Interviews with former employees, Colgate Palmolive

Balmain, 1994

Cashmere Bouquet

‘Everyone had a cousin down the “Olive”’ is almost literally true. From 1923, local residents made up most of the staff at the Colgate-Palmolive factory in Sydney’s Balmain.

In 1994, the factory’s life was coming to an end after some seventy years of operation. ‘Toothpaste’ had already gone to New Zealand and ‘Soap’ was destined for Queensland. Riaz Dean, the last plant manager, inspired by the vivid memories of recently retired personnel, commissioned an oral history from thirty former staff members.

Geoff Hanley worked at the factory from 1959 until 1994. He began as an electrical assistant, became a foreman and was ultimately the chief engineer in charge of maintenance.

Roy Dale started in 1941 aged fifteen. His first job was gluing and sealing the famous green soap wrappers as the soap tablets came off the line. The bonus system depended on keeping up the speed of production, but always with a watchful eye on quality control. He became senior engineer for soap production and later a member of the management team.

Ray Collyer worked at the factory from 1942, when he was twenty-seven, to 1987. Starting as a messenger boy, he rose to be senior cost accountant. He saw the changes from manual accounting through comptometers to the installation of computers. As a member of management, he was additionally in charge of training and travelled extensively in this position.

Grace Pearce’s mother was a cleaner at the factory and in 1948 Grace, aged fourteen, secured a job on the production line. She began work in the Powder Room on the third floor—Lournay and Cashmere Bouquet. She remained there until she was married, then returned at various times to the toothpaste and soap production lines. Her last job was in the cleaning department until the early 1990s.

Fay Anderson was a ‘triple certificate’ nurse and joined the company in 1965. Fay was held in high regard for her discretion, for her practical diagnostic abilities and for her empathy with her colleagues. Her assistance was sought not only for the treatment of accidents, but also for her valuable advice in respect of personal problems. Fay stayed with the organisation for over twenty years.
Display item Interviews with former employees. Colgate Palmolive company

 

< Previous Exhibit | Back to The Exhibits page | Next Exhibit >