Pics From The Past | Soft drinks at the pool

By Geoff Allemand

Jan 26, 2024

Stay cool in hot weather: Kids at the Raymond West Pool, 1962. Source: Shepparton News Photo by Contributed

This is a great photo taken at the Raymond West Swimming Pool in 1962. It seems strange that these three young boys would be at the pool, decked out in their Sunday best. Why aren’t they wearing their togs/bathers?

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Perhaps the family had been at church or up the street shopping and then visited the John Pick Playground for a treat. They then rewarded the boys with a soft drink from the kiosk at the pool nearby before heading home.

Back in the day, it was very common for young children to be dressed up by mums to ‘look their best’ when going out somewhere special.

It could have been a family birthday or get-together at the John Pick Playground as the three boys are related — (left to right) Billy and Gary Parker from Invergordon and their cousin, Larry Thomson of Tamleugh. I contacted a grown-up Larry and asked him what the occasion was, and he said it was so long ago he could not remember the day at all.

The soft drink brand was MON and very popular in the Goulburn Valley region.

The River Port Beverages website explains.

“Initially named Manger and O’Neil in 1899 (MON), the company manufactured a variety of canned products, tomato sauces, soups and beverages. The soft drinks were later rebranded as River Port Beverages, taking inspiration from the town’s inland port, and to this day, the label still depicts the Port of Echuca.

The factory was a local icon, situated in the centre of the town, just a few blocks back from the main street, in a building that was erected in 1816. For well over 100 years, the site was responsible for producing household favourite sauces, soups and beverages.“

Facebook comments:

Margaret Marlow

I remember fish and chips on the grass on a hot summer breeze-less evening, a swim and then home to face the mozzies. Mum would get out the flit (the bug sprayer) and spray the whole house before we went to bed. Can’t recall fans, only open windows and doors.

Sue Spence

We used to walk down to the pool every Friday from St George’s Rd School and learned to swim at that end of the pool. We used to have to hold on to the yellow handrail and kick. Then we graduated to the island.

Suellyn SueMarks-Curley

We ran down to the pool every day in the summer and the not-so-hot days on either side of summer, in our bare feet, carrying a towel only.

There was no sun cream back then, and then we ran home again. Late 50s and 60s.

I don’t ever remember taking any money with me. None of us did. You must have drunk water from the tap, maybe?

Zhivan Rendev

I loved the pool, and closing it was one of the worst things that Shepparton Council has done.

Tammy Marie-Russell

It was so much better when it was Raymond West. I remember going with the school to swimming carnivals. The whole family would go and have a barbecue, and we would spend most of the day there. It was a lot more laid back then. I’ve been there only three times since it’s been Aquamoves.

Janine McAuliffe

We didn’t go to the pool dressed like that. Just with our thongs and bathers and towels.

Allan Bush

Ah, the Dixie cups from the kiosk. They always tasted better than anywhere else.

Robyn Shelton

Remember having to walk to the pool because we didn’t have a car? It was really hot. We walked from Swallow St to the pool and couldn’t wait to hit the water and cool down, only to have to walk home in the heat. But it was great while it lasted.

Greg McCoy

As young teenagers, my mates and I would try and impress the females with dives and bombs from the tower.

Artie Stevens

Always enjoyed it when 3SR did their outside broadcast sessions outside the kiosk at the pool. It’s where I firmly established that I was “hooked” on radio and still am nearly 60 years later.