A walk down memory lane for residents

Former Griffith High School teacher John Robinson reminisced with Griffith’s senior population of days gone by, sharing memories of a time that was not captured in the pages of the history books.

“Who here remembers when Worth’s circus came to town on the railway, as a little girl or boy watching them put up the tents and getting the elephants off the train,” he began, delighting the crowd, who all clearly remembered.

“Many wouldn’t realise but Griffith was a dry town for the 10 years after it was gazetted,” he said. “When the show came to town they didn’t know what to do with all the drunks, they had to chain them to trees. Who here remembers the cocky at the Vic Hotel, how great was that?”

“And in 1966 on our 50^th anniversary, the Griffith Rugby Union University shield team winning the competition?”

Mr Robinson remembered some iconic Griffith figures – much to the delight of the crowd, whose reactions left little doubt as to their fond memories. “Dave Taylor, such a generous man who used to give credit where he probably should not have. Who here remembers Doctor Burrell who delivered so many children here? And of course Nurse Taylor. Dorothy Wade to who we have to thank for the theatre. Nancy Blumer whose statue outside the theatre is a tribute to the land army girls who came out to do the work during the war and who many of you would remember, I used to drive her car before I had my license. Then there was Ian Todd at Lake Wyangan who never ever slept in another room except for his on Todd Road. Did you know the reason Griffith was named a city in 1987 was because we have a cathedral, many would remember the Anglican Archdeacon Twigg who got the cathedral build from proceeds raised by the community.”

As he spoke a slideshow of pictures flashed behind him, of timber built homes and a leafy Banna Avenue and even a steam train to Rankins Springs once held up by bush rangers.