Health professionals, business figures and community leaders are fondly remembered in West Wallsend. Roger Holt was Westy’s chemist. He opened a pharmacy in the Withers St Co-op Building after the closure of his Edgeworth shop. He also operated shops in other areas of Lake Macquarie and Newcastle.

This set of scales sat just inside the door of his West Wallsend branch. Locals recall jumping on the scales, putting in 2 cents and waiting for the dial to show their weight. These scales were converted to take 5 cent pieces around 1992 when 2 cent pieces were withdrawn.

The scales show your weight in stones and pounds. Imperial weights were used in Australia until 1974.

New medical knowledge about human health and post-war dieting culture led to Australians being very interested in their weight. Bright green scales like these were a familiar sight in Australian chemist shops in the late 20th century.

Roger Holt retired in 2011 and passed away in 2018 after more than 40 years caring for the Westy community.