SOUVENIR-CHARTERS TOWERS, 1872 TO JULY, 1950 Page 31
One story is told of Herb Lee sending a case of fruit to a customer
down the line, who replied and said the fruit was no good and refused
to pay. Herb wrote demanding payment and eventually the client sent
along a cheque but pointed out that payment was being made under
protest. Herb replied stating that the protest had been dismissed.
One day in the cafe one of the town toughs, a man about 16 stone (Herb
by the way would not pull any more than about 8½ stone), treated
himself and a mate of no better calibre to a ding dong three course
meal; when finished he said. "Oh I say Herb, these are mine." Herb flew
off the handle. "Mate," he said, "there are sixteen other
cafes in the town, why flaming well pick on me. Oh, if only I could be
Primo Carnero for just 10 minutes."
Although he left the town many years ago, he always held a great
interest in the old Towers and only last year he made a donation
of £50 to the City Council to be used in a street
beautification scheme.
Two Old Veterans-Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Archer, Senior
What a grand old couple, past the eighty years. mark and still hale and
hearty. It may not be good taste to tell a lady's age, but I know
Charlie won't mind me letting you in on a secret, he was 82 years of
age in October, 1949.
A sportsman of the highest
ranking, a hard working man in his earlier years and at the age of 70
years
could cut his two cord of wood a day along with the rest of them.
As a gunman he has had no equal; at the present time Old Charlie still
takes an active part in the local Clay Pigeon Club's programmes
and still scores his possible occasionally.
The holder of at least two championships in the early days and the
winner of challenge and other events far too numerous to relate. It was
at a picnic day at the Black Jack School when another champion
shot, Jack McLean, challenged Charlie Archer to a ten-bird live shot
for a wager of £100 a side. A deposit of £10 was paid down
on the spot and the Headmaster of the school at that time held the
stakes. The shoot was conducted at a spot very close to
the old Peace's slaughter yards, just outside the town boundary.
Charlie, like the champion he was, shot a possible ten birds, but
McLean shot poorly to kill only four or five birds.
A holder of many pigeon shooting titles and championships, Mr. Louk
Hughes, of Sydney, spoke in very high terms about Charlie's ability
with the gun after an outing when Charlie was in rare form. Louk Hughes
stated that he had come to Charters Towers to reecive a lesson in
duck shooting. Amongst the other fine gunmen of the day names like
Albert de Castres and Bricky Henry stand out and much spirited wagering
took place at some of these early day shoots.
A funny incident which happened at the Powlathanga Lakes caused Charlie
Archer's son "Bill," to write the following poem.
