ERIC WHITWORTH

Eric and his son Eric, known as "Eddie' both started in 1963. Eric senior started just before the 1963 vintage and Eric and "Eddie" was employed after the 1963 vintage and both worked in the "Cement Gang".

Their duties included repairing the concrete tanks, general concrete work and of course waxing tanks.
The summer of 1964 was very hot and myself, Geoff Neighbour and "Eddie" were waxing the very old mild steel tanks and we took turns about in waxing since we were working in temperatures of 136° Fahrenheit which would not be allowed in 2002.

Eric recalls one morning when Stan Harrington arrived at work a little worse for wear. Bert Solly sent him home but just before Stan left, Terry Conway asked him what he had had that morning. "Just my usual quarter of a glass of brandy topped up with milk" Stan replied and Terry said "I think you got the mixture the wrong way around" much to the amusement of of all the Gang.

The day of the big fire Stan and myself were doing some repairs inside the big door at the side of the Bond Store where the big wooden vats stood. All of a sudden there was a big explosion and this fellow landed next to us with flames all around him. Stan grabbed a water hose just outside the door and we ran in trying to do the impossible putting out the burning spirit with water. Suddenly another vat exploded and we headed for the door in a hurry. As I went out the door Stan's had blew past me follwed by Stan and we both made it O.K.. A few days later Geoff Neighbour and myself had the job of finding the safety lamp that caused the fire, under the pile of rubble.

One of my jobs at the winery was tree felling, since I had done this in England.

Eric recalls how Reg Higgs excavated a big hole on the south-west corner of the Block 6 building. Twelve 10,000 gallons tanks were built and enclosed with four walls. A six inch layer of reinforced concrete built on top with an access trapdoor and air vents. One Friday someone was catching water and placed to hose in one of the vents instead of the drain and forgot to turn off the water. Some othe tanks sank about a foot and we had to adjust the floor accordingly and is still the same today.
Mick Beech and Jeff Lawson were on shift and thought they heard some Aboriginals in Block 5. During our shift we checked but nobody was present. That night they were caught breaking into the Tarawein winery.

Eric had a close brush when catching water and after throwing the hose out of the tank stepped back anf fell into the adjacent tank of fermenting wine and luckily managed to hold on to the top of the tank wall.

Eric and family went back to England 4 times during his time at Berri. Son Eddie is still in England. Has 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchilden, most of whom are in Australia.

Eric and Peg Whitworth still going strong in 2014