BOB SCHELL

Recollections from Bob

Picked up Brian Barry at Union Street and we headed off to McClaren Vale with wind and rain all the way. Had wrong street number and Brian popped into the Police Station and back to No. 91 and found it was a retirement village. A kind resident pointed us to the Schell residence. It was 37 years since I had seen Bob and Joyce.

I had made contact some weeks ago to give Bob a chance to recall the events of his time at Berri.

Before 1949 Bob was in the Army during 1941-1947 and had service in the Pacific and Japan. He re-enlisted in 10/48th Battalion CMF at Renmark in 1951-1952
Commenced in the 1949 vintage on the weighbridge testing the grape Baume and recording the weight, variety etc.
Then spent 12 months in the Wine Sales/free-store and there was a regular tourist bus (name?) trade at the winery and the tourists would then proceed to the Barmera Hotel for the night. One little story was that Norm Gerlach, the AWU organizer, told Bob that he would have to join the union or lose his job. Howard Penrhyn spoke to Cec. Lever and Bob was made a member of the staff.

Next experience was with Alec Kelly and Ray Harrip in the Bond Office maintaining the records of spirit and brandy movements. Bob was also given some experience in tasting evaluations of sprit and brandy

Bob then spent a period learning the distilling operation and following that he also qualified for his Boiler Attendant Certificate after a stint on the boilers.
Bob then was at Woodside Barracks for a fortnight in 1952. It so happened that I was in the 2nd National Service intake.
Appointed payroll officer after Alan (Squizzy) Taylor left in 1954.

In 1955 was appointed Paymaster/Purchasing Officer and held this position until his resignation in August 1964.
Doug. Collett arranged a job for Bob with Ray White at White Engineering in Adelaide and Bob worked there until 1979 and then with JVC Engineering until 1982.

Other recollections

Bob used to bring Barmera employees to Glossop and Bill Westley would then drive into pick up the Berri employees. In my time it was Roy Wilden on the Berri leg.

Bill Westley started as vintage cellar hand and then took over in the Wine Sales after Bob moved the Bond Store.

Howard Penrhyn
Was there before Bob. Laboratory building southwest office in 1951

Roy Wilden
Started in 1950
Wine records clerk in 1951 in main laboratory.

Alec Kelly
Located in the Laboratory building southeast office in 1951.
Bob was sure that Alec Kelly had installed the APV Pasteuriser in the main cellar.
Alec was Assistant Manager in my time and must have left late in the year to go to LCWD.

Doug. Collett
Was a main desk in the Main Laboratory until Alec Kelly left and moved into Alec’s office having been appointed Technical Manager in late 1952. Resigned in December 1966 when Cec. Lever was appointed General Manager

Ray Harrip
Raynor Joseph. Check BDM for birth date. Ian Glatz said it was just prior to the 1970 vintage. Both Ray and Bill Kidman retired.

Brian Barry
Joined Berri in July 1952 as Assistant Winemaker.
On my return from Woodside Alec Kelly had left, Doug. Moved to his office and Brian was at the main Laboratory desk.
Brian was made Winemaker.
Appointed Technical Manager in December 1966 following Doug, Collett’s resignation.
Resigned in 1976 and went to manage the Stanley Wine Co. at Clare.
Resigned from Stanley in 1980 and started his wine consultancy business.
14 x 50,000 gallon Stainless steel tanks built for the 1968 vintage west of the main building.

Wine records
Brian Werner

Grape Liaison
Richard Forwood

Truck Drivers
Johnnie Jackson
Norm Gerlach

Bond/Freestore
Bill Carroll, upending hogsheads at 67 years

Bond Store and office
Tom Kennedy
Dick Lindner
Bill Kidman
Peter Nairn
Ian Glatz

Excise
John Holsworth
Lionel Jobling
Harry Bennett
Happy Harris
Jim Henderson
Ray Cook
Len Schell
Ken McCallum

Workshop
Schultz
Schaeffer
Warenga
Foreman
Reece
Smallacombe

Cement Gang
Jack Weber
Ted Wronkowski
23rd August 2001

Bob Schell and his wife Joyce