​​The year that made me was 1964.  I had just finished secondary school in 1963 and was looking forward to attending Preston Technical College to undertake a diploma course in either mechanical or aeronautical engineering.  These plans were somewhat shattered, when my father informed me that his building business had hit a slow period and that I would need to get a job. 
 
Well, there was no opportunity to secure an apprenticeship in my chosen field, so I looked for other job opportunities that might be available.  The Commonwealth Bank was hiring staff and at reasonable rates of pay.  (As I later found out, almost all of my former class mates also joined banks or insurance companies).  I was initially assigned to Preston branch.  Preston branch was one of the larger ones in the northern suburbs and at that time was fully mechanised with ledger machines.  My initial duties were fairly basic, usually looking after the rubbish, counting money boxes, ensuring the all of the public space was neat and tidy, and filled with adequate stationary and working pens, as well as general dog’s body duties. 

​I enjoyed my time at Preston and it was not long before I was transferred to East Preston.  This was a small branch with only three staff and a manager.  A major culture shock was encountered at East Preston.  Having learnt the processes with the latest ledger machines, every record at East Preston was hand recorded.   Passbooks, ledger cards and balance sheets were all hand recorded and added.  My training saw me elevated to teller and I enjoyed the interaction with the customers.  I was apparently so good at customer relations, that I was asked to call on some of the older clients who had fallen behind in the mortgage payments.  This was usually done on the way home after work, as I had, by this time purchased a car.  I was subsequently transferred to Preston South which was a similar sized branch but with additional staff, as the branch handled the banking and payroll for a number of large manufacturing and wholesale businesses, including PANCH hospital. 
 
I enjoyed my time at Preston South and somebody obviously saw my ability to adapt to job changes at short notice.  I was transferred to Relieving Staff.  This involved travel to all parts of the state to cover staff shortages due to illness or annual leave.  I was later seconded to Staff Training section where I was again involved in travel all over the state to teach staff the new computer systems.  During this time I married, and the bank transferred me to my nearest branch, Moonee Ponds.  After a period as Lending Officer, I was transferred to Glenroy, where I was promoted to Officer in Charge of Meadow Fair sub-branch at the age of 24. 
 
I would have to say that 1964 was most certainly the year that formed the foundation for my future business and corporate career.
 
Barry O’Connor.
June 2016.
 

The books that I usually cannot put down are publications associated with vintage veteran motor vehicles. I rarely pick up a book and read until finished in one session. There is one exception however. Searching for information about my old school I came across a book published by Moira Scollay entitled ‘Lalor’.  The book was only available from the UNSW bookshop and was duly ordered on-line.

The book was written on the history of the suburb Lalor in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

My connection with the suburb is that I was born there.  My father and Uncle Frank were the primary builders on the project.  The suburb’s beginnings come from a co-operative established amongst a number of people, mostly returned servicemen, who came together to assist the building of each other’s houses. Reading through the book brought back a flood of childhood memories.  Many, many names jolted my memory as I turned the pages.  I also learnt a lot of facts about the people and the project that my parents had not spoken about.

The building co-operative and the suburb derived their name from Peter Lalor of Eureka Stockade and later Victorian Parliamentary fame. The co-operative  was the brain child of Frank Purcell.

Other names that leapt off the pages: Dr. Harry Jenkins will be a name familiar to most Australians.  The Harry Jenkins that I knew was our local GP. The later Harry Jenkins, his son, was the become the speaker of the house in Federal Parliament.

Les Batten was a friend of my parents and often called on us, or we visited. Known to me as Uncle Les, I had no idea that not only was he associated with hunt clubs, equestrian events and agricultural societies, but was the person who donated the land on which Preston & Northcote Community Hospital was built.

My father Alan Murray ‘Bill’ O’Connor was one of the original builders of Lalor. The Lalor men later became actively involved with the Epping RSL.  My father was the driving force in building new clubrooms, an infant welfare centre and later the Epping Memorial Hall. Feats he never spoke to me about.

Pronunciation is sometimes challenged. From my recollections it was always pronounced ‘La(w)lor’ using the Irish pronunciation. Later residents pronounce it ‘La(y)lor.


Barry O’Connor,
May 2016

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Editor's Note:  Your interest and active involvement in the Swanpool Community Development Association and many other community activities was almost certainly shaped by the childhood memories you have written about here, Barry.  
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