Old Characters of the Town

[Dykey]

Two come to mind:

Bill Dunnden-Drover/Town Hobo
I remember him when I was about 8 years old.
My mate and I used to razz him a bit and get chased by him, stock whip and all.
He used to sleep under the pepper trees at the back of The Jamestown Hotel.

I can clearly remember him when he passed away, it was against the wall of Ladies Walkers.
He was sitting on the ground, head on his knees and looked if he was resting.

The other was Mr Charlie Smith
He lived in Gloucester Road in an one roomed house. (roughly where Tricky now lives.

Mr Smith had white hair and beard and at Christmas time , he played "Santa" on Eudundas' corner.
He was perfect for the role.

I cannot remember much more abouthim.

[Ray]

What about Jack and Cody Russell?

I'm told that if there was a new car in town for 24 hours, "Cody" (William Alfred) would be able to tell you all about it and could also recite the number plates of every vehicle in town, the colour and make of the vehicle and who owned it.  I wonder if anyone has a photo of them?

We just don't seem to have characters like that any more, the world no longer has a place for them, which in a way, is a great pity as they certainly gave us all something to talk about, and never seemed to hurt anyone other than themselves.

Bill Dundon was buried at Jamestown on 19 Feb 1954, in grave FD22 aged only 58 years. He was born at White Cliffs (Arwakurra) Near Booleroo, on 23 Sept. 1896.

I can remember the house you are talking about for Charlie Smith, it was a stone dwelling and had a gable roof and a door near one end of the front wall. I reckon old Jack Wilson lived there in my time.

[adminer]

I'm told that if there was a new car in town for 24 hours, "Cody" (William Alfred) would be able to tell you all about it and could also recite the number plates of every vehicle in town, the colour and make of the vehicle and who owned it.

I know of a certain man (still not old), who in his youth, was able to recite every number plate in Jamestown & their owners, plus many more from neighboring towns/districts. (Some people regard his stature with a certain "loft" - as a hint to who he is.)

People with brilliant minds sometimes have way too much brain space - my thoughts 

[Ray]

Yes, I can remember being amazed at the same bloke's memory with part numbers, even things that were not all that common. He's say to the mechanic, "that vehicle's an AU made before  June 87 isn't it?...  well, I reckon  a left hand tie rod end is 487-776676...F". Even if he'd not been asked for that particular part previously he'd usually have the number correct within a digit or so.

But then again "Jack" always was a little old man as a pre-schooler he was 3 or 4 going on 50.

[Dykey]

Mr Cunningham.

Way back Mr cunningham would leave Jamestown for Adelaide on his BSA Bantam motorbike.
He would take one day to get to Clare another day to Gawler then catch a train into Adelaide.

Not Bad?

[Ray]

I believe that Ted Mehrtens used to do it on his little bike in the late 1960s also. I don't remember what brand it was, but from what I can remember, I'd say it was a Honda 50cc step through. That would have been a real experience,... flat out at about 50 KM/H.

[Dykey]

Local Council Worker

The driver of the men's "pickup" van was told (as a joke) that he was doing too many miles in the vehicle.
To win the boss over he drove around backwards.

Same driver:

He went into the Council's mechanic and said "The landrover is running a bit rough, I think it is only firing on five cylinders".
The mechanic replied "That's funny, it's only suppose to have four cylinders.

[Dykey]

My Dad

Dad went to work one April Fool's Day and one of the workers said "Hey Wal! you have got odd shoes on".
Dad replied "Silly bastard!". He then went about his usual work.
Returning to the council yard that afternoon, he looked down and sure enough, he had odd shoes on.

[Dykey]

It did happen

Local bloke (L D) was courting a girl in the Clare Valley.

One sunday afternoon a big storm hit the town of the girl he was courting.
Her parents said to L D "It's too dangerous to go home in this storm, you had better stay the night and travel home when it's much safer".

L D went missing for a couple of hours and when he returned, the girl friend asked him where had he been.

The reply was "I went home to get my pyjamas".

[Dykey]

Bill Dundon again.

This one came out over the show week end from another local.

Mr Humphris had a mob of sheep to move from Yongala to Jamestown and asked Mr Estick if could get some quotes from the local drovers.

Mr Estick asked Mick Hayes and Mick said "Yes, for one pound" (now $2.00)
He then went and asked Bill McInerney, who said "he could do it for ten bob".
He then rounded up Bill Dundon and explined his requirement and Bill replied "I'll do it for nothing, I've got bugger all to do!".

[Ray]

Ahhh, Dykey, there certainly were some great characters in the town. It's a sad thing in many ways, that today we don't seem to see this type of person anymore.

[Dykey]

A bloke called Ray use to work for the Ford Dealer. Ray use to stutter.
My sister walked past the garage ever day.
One day as she just got to the door of the garage, Ray jumped out and said
"B-b-b-boo!"

[utegirl70]

Bahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!   

[Ray]

A bloke called Ray use to work for the Ford Dealer. Ray use to stutter.
My sister walked past the garage ever day.
One day as she just got to the door of the garage, Ray jumped out and said
"B-b-b-boo!"

Did she j-ju-ju-jump?

[dianne48]

You talk about characters of the town,I can recall a number for instance. Grumpy old Mr. Cupkie? he use to have a pump handle wheel chair, he'd always be in the street never move for you just curse at you and run over your feet.

Dear old Jimmy Ramsey, he use to walk along head down always talking to himself, carried a suger bag over his shoulder.He use to live down at Hook Siviour's farm yard.

The other was old Patti the Irish man, he also lived at Hook's I mean when he wasn't lying in the grass.
He was always that drunk he could not walk and he would sleep were he fell.
We would be walking home through the park of a Saturday night after the Pictures and all of a sudden there he was frighten the daylights out of you. Or, you would see his cigarette flittering around in space on a pitch black night with the tomb stones from the Cemetery shining, we would be off, Mum with the little one in the pusher and the rest of us running as fast as our little legs would carry us.