26th December 2020 – In Wagga’s Past – 25 and 50 Years ago.


Compiled from the Daily Advertiser

by the Wagga Wagga & District Historical Society



25 Years Ago

  • A huge crowd which exceeded the estimated target of 18,000 crammed into Athol Street last Saturday for a massive Christmas party.
  • Scores of parishioners turned out to farewell popular Wagga Baptist minister, Eric Shumacher and his wife Peggy who is leaving Wagga after more than 30 years for the Sydney suburb of Hornsby.
  • The 1996 Miss Wagga entrants presented almost $80,000 to their chosen charities including the Smith Family, Loreto Home of Compassion, Riding for Disabled, PCYC, Wagga Base Hospital and Life Education.
  • Frequent blood donors including May Crawford who has made 100 donations were treated to a Christmas party in the Schofield Centre at Wagga Base Hospital.
  • Peta Carter, Maureen Maher, Leslie Baker and Leone McGilvray were among those attending a reunion for the Mount Erin Year 10 class of 1972 at the Victoria Hotel.
  • Financial consultants, Doug Sutton and Pat Ingram have restored a derelict heritage house in Morgan Street to its former glory and are now using it as offices.
  • Arsonists have targeted a Department of Housing home in Lae Avenue for the second time this year.
  • A quick-thinking console operator foiled an attempted arm robbery at the Mobil 24-hour service station at the corner of Edward Street and Station Place.
  • Platypus Patrol, including Felicity Koth, Jessica Butler and Megan Crouch won an award for Best Patrol at First Kooringal Guides.
  • Tim Gleeson from The Smith Family accepted several hams donated by Coles Supermarket so that some less fortunate families in the city could enjoy Christmas and the New Year.
  • Cannons Supermarkets are selling cases of 24, Melbourne Bitter 375ml stubbies for $24.95 and Victoria Bitter, 250ml twist tops for $16.95.
  • Wagga Councillor, Michael Georgiou presented Mayor, Peter Dale with a flag of Nicosia, the capital of Cyrus, following a recent holiday in Cyprus.

50 Years Ago

  • 17-year-old Marlene Guppy was crowned as Miss Wagga for 1971 by the Mayor, Ald Morris Gissing.
  • Three young Bavarians from Wagga’s sister city Nordlingen are visiting Wagga and were introduced to the people of Wagga this week at the crowning of Miss Wagga in the Civic Theatre gardens.
  • Police said that quick action by John Sutherland, vice principal of the Wagga Agricultural College, in giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to a man found floating face down in the college pool had saved the man’s life.
  • David Jones has ceased trading in Wagga this week.
  • Wagga’s milkmen, including Jack Piltz and Brian Jackson are kept busy over holiday periods delivering milk to Wagga shops and householders.
  • Top Sydney and former Wagga Kangaroos Rugby League player, Tom Raudonikis and his wife Patricia were injured in a car crash near Cowra.
  • Wagga boys, Ted Obudinski, Mark Passlow, Ken McBeth, and Allan McMillan have been officially approached by VFL club South Melbourne and have bright prospects of being invited to pre-season training in 1972.
  • Former English international Rugby League footballer, Phil Jackson, is in Wagga awaiting final approval to take over as licensee of the Pastoral Hotel.
  • Mrs Jim Creasy of Mangoplah is pictured in the Daily Advertiser with her son Paul who was the first baby born in Wagga in 1971.
  • Coles Supermarket is selling Maxwell House coffee 2 oz pack for 33 cents, KY sliced peaches pears or apricots in 1lb 13 oz tins for 27 cents and Imperial Camp Pie 12 oz for 18 cents each.
  • A Wagga man was fined $150 and had his licence suspended for nine months after a second conviction this year for driving under the influence of alcohol.
  • Wagga City Council is seeking billets for 36 American students who will be visiting Wagga for three days.

Membership of the Wagga Wagga and District Historical Society is open to anyone with an interest in the local and regional history of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.  For more information about us and information on how to join our Society visit our website at https://www.wwdhs.org.au/about-us/members

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