The Balalaika Cafe

Situated in Queen Street opposite Cordeaux Street in Campbelltown, the Balalaika Cafe was a popular dining venue during the 1940s through to the 1960s. Its popularity existed well before this time however as Jack O'Loughlin's cafe and tea rooms.

My research revealed that a building existed on this site in the early 1900s and up until the mid 1920s was known as Crow's Bakery. A photograph of this building exists in our collection. It shows the bakery located next to a water tower that belonged to the fire station next door in Queen Street.

By at least 1925 the site was occupied by O'Loughlin's tea rooms. I am not sure if by this time the building that housed Crow's Bakery was a different building or not. The tea rooms were described as "A cafe built elongated and low-set of weatherboard and in which soft drinks and small goods were sold. Meals were served on a long table." The tea rooms were a favourite meeting place on Saturday nights, especially with sporting people who gathered on the front verandah. Apparently the next day would see a mass of piecrusts, saveloy skins, peanut shells, cigarette butts, soft drink and an occasional beer bottle all scattered around the place!

Some time in the early post-war years the place became known as the Balalaika Cafe. In 1955 it was bought by the future mayor of Campbelltown Cec Mulholland. Cec and wife ran a successful business until ill health forced him to sell the cafe.

The shop had food window displays, such as sandwiches, and counter displays of products inside to the right of the front door. Out the back there was a kitchen and two bedrooms.

Some interesting anecdotes about the place include the walls having paintings of historical places of Campbelltown such as Fisher's Ghost Creek. There is also a reference to a small library in the cafe that was run by a Mrs. Lloyd. It was like a small community centre where you would exchange a chat or come to pass the time of day. When the new municipal library arrived in 1965 this small library closed.

The Balalaika closed some time in the mid to late 1960s. The building was home to the Bank of NSW by 1969. It is now demolished.

This photograph shows the Balalaika in the 1940s. The sign on the building says Campbelltown Cafe but below this is another sign that reads Balalaika Cafe. (click on the image for a larger version)

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

McBarron, Ed
Campbelltown 1930-40. Patrick Street and Environs.
In Grist Mills Vol.3 No.5, Feb 1987

Campbelltown and Ingleburn News 18.9.1962 and 31.8.1965

The House of Stone

"Osbaldeston" is a bush cottage with low ceilings, built entirely of stones and rock quarried on the property. The cottage on Georges River Road at Kentlyn was built by Tom Barnes between 1932 and 1934 and named after the English town that he came from.

The Barnes family arrived in Australia in 1930 and came to Kentlyn in 1932. They took up 52 acres of land which stretched from Georges River Road down to the river. The family originally lived in a tent until Tom later built a hut of bark, saplings and bags. Tom Barnes then began working on slowly building his stone cottage. He formed a track down to a sandstone quarry, and carried slabs of stone, some individually up the steep track and some in a wheelbarrow.

The kitchen cupboards were made of stone. A bath and wash basin were carefully chiselled out of stone, which was smoothed with cement. The "open air" laundry had tubs and a copper, all chiselled from stone. The laundry area was paved with sandstone. Even the wood box was made of stone!

Osbaldeston still stands today in Georges River Road and remains in its original condition. It is listed under the NSW Heritage Act.

Osboldeston on Georges River Road photographed in the 1980s

Written by Andrew Allen

Source:

"Osboldeston"
In Grist Mills
Vol. 2 No. 1, Feb 1984 p6-9

"Smithy" Comes to Campbelltown

Campbelltown was connected in two ways to the life of the famous aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. The first was in 1926 when "Smithy" visited the property of "Springmead", located in today's suburb of Denham Court. After endless research into this visit I have come up with very little information about the day. Photographs in our collection show the aviator in his plane surrounded by scouts from the 1st Ingleburn Group. This must have been a memorable occasion for the owners of 'Springmead' and the star struck scouts that day.

The second connection is through the making of the 1946 movie called "Smithy". An airstrip at Menangle Park that was used during the Second World War was used for particular scenes from the movie. Actor Ron Randall, in his first major acting role, played the part of "Smithy". For two Sundays in November of 1945, a number of locals were selected to be part of the filming at Menangle. Owing to unfavourable weather conditions the screenings made on the first occasion were not satisfactory and therefore had to be re-enacted again on the following Sunday.

 

Of course this was a novel experience for the group. Paul O'Loughlan from Campbelltown was a young lad of about ten when he was filmed. He recalled in his Campbelltown Recollections interview that he was filmed getting in and out of the plane but to his disappointment not required to actually fly in the plane. Further adding to his disappointment was that the scenes that he and the other locals were filmed in were cut from the final version. However the local cinema owner was able to arrange for the removed scenes to be included in the screening at the Macquarie Cinema in Campbelltown.

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in his plane at "Springmead" with 2 unidentified members of 1st Ingleburn scout troop in the background. 



Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News 30th November, 1945

Paul O'Loughlan interview in Campbelltown Recollections: Stories From Our Past http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/CampbelltownRecollectionsstoriesfromourpast

Early Entertainers at the 'Catho'

When the Campbelltown Catholic Club, or The 'Catho' as it is affectionately known, first opened on December 5 1968, it meant that the town could finally draw big name acts to fill the entertainment void in Campbelltown. With no nightclubs, regular concerts or cinemas (the Macquarie Cinema had closed a few years earlier), the club was very welcomed by the locals.

The first major stars the club attracted were Little Patti, Judy Stone, Toni Lamond, Frankie Davidson, The Delltones and Slim Dusty. The first really big star was considered to be Normie Rowe, although some of the senior club members thought he was too 'hip' a character to be on stage. Another famous performer was Barry Crocker, who staged his own show on three consecutive nights. In excess of 600 people came to watch 'one of the greatest shows ever performed in Campbelltown'.

However, the early days saw some uncomfortable moments. Barry Crocker caused a stir by swearing mildly on stage, but it was English comedian Dickie Valentine that caused the most outrage. He dropped the F-word into his routine, causing the manager to climb on stage and order him off. This caused national headlines.

No visiting act however caused as much fuss as Winifred Atwell. Winifred first visited the club in November 1970. She was a world-famous US pianist and the people of Campbelltown treated her like royalty. They loved her and she loved them back. She stayed to perform eight concerts and attracted an amazing 2500 people. Chris Thomson, formerly Vardy, who worked at the club at the time, told me in an interview that she was brilliant and made people outside of Campbelltown know that they could come here to see someone known around the world. It, more than any other single event, put the club on the entertainment map. Winifred Atwell later settled in Sydney.

Winifred Atwell pictured in 1970 with board members from the Catholic Club (Campbelltown-Ingleburn News)

Written by Andrew Allen

Source:

McGill, Jeff 2004
Campbelltown Catholic Club: King of Clubs
Campbelltown: Campbelltown Catholic Club