“ I was born in Greece and migrated in February 1948 when I was 11 years old. I’ve been in Lismore ever since. I arrived here and I couldn’t speak English so I had to start all over again. When I left Greece I was in 6th class and when I came here they put me in 3rd class so I was 3 years older than all the other kids. At 15 I left school and started working in my Uncle’s cafe in Molesworth St. It was called Crethar’s air conditioned cafe. It was my fathers brother and he had the first air conditioning unit in Lismore. That was 1945. I worked for my uncle for a while and my father said to me, ‘It’s not good just working for relatives. You should go and find work with someone that is not a relation. When you work for relatives you might want favours.’ so I went and worked for another Greek man who had a little milk bar next to the Vogue Theatre. It used to be in Molesworth St opposite the Strand Arcade and I worked there for 2 years.
I then went to the Star Court Theatre which was much bigger back then and it was ground level. When they put the arcade in they shifted the theatre upstairs. The gentleman I worked for happened to be my future wife’s Grandfather and of course I never knew that at the time. The cafe was sold and we bought the Wunderbar from my future father in-law.(Alex’s father). Little did I know that I would later marry his daughter. I said to my friends if I had waited a little bit longer Maria may have got it as a dowry (laughs). Maria was only 9 at the time and I was 20. Years later when her father sold the shop she started a fruit shop next door which is now Tropicana’s so when Maria was working I used to get tomatoes, onions and salad for my burgers from her. When Maria wasn’t busy she would come and have a yarn to me and I would give her milkshakes. She was 19 when we married and it will be 50 years in January that we are together. I had to wait for her because she was too young. I was her first boyfriend but I’m happy about that.
When we bought the Wunderbar off Spiro (Maria’s father) he only served milkshakes and ice cream. In the wintertime people don’t eat ice creams so my father and I borrowed money and we started doing hamburgers, sandwiches, coffee and tea. We were there 25 years from 1956 and we left in 1980. From 1956 the Lismore people have been supporting us. We are still running a business, Premier Picture Framing and Art Supplies. We have 2 sons that work in that business. As a sideline we do pool tables.
In 1974 we had 9 foot of water in the shop from the flood. I was closed for 2 weeks and it nearly sent me broke. I patched it up the cheapest way possible. It’s like having a hole in your trousers and putting a patch in. Better than buying a new pair.
In 1954 when the big flood came I was 17 years old and I was in the Lismore Water Brigade and the Rowing Club. We had flood boats, no motor, just oars and our job was to rescue people. During the night In Magellan St the water was rushing down and it was like Nymboida white water rapids. We picked up a drunk man from the pub who wanted to jump overboard and swim home. He would have drowned and we had to keep him on the boat. When we got to the corner of Dawson St in the boat we hit the electricity pole and there were sparks everywhere. I thought we would be electrocuted. We dropped him off in Girards Hill. On the way back in Conway St there were another family needing to be rescued as the water was in their house and they were trying to get to the house next door which was higher. We put them in the boat but in between their houses were palings missing in a fence underwater. The boat got stuck and I jumped out so the so the boat was lighter to get through but I got dragged down and I thought I would drown. I grabbed a rope and pulled myself up. Long story but 40 years later the lady we rescued came to me and said I am Mrs Wappett and I am the lady you saved. I felt so good that I had done something good for the community especially being a migrant. Wappett and Partners are still accountants here in town and my daughter in-law works there. Lismore is so connected in so many ways.
I have always enjoyed my working life. When I had the shop I loved everyone who came in but the high school kids were special to me. I used to watch their football games and every year I go to the reunions, I’ve never missed one. Beth Trevan always invites me to the reunion as a guest. When I came to Australia Beth’s brother David went out of his way to help me with the language. He ended up being a minister. Beth has done a lot for Lismore. When they raised money to build the Children’s Ward at The Base Hospital Beth raised about 3/4 of that money. She’s a wonderful person.
I have a little workshop, I build pool tables and I love music. Where I live I have an acre where I walk around. I always find something to do. These things keep you young. I love life and I love people. I like to laugh and I love to be happy. I do the Greek Program on 92.9 River FM and have done this for 35 years. It’s on Tuesdays between 6 and 8pm. The last 2 or 3 years I have another young Greek fellow who now shares it with me.
I still play lawn bowls and do you know the Lismore City Bowling Club is the oldest club between Sydney and Brisbane. It’s 105 years old.
I love the people in Lismore! The people here have supported me for 60 years and I love the area. There’s nothing about Lismore that I don’t love. Lismore back in the day when I had the shop was pretty special. The ladies all dressed up with their gloves and hats for church and to go shopping.
I feel very humbled that they have written a song about me for The Homecoming this weekend.”