Rutherford barber John “Whizzer” Quinton may be a man of few words but the stories he’s heard from his chair over the past 50 years are enough to make your hair stand on end.
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John, affectionately known as Whizzer, reckons his customers have told him enough stories to write a best seller – but what happens at Whizzer’s stays at Whizzer’s.
Whizzer is celebrating his half century in the trade this month and some of his current customers are the sons and grandsons of his original clients.
He started his career at the age of 21 training with Maitland barber Dougie Lambert in his Bulwer Street business.
He opened his Rutherford business in 1968 and has never looked back. In fact despite notching up this latest milestone, there are no plans to hang up the clippers just yet. “I just love it. I love that interaction with my customers,” he said.
Whizzer was offered the opportunity to train as a barber when he was working at George Fry’s hardware shop in High Street, next to Johnston’s Shoes.
The lad from Louth Park didn’t aspire to any particular profession and grabbed the work when the opportunity came up. “Every day is different. You never know who’s going to walk through the door,” he said.
At Whizzer’s no appointment is necessary. Just turn up, walk in and grab a seat at any time from 6.30am to 5pm. “I only open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday now because I’ve been a bit crook,” he said.
But despite the ill health there’s no sign of Whizzer retiring. “I’ve got to have something to do. I don’t know how long I’ll keep working but it’s just too hard to pull the pin right now,” he said.
After five decades cutting blokes’ hair you’d think there’d be some embarrassing, memorable, funny anecdotes to share but getting Whizzer to recall them is like pulling teeth.
Asked if he’d ever stuffed up, Whizzer conceded he had, badly. “I had one of the plastic clips attached to the end of my clippers fly off when I was doing this bloke’s hair. He was going to a function that night. When the attachment flew off the clippers went straight onto the back of the bloke’s head cutting a big strip through his hair. I never charged him and he never came back,” Whizzer said.
So what is discussed in the barber’s chair? “Racehorses and football,” he said. “I get a few good tips now and then. I follow the gallops, trots and dogs.”
Asked what advice he’d give to aspiring barbers, Whizzer said give it all you’ve got. “If you’re keen, go for it. It’s a great job and the contact you have with your customers is fantastic. But you have to remain tight lipped. Keep the gossip to yourself otherwise you never know what you’re in for.”
