As Clifton Haynes celebrates his 100th birthday, he recalls a Sydney of hats, gloves, veils ... and swords
CLIFTON Haynes, who just turned 100, has remarkable memories of an era when trams ran past his house, a party was a private ball in a local mansion and everyone wore hats.
Mosman
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CLIFTON Haynes still has a sparkle in his eye and still plays the piano.
The always-dapper Mosman identity has lived in the suburb since 1924 and last week celebrated his 100th birthday.
Mr Haynes has remarkable memories of Mosman, of an era when trams ran past his house, when a party was a private ball in a local mansion and the cinema cost a shilling and sixpence.
A former teacher, army soldier, artist and thespian, Mr Haynes also has a lovely baritone voice.
He performed in Sydney theatres and in more than 55 productions with the Mosman Musical Society.
At one performance, actor Ed Devereaux mistakenly slashed Mr Haynes’ with a sword during a duel.
“I had to have six stitches at interval and go back on stage,” Mr Haynes recalled in his oral history recorded by Mosman Library.
Mr Haynes celebrated his 100th birthday at a nursing home surrounded by friends and family including his cousin Greta Moran.
He received letters from the Queen, the NSW Governor, the Governor-General and the Premier Mike Baird.
In fitting style, a three piece orchestra also performed at his party.
“Clifton always has a sparkle in his eye,” said old friend Fiorella di Piramo. “He has lived a full life and enjoyed every bit of it. We all love him for his curiosity and many talents and he still paints and plays the piano. “
Mr Haynes’ oldest friend Graham Spike also attended the party. They have known each other since they were teenagers and Mr Spike also turns 100 this year.
During his oral history interview, Mr Haynes recalled he and his family being capsized in their rowboat, caught by the cable for the punt at The Spit.
He also recalled going into the city by car — taken across the harbour by punt from Milsons Point.
The family’s first car was a Chevrolet.
As a boy, Mr Haynes met Gladys Moncrieff and Dame Nellie Melba and he also remembers visiting the Amphitheatre built at Balmoral.
His uncle was a director with J.C. Williamson and introduced Mr Haynes to the world of the theatre.
“I remember as child my uncle going over to Nellie Melba when she refused to do a performance because she’s a had little too much to drink.” said Mr Haynes.
Mr Haynes also commented on changing fashions.
“I remember at 10 years of age, if I went to a shop in Mosman for my mother I would have to wear a hat,” he said.
“In those days men wore hats on the ferry. You never saw a man without a hat; every man and woman wore a hat and the women wore long gloves and veils.”
Mr Haynes has fond memories of Balmoral including the time he was swimming in front of the Amphitheatre and discovered a huge octopus in the pool.
He summoned help from a Shakespearean actor who had been performing at the Amphitheatre.
“He came down all right and he brought one of the swords he was using in the production and pulled the octopus out with his sword.”
In his oral history, Mr Haynes also recalled people passing his family home on the trams.
Passengers, he said, would called out from the trams to his mother and father on the front balcony and jokingly invite themselves for afternoon tea.
He recalled a famous English actor Nellie Stewart coming to live in Sydney.
“Whenever she did her shopping at Mosman the chauffeur would arrive in an old Essex car and would roll a carpet from the car into the grocery shop and she would get of the car and walk over the carpet into the shop.
“I was aged about eight and used to jump over the carpet so as not to tread on it and make it dirty.”
After serving overseas and being demobbed from the Army, Mr Haynes worked in the Department of Navy for 33 years and apart from his roles in the theatre, he also became a keen painter.
Mr Haynes said when he was a young man, Mosman was full of jovial people and everyone said “hello”.
“They were all happy, jovial people but now it’s a different situation,’’ he said.
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