Familiar pose: Ted Thomson raises a glass to the memory of his “glory days’’ at the ‘Bluey’, now the newly opened and renovated Kyabram Hotel.
As a teenager growing up in Kyabram it was quite common to accompany my “semi-socialite’’ father into the then Bluebrick Hotel at Kyabram at the end of his working day.
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It was well-known as the home of the Wombats, Lancaster Football Club, where both my uncles (Robert, or Chatter, and Colin Carver) were long-time members and officials.
The “Bluey’’, as it was commonly known, had the drive-through as an option when Dad was in more of a hurry than normal, but I much preferred going inside.
That meant I would be allocated a couple of dollars to walk to the newsagent or café to buy a packet of footy cards. Rarely did I not end the season with the complete set.
In fact, some of my fondest childhood memories are of receiving a free raspberry from publican Ron Horton (or wife Carol) as I explained to him that I would never drink beer as I was going to be a VFL footballer.
And while that goal was never attained, I couldn’t help but reminisce when I bumped into Ted Thomson on day one of the opening last week.
Ted was standing at the corner of the public bar with a $5 note, waiting for Chloe Laurie to pour his beer
Ted was there with his son-in-law Bill Mellis.
An original Bluey regular, every Friday and Saturday afternoon, the 87-year-old hadn’t consumed a beer in a pub in four years.
“I have always sat in the same spot. All my mates used to be sitting here with me,” he said.
Ted lived in Kyabram for 18 years, then spent 34 years in Melbourne before coming back to Kyabram 25 years ago.
He was one of several Thomson brothers to be “Bluey’’ regulars.
Friday arvo refreshments: Ted Thomson and son-in-law Bill Mellis wait for Kyabram Hotel bartender Chloe Laurie to pour them a cold beer on day one of the re-opening.
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