Unfortunately Arthur's father, William, developed an alergy to flour and had to sell his bakery business. In 1885 the family moved to Albury for a short time and then to Wagga. William brought a lot of furniture with him from Melbourne, the trip to Albury being by paddle steamer along the Murray River. In Wagga William opened two shops. One, an emporium on Fitzmaurice Street, sold mainly furniture; the other was a smaller second hand furniture shop over the bridge near Wagga railway station. Arthur, together with his brother and sisters, often helped in the shops and here Arthur developed a life-long love of second hand goods and antiques.

The emporium had four large wooden rollador shutters each about seven foot wide. Next door to the emporium, was Cuskey's Tailor Shop. Cuskey was Polish and didn't speak much English. Arthur's sister Ida married one of the Cuskey sons.

Not much is known about Arthur's schooling. His sisters apparently went to school at Gurwood St School, Wagga until 6th class. Arthur and his brother Fred may have gone for a time to a private school in Melbourne. The family were quite well off until the big depression in the 1890s.

In 1901, at eighteen years of age, Arthur with his brother Fred left for Melbourne to live with his uncle, James Watt. (The Sterry and Watt families were quite close. James later established a large wheat and sheep station at Rainbow, Victoria called "Golden Grove".) Arthur obtained a position with J.C. Williamson, an American stage and film entrepreneur.

In 1903 Arthur went to Sydney to work for Philip Lytton, an actor, dramatist and entrepreneur. [Originally Charles Ernest Phillips, Philip Lytton married actor Madge Hope. Philip began his theatrical career about 1900. (AusStage database)]

In 1904 Arthur married for first time to Madeline Victoria Higgins Ingram. Arthur was just 21. At the time Arthur Sterry was living 36 Dover St, Richmond but his usual residence is given as 17 Jervis St, Richmond where he and his brother Fred were probably staying with his uncle, James Watt. Arthur's occupation is shown as clerk. Madeline's present and usual address is shown as 133 Chestnut St, Richmond. Occupation shown as Dresser. Married by Andrew Hardie, Presbyterian Minister, Richmond. The marriage, however, did not last long and they were divorced in Melbourne in 1909.

Philip Lytton ran tent-theatre companies which took drama, comedy and burlesque to country towns throughout NSW from 1907-23.

Arthur's son Kevin Sterry describes some of the organisation behind these tent theatre productions:

'Transfer of the equipment and players was mostly by trains and later by road transport. The crew usually stayed in local pubs. Arthur had particular organisational ability and was soon group manager, with responsibility for the overall (and extensive) organisation required for a country tour. This was no mean task. Booking dates for each town on the tour had to be arranged; posters sent ahead; accommodation organised; trucks had to be readied and serviced; all tents and properties had to be packed. Once on site, locals were commonly employed to help erect the tents, stage and seating. Final rehearsals had to be organised. Attention to detail was always important, such as ensuring that acoustics were improved by dampening the tents shortly before the performance.'

Arthur worked for Lytton for ten years. Some of the more successul plays performed during this period were "The Silence of Dean Maitland" and "The Waybacks". Arthur played the role of a comic yokel, Charles Lyons, in "The Waybacks".

Arthur is included in the History of Australian Theatre database for Sydney, 1911. Arthur appears as an actor on the program for the 1915 stage production of 'The Waybacks' by Henry Fletcher at The Palace Theatre in Sydney produced by Philip Lytton. (AusStage database)

Arthur's father died quite young in 1909 aged 55. Arthur was then 26. Elizabeth Watt remarried Donald MacInnes in the same year William died. This caused a rift between Elizabeth and Arthur and Fred in particular, who evidently strongly disapproved.

In 1910 Arthur married for the second time to Olive Bourke, an actress. Sadly Olive died in 1915 when she was lost overboard off Bustard Head (far North Coast of New South Wales) whilst on a cruising holiday after a nervous breakdown.

As a farewell present, Lytton gave Arthur the rights to "The Man They Could Not Hang", which Lytton had written and produced as a film in 1912. No copy of this version still exists today.

1914 - 21

Although Lytton saw no commercial value in the film "The Man They Could Not Hang", Arthur, together with his business partner Frederick Haldane, took the new film on the road, and over the next several years became identified with it, delivering lectures with it and providing commentary. The film proved a great success and the two partners made their fortune. They even took it to New Zealand in 1920 where the film established a record for takings in New Zealand.

Arthur's son Kevin recollects a little about Haldane, Arthur's partner.

"Haldane? I don't know much of his background. I remember him. He used to come to where my dad was living at "Clyburn" (Martin Ave, Bondi) - and he was there very frequently as a partner. All dressed up. He was a solidguy and over six foot. Wealthy. He looked wealthy. Well dressed. Tie, vest, felt hat - you'd hardly ever see him without the hat the tie and a watch on a bit of a chain. A cane even. But he wasn't a fop. But he gave the impression of being well heeled.

He went to America. I'll tell you a story about him. And he came back to Clyburn. In those days they started off with radio with the cat's whisker. You could just hear it. Most of the radio even in those days - you had to have ear phones - those old fashioned ear phones. He came back to Clyburn and set up this set with a big horn on it - the music came out of this horn shaped speaker. We were so tremendously impressed by that. I'd say about the mid twenties - I'd be ten.

Haldane came over fairly regularly. He got on very well with my mum. He'd bring us kids presents back - when he came back from any of these trips. We had a dining area and a front parlour. Where father retreated with one of his business associates."

During this period, Arthur also produced a film version of "The Waybacks" in 1918. No version of this film still exists today.

Country towns often did not have halls in those days to show films or plays and they were commonly performed in tents, often in association with large, annual agricultural shows which brought large numbers of people into towns from remote and often isolated country areas. Arthur's son Kevin recollects the touring tent days.

"What were the tents like? They weren't as big as a circus tent. But some of them would hold five hundred people. They'd hire all these chairs. They took all their equipment early in the piece by train. Imagine all the organisation. They had to remember all the props that they needed, all the scenery, all the dresses - it all had to be packed. They took their own stage. You'd ask what sort of a man could be in charge of that. Eventually they found they could do it easier by trucking everything. They'd take two or three trucks. But the roads in those days - some were good for a mile or two out of town - and the rest were dirt roads. They would get themselves bogged. The tents had to be erected - even in wind or rain. They used to get local people to help them out. They used to have a man in the town who could say who was dependable and reliable.

A few of the tents burnt down. The touring companies had rivals. A lot of companies would have a certain area and they reckoned it was theirs. There was room for plenty of others at the Shows too. At Show time there could be any number up to five. There might be a stage show in one; a burlesque show in another; it might be drama in another. But some of them got very niggardly when an extra one came and they weren't in their group. When some stranger came in, sometimes a mysterious fire started and burnt his tent down.

Everyone would come into town to go to the Show. People would go from one thing to another. They had an audience that was already there for the Show. You might go to the Show in the morning and go and see a play in the afternoon."

This recollection by Chris Madden (the son of one of Mollie's brothers, Patrick) of the following stage act is also probably from about this time.

"I remember dad telling us that at one time Arthur had a sideshow called 'The Oyster that Smoked a Pipe'. In the tent there, sitting on a wooden table, was an oyster with a pipe clamped in the shell. On cue a few puffs of smoke would blow out from the pipe. The trick was that there was a hole bored down the oyster stem, through the wood of the table top, then down the leg and under the floor so that someone underneath could blow some cigarette smoke right through. It seems they were never discovered and run out of town!"

Arthur remained very close to his brothers and sisters throughout his life, on many occasions helping them out. Kevin recollects one particular family occasion ..

"My dad used to stay at his sister’s place -Elsie - at Junee. Elsie's daughter Gwen was particularly close to Arthur. They used to have these plays down there. When dad arrived there, all the posters were going around. He was always doing this and doing that. And she'd help put up posters all over town. And he asked her one day if she'd like to act in a play. And she was so thrilled. She was going to be on the stage! Dad said this part you'll be able to do easily. You don't have to be scared about it.

The night came and she was thinking about all the people watching her. This play was "The Waybacks". Now in the play version - dad later made it into a picture - there was a scene showing where they were with the blacks. So what Gwen was - she was ten at the time - she was supposed to be a black piccaninny. So they covered her all over with black charcoal. She had to sit on a log and say nothing. And she still thought it was marvelous. She still thought he was a marvelous uncle. If it had been me I would have never spoken to him again.

Gwen has her own remembrances of this particular performance of "The Waybacks" and other things.

" 'The Waybacks' was on a tent stage in Junee circa 1916 with actress Rose Rooney. I was coloured black and sat by a fire while comedy presentation continued. Adapted from 'Dingo Flat' by Henry Fletcher. One of Arthur's team was Bobbie Le Brun, who often worked with him although younger born about 1801.

Both were friends of George Sorlie of Tent Show fame presenting dramas, revue and comedy. Uncle Arthur had many records of George Sorlie (a coloured American I think) plus a large HMV gramophone at Martin Avenue. You had to lift the top lid to use it and it had steel needles, which could be replaced by rose thorns to preserve the life of records being of softer nature.

Arthur was also very friendly with Alan Wilkie's Shakespearian Group and we sometimes went to Her Majesty's Theatre in Newtown (Sydney) for Shakespeare and 'School for Scandal'. Also to the Tivoli Theatre for comedy. Sometimes when productions were sold out we could pay less and stand at back of hall.

Many productions were on the road travelling all states doing one or two night stands. In 1930 Arthur went to Toowoomba by car with six other actors. They carried their stage props and luggage in the car. Arthur arrived carrying a toaster and spirit lamp as insurance against the time they might not be affluent enough to buy food and might have to cook in their rooms."

In 1916 Arthur married Mollie Marguerite Madden in the Congregation Church, Balmain. Molly came from a wealthy rural family. Her father, James Madden, supposedly made his fortune in the Bendigo (Victoria) goldrush and owned several properties: "North Brundah" and "Clybourne" (Parkes, NSW) and "Rosehill" (Trangie, NSW) The family appear in the Sands Rural Business Directory of 1884. James also had an interest in a copper mine. The children attended "school" on the property and had their own governess and chaffeur. James was a great gambler and each year would spend three weeks or more travelling down to the Melbourne Cup (Victoria), a good deal of the journey on horseback.

Mollie probably met on one of Arthur's country tours to Peakhill or Parkes. Mollie's father was known as a very generous fellow and may have invited Arthur back to his property when the family went into town to see the film. Somewhat sadly, James Madden's generosity eventually led to him having to sell out and come to Sydney, where he spent his latter days in rather humble circumstances in rented rooms in Paddington.

Arthur, however, was just making his fortune and had recently acquired a new property in Martin Avenue, Bondi. This was actually a huge area of land - on the corner of Simpson St and Martins Avenue. It went right down the hill - 120 metres down the hill. He built two semidetached houses on the block.

Arthur's first child, Arthur James Kevin (Kevin), was born in 1917. Arthur and Mollie took the young Arthur with them when they took "The Man They Could Not Hang" to New Zealand in 1920.

1921 - 30

In 1921, following the success of the first version of "The Man They Could Not Hang", Arthur and Haldane decided to make their own production of the film. The film included several members of Arthur's own family, including his son Kevin as the son of John Lee and his sister-in-law, Nell Madden. It's release in Sydney in 1921 carried the sensational announcement:

"For the first time in Australia! A SPEAKING MOTION PICTURE. At all sessions - Haldane & Sterry. Brilliant dramatic actor orators tell the story while the film is being screened. Each character speaks the part." Cast included Rose Rooney and Ron Roberts as John Lee. Photography Tasman Higgins. "When presented on Xmas Eve 1921 ... ... it ran for three weeks ... it had many other outstanding features that made it a novel and praiseworthy production (Eric Read, Australian Screen, p.107) Screened Grand Theatre, Sydney 1921; Melba Theatre 1922; New Gaiety Theatre, Melbourne 1923; Pavilion Theatre, Adelaide 1923; Pavilion Theatre, Perth 1922; Princess Theatre, Fremantle 1922.

Kevin starring in "The Man They Could Not Hang" (A clip from the actual footage)

During this period Arthur, together with Haldane, continued managing road tent shows and occasionally performed himself. Halls gradually became more common and gradually country towns got proper theatres of their own.

In 1924, Arthur's second son, Cedric William (Bill) was born.

In 1927, Kevin, then 10 years old, remembers going by train to Maitland during one school holidays to see one of Arthur's tent shows. Kevin stayed there for a week and still remembers several amusing stories from that rather unique holiday.

"Dad had one fellow there that was a drinker. He always wanted to be an actor but he was no good. But he used to be very good at putting up the tents. And then as soon as he knocked off he went down to the pub. Now my dad gave him a part. "

"In these plays they had to close the curtain while they changed the scenery. This fellow used to come out in front of the curtain. He used to come out with a box of beer. And it was sort of an interruption to what they were doing. He would say, "Excuse me! Excuse me! Somebody has left a case of beer near the front door. Does anyone own it? There's fourteen bottles here of very good lager." And then a bit later he would come out again and announce, "Has someone lost this beer? There’s thirteen bottles." In the end there was only about two bottles left and he was staggering about."

"Dad could tap dance a bit. But he pretended he couldn’t. So again between the change of scenery. There was a fellow. I think his name was Bobby LeBrun. Now he was a very good dancer. He used to say that he could teach anybody to tap dance. Could somebody come up from the audience and he would show them how to tap dance in fifteen minutes. And this was how the gag was. Because my dad was planted down in the audience. And of course he comes up. Being an actor he could just fool around. He'd put the wrong foot forward. Again further on between acts he was getting the hang of it a bit. But they did it so cleverly that by the times the three acts were over. Here's my dad dancing with this guy and following all his steps."

" After the play they men went to supper. Sometimes the women went too. On this particular night everything was booked out. The only bed available for me was this double bed belonging to one of the ladies in the play. I'm a ten year old. I remember she comes in in this leopard skin frock at my bedtime. I can remember her just saying, "Get into bed." And then she went off back to the party. And I don't remember anything till I saw her dressed the next morning."

Times were good for Arthur and his young family. It was also probably in the '20s that Arthur tried his hand at some rural investment. According to his nephew, Chris Madden, Arthur invested about one hundred pounds in a mob of sheep which were run on Chris' dad's property, 'Avalon' near Lochhart, NSW, for about twelve months. According to Chris when his father first bought the block of land he could not afford to stock it. Chris thinks that Arthur's investment actually returned him a profit of about £5 which wasn't a bad return for a rather risky venture.

1931 - 1940

Arthur and his family moved to 71 Penkival Street, Bondi. This was the time of the "touring talkies". Now partnered with Jack Cameron Arthur went around NSW country towns in a small furniture van with two projectors and cans of 16mm film. His projectionist was Ray Henry. Jack or Ray would have to drive as Arthur throughout his life refused to drive.

Arthur's son Bill remembers going with his mother Molly, driving their old Dodge, to see a film in 1934.

"Mum and I sometimes went out with the traveling talkies. He was showing talkies from 1934 onwards. We drove behind them. We had the Dodge - the '28 Dodge. Once we were staying at Junee when dad was doing some work for Aunt Elsie - dad liked Aunt Elsie and Gwen. They had the theatre there at Junee. I think I went to the pictures with them when I was staying there. Dad was there for perhaps a couple of weeks. Dad was doing up the house for them. (According to Arthur's niece, Joyce Lowe nee Lovelock, Arthur actually stayed in Junee for six months with his sister Elsie after her husband died from pneumonia in September 1931 and Bill actually went to school for a time in Junee. Arthur wall papered the house and painted 'textured, fresco-like' patterns (using a mixture of paint, 'size' and sawdust which was sprayed on) one metre high along the bottom of the walls. He also rebuilt furniture and brought up new furniture from Sydney. The house was evidently rather colourful and was certainly quite unique.)

I used to help dad get things ready for the interval. He had all these bags filled with peanuts. I used to do all that for him. Thirty or forty bags of these peanuts for perhaps 3d each. We had McRobertsons chocolate. And they were quite nice chocolates actually. They might have been 2/6. They'd be in a tray with a strap. There was one place where I finished selling up all the peanuts and the chocolates. And it was 12 pounds, 6 shillings or something like that. And that was a fair bit of money then."

Arthur's son Bill pays tribute to his dad's organisational ability:

"Dad used to work out in advance before he left Sydney the towns and how far they were apart; who he had to contact - he had to make a lot of phone calls. Where he could hire the hall from. He had to consider the time the movie had to be returned. He had to have some advertising of movies to be shown in about four weeks time. He had plan his itinerary months ahead - to leave on the chosen date -the first stop was usually Berrima. He used to take the films to Goulburn goal. Mum and I were there once when he showed films there. He was very much cheered and clapped by all the inmates. They gave mum a lovely big bunch of flowers. I don't think we showed "The Man They Could Not Hang".

When Cameron retired, Arthur continued under the name "Regal Touring Talkies". Australian comedies set in the country, such as the "Dad and Dave" films, were popular at this time. The Regal Touring Talkies and all their equipment were finally sold to his nephew and protege, Keith Sterry, who set up a permanent base in Dalgetty, NSW, and the Regal Talkies toured no more.

Nancy Huggett, recently researching the 'touring talkies' in the Cobargo area of NSW, came across a leaflet probably dating from 1938 advertising a Regal Touring Talkies screening at Bermagui NSW. The leaflet was part of the collection of May Blacka, a long time resident of Cobargo. The name of the director of the company is listed as Fred H Sterry, Arthur's brother. It was not previously known that Arthur's brother Fred was involved with the Regal Touring Talkies company. Fred Sterry may have written the promotional review. View reverse side of leaflet here. Many thanks to Nancy for sending.

It was not unusual for Arthur's country relatives to visit Penkival Street Bondi. Arthur was an hospitable host and was a popular uncle with his nephews and nieces. His nephew Chris Madden recalls such a visit:

"I remember in April 1939 Dad and I and two sisters Delma and Marie went to Sydney on the overnight train. Dad could get a concession ticket to go to the Anzac Day march. (Patrick saw overseas service during the First World War and was a member of the 36th Artillary Brigade in the Austalian Imperial Forces.) Aunt Mollie picked us up about 7 o'clock in the morning at Central Railway Station, Sydney and drove us to Elizabeth Bay to see the Reynolds (Patrick's sister, Nell Madden, married Jack Reynolds). We had our first sight of the sea in the Harbour. The two girls stayed with the Reynolds and Dad and I continued to 71 Penkival Street. Penkival St was a large two storey house. The Sterrys lived downstairs and in the back rooms. There were about four garages along the back fence.

When Arthur came in that night he gave me an apple to peel. He suggested I should be able to do it in a single strip. While I concentrated on doing as he suggested, I was surprised when getting near the end, the apple suddenly fell into four quarters! Arthur was always playing tricks!

One day Aunt Nell, dad, my sister and I went to meet Aunt Tess (another of Patrick Madden's sisters) at Wynyard Station to go to the Zoo. We waited for about two hours for Tess who didn't turn up. So we went home again. Tess unfortunately had gone to the back entrance of Wynyard Station. The grownups said it was typical of Tess to mess things up! However, we went to the Zoo the next day - minus Tess!

We stayed at Bondi for about a week and drove home in the old square Fiat car - I think a 1929 model. Our father must have bought it while he was in Sydney. We used the car until 1942 when it refused to go. As the War was on we couldn't get Fiat parts so we had to go back to using the horse and sulky."

As youngsters from the bush, Chris Madden and his brothers and sisters must have been rather overawed by their first sight of the city of Sydney and its famous harbour and then to finally visit the home of their favourite city uncle who was also a famous film director! However, Chris Madden did not actually get a chance to see Arthur's most famous film of 'The Man They Could Not Hang' until after Arthur's death - and then it was the later talkie version in which Arthur appeared but did not direct. Chris remembers a few relatives being in it - Jack Reynolds played the policeman. Chris believe the talkie version was once shown on TV.

1940 - 44

Arthur had a small shop in the Piccadilly Arcade, Sydney City. The shop, measuring no more than 6 feet wide and 10 feet deep had a serving counter and sold mainly newspapers, cigarettes and lollies. He also acted as an agent selling 'street photos' of people; a style of photo that was very popular at the time.

But Arthur got himself into a spot of bother; even almost getting himself arrested. He decided to earn a little extra money by offering to read personal fortunes. Under the pseudonym of Chundra Singh, he would tell people's futures based only on their birthday and some personal item such as a handkerchief or a lock of hair. His niece, Joyce Rowley (nee Lovelock) can remember watching him with some considerable fascination sitting at home at his enormous 'roll top' desk and carefully writing out people's fortunes using a nibbed pen and ink. Arthur had a book on horoscopes which he copied out. Fortunes cost 2/6. Although luckily not a hanging offence, this was still quite against the law in Sydney in those days. He was eventually visited by the local constabulary and told to desist immediately or face a little time in gaol himself.

Arthur (and his brother Fred) never lost their love of pawnshops and auctions. They continually browsed around Bondi Junction and City second hand shops looking for a bargain. Many of these shops were owned by Jewish proprietors who had a tradition (which presumeably was not well publicised) that any offer made by the first customer on a Monday morning could not be refused. Both brothers used this knowledge to great advantage.

Arthur loved making things. He particularly liked creating garden ornaments out of concrete. He stencilled patterns on curtains and cushions. His favourite design was the poinsettia. He made velvet carrying bags. Arthur even tried his hand at marketing an early Mini Gold course at Bondi Beach. He built it himself. But it was not a financial success.

In March 1944 Arthur both acted and was Stage Manager in the play 'Tobacco Road' by Erskine Caldwell at the Tivoli Theatre in Adelaide, South Australia. The Cast came from the Independent Theatre but under Whitehall Theatre Company. (AusStage database)

In October, 1944, at the age of 61 and four years before the birth of his first and only grandson (and the author of this little piece), Arthur suffered a heart attack and a short time later died in hospital. He was buried in the Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park at Botany, NSW.

In Loving Memory of a Grandfather I Never Met Robert Sterry