Geoff and Mick.

This week we had apologies from Karen Armstrong, Brian Fitzpatrick, GP, Ron Payne and Jenny Sanderson.

The “member behind the badge” this week was JOHN RAYMOND GURR.

 

John was born in the Castlemaine Hospital on the 15th of August 1942 to parents, William Charles and Ethel Mary Gurr, farmers of Tarilta Victoria, he was the third born in the family having a sister Joan born first and then a brother Bill.

Taritta is a farming area near Vaughan Springs which was an old gold mining area where the Gurr family moved to from England in the 1860s where they were seeking to find gold in the diggings at New Year Flat, Vaughan later after the gold rush became known for its mineral water, eventually the Gurr family stayed in the area as farmers until the farm was sold in 1950. John's mother was born in Eaglehawk in 1916. Her maiden name was Cain, and her family also originated from England. Her father worked as a mine manager for George Lansell, overseeing the Sea Mine in Bendigo, and later served as a mining inspector for the Victorian Government. On her mother's side, her grandfather, William Beebe, was a well-known architect in Bendigo and served as Mayor from 1915 to 1916. Her mother's maiden name was Langley. Following the sale of the farm in 1950, the family moved to Kangaroo Flat first followed by North Bendigo then to View Street purchasing in 1953 a mixed business called the Acacia Milk Bar (opposite the Bendigo Art Gallery) which remained in the family until 1987. John commenced school in 1948 at the Guildford State School riding a bicycle 4 miles to get there along with his sister and brother, there were about 50 children at the school with one teacher, teaching from grade I to 8 with additional help 2 days a week, Ron Barassi also attended there, other schools attended by John were
Kangaroo Flat and North Bendigo State Schools, Bendigo Secondary Tech and School of Mines night school. Other activities: School football, cricket, Boy Scouts; Bendigo Amateur Cycling Club (track and road racing, 1956-1960); Bendigo Golf Club; Sandhurst Club; Bendigo Jockey Club.

Married to Carol on the 14th of December 1963 at St. Pauls Cathedral Bendigo.  Joined the Rotary Club of Eaglehawk on the 22d of May 1974.
1977, Director, Golden City Co-Operative Housing Society and its chairman 1980-1994.
1973-1976., Director of Mitre 10. 1993-2013, Owner of Granny Mays Hargreaves Mall.
At the age of 14, John in 1956, left school to take up a position as message boy for the
Bendigo Timber Company located on corner of Mollison and Williamson Streets Bendigo. (The original site of the Tram Depot and Electricity supply company of Bendigo) the BTC were timber, hardware & paint merchants servicing retail trade and wholesale markets, the company were also joinery manufactures and employed about 100 people. At the age of 30 in 1972 John was appointed general manager and a director, he remained there until 1989 when the holding company was taken over by CSR, on the ASX. He then stayed for a short period to help them sell the business to BBC hardware who were later taken over by Bunnings.

We thank John for sharing his fascinating life story.

 

 

This weekend is the Eaglehawk Dahlia and Arts Festival and members are invited to assist decorate our entry into the procession at 3pm Friday at the clubrooms, if anyone has any potted plants to lend us, they are asked to bring them on Friday for the decoration of the float.  (Editor's Note - see photos below of the float decorations!)

The Imagination Library Golf Day is to be held on this Friday, thanks to those who have offered to help cook breakfast.  (Editor's Note - the helpers were very happy to be up so early in the morning for this!)

 

Geoff Gallagher and Mick Costello

Co-Presidents