The Face
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
‘Hec’ Bowman – the face of kindness and good cheer
The Family
Norman George Bowman, known as ‘Hec’, was born in Randwick on 15 March 1922 to father, George and mother, Alice. Hec had one older brother, Bill, who was always his good friend and mate.
The Bowman family moved to the Jones Brothers property at “Little Caragabal” in 1923. George was to be a general farm hand and Alice the cook for about eight men. They stayed there until 1939. It was here that Norman was given the nickname “Hector” or ‘Hec’ by Mr Alf Jones, a name which stayed with him the rest of his life.
Hec rode a pony to Barbingal School for the first three years of his schooling. When Barbingal closed, he transferred to Caragabal School where he drove a horse and sulky, taking young Margaret and Austin Jones with him.
Hec had a number of jobs as a farm hand on various properties before being called up for army service in 1942. The Army recruits were housed at the old Sydney Showgrounds, in the pig pens, while they were being inoculated and issued with uniforms. He served in the 2/1 Battalion in New Guinea – as a stretcher-bearer, one of the more exposed roles in the theatre of war, and was wounded in action on March 25, 1945. On day two of a ten day patrol they made contact with the Japanese. The point scout was killed and Hec went up the track to find him when he, himself was shot – a bullet passing through his left arm and entering his knee. Hec called to his friend, “I’m shot in the arm and leg. What’ll I do?’ ‘Call a stretcher bearer!’ was the reply. He was evacuated to hospital, and two days after returning to his battalion, the war was over. Being single with no dependents, Hec had to stay on in New Guinea for the cleaning up – loading equipment for transport back to Australia, and guarding Japanese P.O.W.s before they were sent home. Hec was recommended for the military medal.
On his return to Australia, Hec was transferred to Cowra P.O.W. camp as a guard, before being discharged in August, 1946. Hec and his brother scrounged enough netting from the barracks at Cowra for a tennis court back at their parents’ place in North Street. Hec worked in a number of jobs before starting work as a delivery man at Western Stores in the mid-1950s. During this time he married Heather Bradley in 1952. Hec and Heather had 2 children - Suzanna and Neil.
Memories of Main Street
The Western Stores (now the IGA) were a chain of department stores in many country towns in Western NSW. The chain started in the Dubbo region but ended up including Gilgandra, Narromine, Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Molong, Cowra, Wellington and Grenfell.
Western Stores carried everything from groceries, clothing, hardware, electrical appliances, to furniture and home wares. The stores played a vital role in these towns, especially as roads were not as good as they are today.
While Hec started his employment at Western Stores as a delivery man, he was very much a jack of all trades. Being the delivery man was very convenient for the Bowman family, as Hec did not own a car. He’d sold his car in order to put a deposit on the family home in Melyra Street. The delivery van became the Bowman family car, allowing the family to go yabbying and have picnics in the countryside. It also enabled Hec to pick up the friends of his children, who loved travelling in the van.
Hec would not only deliver the groceries to townsfolk, he would also take the groceries out to some of the larger properties when it was shearing time. He would also help deliver and install larger electrical items such as fridges and washing machines.
Suzanna and Neil both often accompanied Hec when he would make his deliveries, especially to Caragabal or Quandialla, where they could expect an ice-cream if they were “good”.
In summer, Hec would often go down early to the Main Street and hose the footpath before the store opened, just to make the store a little cooler for everyone.
Western Stores was like a family to Suzanna and Neil when they were growing up, especially after Heather started working there in 1969. Hec and Heather both made many friends there, which they kept well after they both retired. Hec worked at Western Stores when it later became Myer, and until the store closed in 1981. He then worked for Oliver’s Hardware until he finally retired.
Community Involvement
Hec was a warm and generous man - a man who lit up a room with his laughter and kind, outgoing optimism. He was always willing to offer a hand to anyone who needed it, quietly doing small things to cheer people up, such as remembering the birthdays of wives of ex servicemen. He had a quick, individual wit, which had only had one ending – laughter. To those he knew, he would say something cheeky, particularly on his morning walk up the street to buy the newspaper.
Hec worked hard, setting an example to his family and friends. He worked 5 ½ days at Western Stores and then performed odd jobs such as painting or fencing with his brother, Bill, on Saturday afternoon and many Sundays. But he still went to church nearly every Sunday evening. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, as well as the treasurer, for many years. Noone who saw his performance on stage for a concert in the Presbyterian Hall dressed as a flower and singing exuberantly ‘I’m a Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch’ will ever forget the impact. Hec always had laughter around him.
After he retired, Hec enjoyed a game of bowls and worked hard for Legacy, selling badges and delivering Legacy cakes to elderly widows in the town and local area. He was actually down on Main Street selling Legacy badges and giving cheek on the day before his sudden death.
However, above all else, Hec was a loving and caring family man. Susanna herself was the envy of her little friends, possessing a beautifully constructed cubby house with handmade furniture crafted for the size of small children. Sue’s dolls house, designed and built by Hec, showed his innate flair for woodwork and creativity. Hec continued to head to Sydney and Melbourne regularly to help his children when they moved away. He adored his three granddaughters and spoiled them with his woodwork – rocking chairs, rocking horses and cubby house furniture.
Where are They Now?
Hec passed away in September 2003 and Heather passed away in July 2009.
Suzanna, after qualifying as a teacher at Mitchell College, Bathurst, taught at Cobargo and in London before moving to Melbourne where she still lives. She is the French teacher at Dandenong Primary School and manages the school library. Suzanna has a daughter, Jess, a budding singer, song-writer, and musician, who also works in hospitality.
Neil started working at Vegetable Oils in Sydney in 1980 and, after numerous takeovers and ownership changes, is still there, although now part of GrainCorp. Neil has two daughters, Caitlin, in her second year at UNE studying Rural Science and Merryn, in year ten at Macarthur Anglican School.
Thanks to Neil and Suzanna (suzanna.bowman@bigpond.com) for their contribution to ‘Faces in the Street.’