50s photographs

1950s Ray Geary’s surf art

In the 50s WA surf pioneer Ray Geary made hollow plywood surf boards & decorated the boards with art work.

Ray was a sign writer by trade and also designed t-shirts, parkas and surf shop signs for the surfing community.

1954 Ray with his ‘Jasper’ toothpick surfboard at City Beach groyne. Ray Geary pic.
1954-55 Ray Geary surf art #3 collage_photocat
1954-5 Ray’s cartoon character drawings on plywood surfboards #1. Ray Geary images.
1954-55 Ray Geary surf art #4 collage_photocat
1954-5 Ray’s cartoon character drawings on plywood surfboards #2. Ray Geary images.
1955 Ray Geary & Rob Wakefield with Rob’s new 16’6″ plywood ‘Toothpick’ board. Ray Geary pic.
1955 Rob Wakefield with old 13′ (with Ray Geary art) & new 16’6″ plywood surf boards. Ray Geary pic
1956 R Geary work ute picking up 4 man ski - Ray Geary1
1956 Ray with his sign writing work Ute & homemade 4 man wave ski on top. Ray Geary pic.
1956 City Beach 4 man wave ski with art work by Ray Geary. Ray Geary pic.
L-R Ray Geary (19), Neil Chapple (17), Ray Wakefield (18) & Colin Taylor (17).

In the mid 50s Ray Geary designed & printed parkas for the City Beach Board Club. Neil & Rob are wearing board club parkas designed by Ray in the following photo.

1956 City Beach 4 man ski on Ray's Holden ute C Taylor, N Chapple, R Geary, Rob Wakefield - Ray Geary1
1956 Rob Wakefield’s Holden Ute parked in front of City Beach groyne with homemade 4 man wave board on roof rack. Ray Geary pic.
L-R Colin Taylor, Neil Chapple, Ray Geary & Rob Wakefield. .

In 1958 there was a typhoid scare at City Beach. Ray designed & printed City Beach Tifoyd Club t-shirts for local surfers.

1958 City Beach Typhoid scare t-shirt by Ray Geary - Brian Cole pic IMG_06
1958 City Beach Typhoid scare t-shirt designed by Ray Geary. Brian Cole pic.

In 1961 Brian Cole & Barry ‘Joe’ King started King & Cole Surfboards in Roydhouse St Wembley & produced WA’s first foam surfboards. Ray Geary designed and painted the business sign for King & Cole surfboards shop/factory.

1961 King & Cole Surfboards Roydhouse St Wembley sign writer Ray Geary - Brian Cole IMG_0001a
1961 King & Cole Surfboards sign designed & painted by Ray Geary. Brian Cole pic.

Geary’s surf break near Mandurah is named after Ray Geary’s beach shack, which was located on the hill overlooking the waves.

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