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Ernest Ditton (1910-2002) - Driver, Ditton & Hill. Recorded 11 December 1983. Part 1/2.
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Summary75A Ern Ditton
Recorded 11 December 1983
0:45
Alfred Ditton was Ern Ditton's father. Charlie Luskin run the lorries. Mr Ditton was born 1910 at Cessnock. He lived beside the railway line on Burnham Street next door to Vic Moran's house. Charlie Luskin had trucks not buses.
4:28
Went to Sunday school picnics in a horse bus. Alfred Ditton bought an old motor car from the Bellbird manager Jim Mathieson in 1917 and turned it into a bus taking around 8 passengers around 1919, running between Cessnock and Maitland. Continued building buses while working.
7:01
John Nixon one of Alfred Ditton's bus drivers. Charlie Christiansen started to run the trips between Kurri and Maitland. Alfred did his own mechanical work on the vehicles. Alfred and Charlie Christiansen divided the runs to Maitland. Les Hill bought into the business through his father, the business then ran up until Ern was 14/15.
10:26
Ern left school at 14 to work in the business, mostly the mechanical side with 3-4 other people. In 1924 Alfred had around 6-7 buses operating. The buses were Republic chassis built into bars, there was 1 Ford. Harry Varnum rented a portion of Alfred's shed for his welding.
14:39
Les Brown took it upon himself to run the bus service from Cessnock to Paxton. Started his service around 1922 around the opening time of Paxton. Neil McNeill was a bus boy in Les Brown's buses. Les Brown had 2 buses and did the early morning run to Maitland from Cessnock to Bellbird. It took an hour from Cessnock to Bellbird by the bus. Joined George Ryder's bus service after his father's bus business ended. George Ryder acquired his service from Les Brown's bus service. George Ryder started with Fred Wallace who had some delivery trucks.
21:11
Andy Stewart helped George Wallace in his business. Ern's mother came from New Zealand. George Ryder eventually brought Fred Wallace's business. Began working for George as a bus boy when he was 15. Les Kervin and Sonny Kervin started in the old empire around 1925.
28:06
Peter Cowan came to the business as body repairer. Jack Bowe was from Kurri. Ray Thomas started as bus boy for Alfred Ditton in 1921-1922 when they were Ditton & Hill. Norman Ditton, Ern's brother is a school teacher. Ron Hill is the son of Gladstone Hill, Matt Stewart was Ron's best man. Norman was deputy head of Toronto Heights.
34:45
The houses in early Cessnock went up to the park in Ern's street. Cessnock tennis courts were built around 1925-1927. Ern only went there when there was a big show. George Ryder was involved as a good player. The Tennis court had a clubhouse on the corner, there were 1-2 courts. George Ryder and Rab Lewis were a team, Rab Lewis was given a job on the buses due to playing with George. Rab Lewis rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle, the carrier on it was used to carry equipment behind the bus.
42:37
Andy Stewart worked in the hardware department store. George Ryder also got into speed boats, he would go with Don Scott who helped him build the boat shed on the Scott property at Toronto and whose family he stayed weekends with in Toronto. Jack Delaney knew the Scott’s Geoff and Ian, not Milton very well or Dot and Brenda.
44:30
End (Tape 75/Side A) Part 1 of 2
SubjectDitton, Ernest Sherwood, 1910-2002Bus driversCessnock (N.S.W.)Ditton & Hill Bus CompanyPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToGeorge Ryder"Sonny" KervinRab LewisLes Brown (1900-1983) – Founder of Rover Motors. Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1/1.CreatorDitton, Ernest Sherwood, 1910-2002Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010PlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created11th December 1983Identifier075A
Recorded 11 December 1983
0:45
Alfred Ditton was Ern Ditton's father. Charlie Luskin run the lorries. Mr Ditton was born 1910 at Cessnock. He lived beside the railway line on Burnham Street next door to Vic Moran's house. Charlie Luskin had trucks not buses.
4:28
Went to Sunday school picnics in a horse bus. Alfred Ditton bought an old motor car from the Bellbird manager Jim Mathieson in 1917 and turned it into a bus taking around 8 passengers around 1919, running between Cessnock and Maitland. Continued building buses while working.
7:01
John Nixon one of Alfred Ditton's bus drivers. Charlie Christiansen started to run the trips between Kurri and Maitland. Alfred did his own mechanical work on the vehicles. Alfred and Charlie Christiansen divided the runs to Maitland. Les Hill bought into the business through his father, the business then ran up until Ern was 14/15.
10:26
Ern left school at 14 to work in the business, mostly the mechanical side with 3-4 other people. In 1924 Alfred had around 6-7 buses operating. The buses were Republic chassis built into bars, there was 1 Ford. Harry Varnum rented a portion of Alfred's shed for his welding.
14:39
Les Brown took it upon himself to run the bus service from Cessnock to Paxton. Started his service around 1922 around the opening time of Paxton. Neil McNeill was a bus boy in Les Brown's buses. Les Brown had 2 buses and did the early morning run to Maitland from Cessnock to Bellbird. It took an hour from Cessnock to Bellbird by the bus. Joined George Ryder's bus service after his father's bus business ended. George Ryder acquired his service from Les Brown's bus service. George Ryder started with Fred Wallace who had some delivery trucks.
21:11
Andy Stewart helped George Wallace in his business. Ern's mother came from New Zealand. George Ryder eventually brought Fred Wallace's business. Began working for George as a bus boy when he was 15. Les Kervin and Sonny Kervin started in the old empire around 1925.
28:06
Peter Cowan came to the business as body repairer. Jack Bowe was from Kurri. Ray Thomas started as bus boy for Alfred Ditton in 1921-1922 when they were Ditton & Hill. Norman Ditton, Ern's brother is a school teacher. Ron Hill is the son of Gladstone Hill, Matt Stewart was Ron's best man. Norman was deputy head of Toronto Heights.
34:45
The houses in early Cessnock went up to the park in Ern's street. Cessnock tennis courts were built around 1925-1927. Ern only went there when there was a big show. George Ryder was involved as a good player. The Tennis court had a clubhouse on the corner, there were 1-2 courts. George Ryder and Rab Lewis were a team, Rab Lewis was given a job on the buses due to playing with George. Rab Lewis rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle, the carrier on it was used to carry equipment behind the bus.
42:37
Andy Stewart worked in the hardware department store. George Ryder also got into speed boats, he would go with Don Scott who helped him build the boat shed on the Scott property at Toronto and whose family he stayed weekends with in Toronto. Jack Delaney knew the Scott’s Geoff and Ian, not Milton very well or Dot and Brenda.
44:30
End (Tape 75/Side A) Part 1 of 2
SubjectDitton, Ernest Sherwood, 1910-2002Bus driversCessnock (N.S.W.)Ditton & Hill Bus CompanyPersonJack DelaneyDepicts or Relates ToGeorge Ryder"Sonny" KervinRab LewisLes Brown (1900-1983) – Founder of Rover Motors. Recorded 22 August 1983. Part 1/1.CreatorDitton, Ernest Sherwood, 1910-2002Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010PlaceCessnock, NSWDate Created11th December 1983Identifier075Aloading google map....
Delaney, Jack, 1919-2010, Ernest Ditton (1910-2002) - Driver, Ditton & Hill. Recorded 11 December 1983. Part 1/2., [075A]. Living Histories, accessed 03/10/2023, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/65391