JOHN YOUNG THORNYCROFT
AUSTRALIA CADET SALESMAN ©
Born in 1934 at Forest Lodge, he lived the first 21 years of his life at Annandale in Sydney’s inner west. Even at a young age, John showed academic promise being Dux of primary school at South Annandale and coming sixth when completing his intermediate certificate at North Newtown Intermediate High School.
Although he had developed a love of motor vehicles very early on, his marine engineer father insisted that John serve an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner with a view to a similar marine based career. He duly served his time at Mort’s Dock and Engineering, but the urge to be involved with motor vehicles proved too strong and he applied for a position advertised in the newspaper as a cadet truck salesman with Thornycroft Australia who had only moved into their purpose-built Zetland premises some 12 months earlier.
Interviewed by Tennyson (Tenny) Joseph Giuliano who was the Sales Manager, and also by the Managing Director, D.W. (Doug) Belcher, John’s marine background proved to be an important factor in getting the job as Thornycroft had a marine engine division. He duly started there on March 14th, 1955 which was his 21st birthday and his lifelong connection with the Sydney motor vehicle trade had
