Best known for their grocery store in Union Street, Goulburn, the McLaughlin family, from left, back row, Percy, Kitty, Neville, Laurie, Jean and Ray. Front row, from left, Rita, Irene, Billy, Bill and Keith. Photo: McLaughlin family collection.
Growing up in her family-owned grocery shop in North Goulburn during World War II and its aftermath, Rita Fry recounts her extraordinary mother, Irene McLaughlin, the backbone of their family.
Raising nine children, keeping the shop running after the loss of her husband Bill in 1945 when he was aged 53, Irene also worked in the veggie plot next door to the house, and behind the counter serving from 7 am to 9 pm and then powering through the bookwork.
“Everything our customers bought had to be written down in a docket book and added up – pounds, shillings and pence,” Rita said. “Mum was a whiz. Of a night-time when they had to do the books, we would all keep pretty quiet; Mum would be adding and adding and was so quick and good at that.”
The McLaughlins’ three eldest sons Laurie, Neville and Percy fought the Japanese in New Guinea, while Rita wrote fortnightly to Percy with news from around home.
Polly, their small palomino pony, pulled a cart delivering groceries up until the day Bill bought a truck and was kept in the large backyard behind the shop with a bigger horse, likely an ex-thoroughbred. “If the gate was left open Polly would come down to the house, put her head through the opened window in summer looking for bread,” Rita said.
Bill owned racing greyhounds. “Dad and the boys walked them every morning,” Rita said. “When they had puppies, Mum used to make a mash like porridge, heated up and in great big bowls and these little puppies would be all around it eating.”
Never short of playmates from neighbouring families, the McLaughlins teamed up with the Taylors and Lenanes playing games like ‘Whats the time, Mr Wolf?’ in front of the shop in Union Street, or card games inside during rainy days.
“Dad did the deliveries,” Rita said. “He would collect orders from customers, and that night we would all get in and make up their orders by hand, tea and sugar, everything by hand. We had biscuit tins in a row and would make up a selection if people wanted sweet biscuits. You put a little bag of broken biscuits in with them.”
Rita Fry in her North Goulburn garden, where she has an aviary full of birds including zebra finches which remind her of her late husband, Ossie, a keen breeder. Photo: John Thistleton.
Many years after Irene sold the shop to George Cousins, with the shadow of supermarkets hanging over family-owned mixed businesses, Irene rejoined the workforce briefly. Aged about 60, she answered a call for help from Gordon Hotel matriarch Jean Bowerman to serve behind the bar after 4 pm each day. “She loved it,” says Rita, who recalls the times men raced down the back lane behind the pub, when the police came after a starting price bookmaker, or drinkers being served after closing time.
When she was 14, Rita began attending dances regularly with one of her older sisters, Kitty, at the Masonic Hall in Bourke Street, where there were plenty of willing partners. Kenmore Hospital had been converted into a military hospital, and soldiers were always at the Sunday afternoon dances.
“I kept on dancing from then on,” she said. “Quick step, fox trot, waltz, Pride of Erin.” The Lieder Theatre and St Patrick’s Hall also had excellent dance floors.
Aged about 15 Rita finished up at school early to help Irene in the shop and years later worked as a machinist for the Chief Clothing Company. Best known for making Piedmont shirts, as well as other clothes and uniforms, the company operated from a small factory in Manion Street and at one time employed about 120 people.
Making her debut with 49 other girls after turning 18, Rita was partnered by Ossie Fry, who had come to Australia at age three with his older sisters, from Surry, England. He had been orphaned a week after his birth. The couple continued going out together.
The former McLaughlin’s grocery store in Union Street, North Goulburn, where rush hour began after 4 pm each day. Photo: John Thistleton.
Rita was later offered a job at Joys, a popular dress shop opposite the Goulburn Post Office as a window dresser, corsetier and sales assistant.
“When the boxes (of new fashions) were opened we would all be cluttering around to see what was coming out of the boxes,” she said, excitement still registering in her voice.
She married Ossie in February 1953 and the couple raised six children at North Goulburn, where she still resides today in sparkling good health, and looking forward to her 96th birthday next month.
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