PARRAMATTA CARRIER SERVED PARRAMATTA FOR WELL OVER FOUR DECADES WITH HIS TRUSTY OLD CHEVIES

Jim Bull of 46 Station Street, Harris Park, started up a merchant and carrier business from 1938 through to the mid-1970’s.

His first lorry (truck) was a 1926 Chev utility (ute) which he had for about seven years. He then traded it in for a 1929 Chev truck which he had for about 15 years. His last truck was a 1949 or 1950 Bedford truck which he worked up to his retirement in the mid-1970’s.

Dad and his 1929 (red) Chev truck was a landmark in the Parramatta area. He supplied the local residents with firewood, coal, clothes props, some of the local butchers with butcher blocks and prune tins for the local nurseries. He supplied 32 gallon and 44 gallon drums to the local residents and surrounding areas to be used for incinerators as well as being the local “bottle-o”.

The health inspector of Parramatta in the 1940’s and 1950’s was Jack Penfold who used to hand out dad’s business cards to the local people who badly needed their premises cleaned out for health reasons, rubbish removal, trees, shrubs lopped, et cetera.

Dad would reward Jack every Christmas with a bottle of Scotch. As the Parramatta Council only supplied the local business people with only one weekly rubbish service dad supplied some of them with a mid-week rubbish service. Some of his clients were David Jones, Coles, Woolworths, Grace Bros. Pye (the chemist), Best For Less, Rueben F Scarf, Mick Simmons Sports Shop, Parramatta Ten Pin Bowling Alley, et cetera. For most of dad’s life he worked seven days per week.

His 1929 Chev truck developed a loud engine knock and he was recommended to take it to a local backyard mechanic in Thomas Street, Parramatta, his name was George Webber. (George was the head mechanic for the Rydalmere Asylum). George put on a doctor’s stethoscope and put it on the motor while it was running and the problem was quickly solved. It was a bent gudgeon rod. George became dad’s local mechanic.

In 1938 when dad set up business he told me his step-brother helped to set up a man in the carrying business, who recently arrived in Parramatta from Queensland and had no contacts. His name was R C Thomas who years later became Lord Mayor of Parramatta.

Dad died in 1978 at the age of 69 (George Webber also died at the age of 69).

Story written by Jim Bull’s son – Cecil James Bull.