The great Pea roll down Murray Street
| Type of event | Social |
| Street name | Murray Street
|
| Date occurred or began | 20 May 1999
|
The great Gawler pea-rolling event
"He wore out a lot of bandaids," Barry Window recalls about the day in 1969 when his brother, Don, rolled a pea up and down the length of Murray street with his nose.
"It was over a football bet," Barry continued. "Like me, Don barracked for Norwood, which had lost this particular game. But it became more than just a stunt. We made the occasion into a fund raiser, which saw around $400 collected. "There were about eight of us involved, all wearing our Willaston football jumpers, Ossie Walton, Robert Watson and 'Wong' among us. Four carried the corners of a blanket, in-to which coins were tossed. "Don was started by a live round fired from a German Luger, outside the Exchange Hotel. It sounded like a canon going off," Barry laughed. "I reckon the bullet hole is still in the verandah." One can only imagine the tortuous going as Don set out on his hands and knees, followed by a crowd of eager onlookers, until he reached the South End Hotel. There the pea was carried across the road at the order of a policeman in the interests of public safety. Once outside the Kingsford the procession continued, stopping, as Barry tells it. outside shop doorways where songs were sung in exchange for further donations. "It became a real community thing," Barry said, "with evervone willing to get involved. Even a barman from the Gawler Arms chased us, which wasn't hard to do with Don tiring from the uphill going to the Bushman s, with a tray of schooners: After being transported by car to the Willaston Hotel, the day ended with smiles all round, and a few well deserved cold beers
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