Moran Harold
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1911 |
| Date of death | 25 Oct 1973 |
Harold Moran was one of the more colourful characters of Gawler in the 1900s. He was one of several children born to Felix and Lucy Moran in 1911. Felix was a well-known tailor in Gawler and operated from a shop in the main street. He died in 1917 when Harold was about 6 years old and was then raised by his mother.
Harold was always dressed in a suit, perhaps a handing down of genes from the family.
As a teenager, Harold joined Rawling and Freak (founded in 1885) as an apprentice hairdresser and he spent the next 50 years working in the same shop.
Fred Freak was the first of the partnership to pass away and then Mr Rawling died in 1945, aged 84years. He had been working up until weeks before his death, Mrs Rawling with help from Harold managed the business until Mrs Rawling died 2 years later when Harold took over the business. He was 36 years old and a confirmed bachelor. That position never changed.
Harold worked with another well known hairdresser in Keith Martin until he went out on his own.He apprenticed Ron Wasley, Neil Rau, David West and Brian Connolly.
Ron Wasley also started up on his own and spent 50 years in the business. The heir apparent to the business, Neil Rau passed away at the young age of 23 in 1968. This devastated Harold but soon after asked David West if he would like to join the business.
During his lifetime, Harold followed many sports and raced coursing dogs and racehorses, played social tennis and golf (badly). He was Patron and a generous donor to the Gawler Central Football Club as well many other organisations. In his early days, he led many fundraisers for the Catholic Church in the town.
He never obtained a drivers licence because the first few times he tried, he fell asleep. Harold lived with his spinster sister and each morning he would walk to work at the shop from his Cowan Street home at 7.30. On the way, he was known to disturb the dogs and whistle to his ‘girlfriends’, acting as their alarm clock.
Most years Harold would take a few days off between Christmas and New Year and fly over the Perth to meet his landlady. She was a relative of John Rawling and was bequeathed the Murray Street property. He would attend the Perth Cup while there and always claimed he won enough to pay for the trip.
Harold was a diabetic and although he kept in good health, he was aware of the issues diabetes could bring. In 1970 Harold suffered a massive heart attack but through quick attention and a stay in the hospital, he rallied and slowly recovered. He just got back to work on light duties and was struck down again. The third attack on the 25th October 1973 was to prove fatal. He was 62 years old.
We thank David West for this valuable information re Harold. 53772749538
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