Mal Leckie was born in Perth WA and surfed metro and SW beaches
in the early 70s before moving to the East Coast in 1974. Mal is now an
Australian landscape artist and works from his studio near Coolangatta in
Southern Queensland. Visit Mal’s web site www.malleckie.com.au
to view his artwork.
1974 Surfing mates Coolangatta, Queensland. Mal Leckie pic L-R Mal Leckie, Gavin Cooper & Ray Mogyorosy
This is Mal’s Cordingley’s Surf Shop story – Selling Two Surfboards.
One day I stopped in to the Cordingley’s Surf Shop in Hay Street, not long after Bill Oddy and Charlie Campbell had taken over. It was just before Xmas, 1970 I reckon.
1962 Cordingley’s Surf Shop Hay St Subiaco. Dave Ellis pic.
For some reason, Bill had to step
out for a while, to go to the bank or something like that, and asked me to look
after the shop for half an hour until he got back.
1970s Bill Oddy & Charles Campbell co-owners Cordingley’s Surfboards Subiaco. Norm Bateman pics.
It was a quiet sort of day and
nobody came to the shop for the first 20 minutes or so. I was hanging around
near the front door watching the world go by. Then a Rolls Royce pulled up
right out the front and parked in a spot that I knew was No Parking; I think it
was a bus stop, right out the front.
In those days the parking was
regulated by guys on Scooters who were called Grey Ghosts because they had a
habit of waiting in the shadows in their grey uniforms and swooping out to
write their tickets the second the parking time was up. The bloke who did the
section in front of Cordingley’s was notoriously enthusiastic about booking
people.
Out of the Rolls Royce climbed a
bloke in a suit and a woman all dressed up beyond what most people were wearing
on the day. She had a wide brimmed hat on and her clothes were creased at the
back from being seated in the car. I remember thinking how uncomfortable she
looked. The bloke was shortish and didn’t look any more comfortable in his tie
and jacket. Both of them were on the plump side.
I wondered where they were going and to my surprise, they walked towards me and were heading into the surf-shop. I didn’t know who they were, but I stopped them at the door and advised the bloke that he was parked in no parking space and that the Grey Ghost around there was ruthless and he would probably get a fine. The guy looked at me like I was an idiot and said, “Ha, I’ll pay it”, and the two of them came into the shop.
They walked to the rack of
surfboards and looked at them in a puzzled way.
“Can I give you any help?” I
offered.
“Yeah, said the suited man, I want 2
surfboards”
“What sort”?” I asked knowing he
hadn’t much idea at all about what he was looking at.
He answered with a smirky
tone, “A red one and a Blue one.” At that point I had decided that he didn’t
like me much and I was sure I didn’t like him. Rude and too much money I
thought to myself.
“It doesn’t work like that” I told him, It depends on the size and shape of the board and the rider and what sort of surf you will be using it in.” He snapped back at me, “They’re for my nephews, I don’t care. I just need 2 different coloured surfboards son, how much are they?
At that time a new board with colour
was $85 but I decided that as this guy was a bit unpleasant and seemed to have
no regard for the parking fine, prepared to pay a fine instead of walk another
30 metres, that I would give him a special price.
“They’re $150 each” I advised him.
“OK, I’ll have that one and that one” he pointed.
I got them out of the rack and lay
them on the floor side by side and then was headed to the counter to take the
money from the rich guy who had his wallet in hand.
Just then, Bill returned and came in
the door. He seemed to be in shock when he saw the two customers, who he
obviously recognised. He introduced himself and took over the sale.
When the suit man handed over the $300, I was trying to get Bill’s attention, but I couldn’t.
Bill said, “That’s too much, they’re
only $85 each to you.” Bill gave me a sideways glance with a frown. The deal
was done and the two boards were put in the back of the Rolls.
After they drove off (without
getting a parking ticket) Bill said to me, “What were you doing?”
“The bloke’s got too much money and
no manners”, I said, “I was just trying to make you an extra dollar.”
“Don’t you know who that is? Bill
asked me. “
“No”
“It’s Alan Bond and his wife”, said Bill.
PS – I still think they should have paid the special price!
Thanks for sharing your Cordingley’s Surf Shop story Mal.
Mal Leckie was born in Perth WA and surfed metro and SW beaches in the early 70s before moving to the East Coast in 1974. Mal is now an Australian landscape artist and works from his studio near Coolangatta in Southern Queensland. Visit Mal’s web site www.malleckie.com.au to view his artwork.
L-R Mal Leckie, Gavin Cooper & Ray Mogyorosy
This is Mal’s Cordingley’s Surf Shop story – Selling Two Surfboards.
One day I stopped in to the Cordingley’s Surf Shop in Hay Street, not long after Bill Oddy and Charlie Campbell had taken over. It was just before Xmas, 1970 I reckon.
For some reason, Bill had to step out for a while, to go to the bank or something like that, and asked me to look after the shop for half an hour until he got back.
It was a quiet sort of day and nobody came to the shop for the first 20 minutes or so. I was hanging around near the front door watching the world go by. Then a Rolls Royce pulled up right out the front and parked in a spot that I knew was No Parking; I think it was a bus stop, right out the front.
In those days the parking was regulated by guys on Scooters who were called Grey Ghosts because they had a habit of waiting in the shadows in their grey uniforms and swooping out to write their tickets the second the parking time was up. The bloke who did the section in front of Cordingley’s was notoriously enthusiastic about booking people.
Out of the Rolls Royce climbed a bloke in a suit and a woman all dressed up beyond what most people were wearing on the day. She had a wide brimmed hat on and her clothes were creased at the back from being seated in the car. I remember thinking how uncomfortable she looked. The bloke was shortish and didn’t look any more comfortable in his tie and jacket. Both of them were on the plump side.
I wondered where they were going and to my surprise, they walked towards me and were heading into the surf-shop. I didn’t know who they were, but I stopped them at the door and advised the bloke that he was parked in no parking space and that the Grey Ghost around there was ruthless and he would probably get a fine. The guy looked at me like I was an idiot and said, “Ha, I’ll pay it”, and the two of them came into the shop.
They walked to the rack of surfboards and looked at them in a puzzled way.
“Can I give you any help?” I offered.
“Yeah, said the suited man, I want 2 surfboards”
“What sort”?” I asked knowing he hadn’t much idea at all about what he was looking at.
He answered with a smirky tone, “A red one and a Blue one.” At that point I had decided that he didn’t like me much and I was sure I didn’t like him. Rude and too much money I thought to myself.
“It doesn’t work like that” I told him, It depends on the size and shape of the board and the rider and what sort of surf you will be using it in.” He snapped back at me, “They’re for my nephews, I don’t care. I just need 2 different coloured surfboards son, how much are they?
At that time a new board with colour was $85 but I decided that as this guy was a bit unpleasant and seemed to have no regard for the parking fine, prepared to pay a fine instead of walk another 30 metres, that I would give him a special price.
“They’re $150 each” I advised him. “OK, I’ll have that one and that one” he pointed.
I got them out of the rack and lay them on the floor side by side and then was headed to the counter to take the money from the rich guy who had his wallet in hand.
Just then, Bill returned and came in the door. He seemed to be in shock when he saw the two customers, who he obviously recognised. He introduced himself and took over the sale.
When the suit man handed over the $300, I was trying to get Bill’s attention, but I couldn’t.
Bill said, “That’s too much, they’re only $85 each to you.” Bill gave me a sideways glance with a frown. The deal was done and the two boards were put in the back of the Rolls.
After they drove off (without getting a parking ticket) Bill said to me, “What were you doing?”
“The bloke’s got too much money and no manners”, I said, “I was just trying to make you an extra dollar.”
“Don’t you know who that is? Bill asked me. “
“No”
“It’s Alan Bond and his wife”, said Bill.
PS – I still think they should have paid the special price!
Thanks for sharing your Cordingley’s Surf Shop story Mal.
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