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Ray Thomas (1924-1988) - Bus driver, Cessnock. Recorded 13 September 1983. Part 1/2.
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SummaryRAY THOMAS
Recorded 13 September 1983
Part 1/2
0:35
Mr Ron Hill was also in attendance. Ray was originally born in Stockton but lived in Weston. He came to Toronto because of his cousin Jack Brown.
0:55
William Thomas was his father and his mother (was a Watson) was from Adamstown. She worked in the Arnotts biscuit factory. His father was related to the Browns.
3:08
Father worked at Bullock Is. pit
3:29
Father worked at Stockton Sea pit
3:53
Father worked at Dudley Colliery which blew up.
3:57
Father drove Downey's horse buses in Swansea and Charlestown.
4:26
Father worked at Holmesville, West Wallsend and Seaham No.2
4:53
Family moved to Weston, 1917. Ray was still at school at Weston after the original one was burned down.
5:14
First worked for Ditton & Hill in 1922 travelling each day by train at 6.00am.
5:49
Joe Embleton, Hebburn manager
6:29
Ada Hill had the contract to do the mail delivery out to Allen's Wine Shop at Ellalong.
7:16
Mr Ditton was originally from Minmi
7:29
Ernie Ditton started first passenger run on a motorised trolley from Minmi to Hexham down the J&A Brown line.
7:50
South Maitland Motors was the name of the first Ditton and Hill Co.
8:03
First worked as "bus boy"
8:18
Recollection of Ditton & Hill buses
8:46
Type/make of Ditton & Hill bus fleet
9:22
John Brown
10:41
Recalls driving to Lake Macquarie from Cessnock through Mulbring.
11:33
Bus fare, Cessnock-Kurri Kurri - 1/3 from Kurri from Cessnock
12:29
Recalls driving mail to Ellalong with a horse and sulky and Ron Hill's Dad would go on to Wollombi and St Albans
13:06
Ray's wife's maiden name was Schofield. Jack Schofield, Don Schofield
13:27
Joe Maxwell, Les Maxwell were also relatives who grew up on the Mt View Road.
14:21
Jack Hurley from Cessnock and was a Post Master.
15:39
Cessnock Railway Station used to have their signal box levers beautifully polished - until one of the mechanics at Ditton and Hill, Freddie Walker, put a bottle of Spirits of Salts just over the ledge which caused them to go rusty overnight.
16:01
Vic Jones, a mechanic at Ditton and Hill.
16:55
Recollection of Ditton's motor car - he had a Talbot car. "His wheels sometimes ran ahead of him"
18:30
Bert Reid, one of Ditton & Hill driver
18:43
George Ryder - 1925 - his involvement in tennis - Ryder initially coming from Inverell.
19:10
Ray Ryder - a bus boy - George's brother Hugh Ryder - George's older brother
20:00
How George Ryder began his bus business - carting sawdust from Johnson's Joinery in a horse and cart. Then he drove buses for Ditton and Hill. When D&H went broke, Ryder and the father of his girlfriend Ms Scott, who was working in The Store, pooled their resources and bought out Keith Ezzy.
20:47
Ezzy was running a bus from Bellbird to Cessnock.
21:35
Brian Ivans, the accountant became Manager.
22:25
Rab Lewis.
22:48
Albert Wolfgram - a bus boy with Ditton and Hill.
22:56
Reg Bailey
23:09
Ken Johns
23:45
Cec Chapman
24:01
Bill Hancock
24:09
Arthur Hancock, Cessnock-Kearsley bus. Nick Govoronsky.
25:10
Les Brown, Bert Reid.
25:36
Charlie Wyborn from Paterson.
25:45
Bert Gillard. The White Brothers.
26:20
Ernie Mills was killed in the Bellbird disaster.
26:28
Recalls Bellbird-Paxton bus service.
26:50
How Rover Motors got its name - the Vigaro team. George Ryder bought that service off Les Brown.
27:25
Charlie Christiansen was one of the first bus operators.
27:30
Recollection of Christiansen's car was a 1917 white Buick car.
28:05
Tom Orchard was the driver of his bus which was a solid tyred Gy (pron guy) bus with cast bronze bearings.
29:01
Connolly & Smith Bus Co.
29:36
Jim Smith
30:28
Recalls Connolly & Smith bus fleet -2 Republic buses
31:43
Ryder began at Rovers, before the Depression, at about 1931. Ray began when George bought Connolly out. Andy Stewart - was there before Rab Lewis.
33:06
Peter Cowan was an Irishman who built bus bodies.
33:42
Andy, Milton, Geoff and Ian Scott
35:03
Brenda Scott married Bill Hancock.
35:42
George Ryder had two planes.
36:33
Sons of Ern Ditton - Norm and Ernie Ditton
37:12
Bill and Arthur Hancock. First service to Central was Ditton’s.
38:15
Amos Fogg ran a Chev truck to Central taking people on picnics and miners to work.
38:42
Stewart Mordue - Amos' brother in law.
39:25
Peter Phillips went into business after the war.
39:34
Ray left Rovers in 1938 to join RAAF
39:50
Ditton drove bus to Bellbird before WWI - it was a Model T Ford
40:26
Dickie Hunter was Ditton's opposition.
42:58
Recalls downfall of Ditton & Hill when a man was knocked off his bike and he took them to court.
43:58
Con Connolly
44:39
Recollection of Connolly's bus fleet - one of the first Reo bus chassis.
Tape duration: 45:01
Please email archives@newcastle.edu.au if you are a subject of the interview, or know a subject of the interview, and have cultural or other reservations about the interview and summary being made available on this website and would like to discuss this with us.
Thomas, Raymond Watson, 1924-1988PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToNick GovoronskyAlbert WolfgramCon ConnollyGeorge RyderRab LewisErn DittonRon Hill - Driver and Wangi Power Station Foreman. Recorded 13 September 1983. Part 1/1.Peter Phillips - Owner of Kearsley Bus Company. Part 1/1. Recorded 13 October 1983.CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock, NSW[2] Hebburn Colliery (Hebburn No. 1), NSWIdentifier283A
Recorded 13 September 1983
Part 1/2
0:35
Mr Ron Hill was also in attendance. Ray was originally born in Stockton but lived in Weston. He came to Toronto because of his cousin Jack Brown.
0:55
William Thomas was his father and his mother (was a Watson) was from Adamstown. She worked in the Arnotts biscuit factory. His father was related to the Browns.
3:08
Father worked at Bullock Is. pit
3:29
Father worked at Stockton Sea pit
3:53
Father worked at Dudley Colliery which blew up.
3:57
Father drove Downey's horse buses in Swansea and Charlestown.
4:26
Father worked at Holmesville, West Wallsend and Seaham No.2
4:53
Family moved to Weston, 1917. Ray was still at school at Weston after the original one was burned down.
5:14
First worked for Ditton & Hill in 1922 travelling each day by train at 6.00am.
5:49
Joe Embleton, Hebburn manager
6:29
Ada Hill had the contract to do the mail delivery out to Allen's Wine Shop at Ellalong.
7:16
Mr Ditton was originally from Minmi
7:29
Ernie Ditton started first passenger run on a motorised trolley from Minmi to Hexham down the J&A Brown line.
7:50
South Maitland Motors was the name of the first Ditton and Hill Co.
8:03
First worked as "bus boy"
8:18
Recollection of Ditton & Hill buses
8:46
Type/make of Ditton & Hill bus fleet
9:22
John Brown
10:41
Recalls driving to Lake Macquarie from Cessnock through Mulbring.
11:33
Bus fare, Cessnock-Kurri Kurri - 1/3 from Kurri from Cessnock
12:29
Recalls driving mail to Ellalong with a horse and sulky and Ron Hill's Dad would go on to Wollombi and St Albans
13:06
Ray's wife's maiden name was Schofield. Jack Schofield, Don Schofield
13:27
Joe Maxwell, Les Maxwell were also relatives who grew up on the Mt View Road.
14:21
Jack Hurley from Cessnock and was a Post Master.
15:39
Cessnock Railway Station used to have their signal box levers beautifully polished - until one of the mechanics at Ditton and Hill, Freddie Walker, put a bottle of Spirits of Salts just over the ledge which caused them to go rusty overnight.
16:01
Vic Jones, a mechanic at Ditton and Hill.
16:55
Recollection of Ditton's motor car - he had a Talbot car. "His wheels sometimes ran ahead of him"
18:30
Bert Reid, one of Ditton & Hill driver
18:43
George Ryder - 1925 - his involvement in tennis - Ryder initially coming from Inverell.
19:10
Ray Ryder - a bus boy - George's brother Hugh Ryder - George's older brother
20:00
How George Ryder began his bus business - carting sawdust from Johnson's Joinery in a horse and cart. Then he drove buses for Ditton and Hill. When D&H went broke, Ryder and the father of his girlfriend Ms Scott, who was working in The Store, pooled their resources and bought out Keith Ezzy.
20:47
Ezzy was running a bus from Bellbird to Cessnock.
21:35
Brian Ivans, the accountant became Manager.
22:25
Rab Lewis.
22:48
Albert Wolfgram - a bus boy with Ditton and Hill.
22:56
Reg Bailey
23:09
Ken Johns
23:45
Cec Chapman
24:01
Bill Hancock
24:09
Arthur Hancock, Cessnock-Kearsley bus. Nick Govoronsky.
25:10
Les Brown, Bert Reid.
25:36
Charlie Wyborn from Paterson.
25:45
Bert Gillard. The White Brothers.
26:20
Ernie Mills was killed in the Bellbird disaster.
26:28
Recalls Bellbird-Paxton bus service.
26:50
How Rover Motors got its name - the Vigaro team. George Ryder bought that service off Les Brown.
27:25
Charlie Christiansen was one of the first bus operators.
27:30
Recollection of Christiansen's car was a 1917 white Buick car.
28:05
Tom Orchard was the driver of his bus which was a solid tyred Gy (pron guy) bus with cast bronze bearings.
29:01
Connolly & Smith Bus Co.
29:36
Jim Smith
30:28
Recalls Connolly & Smith bus fleet -2 Republic buses
31:43
Ryder began at Rovers, before the Depression, at about 1931. Ray began when George bought Connolly out. Andy Stewart - was there before Rab Lewis.
33:06
Peter Cowan was an Irishman who built bus bodies.
33:42
Andy, Milton, Geoff and Ian Scott
35:03
Brenda Scott married Bill Hancock.
35:42
George Ryder had two planes.
36:33
Sons of Ern Ditton - Norm and Ernie Ditton
37:12
Bill and Arthur Hancock. First service to Central was Ditton’s.
38:15
Amos Fogg ran a Chev truck to Central taking people on picnics and miners to work.
38:42
Stewart Mordue - Amos' brother in law.
39:25
Peter Phillips went into business after the war.
39:34
Ray left Rovers in 1938 to join RAAF
39:50
Ditton drove bus to Bellbird before WWI - it was a Model T Ford
40:26
Dickie Hunter was Ditton's opposition.
42:58
Recalls downfall of Ditton & Hill when a man was knocked off his bike and he took them to court.
43:58
Con Connolly
44:39
Recollection of Connolly's bus fleet - one of the first Reo bus chassis.
Tape duration: 45:01
Please email archives@newcastle.edu.au if you are a subject of the interview, or know a subject of the interview, and have cultural or other reservations about the interview and summary being made available on this website and would like to discuss this with us.
Thomas, Raymond Watson, 1924-1988PersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToNick GovoronskyAlbert WolfgramCon ConnollyGeorge RyderRab LewisErn DittonRon Hill - Driver and Wangi Power Station Foreman. Recorded 13 September 1983. Part 1/1.Peter Phillips - Owner of Kearsley Bus Company. Part 1/1. Recorded 13 October 1983.CollectionVoices of the HunterPlaceCessnock, NSWLocation[1] Cessnock, NSW[2] Hebburn Colliery (Hebburn No. 1), NSWIdentifier283Aloading google map....
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Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Ray Thomas (1924-1988) - Bus driver, Cessnock. Recorded 13 September 1983. Part 1/2., [283A]. Living Histories, accessed 08/12/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/55954