Stanford, William (Bill)

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NameStanford, William (Bill)OccupationDelivery DriverPlace of ResidenceOak FlatsBiographyBill Stanford was born at Helensburgh to William and Janet Sandford (nee Reid). He came to Oak Flats in 1919 aged seven years. Bill's parents were railway workers and his mother established the first Post Office in 1930.

Leaving Albion Park Primary School at age fourteen, Bill took up an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic with ‘Priddle and Morrow’ garage in Kiama. Bill would catch the 7 o'clock milk train from Oak Flats to Kiama and return on the 6 o'clock train in the evenings, working a six-day week. After three years, he was transferred to the garage at the cross roads at Albion Park.

During the 1930’s depression, Bill became unemployed and worked on the relief scheme at a Blue Metal Quarry in Beach Road, Shellharbour.

In 1933, Bill obtained a job as a grocer with Tim Hazelton, at Hazelton's General Store, Tongarra Road, Albion Park. He worked five and a half days a week including Saturday mornings. Bill claims that owning a motorcycle and side box was an advantage in getting the job. "The shop was a really old building in those days with wide cracks in the floor where we used to sweep the dust. If you dropped any change there was always a loose board to move to get it out".

Bill's job was to collect and deliver orders in the area twice a week to Albion Park and the ‘Rail’, once a week to Tongarra, Yellow Rock, Calderwood and Yallah, and once a fortnight to Oak Flats, Lake Entrance, Shellharbour and Dunmore. The allowance for use of the motorcycle was two pence (2 cents) a mile. "My hours were longer than shop hours but there was no such thing as overtime in those days".

Bill relates that Christmas time was hectic, going out and getting orders to be delivered before Christmas holidays. This resulted in having to work right through the night. He would see the sun come up, then go home get tidied up a bit, have breakfast, then go back and start again until all the orders were filled.

In those days the job was labour intensive. Most of the stock arrived in bulk in chaff bags, such as wheat, barley and bran. Sugar came in 70 lb bags and flour in 120 lb bags. These all had to be weighed and packed. Biscuits came in 12 lb tins, were weighed and sold to requirements. Broken biscuits from the bottom of the tin were a young child's delight. Boxed butter also came in bulk.

During 1942, Bill was called up for the Army and served with an anti aircraft battery stationed at Georges Heights, Middle Head Sydney, and then to Cape York and back to Cairns, Queensland. He then went to Morotai Island and up to Balikpapan, Borneo. Discharged from service, Bill returned home in January 1946 and regained his previous position at Hazelton’s.

"There was rationing for quite a few years after the war, coupons for everything, clothes, shoes, bread, butter and petrol".

Bill retired in 1972 after 39 years service with Hazelton's.

Contributed by William Stanford 2006

External LinkMarshall Mount vs Oak Flats 1936Roundabout 1948Church Garden Party at Oak Flats 1952

William (Bill) Stanford, c.2000.

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Stanford, William (Bill)