Thursday 21 November 2013

Rear View Mirror: Hornsby 4/5


The Salvation Army Hall was right on that corner, beneath all those ugly signs. You can just see the back of our house on the RHS. It was fun living beside the Sallies. Every Sunday evening - I think Sunday but I could be mistaken - they would march down the centre of Hunter Street behind their brass band with the bloke in front twirling his doohickey. It was great to watch, and they appreciated our pleasure. We would stand on the brick ledge wall on the front verandah, swinging around the post when it was our turn, politely clapping. No cheering, jeering or whistling in those days. We would not have thought of it, and our parents would never, ever have sanctioned it!

Obviously, this building has been demolished for the greater good, as well. The Sallies moved to premises further down Burdett St.

6 comments:

Joan Elizabeth said...

Having been a Salvo I recognised the hall instantly. They are dotted all over the country. The one in our town built in 1912. It doesn't have to be a shopping mall to make them disappear. I was shocked to see the one in our town gone and just an empty plot left.

The one in Gulgong has become the Henry Lawson museum.

It would have been Sunday and possibly Friday night as well when they marched if they were following normal tradition.

Kay L. Davies said...

What fun to have a Salvation Army Band serenade you every week. And of course in those days we would have had to be polite, or stay inside, or go to bed early.
The corner might have more colour now, but certainly less character.
Luv, K

hamilton said...

The most I remember are the church bells and the sound of a choir from the open windows of the church across the road from us when I was growing up. This would have been much more fun.

Jim said...

Thanks for these historical posts.

diane b said...

Twirling his doohickey...the mind boggles. Great images of the past and present.

Julie said...

*chuckle*