The Carringbush

[de_LICA_ish18]

This maybe a stupid question but why do people call us the Carringbush. What does it mean?

 

[Nic]

I asked this question ages ago on the AFL board and this is the answer I got, I think from Joffa:

Carringbush was a make believe name, let me expalin for those who dont know about the history of well know collingwood identity John wren who rose to infamy pre war.

Frank Hardy wrote a book called power without glory detailing the life story of john wren and his tea shop come betting shop in collingwood as well as a marital indescretion concerning mrs wren which in those days as was scandal at its best.

Also alegations of caulfield cup rigging and suburban thuggery so the author in fear of being sued for libel had to change all names in the book relating to all people in the story, therefor John wren became jack west, collingwood became carringbush archbishop mannix became archbishop malone and so on and so on.

Any one intersted in collingwood pre war depression days should try and obtain the book as it is indeed most fascinating reading.

It is well know that john wren would go down to the collingwood dressing rooms after a victory and shake players hands with a pound note or two.

 

[Jabso]

I heard it was what Collingwood (the area) was called before settlement possibly called that by Aborigines. Alot of places had names like those before settlement.
Maybe Frank Hardy knew of this and put it in his book as a bit of innuendo.

 

[hotpie]

John Wren would not survive in the current era of drafts and salary caps.

 

[Murray]

Nic - Spot on except for Mannix becoming Maddox.
Plus Snoopy Tanner was Sqizzy Taylor.
BTW Frank Hardy was the brother of Mary Hardy (TV in the 70's and 80's).
Carringbush = Collingwood see the resemblence C=C a=o rr=ll ing=ing bush=wood.
Here endith the lesson

 

[MarkT]

yep.
Wren and Squizy ruled the streets and books like Power Without Glory can't use real names.

 

[Nic]

Might have to read this book. . .

 

[Tangodown]

I believe the pub next to Collingwood train station is the 'Carringbush' ?

 

[Cyclops]

Its worth remembering that Hardy was a self confessed drunk, "storyteller" and busted-arse gambler with a personal hatred of the hard working successful businessman Wren. He wrote a book full of libels and didn't have the guts to put the real names in.

There's a book being published cracking most of the chestnuts put about by Hardy and the other anti Wren hacks, should be out in a year or so.

 

[Nic]

Well, I read it. Might have to read this next book too.