The Face

Sally Jackman 

The Family

Sally Anne Wheatley was born at the Grenfell Maternity Hospital in December 1945 to Dorothy and Thomas, ‘Tim’ Wheatley, of “Bunda” off the Gooloogong Road, Grenfell. 

“Bunda” and “Mylandra Park” were the two Wheatley properties owned and run jointly by Tim and his brother Bill Wheatley.  

The Wheatley family has a much respected name in Grenfell, with connections to Grenfell’s early settlers.  

Sally’s grandfather, Edward ‘Price’ Wheatley, first came to the area and worked at “Pinnacle Station” as a book keeper.  

He married Emma Priddle who lived at “Glenelg” on the Forbes Road. 

Price bought “Bunda” in 1928 and “Mylandra Park” in 1937.

During World War 2 Tim was in the army.

He saw active service, being a forward observer, participating in the battle at Milne Bay, the first major defeat suffered by the Japanese.  Before New Guinea, Tim served in Egypt.

When the threat of a Japanese invasion became a serious issue, his unit was brought back to defend Australia.

The two Wheatley brothers, Tim and Bill married two sisters, Dorothy and Constance ‘Cons’ Simpson, making a very strong bond between the two families. 

The Simpson family lived at “Overdale” on the Bimbi Road and prior to that, in Victoria.

After their marriages, the Wheatley families all lived on the adjoining properties of “Mylandra Park” and “Bunda,” the two houses being only about 100 metres apart. 

It was a wonderful childhood with six children between the two families.  

Tim and Dorothy had Sally, Greg and Virginia, ‘Gini,’ while Cons and Bill had William, ‘Billo,’ Paul and Louise.

To look after the education of the children, a governess was employed in a school room at “Mylandra Park” where Billo, Paul and Sally were taught. 

Soon all the neighbouring farms also had children needing an education and so the small school, “Goonigal”, was built in the corner of the Wheatley property, and a governess was employed with lessons supplied by Blackfriars Correspondence School in Sydney.

The governess stayed term-about with the families, often becoming life-long friends. 

Many other small schools were established in the district and later there were combined sports days and Christmas parties with “Bogolong” and “Driftway” schools. 

Children attended these schools until high school, when a choice had to be made to either send the children to boarding schools or arrange for them to board in Grenfell. 

Sally and Gini attended PLC Orange and Greg went to Scots College in Sydney.

Tennis was an extremely popular sport, and Grenfell had a strong tennis team.

Most farm houses had a tennis court, and weekend tennis parties on the various properties became a wonderful social event and included delicious lunches and afternoon teas.

The memory of that period is one of talk and laughter.

When Sally went to PLC she took tennis lessons and was a member of the school team, all because of these weekend tennis parties.

In the summer, Bogolong Dam was a popular place for water skiers. 

The younger skiers would start with a counter lunch at the Exchange Hotel, then drive off to the dam for the afternoon.

There would often be a BBQ at night at the dam, or else there would be a trip to the Royal Theatre in town to see a film. Traditionally, this would be followed by supper at the ABC café, now Louisa's Locker.

Many young people belonged to the Bachelor & Spinsters Club and a ball and a Christmas party were held each year. 

The balls were a lot of fun, and not as wild at that time as their reputation now suggests!

Memories of Main Street

Main Street in the 1960s was thriving. Young people were able to find work in and around Grenfell. 

There were more businesses employing people, such as the banks, the schools, hospital, Western Stores and various shops. 

Many young teachers came to Grenfell, with some staying and marrying locals.

When Sally left school, in 1962, her first position was as a dental nurse at Bob O'Grady's surgery above the office of T.F. Armstrong's shop. 

Sally boarded with her grandmother, Clarice Simpson in East Street, in the house now owned by Steve and Lyn Grace.

When Sally worked at the dentist's surgery, she had lunch five days a week at the Criterion Hotel where the owners catered for workers for 25 shillings a week for a three course dinner (about $2.50.)  Sally's wage at the dentist was about $17.50.

Sally married Anthony Fountain in 1967 and they lived in a house they renovated on Holy Camp Road. 

They then purchased “Jungara”, a small farm just a few kilometres from town. 

Anthony and his father, Clarrie owned a Stock and Station agency, Stein & Fountain, which later became Fountain & Co. 

Hugh Moffitt and Bob Moncrieff joined the staff as well as various secretaries over the years, and Sally also worked there part-time.

Anthony became involved with McDonald Stockmasters and was selling stud stock and horses around Australia.

In 1969, when Sally’s younger sister, Gini, left school, they opened a gift shop together in Main Street, where “Mingle on Main” is now situated.  

The name chosen for the shop - “Buzz” gave some indication of the stock held in the shop and the atmosphere engendered by Sally and Gini.

“Buzz” was a very modern, innovative gift shop, with ‘avant gard’ products of excellent quality, the goods being purchased in Sydney at various warehouses and from the Sydney Trade Fairs.  

Sally and Gini worked the shop themselves, with assistance from their mother, Dorothy if they were away purchasing goods. 

The shop sold homewares, kitchenware and some clothing. 

A small postcard on the door picturing some men and women in 1860s period costumes, with the words underneath – “Our highly trained and efficient staff are here to help you” – set the tone for the fun of shopping at “Buzz.” 

The business later moved to Corrie Drady's Baby Wear, HCF and MBF Agencies when Corrie needed some holiday time.  

When Gini married Graeme Taylor, in 1973 Corrie was ready to return to business and she took over the shop and moved it to larger premises further up the Main Street where the Procter family had been, and renamed it “Coralee.”

Sally had left the business in 1970 when her son, Jason was born.

The family sold the property “Jungara” and moved into town with two children, Kylie and Jason.

Their third child, Kurt was born after the move.

Anthony left Grenfell in 1978, after which Sally was fortunate to find employment as a receptionist for Dr. John George in Main Street, where she worked for nearly ten years until she married Bob Jackman in 1989. 

Bob, originally from the UK, came to Grenfell via Melbourne and Noosa, and has happily settled down in Grenfell supporting Sally.

Also in 1989, Sally started work at Aston & Joyce Real Estate after Tiny Shoemark passed away.

In June 1991, Sally and Bob purchased a shop from the Markham brothers where the Indian Restaurant is now, and opened a restaurant, - “The Kitchen Table,” opening from Tuesdays to Saturdays and Sundays for lunch. 

It was soon the place to go in Grenfell, especially for special celebrations and birthdays. 

Sally and Bob ran the restaurant for twelve and a half years. 

During those years, Sally and Bob did all the cooking themselves, with assistance from Sally’s mother, Dorothy, who made cakes and some desserts and her delicious caramel sauce. 

Dorothy also came to the restaurant to help during peak times, and Sally’s sister, Gini, gave up most weekends to help in the restaurant. 

The restaurant seated 50 people in two rooms. 

Supplies were mostly delivered from West Wyalong in a produce truck, and fresh food was always purchased locally.

Sometimes they hosted musical nights with the local pharmacist, John O'Sullivan singing and playing his keyboard.

When the main courses had all been served, Bob would take out his double bass and join John for a sing-along. 

Soon singing competitions developed between the customers. 

A group of caravan owners from Canberra dined one evening and organised their members to join in the singing competition which ended with the whole restaurant laughing and crying.

They had such terrible voices! 

The restaurant hosted a dinner for the NSW Governor The Rear Admiral Peter Ross Sinclair AC in 1996 just before his retirement, when he came to Grenfell, which required much organisation, plus the installation of new toilets, and the following year, a dinner for the new NSW Governor The Honourable Gordon Samuels AC.

Main Street has seen many changes during Sally’s lifetime. 

She remembers when the department store Hill and Halls burnt to the ground in 1955. 

She was about 10 years old at the time and remembers the blow to the town when the store went up in smoke. 

Sally lived about a half-hour drive from Grenfell and she remembers standing outside watching the smoke.

Following the destruction of this big department store, Sally's father's cousins, Archie and Edith Halls built the Grenfell Motel on the old site.

Sally's family always shopped at Hill &Halls and she remembers the long counters, timber floors and everything wrapped in brown paper or put in paper bags. 

The payment method involved the money and docket being enclosed in a screw-topped container at the point of purchase, and being sent on a string upstairs to the payment office.

The change was put in the container and sent back to the counter.

Community Involvement

In her younger years, Sally supported a local charity which raised money for Cerebral Palsy research. 

Presently, Bob and Sally volunteer at the local Art Gallery and support Legacy and Sally has coordinated the short story and poetry competition for the Henry Lawson Festival.

Where Are They Now?

After selling “The Kitchen Table” in 2003 Sally worked at the Weddin Shire Council for nine years. 

Whilst there, Sally and Bob also managed the Grenfell Caravan Park for two years, until they opened the “Calico Duck Bed & Breakfast” on East Street in 2007,  where they still live and operate their business. 

Sally's children are all married. 

Kylie is married to Kevin Hall, living in the Hunter Valley. 

Jason is married to Paula, living in Kangaroo Valley and Sydney. 

Kurt is married to Josie and with two young girls, Charlotte and Sybella, and lives in Canberra. 

They all attended university and Kylie spent a year in Japan as a Rotary Exchange student.

When Sally's brother Greg left school in 1966, Tim sold “Bunda” to Billo and Judy Wheatley and bought “Lirambenda” from Tom Carter.  Greg married Ruth Smith and Gini married Graeme Taylor. 

Sally’s cousins went on to marry, with Billo marrying Judy Corke, and still living locally on the Cowra Rd, Paul marrying Paula Scroope who had come to Grenfell with her father and family to the ANZ Bank, and Louise marrying Sandy Davies and living at The Oaks.

Tim Wheatley passed away in 1994 and his wife, Dorothy passed away in 2012.

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Thank you to Sally Jackman for her contribution to “Faces in the Street.”

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‘Faces in the Street’ is also available for viewing on the Grenfell Record website at www.grenfellrecord.com.au or via the Grenfell Record Facebook page. 

A big thank you to Margery Nicoll and Alison Rumps for their ongoing contributions to ‘Faces in the Street’.

Be sure to look out for the ‘Faces in the Street’ stall at Taylor Park on October 1, 2016 during Grenfell’s Sesquicentenary celebrations.