Barbara and Rex first met at a CYO (Catholic Youth Organisation) Dance at the Holy Family Church Hall in Maroubra, in the mid-1940s. Barbara was with her older sister, Helen and some of her friends, including her best friend, Betty Duggan. When Barbara spoke of that fateful evening, she remembered Rex wearing trousers that were slightly ill-fitting, in that they were too short for him. So she and her girlfriends nicknamed him, ‘half-mast’ (like a flag that’s only half raised). At the time, Rex’s parents were eager for him to couple up with a friend of the family. Barbara and Rex met over several dances at the venue and developed a keenness towards one another. They then started dating. Some of their favourite haunts were The Trocadero and Oysters Bill’s. Initially, Rex’s mother, Alma (Mahony) wasn’t too happy about the courtship due to her strong allegiance to the Church of England and Barbara’s Catholicism.

Barbara and Rex couldn’t get married when they first wanted to because there was a shortage of rental accommodation. This was due to the relatively recent end to the war. A huge influx of soldiers had returned, with many regional officers, seeking and obtaining jobs in Sydney. In 1947, the couple was married at the very same place they met - The Holy Family Catholic Church in Maroubra. Barbara's sister, Helen and her best friend, Betty were the bridesmaids.

They spent the first night of their marriage at the Maroubra Bay Hotel. They honeymooned in Bundanoon.

After they married, Barbara and Rex moved into a rental ‘semi’ house together on Edgar St in Kingsford. The previous residents of this house were Rex’s entire immediate family. Rex’s father, William, received a returned servicemen’s land grant. He used this to purchase land and build a house in Delungra, NSW.

Three years later, on the 14^th of November 1950, Barbara and Rex welcomed their first born, Margaret Christine Mahony. On the 30^th of April, 1953, Cherylanne was born. Margaret recalls the story told by her mother that Rex was given the task of going down to Births, Deaths and Marriages to register their new daughter’s birth. Having come up with the name herself, she reminded him of the particulars for the name registration. Rex made an error on the registration form and made the name a singular one - name as Cherylanne, rather than Cheryl Anne, with Anne being the intended middle name. When the birth certificate arrived, they discovered the mistake but decided to stick to the legal name. This is why she doesn’t have a middle name.

One of the first changes Barbara and Rex made was to open up the huge backyard by pulling down a wire fence that sat halfway back along the property. They then went about mowing and the jungle that extended to Green St. After that they built what they called, ‘The BBQ House’. 

The building was made out of wood and was painted pink, lemon, white and blue. There were no windows but there were canvas awnings that would roll down to protect it’s occupants in cold or rainy weather. It had flagstone floors. Rex made a big round table using a huge wine barrel as a base, with a round table top above. There was a large barbeque off to the side. At the time, this was the venue for lots of parties hosted by Barbara and Rex.

About four years later, the couple were granted permission from the council to build a refrigeration mechanic’s workshop up the back of his property. This allowed him to relocate his business from Balmain and base himself at home. Barbara would work with him, taking bookings for jobs.

About 6 months later, they decided to utilize what was going to be a large office and turn it into a large, fully functioning tavern. They named the tavern ‘Ye Oldee Koldee.’ Stepping into the tavern was like going into a small pub.

When Rex was in his mid-fifties a heart problem was discovered. He had been born with a heart condition that caused the valves in his heart to leak. Surgery was required and a heart valve was replaced at the Royal North Shore Hospital in North Sydney. 

In February, 1985, just after Rex's 60th Birthday, Barbara was diagnosed with Oesophigial Cancer. Surgery was carried out at St Luke's Hospital in Kings Cross. They found that the cancer was too far spread and her cancer was incurable. Rex took leave from work and nursed Barbara throughout this time. Her condition worsened rapidly and she passed away on the 30th of June that same year.

By Margaret Mosher

I did not realise how amazing it was to be born into the Mahony Family. We thought we just had an average childhood but looking back on it, it was a fantastic time. There were always people coming and going to the house. Mum and Dad had so many friends and they were all such lovely people. We went on terrific holidays. We used to go out for dinner once a week to the Chinese restaurant in town. For years it was The Green Jade and then after that, it was The Dixon.

Dad was a beautiful person. I can’t ever remember him raising his voice to any of us. He was just so placid, so lovely and so kind. He was easy to talk to. Mum, on the other hand, was a bit of a powder keg. She would always say “I’m gonna tell your Father. You wait until your Father comes home.” And we all knew that nothing was gonna happen.

They always had lots of parties up there. Dad did a lot of things to help people. I remember we had this friend from the Doncaster Hotel. He was very sick and he passed away. Mum and Dad put on a social day at our house to help his family. We sold things on trestle tables to make money for his family so that they could afford his funeral and burial. Dad was very kind. A boy from the bush. He used to tell me that he had bad feet – the back of his heels were always sore. He thinks this was because he never had properly fitted shoes when he was a child. His shoes were always handed on to him from someone else. I think it was partly due to things like this that as kids, we never had anything but the best. We never went without.

Christmas was a huge event at 270 Maroubra Rd. Everyone was welcome for Christmas lunch. In the afternoon, Nanna Mahony, Uncle Kerry, Aunty Vowel, Aunty June, Uncle Mick and a host of others would come and spend the afternoon with us there. Alma and Elwyn Malaine would also pop in and stay til late. The festivities would always carry on into the evening and become a big Christmas party. Uncle Billy would play the organ or piano and we’d stand around and sing. Christmas was always a wonderful time with Mum and Dad. I’m sure that’s why I still love Christmas so much.

By Cheryl Hansen

Our Dad was so calm and loving. My story is about a hunting trip. They shot a goat. Dad shot it. A friend called Dick Harris was with Dad and Gerry. The 2 old guys climbed a mountain to retrieve the goat while Gerry sat and watched. From that day on they joked about how the youngster relaxed while the old men climbed Mount Everest to get it.

Dad took us as a family to a caravan park in Wingdang. We had a large caravan with an annex and the park was on a lake. Geoff and I loved renting a boat and rowing all day long. One day Geoff and I were surprised when Dad bought us our own boat. You would have thought he gave us a magnificent 30 foot cruiser – we were so excited to be boat owners. I think Geoff may have been 7 and I was maybe 9 years old.

Mum and Dad's friends Pat and Hal Gregory produced an Ice Show that went to different clubs. Dad designed and set up the ice rink in these clubs. The ice show also went to Perth and New Guinea. The chief in New Guinea and many citizens had never seen ice. They were amazed and Dad was treated like a king and a magician. Dad was a man that treated every friend like family. He helped anyone who needed it and was loved by so many.

By Margaret Mahony (daughter) 

As a child when we lived at Maroubra Rd, Dad would get up early and he would make a big pot of tea. He would take a cup of tea to Mum in bed and Cheryl and I would get ours in our bunny mugs.

I remember when we were little we used to go and stay on the Mahony Farm at Delungra. The kids would all sleep out on the verandah. In the morning, I’d go into the kitchen early and my Pop Mahony (William) would toast bread on a long fork,  sticking the bread in the flames of the wood stove.

By Cheryl Hansen (daughter) 

I remember the night Mum babysat mine and Margaret’s kids. I got back to the house around  2:00 am. The kids were all up with Mum. She had marching music on and the kids had cooking pots on their heads, pretending to be marching soldiers. I didn’t get her to babysit for a little while after that.

When we were teenagers, my brother Geoff had his mate, Billy Hession come to stay with us for a few days. About 6 months later, Billy’s bedroom was ‘still being painted.’

Geoff had his 21st birthday party at our place on Maroubra Rd. Felt like there were 800 surfers there, many armed with kegs of beer. Dad never raised his voice and Mum thought the blue bong was an unusual vase.

By Julie Deayton 

I remember the time when Barb got her big Ford LTD stuck in the car wash in Maroubra Junction.

She once blew up her microwave. When questioned about it she said, “All I did was leave a f’ing teaspoon in the bowl!”

By Danny Deayton

I remember some great times in the backyard tavern with Rex – the perfect host on the barbeque, always making sure everyone had a coldie. Barb was in the kitchen making cabbage with caraway seeds which has become a favourite.

When the Doncaster Hotel was being renovated they looked after a cocky which when a woman passed said, “Hello Darling,” and when a man approached, ‘Get f***ed.”

Hilarious and marvellous memories.