Looking Back
WILLIAM GRENFELL LOOKING BACK WITH PRIDE
A letter from Mr William F Grenfell Picture this - a young boy from country Gosford, standing on the corner of Cathedral and Mary Streets, Woolloomooloo, talking to a local boy. Local boy says, "Why don't you go and join the Boys Club?" Answer, "I haven't any money to join a club". Local boy, "It doesn't cost" and so began the start of my sporting career. Firstly you wander into the old Police Station and amongst all the boys enjoying themselves you meet a large Policeman, who doesn't want to give you a kick in the pants. His name was Fred Boswell, who makes notes of all your particulars and gives you your membership card. This card I still have among some other memorabilia today. After wandering around the Club I watched with wide eyes the boys wrestling and met Sgt Ken Clatworthy and SgtJack Riley, the wrestling nstructors. Sgt Clatworthy became my second father and besides teaching me about wrestling he taught me all about life and how to conduct yourself in society. After many hours, in fact a year, I won my first cup, donated by that lovely lady Sylvia Chase. It was inscribed ‘The Most Improved Wrestler'. From this small beginning I went onto win the State Middlewight championship, the year of1948.
From there I went on to represent the State at the Australian Championships being runner up to Bruce Arthur. Bruce went on to the Olympics. Another enjoyable part of my Club life was the ‘Loo Club' assisting with maintaining the Avalon Surf Club. We used to travel to Avalon in a rather large old Packard car driven by Eddy Dash. All the boys got their Bronze Medallion with assistance from police who were Surf Club members. A large part of my Club Life was spent sailing on Sydney Harbour in an18 footer. While sailing I learnt many things like rigging the boat and splicing knots. The first boat was the ‘J.L.Glick' donated by Mr Glick a Sydney tailor and the ‘The Sylvia Chase' named after that lovely mother of the"Loo" Boys Club. I remember saying to Mrs Chase how I loved boats. Next time I spoke to her she presented me with a book How to Build 20 Boats. Some of these I built in later years. Then came WWII. Whilst in the army I used the instruction I had received in The Boys Club to become a physical culture instructor, joined a Commando Unit and later on, used the knowledge about boats that had come to me in my youth from the Boys Club to join the Small Ships Unit becoming a deep sea diver. While visiting Brisbane during my stint in the army I won the Queensland Heavy Weight Title in 1945, another plus for the ‘Loo' Boys Club.
After discharge from the army it was back to sport, and drove my wife mad. "Sport, Sport, Sport". Back to the"Loo" Club Iwent where I tried to beat wrestlers like Jack Murray , Spud O'Hara, Olympic representative, and Jack Riley. Whilst training in the Club once I met Mr Frank Dory the first trainer to help Jimmy Caruthers, who went on to do famous things in the boxing world. I asked Mr Dory to give me some boxing lessons but after a period Frank said "Bill can you go back to wrestling, you're hopeless". So I changed direction.
In June1949 after training at Penrith I was sworn in as a member of the New South Wales Police Force. 32 years later I received my golden handshake for Service well done. While at the country station I started water skiing and reached the level of Australian champion. I represented Australia at three world titles in the USA, Italy and France. The knowledge I gained in skiing I passed onto many juniors in New South Wales, South Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania. In later years I coached the Australian team for the 1955 World Championships. For my efforts and input into sport in1958 I was presented with the Peter Mitchell Trophy for Sporting Policeman of that year. I have had a wonderful sporting life and now at78 years young I look back and thank ‘The Boy' who said go join the"Loo" Boys Club. Also thanks go to Sgt Fred Boswell, Sgt Ken Clatworthy, Sgt Jack Riley and many more who shaped my life and made me a presentable citizen.
Keep up the good work and when you reach my age you can look back with pride.
