Woy Woy - 8 October 2009

Conditions that were more like Winter than Spring didn't dampen the team's enjoyment at one of our favourite places - Woy Woy.
It was good to see that Col Lye & Nev Bayliss could make it.

Remember the Corporate Lunches?

Three of The1925 Club’s more enthusiastic supporters (Bob Clarke, Nev Hine & George de Jong) are pictured on Fort Denison for Coopers & Lybrand’s 1993 Christmas lunch.

They are joined by Ken Le Quesne (next to Bob) and Coopers & Lybrand’s representative, Ian England (who Bob thinks was a blow-in from the UK).

Nearly sixteen years later, and they haven’t aged a bit. (Stop laughing!)

Any thoughts on what’s going through Bob’s mind? And, does anyone hear from Ken these days?

Mister Smooth

Bob Clarke recalls, "I believe the occasion was the HO Christmas Party '90 (hosted by GM Ray Morley).

"Alma Raza (with whom Bob is sharing a chair) was Nev Bayliss's secretary, and the location would have been the 9th floor of 130 Phillip Street. The hats were part and parcel of the affair, as was the gift in my hand; we all bought something for our allocated person.

"I certainly wouldn't have plonked myself on Alma's lap uninvited - but that's another story.

"Luckily, Uncle Bernie was watching over me."

A fit & healthy AGC

Who remembers the AGC Exersites?

AGC arranged and funded the installation of more than 200 of them as part of its contribution towards Australia’s Bicentennial Year (1988). Many still survive. The one pictured, at The Rocks, was still there until quite recently.

Managing the entire project was AGC’s very personable Group Promotions Co-ordinator, Jill Woods (pictured here as Editor of the 1985 Report to Staff). Jill is now CEO of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Watsons Bay – 13 August 2009

By train, bus and ferry they came to enjoy the food, booze, million-dollar view, and excellent company at The Watson Bay Hotel. Some even undertook a pre-lunch walk to South Head.

Between them, these photos show all but one of the sixteen 1925ers and one visitor (John Salamonsen) who were able to attend. It was good to welcome back Brian and George who are recovering well from their hip & knee operations; and to welcome first-timer, Vic Olenych (who managed to avoid the camera).

Just after asking, “What’s a press gang?”, Roy volunteered to organise a lunch at Woy Woy on October 8th. Details to come, but please mark your diary.

For the record, those in the photo below are (from left to right): Bob Clarke, Doug Craighead, Ian Nay, John Leplaw, John Barker, Terry Colley, Barry Smith, George de Jong, Brian Camps, Nev Hine, Roy Whittaker, John McCullough, Peter Crumlin & John Salamonsen. In the photo above, but not in the other, are Ron O’Neil (seated 4th from left) and Athol Jenner (2nd from right). As mentioned, Vic Olenych appears in neither photo.

Aah, committees…

There were many committees formed during the days of AGC. This one produced an award-winning Report to Staff in 1981.






The committee members are pictured here interviewing the then Group General Manager, Keith Jack.


From left to right: Charles Davies-Scourfield (HO Advertising), Ian Nay (NSW Consumer), Dawne Zotz (NSW Insurances), Keith Jack, Kerry Benson (Data Processing) and Peter Hunt (HO Property Finance).

Tragically, Keith passed away in 1982 at the far too early age of 55.

Le Chifley

With all the demolition & reconstruction going on in the city, it’s good to see that one great institution survives: Le Chifley. Or as it was better known to us: Fred’s.

The café (or bistrot a vin, to be exact) was referred to as Fred’s because that was the name of the very congenial owner of the place. A Frenchman with the unlikely name of Fred Robinson, he sold the business but is said to be a fairly regular visitor.

Fridays just weren’t the same if we didn’t have a longish lunch at Fred’s. The food was always good, and the house wine at least plentiful. And there was always the mad ring-around on Friday mornings to find out how many were going so as to be able to grab a table large enough to accommodate us all.

Then there was Wally, the newspaper vendor in Elizabeth Street. He was quite a character; and as we passed he’d announce to the world, “Read all about it…AGC executives going back to work pissed…again!” Quite amusing until one day, as Athol recalls, AGC’s chairman was walking behind us when he said it.

Good days.