History of Hunter Street

Spero Davias has dropped another update on his labour of love, the History of Hunter Street.

 “a Historical Chronological List of ‘Who was who in Business in downtown Hunter Street' from before the turn of the Century, till now….”\

One of our locals in NewcastleOnHunter’s bloggist ‘hall of fame’ where he is described as owner of Spero Electronics, whose brightly coloured panel vans frequented city streets in the 80s, and of Sound World, a prominent local music retailer, also a keen amateur radio and television enthusiast.

Spero also created the delightfully nostalgic “Greek Cafe’s of old Hunter St.”

If you cut across the grass in Pacific Park on the way to the pedestrian beach tunnel under Shortland Esplanade, you’ll disturb the ghosts of No.1 Hunter Street, where the kids hung out, the F-series holdens cruised, and Throsby’s dedicated parents rewarded their innocent little charge with a Shipmates chocolate sundae – with extra malt and nuts – should he at least make a splash of any sort in his Premier Swim Club race at Newcastle Ocean Baths on Sunday morning – rain, hail, MV Hexham Bank spillage, or shine. Under the watchful eye of the legendary Frank Sheriff.

When the little tyke was old enough to bus himself to the beach, where he floated for hours beyond the breakers admiring a crowded Newcastle Beach, the wait for Newcastle Omnibus No. 216 was passed watching the doughnuts extrude from the magical machine in the front window – in all its oil-soaked intricacy - and float their merry way via the strainer to conveyor to counter. This was before they became ‘donuts’ or krispy or cremey.

Well, Mr Davias, Throsby thanks you for reviving that memory.

Pictured ~ Frank Sheriff and members of Premier Swimming Club at Newcastle Ocean Baths, circa 1961ish… and a young Throsby centre front row, more interested in getting his face nicely framed, rather than pay due respect to ol’ Frank!