THE SUNBEAM--A bar with a history
After a break of 9 years "the bar at Sunbeam" reopened in 1983 after operating for 40 years as one of the region's licensed social clubs. "Sunbeam Club" ceased to operate in
1974 when it became one of the amalgamated clubs that formed Ohakune Club. Since 1979, the building that once housed Sunbeam Club, had been run as Sunbeam Lodge and Restaurant
by husband and wife team Mike and Bormie Bramley. On 20 July 1983 the Bramleys were awarded a food and entertainment liquor licence. Early days Sunbeam Lodge had its origins as the Sunshine Club in 1933. At that time most of this region was a "dry" area with no licensed hotels or other public liquor outlets. To overcome the "problem", and provide a place of conviviality, a group of 17 Ohakune mcn, led by Harry Sutton, got together in 1933 and dccidcd to operate their own little social club, "ihe sunshine". Thcsc 17 membcrs arranged to usc an old slab mill hut that had been part of Gammon's Mill. Located across the Mangawhero Stream in what is now a paddock opposite Foyle Street, the mill had closed down so the club hut was readily available. Meetings Each Sunday the 17 membcrs gathered in the hut and drank the brew, played cards and swapped yams. One club metnber paid for the beer each week so every 17 weeks a member had to pay for the beer and ensure it was there in time. During docking, supper consisted of lambs tails. Thcy were wrapped in damp brown paper and cooked in the embcrs of the open fire. Trout also featured on the "menu" - poached from the adjacent Mangawhero
Stream. One firm rule at the club, was that if you didn't shout when it was your turn you were outski - forever. Junction ghost Amongst many hilarious tales from those early days (most unprintable) is the story of Fred Kirkwood, a character who used to feign drunkenness. Although Fred did actually "get pretty ripe at times" according to a former cohort, he used to feign drunkenness for a particular reason. When he carried the act off well, his mates would carry him
hoine saving him the trouble of walking. Unfortunately for Fred, he was caught out one day and a plan was set afoot to pay him back. The next time Fred "passed out on the floor", Arthur Channings and Ron Collingwood, picked him up and marched him out into the fern behind the mill. They stripped Fred of all his clothes and threw them into the Mangawhero Stream where they were swept away. Creeping home through the fern, the naked Fred
came across a clothesline and borrowed a blanket to get home. There was some concern in Railway Row for a while after that as stories circulated about ihe 'ghost' that had been seen. He never feigned drunkenness again. Early members of the club included, Sid Gormack, Frank Punch, Cecil White, Eric Dixon, Kay Dunn, Jack Powell, Arthur Channings, Fred Kirkwood, Dick Sykes, Tom Davies and Bill Gardner. Although there was great interest in membprship of the club, numbers were kept to 17 because of space limitations in the slab hut. New premises Contrary to popular belief, the decision to move from the mill hut across the river to Foyle Street was not made because a ■member fell off the swing bridge into the Mangawhero Stream and drowned. However, one member, Jack Eide, did fall into the river one night, but he was fished out and revived with a few 'snorts' back at the club hut. Members used to contribute 2/6d a week to club funds. Additionally one of the original members, Frank Punch, took out an insurance policy on his son Jim. Maturing on Jim Punch's 21st birthday, the policy together with accumulated funds provided the cast to make the purchase of a larger property feasiblc. In 1944 the club "became respectable" changed its name from Sunshine to Sunbeam and bought a house in Foyle Street from the Smith family. Mrs Smith and her daughters ran a dancing school in the house that formed the second home of the Sunbeam Club and the bacont'd. on p. 8
A bar with a history
cont'd from p. 6 sis of what is now Sunbeam Lodge. Club presidents The local policeman, Selwyn Cave was the club's first official president in 1944. Subsequent presidents were F. Punch '45'46; T. Beasley '46-'47; L. Nation '48-'52; A. Channings '52-'53; M. Ingrain '53-'54; E. Dixon '54-'55; A. Channings '55-'57; E. Dixon '57-'62;; W. Turner and E. Chan '62-'63; J. Punch '63-'69; H. Gilberd '69-72; R. Heslop '72-74. Improvements Over the years extensions and improvements were co.nstantly made to the club premises. There was a two table snooker room, darts and a lounge as well as the bar, members showers etc. A popular activity was indoor bowls. Each year members chartered a bus, transported wives and children to Turangi then chartered a launch for a picnic on the lake. Much fun was had at the Sunbeam Club. The club's membership was stable at around 140150 members right through until its amalgamation with the R.S.A. and Pioneer clubs in 1974. New era In 1978 Mike and Bonnie Bramley had spent a skiing holiday in Ohakune and fell in love with the area. They entered into negotiations to buy the old Sunbeam Club building from its owner who was trying to develop a ski lodge.
Shortly afterwards the building suffered a major fire so the Bramleys took over a fire charred shell in December 1978. By July 1979, Sunbeam Lodge was in operation with 6 bedrooms accommodating 20 people and a restaurant seating 25. Every summer since then Mike and Bonnie have poured every available cent into extending and improving the property. In 1982 they purchased the adjoining Turoa Court Motel. The three quarters of an acre of land that came with the motel gave the Bramleys a total of 1 acre on which to further develop Sunbeam. In summer 1983 a special spa house with two spa pools, showers and changing rooms was built along with staff accommodation, extensive renovations to
the kitchen and the addition of an intimate lounge bar. A feature at the restaurant lounge is the large
open fire. Extensive use was made of natural timbers throughout the restaurant and bar.
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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 12, 18 August 1987, Page 6
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1,061THE SUNBEAM-A bar with a history Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 12, 18 August 1987, Page 6
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