2 hours ago, John Crow Batty said:

I was too young to go to pubs but I snuck in The Phoenix occasionally with others for a sly beer. The owner Lou Richards was usually absent on game day as he was at the footy. He used to write for The Sun and worked in the Herald building on weekdays. He was quiet and serious unlike his goofy TV persona. Most of the copy boys preferred to hang out at the big seedy Lindrums snooker hall next to the Herald building.

Lou was an [censored] hole, but put up with us all, his wife Linda loved all the cheer squad kids, They were there most Saturday nights from about 6pm, A number of old ex footballers as well, Now Jack Dyer would talk to the CS kids for ages, We knew quite a few writers, sub editers, radio guys etc, all very above board except a lot of the CS were underage. And we also went to Lindrums but I think that was when I went back to RMIT, His daughter (?) used to run that place, a very long time ago.

My memory is not so good, Cheers Go Dees

1 hour ago, 640MD said:

his wife Linda

Did Edna know about this?

1 hour ago, 640MD said:

Lou was an [censored] hole, but put up with us all, his wife Linda loved all the cheer squad kids, They were there most Saturday nights from about 6pm, A number of old ex footballers as well, Now Jack Dyer would talk to the CS kids for ages, We knew quite a few writers, sub editers, radio guys etc, all very above board except a lot of the CS were underage. And we also went to Lindrums but I think that was when I went back to RMIT, His daughter (?) used to run that place, a very long time ago.

My memory is not so good, Cheers Go Dees

That’s right, Walter Lindrum’s daughter ran the snooker hall. She was colourful, cheerful and dressed like a 50’s rock and roller.

I’ll tell story which I haven’t told many. I nearly burned down the Herald and Weekly Times building one day. I was walking down the stairs with another copy boy circling the cage service elevator. I lit a smoke and flicked the match which bounced through the cage wire and ignited the grease and dust on the machinery in the lift well. There was a huge flame and heaps of acrid black smoke appeared which luckily rose to the top unused floor. Fortunately there were fire extinguishers nearby on the next landing and we managed to put out the fire before any serious damage happened. We then snuck away before anyone noticed us. Everyone was wondering where the thick black smoke came from but no fire alarms went off or evacuation initiated nor was there an investigation later I believe. We were silly 14 year olds and it could have been a huge disaster. Those were the days when newsrooms were full of smokers and butts were strewn everywhere. Smoking and drinking was the big culture in Newspaper offices. Just about everyone smoked and quite a few drank at work.

Edited February 22Feb 22 by John Crow Batty

You should not smoke at work ! especially one so young

On 21/02/2026 at 14:52, Queanbeyan Demon said:

What’s The Age?

Even though it has fallen from grace from its glory years, when compared with the Feral Hun, it is respected and revered.