4:53
Recalls coach service to Maitland. Chapman, Diplocks and Jurd were part of the coach service.
6:12
Recalls problems with land deeds. The Sternbecks were in the premises before the deeds were prepared. It had to be redrawn.
7:36
Recalls first motor car which drove.
8:36
"Dion Buton", 1902 - 4 cylinder car.
8:47
Recollection of learning to drive a car. Brierley, the Butter Factory Manager bought the car and his son and Earl learned to drive it where the Motor Registry Office is today. They placed the old milk cans spaced sufficiently apart so as not to bump them.
10:17
Recalls catching perch in Lavender Creek When the water was pumped out of Extended the fish began to die.
10:40
There was an early natural spring which used to flood near Brown's Vineyard.
11:38
Location of first cycle track near the current football ground is today.
12:12
"Scripts Booth", Ernie Woodhouse
12:24
E. Woodhouse's residence was on the corner of Hall and Vincent Streets.
16:31
Ernie Eaton (relative of Ted Eaton).
16:57
Father built the first family home at Cessnock. Behind the house was a garage operated by the Essex representative.
19:30
The first bank turned into the Council Chambers later. In 1875/6 the Telegraph Office was attached to the end of the Court House. It was used before the Exchange was built. The photos being referred to are most likely held by Cessnock Library.
23:09
Robert Rooney - auctioneer.
24:05
Bill Leggett
24:21
Jim Sanderson's pie shop
27:27
Mr Cameron, "Benton-Woods" agent in West Maitland who always drove 4 cylinder FN motorbike
27:44
NRMA began operating in Cessnock in 1927.
27:55
Reg Smythe started in Cessnock and Bruce Smythe worked in Newcastle. Both belonged to the NRMA.
28:20
Bruce married Sam Horne's daughter.
28:38
Peter Baus' son, Ron Baus also married one of Sam Horne's daughters.
29:21
Vera Cagney.
30:14
"The Brush", Francis Birtles drove it from Sydney to Perth. It was the first car to travel this road.
30:41
Recalls how began mechanical trade - the Sternbeck's business was the first garage from Singleton to Newcastle. Earl did most of his mechanical training on motor bikes, cycles. His father was badly injured at the Butter Factory chimney stack. He would come home from school and find a dozen push bikes needed for the morning.
32:43
"Red Bird", "Massey-Harris" were two Canadian bikes he worked on. William's Bros in Sydney were the big distributors for these bikes.
33:03
"The Waratah" - the Sternbecks sold a lot of these which were manufactured by Williams in Sydney. Earl built a lot of these too. He'd assemble them and send them back to Sydney.
33:28
The family sold "Douglas", "Triumph", "BSA" bikes - coil ignition. They had the agency.
34:16
Recalls winning 1919 Reliability Trial from Taree and back. All gravel roads. 120 miles over a two day trip.
36:03
Origins of motorcycle racing from the early 20's in Cessnock.
37:11
Paddy Dean, the Dadsen Brothers.
38:02
Hector Tulloch one of the secretaries of the club.
39:14
Father imported cycles from U.K.
40:49
Ivy Hungerford, nee Joass. Reference is made here to the interview Jack made with Ivy and her daughter Joan.
41:48
George Keim, "Bess Hill" Jack was trying to locate Bess Hill. Earl thought it was opposite Hungerford Hill, the home. All the land on the left looking south to the Keim’s home. "You take the turn to take the Broke Road and you pass the wine shops...then opposite the Hungerford Hill home, on the left, all that is Bess Hill." In 1910 Earl used to go out there to fix their stationary engines, "some were kerosene, some were diesel, some were petrol." He had to check and attach the appropriate pulleys.
45:31
Jack Barrett, Wilson Barrett's older brother
45:38
The two early bake houses on Sawyers Gully - Flanagan's and Bowral's.
Tape duration: 46:00
Sternbeck, Earl Stanley, 1896-1984PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToIvy HungerfordJack BarrettCollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock, NSWIdentifier277Bloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Earl Sternbeck (1896-1984) - Proprietor, Ambulance driver, Cessnock. Recorded 4 November 1982. Part 4/4., [277B]. Living Histories, accessed 02/06/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55944