One last haircut.Dean Franklin Bertie McMahon cut his last head of hair at the Baa-baa barber shop on Saturday 31 October, closing the door on 73 years in the chair. Bertie, 87, said it was a hard decision, and one he had to make. "I still feel a bit sad about it, but I had to do it," he said. "I had a couple of turns. I didn't want to take a turn while I was cutting somebody's head." A steady stream of locals called in on Saturday to say thank you and good luck. Some brought small gifts and cards. Newer arrivals who had only started coming to Bertie in recent months sat alongside families who have been customers for decades. Sam Burton-Taylor, who has been coming to Bertie since he was a boy, brought in his three boys to say thank you. The Evans family show how deep the connection runs, six generations of the one family, from Cecil through to baby Penny, having their hair cut by Bertie. On Sunday, Bertie's barber chair was moved to the Boorowa & District Historical Society Inc. and Museum, carried in by his family members. “They had a perfect spot in a corner. I was very happy with where they put it," Bertie said. For decades, farmers and men from all over town have made a Saturday morning stop part of their week, whether for a haircut or not. They came to talk through their problems, solve the problems of the world and catch up with people they might not otherwise see. Dads brought their kids, who then grew up and brought their own. "There was eight people sitting around who didn't want a haircut," Bertie said. "They just come and say g'day, and have a bit of a yarn." Peter Brewer, who has helped sweep up around the shop since about 2007, said the shop was "very important" to the town. Asked what he will do on Saturday mornings now, he said: "I don't know. You get used to it, don't you?" For many men it was a regular outlet, and some do not have another standing commitment or go to the pub. With Bertie's shop closed, a new place for men to drop in on a Saturday morning is being organised. It is likely to be at the Boorowa Hotel, from 8am on Saturdays. The idea is simple: sit down, have a coffee and a chat, and come and go as you please. There is no cost, no agenda and no need to stay, just somewhere to drop in and catch up. Anyone interested is welcome to come along. Hilltops Council have moved to formally acknowledge retiring barber Bertie McMahon's contributions to Boorowa over the last six decades. Bertie began his apprenticeship at 14, at his grandfather's barber shop in Young, before time spent working in Wagga Wagga. He returned to Boorowa after the death of the town's then-barber, Kevin Ryan, taking over Kevin's shop on Marsden Street before later moving to his Pudman Street premises, where he has been for more than 46 years. At its 28 October meeting, Hilltops Council resolved to send Bertie a letter of recognition for his service to Boorowa, including his work for the old Boorowa Shire and his role in establishing many of the town's sporting clubs and events. His accolades include Boorowa Citizen of the Year in 1999, an Australian Sports Medal in 2000, and opening the Boorowa Show in 2009. Hilltops councillor James Blackwell, who nominated Bertie, said Bertie had been a pillar of the community for longer than many residents have been alive. "I am a regular customer of his shop on a Saturday morning, enjoying the community and conversation his place creates – people of all ages from five to 95 all come in to have a yarn between a cut," Cr Blackwell said.
