I had not heard of Terry prior to reading this story.

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I certainly had heard of his invention.

Many Australians have become known through their innovations and inventions.

We’ve all heard of Mervyn Victor Richardson and his development of the Victa Lawnmower and Lance Hill, the inventor of the Hills Hoist – both inventions are Aussie icons.

Adrian relates the story of his cousin below.

“Terry’s family migrated from London early in the 1900s and settled in Stockton.

They were reasonably successful with Terry’s parents having had, among other businesses, the Stockton Beach Cafe, a most popular establishment in those days.

His father was also an Alderman in what I think was called Stockton Municipal Council before being amalgamated with others into Greater Newcastle Council.

In the 1920s Terry’s father convinced his sister and family to migrate but by 1926, when they arrived, things were a bit tighter and they were not so successful.

Times were hard!

One of the family was my father, Len Everitt.

However, my father who was 14 years old teamed up with Terry and they became great mates.

Dad told me of the fun they had, helped by Terry’s ingenuity.

If they decided to play in the sand hills at North Stockton Terry would knock up a sled and they often worked together to build canoes, rafts and so on which they launched into the river.

Dad said that a sheet of iron, a few gutter bolts and some caulking and a craft would appear.

Boat design and building became a lifelong interest for Terry.

He went on to train as an engineer and first came to prominence when he designed and built a pedal craft which he pedalled across Sydney Harbour and featured in an article in the Readers Digest.

The first contact I can remember with Terry, who I referred to as Uncle Terry, as we did in those days, was when my parents made a sea change and moved to Soldiers Point to open a business.

My brother, sister and I were put on the train to Sydney to spend a couple of weeks with Terry and his wife Norma.

This was in 1949.

Terry had moved to Sans Souci, right on the water.

He had a workshop/boatshed with slip and a boat, about 25-30 feet, moored out front. He loved kids and he called his boat “Curlamo”.

For the kids he had included a horn.

As the cord to toot the horn was pulled diesel dropped on the exhaust and a puff of black smoke shot out.

He was a member of St. George Motor Yacht Club and he cruised up and down in front of the club while we pulled the cord and the club members came out on the balcony to cheer us on.

On a serious note Terry had started to work on the design of an aluminium boat.

This was a new idea.

Some aluminium boats had appeared but were not very seaworthy or popular. Aluminium construction was still in its infancy.

Aluminium welding was an art that had only been developed during the war years.

Terry went to Europe and brought back a gun welder to assist him in his designs. Unfortunately, one of the big boys like De Havilland or similar poached his welder and he was off to Europe again.

Eventually he managed to start producing and his boats were popular and demand increased.

He moved his operations to Taren Point where light industry was setting up and he built a factory.

He decided to call his new business Quintrex Aluminium. The boats were an instant success.

Quite a few years later, Bill Gerler, a mate of mine, decided to buy his first boat and I took him down to the factory at Taren Point, which by this time had greatly expanded. Terry showed us through the factory, they talked boats and Bill was convinced and made his first purchase.

He must have been happy because that boat almost became part of the family.

He had it for years.

While we were there Terry mentioned that we should keep our eye out for a TV programme he was hoping to see.

He said that a few months before he had received a request from a film company for sponsorship to make a documentary involving sailing down the Darling River from end to end for the first time.

Thinking this would be good publicity he agreed and a few weeks later he said ‘these three kids’, as he described them, arrived, introduced themselves as the film company and said they were there to pick up the boat and other gear.

Terry said he stood by his word and off they went.

Two of the three were Mike and Mal Leyland – the Leyland Brothers.

They completed their documentary “Down the Darling” which launched a long and successful career.

And Quintrex boats featured in many of their adventures.

Terry eventually sold the business to spend time with his adopted son Graham.

When he passed away Graham’s interest in boating became apparent when he bought a yacht and set out to sail around the world single-handedly.

However, half way round in England he met a girl and the two returned to Sydney together.

His voyage became a documentary produced by George Negus continuing the family’s boating heritage.”

Some years ago Quintrex ran an ad which began as follows.

“In 1945 a talented engineer named Terry Quantrill developed a unique method for stretch forming which allowed complex compound curves to be created in an aluminium hull.

“This process revolutionised boat building and the Quintrex flared bow was born. “His desire and enthusiasm to create aesthetic highly functional boats left a lasting impression.”

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE