Blog
- Lydham Hall’s “Water Hens” Paintingby Bettye Ross For want of a name I call the small ground birds in Neville W. Cayley’s painting above the carrara marble fireplace in Lydham Hall’s bedroom, Water Hens. I don’t know if they actually are Water Hens for although I have Mr. Cayley’s Book What Bird is That? I have never taken the …
- To The River – To The Forest – To King’s Groveby Vincent Saunders With the deviation of the route of the original Rocky Point Road at Arncliffe when the present highway came into being in the early eighteen-sixties, and the Forest Road was extended eastward a short distance from the crest of Cobbler’s Pinch (now marked by the intersection of Somerville Street) to link with …
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- Old Kogarah Townshipby Gifford & Eileen Eardley The early settlement of the Kogarah district largely followed the route of the old established Rocky Point Road, which, as a rough bush track, had been constructed to the order of Governor Sir George Gipps, about the 1840s. The region was devoted to market gardening and the cultivation of orchards. …
- A Tale of Two Ladiesby Ron Rathbone When I was eleven and in Year 6 at Carlton Public School, my father, a successful businessman, decided it was time “I learned the use of money”. I am not sure whether he attributed his success in business to the fact that when he was growing up he had been a paper …
- John Murphy of “Leeholme”, Bexley and the Horse BusesJohn Joseph Murphy was born at Concord, New South Wales, in 1869. He was born with a great love of horses, which was to remain with him all his life. As a young man he entered the Meat Trade, in the beginning carting meat, and gradually learning every phase of the business over several years. …
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- Cameos Of DevelopmentExtracts from the Citizen Newspapers 1894 Telephone Service – 24th February, 1894 A movement is on foot to try and get a telephone exchange at Rockdale and already eight or nine of the residents have handed in their names as willing to become subscribers. Fifteen subscribers are required for a day service, from 9 a.m. …
- Alexander Brodie Spark 1792 – 1856Merchant – Banker – Shipowner – Pastoralist – Gentleman by R.W. Rathbone Alexander Brodie Spark as born on 9th August, 1792 in Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland, the third child of George Spark, a watchmaker and goldsmith and his wife Mary Gordon. He was educated at the local academy where he showed signs of literary talent and …
- Annual Report of the Lydham Hall Local Committee for the Year Ended 28th February, 1981by Alderman R.W. Rathbone, Hon. Secretary, Lydham Hall Local Committee It is now ten years since Council, as part of its Centenary Celebrations, purchased historic Lydham Hall as a local history museum and handed it over to a Local Committee consisting of representatives of the Council and the St. George historical Society to restore and …
- The Power Behind The Scenesby Mr. J. P. Lundie, County Clerk Of St. George County Council For years we have been taking the benefits of electricity for granted. In a sense of course this can be taken as the greatest possible compliment that could be given to the Electricity Supply Industry. People know that when they want electricity it …
- The Story of Moorefield Racecourse at Kogarah, N.S.W.by Gifford and Eileen Eardley From a physiographical point of view the sand dune and intervening marsh land immediately west of Seven Mile, or Lady Robinson’s Beach, on the western shore line of Botany Bay, possesses surface features of great interest. It is accepted that this comparatively level expanse was formed over the ages by …
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- Michael Gannon: His Family and Their Skeletonsby Anne Carolan The Gannon family understandably hid their convict origins for two generations, so that descendants must ‘depend almost entirely on ‘government records and printed sources to gather information. However, episodes to give life to the facts do emerge and, in the case of my great, great-grandfather, Michael Gannon, these range from comic to …
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- 75 Years of Electric Trainsby Noreen Burns On Saturday, March 3rd, 2001 there was a celebration to mark the event of 75 years since Electric trains started operating in Australia. With Bettye Ross, our esteemed President, I arrived at Platform 1 at Central Station to be greeted (with lost of others) with a delicious morning tea, a rousing repertoire …
- Vale: Sylvia Daphne Bennettby Mrs. J. Fairhall Sadly Sylvia passed away on September 23rd 2013. She was a member of “St. George Historical Society” but because of her address at Niagara Park, she was unable to attend our meetings at Rockdale and “Lydham Hall”, but looked forward to receiving our Journals. Arriving from England in 1950, aged 16, …
- 75th Anniversary of Bexley’s 1926 Uniting (Methodist) Churchby Dr. James N. Pendlebury The Bexley Uniting (formerly Methodist) Church stands on a generous block of land in tree-lined Gladstone Street, surrounded in the main by Home Units and villas where once comfortable homes existed. Its large expanse of lawn reminds one of how things used to be. At night its illuminated front stained …
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- Looking For Historyby James Kane An eminent English historian said that the most essential pieces of equipment for historians are a notebook and pencil and a stout pair of walking boots. Certainly this district has history in plenty for those prepared to go and look for it. There has long been a useful human compulsion to celebrate …
- Vale: Dora Victoria Lenane, April 7th 1919 – September 7th 2013by F and B Lenane Our Mum, Dora Victoria Lenane, was born in June on 7th April 1919, making her 94 years young. Dora’s many friends knew her by name, but her very large family always knew her simply as Mum or Nana. Neither name reflects the amazing energy and joy of life that Mum …
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- Stone’s Slaughter Yardsby B.J. Madden Within what is now the Bexley Golf Course was a slaughter-house operated by C J Stone. The slaughter-house was adjacent to the creek which flows through the eastern end of the golf course, and blood from the slaughtered cattle ran into the creek. Blood was also buried in trenches in a paddock …
- David Hannam 1805 – 1872: An Arncliffe Pioneerby R W Rathbone David Hannam was born in the village of Holton in Somerset on 23rd June 1805, the eldest child and only son of Reuben Hannam and his wife, Elizabeth Hews. Reuben Hannam was convicted of ‘larceny in a dwelling house” at the Taunton Assizes on 31st March, 1810 and sentence to death, …
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- The Chinese Market Gardeners of St. George Districtby Gifford and Eileen Eardley Disclaimer: Please be aware that this article contains potentially inappropriate language or ideas. The SGHS does not in anyway endorse or condone discrimination of any kind.While some of this content may have been considered appropriate at the time of publication, we now recognise that it may contribute to harms.We have …
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- Lydham HallThis article was first published in the December 1970 edition of our magazine. I am sure members will be pleased to learn that, during last month, Rockdale Council completed the purchase of Lydham Hall. This old home in Lydham Avenue, Bexley, is to be used as an historical museum where items of interest may be …
- Some Excerpts from “A History Of Carlton”A Railway Is Built Early in the 1860’s agitation commenced along the southern coastal district for improved means to transport the rich produce of the area to markets in Sydney. The small ships plying the coastal trade were both irregular and unreliable and the long, bad road was a nightmare. To ensure the development of …
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- Pioneers of the Early DayThe old homestead of the English family – pioneers of 1852 – was built in 1854 by Mr. Dennis English on the land now occupied by the South Carlton Public School. The original old slab hut stood at the rear of the house, the front portion of which was built with some of the first …
- The Three PetersWhen the Kogarah-Sans Souci tramway was inaugurated in 1887 Mr. G. Hughes who conducted boat-sheds and store at Rocky Point, now known as Sans Souci, interested himself in the erection of swimming baths at Rocky Point. The matter was taken up by Kogarah Council, the then Mayor, favouring the site, but Alderman Myles McRae advocated …
- President’s Report 2022/2023This report is being written on the cusp of what I trust will be the renaissance of the St. George Historical Society Inc. Members are doubtlessly aware of the seemingly unending delays, numerous meetings with Bayside Council and remaining members of the former Lydham Hall Management Committee. What a tiring and often exasperating 24+ months! …
- Vale: Valda Rosaline Beehag, March 14th 1924 – July 12th 2013by Mr. Bob Beehag (nephew) Val Beehag was born on the March 14th 1924. Her biological mother, Nellie Christine Collins, gave birth to Val when she was only 16 years old. She put Val up for adoption, and she as adopted by Amy and Francis Barnes, however Francis died 4 years later. At that stage …
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- Pioneer Publicans of KogarahThe old hostelries of Kogarah, like most of the inns of the early days were distinguished for their free and easy sportive spirit and hospitality. the hotel was always one of the earliest business institutions where, before more appropriate and convenient meeting-places were to be found, people went to discuss matters of moment. It is …
- Transport DifficultiesIn these days of concrete and bituminous-surfaced roads a journey from Kogarah to Sydney is one devoid of difficulty and may be accomplished in quick time. Before the constitution of the Main Roads Board in 1925, or up to the time that the Board reconstructed Cook’s River Road, the condition of that road was atrocious …
- An Oil Company with a SoulOne of the most consistent enemies of Historical Societies and those interested in the preservation of relics of our earlier days are the Oil Companies – those people who seem to have unlimited capital and a passion for building Service Stations wherever some fine reminder of the district’s beginnings has managed to withstand the passing …
- The Gannons of Tempe: Frederick Gannon SeniorBy Anne Carolan The name Gannon is familiar even to newer residents of the St Peters/Tempe area because it features as the name of a street. Long-time residents still call the now dilapidated old home in Union Street, ‘Gannon’s Place’. Those interested in local history will know that the road to Hurstvile was once called …
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- Reminiscences with a Touch of St. Georgeby Bettye Ross The following was told to me by two very charming ladies named Jess Chadwick and her sister Georgie some years ago. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the manner it was told to me, mainly by Jess, Georgie who had early Alzheimers didn’t really have much to say. Unfortunately Jess moved before we could …
- Federation-Era ArncliffeThis photo is one of a series taken from “The Towers” at Arncliffe in the early part of this century. Standing forlorn and neglected atop the Forest Road ridge, “The Towers” has sweeping views of the whole of Arncliffe. The series of photographs was taken sequentially in a 360 degree radius and present a clear …
- Wazir Street, Arncliffeby R. W. Rathbone (based on the research of E. C. B. McLeurin, former Head of the Department of Semitic Studies, Sydney University) Early in 1989, I was asked by the Council to compile a list of the streets in the Municipality of Rockdale and how they received their names. Many are named after the …
- Smithson’s Wine Barby B.J. Madden Smithson’s Wine Bar in Stoney Creek Road was a feature of Kingsgrove’s life for about 50 years. (Smithson’s Tobacco Factory, run by Thomas Smithson, is a separate story). James Edward Smithson was a son of Thomas Smithson, and was born on 26 February 1844 at Leeds, Yorkshire. On 7 May 1867, he …
- Reminiscences of Early Hurstville Familiesby Thelma Hayman In 1911 when I went to live with my grandparents in Matthew Street, the lower end of which is now known as Hillcrest Avenue, this particular section of Hurstville was then being opened up as a residential area. It was not until the closing of the 1914-1918 World War that Hurstville Grove …
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- St. George 130 Years Agoby A.H. Wennholm When the old Rockdale Town Hall was being erected in 1888-9, at the corner of Rocky Point Road (now known as Princes Highway) and Bryant Street, there was also being built a little stone church at the top of Bryant Street. The site selected for this church was a rocky one, consequently …
- Two Early Pioneers: James Oatley & Hannah LaycockJames Oatley arrived in Sydney Town as a convict on January 27, 1815. Before his sentence, he had been a little-known watch and clockmaker living in Stafford, England. Upon arrival, he was permitted to set up in business in George Street, on a site opposite the present Town Hall. He was soon commissioned by Governor …
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- ANZAC Day – 25 April 2023To mark the time at which the first Australians waded ashore ANZAC Cove in 1915, thousands of people will gather to watch an ANZAC Day Dawn Service. ANZAC Day was established to honour those who served and gave their lives in the Great War. However, in the years since WWI, Australian troops have answered the …
- On Becoming a SaintHave you ever wondered how some of the churches in our district were named? It is well documented that St. Phillip’s Anglican Church, Church Hill in Sydney was named in honour of our first Governor and a number of this district’s early pioneers also appear to have been immortalised in the same way. St. David’s …
- The Royal Commission into Noxious and Offensive Trades of 1883by R. W. Rathbone At a time when protection of the environment is a burning political issue, it is interesting to note that we, in this country at least, have been trying to clean up our act for more than one hundred years. In the early 1880’s, Sydney was one of the most polluted cities …
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- Kingsgrove Gasometer Demolishedby B. J. Madden Mid-November 1979, saw the demolition and removal of a landmark in Kingsgrove – the Gas Holder in Kingsgrove Road opposite Omnibus Road. The Gas Holder was built during 1926-27 in order to improve the gas supply in that area, which was then undergoing rapid expansion. The Holder had a diameter of …
- Lydham Hall Historic House and Museumby Tina Workman The St George area was very fortunate that Rockdale Council had the foresight to purchase a stone cottage called Lydham Hall many decades ago with the sole purpose of conserving this beautiful old house which, in turn, would provide the area with a local history museum and a home for the St …
- Kingsgroveby B. J. Madden Kingsgrove was the site of a factory for the manufacture of tobacco and snuff for about 20 years from 1854. Thomas Smithson was a native of Leeds, Yorkshire (born c 1814). He and his family are said to have arrived in Sydney on the ship Ascendant in 1852, and resided at …
- Lydham Hallby Valmai Long Joseph Davis built “Lydham Hall” on Lydham Hill when he purchased 68 acres of the original land grant given to James Chandler by Governor Brisbane. This was the first subdivision of Bexley. Large blocks of sandstone were hauled uphill to the building site from the quarry, now the corner of Villiers Street …
- The Affairs Of James Beehag, A Rockdale Pioneerby Gifford Eardley Amongst the earliest settlers of the Rockdale area was Mr. James Beehag, a descendant of a French Huguenot farming family formerly known as Behague, who was born at Southminster, a village set amidst the wheatfields on the flat lands of the English country of Essex. This rural village is placed at a …
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- Walk and Drive GuidesDuring Local Government Week, August 1998, Rockdale City Council launched a series of walk and drive guides to encourage a broad appreciation of the city. They highlight points of interest in the 1991 Rockdale Heritage Study by Meredith Walker and Terry Kass. The Heritage Adviser, Gary Stanley, produced the guides. The council was merged with City …
- Five-CornersExtract from The Propeller, February 1941 There’s many an old resident of the St. George district who will probably tell you, with proud memory of his schooldays, that you’re not a “dinki-di” Sydneyite until you’ve polished off a pocket full of five-corners. And, without any prompting, he’ll very likely add that, “As a ‘nation’ of …
- The Historic RiverAt the official gathering held at Kurnell on 6th May, 1899, to set apart 251 acres as a public reserve and a National Memorial to Captain James Cook, Mr. Joseph Cook (Minister for Lands) referred to the fact that Cook discovered the river so named after him. The following is an extract from his speech: …
- Rosevale Villa Demolished(article from February 1964) Historic Rosevale Villa, one of the last pioneer homes left in Rockdale is no more and although its stones were marked and every care taken in its demolition it is unlikely that it could ever be rebuilt. The soft sandstone mouldings which have withstood the ravages of time for almost 100 …
- The Blacksmiths And Farriers Of Rockdaleby Gifford Eardley Without a doubt one of the most attractive places for small boys in old time Rockdale was the blacksmith shop of Duncan Roy, whose premises were sited on the northern side of the Town Hall. Standing at the wide doorway facing Rocky Point Road children gazed in awe at the shower of …
- A Hospital In ContrastJuly 1970, saw the demolition of the original Cottage Hospital of St. George. It was a nostalgic moment as the last of the unique brick and concrete chimneys tottered and fell. The last patients in “A & F”, as the original hospital has been known for some years, were transferred to other wards mid December …
- District To Lose Two Of Its Most Historic Buildings(article from October 1963) Unless it receives another last minute reprieve, lovely “Rosevale Villa”, for more than ninety years a landmark at the entrance to Rockdale Shopping Centre will soon disappear to make way for a service station. Persistent efforts by this Society to the Rockdale Council for removal of the building on Princes Highway …
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- A Tribute To Jean Elizabeth Preddeyby Jean’s grandson – John Mark Williamson Gran lived right through the greater part of the 20th century and lived a century herself in doing it. This was a great achievement when you consider those times and how Australia was affected by world events in one form or another. Gran’s childhood was growing up while …
- The Eddystone Lighthouseby Bettye Ross At a Service recently our Minister mentioned the Eddystone Lighthouse and said the third builder of this edifice had placed at its base a plaque stating “except the Lord build the house, the builders labor in vain” from Psalm 127:1. This Lighthouse (4th on the site) had been built by John Smeaton. …
- Botany Goods LineThe question of giving railway communication to Botany was considered in 1882 when it was proposed to extend a line from Everleigh, via Waterloo to the Botany area. In 1902 a trial survey was made from Erskineville to Botany and also from Flemington to Belmore, the estimated cost then being 107,933 and 56,738 pounds respectively. …
- Kogarah Golf Clubby Miss Francis Stacey – September 1979 Fifty years ago this year of 1976, saw the establishment of the Kogarah Golf Club. I remember very clearly one day when I was in the Chair at the Dental Surgery of the late Mr Stanley Binns, awaiting my turn to be attended to, when the telephone rang. …
- Cobbitty: A Village Of The Cow PasturesWritten & Illustrated by Gifford & Eileen Eardley The pleasant village of Cobbitty is sited amidst a surround of low grassed hill country, some four miles north of the older established settlement at Camden, which was in the possession of the Macarthur family (of sheep raising fame) as from 1804. It is understood that the …
- Captain James BirnieThe following letter was received by the Secretary in April 1970: In the Bi-centenary issue of the Leader, reference is made to a whaling master Captain James Birnie who gave up the sea to settle in Sydney about 1890 and in the edition of March 18th mention is made of the whereabouts of his headstone. …
- Brighton-Le-Sands: A Suburb Evolved From The SandhillsThe development of Brighton-le-Sands as one of Sydney’s first “model” suburbs was due, almost entirely, to the enterprise of one man. That man was Thomas Saywell. Nowhere in Sydney has the name of one man been so extensively associated with the progress of a particular area and yet, oddly enough, no trace of his name …
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- The Affairs Of James Wilson: An Early Settler Of Rockdaleby Gifford and Eileen Eardley Nestling against a background of scarlet-flowered coral-trees in West Botany Street, Rockdale, is the former home of James Wilson, a four-roomed single-storied building built of cut ashlar stone, which once had a shingled roof, and still retains its small separate kitchen at the rear. It is possible that this old …
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- Thomas Townshend, First Viscount Sydney: The man after whom our city was namedby Alderman R. W. Rathbone Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, came of an old and very distinguished Norfolk family who are still resident at the family seat, Raynham Hall, near the quaint Tudor market town of Fakenham. They first settled in the area in the early 15th Century and, with the exception of several years …
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- The Affairs Of Isaac Beehag, Dairyman, Rockdaleby Gifford Eardley Isaac Beehag was the eldest son of James and Mary Beehag, being born on July 18th, 1841, the address of his parents then being listed at Liverpool Road, Canterbury. In 1852 the farm property at Canterbury was sold and Isaac, together with the rest of the family, came to reside on a …
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- Book Review: “Into the Unknown: The Tormented Life and Expeditions of Ludwig Leichhardt” by John Bailey396 pages, published by Pan Macmillan 2011 Review by Laurice Bondfield Another recently published book! The author, John Bailey has written two much praised books on Australian history: The White Divers of Broome and Mr Stuart’s Track, and this book is sure to be another. There has not been much non-specialist writing published on Leichhardt …
- Bexley: As I Knew It, from 1895 – 1917Grace (Middenway) Nicholls, Faulconbridge N.S.W. 1963 I have been asked by Mr Philip Geeves, Historian for the St. George District, Sydney, N.S.W., to write some of my early memories of Bexley; also to give a brief outline of the life and work of my father, John Saunders Middenway. I remember so much that it is …
- Cooks River: The History Of Its Early Homes And BridgesCooks River has always played a part in the history of our Municipality therefore, Mrs. I. E. Currey, of the Canterbury and District Historical Society, thinks its story should be told in this the year of the probable sighting of the river by Captain James Cook. Captain Cook, after whom the river was named, apparently …
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- 2022 Ron Rathbone Local History CompetitionInaugurated in 2006, the Ron Rathbone Local History Competition is an initiative to explore and appreciate Bayside’s rich, diverse and vibrant history.Former City of Botany Bay Council and former Rockdale City Council were amalgamated in 2016 to form Bayside Council. The Ron Rathbone Local History Competition now extends to include these two local government areas …
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- The History Of Tempe HouseMay Hook The historic “Tempe House” was built for Alexander Brodie Spark, who owned a large area of land at Cooks River in the early 1800’s, and became a director of the Bank of New South Wales in 1826. “Tempe House” is a stately home of Georgian style set in a number of large gardens, …
- Frog Hollow: Rockdale 70 Years AgoReprinted from the Rockdale Times of April 17, 1947 This account of the early history of Rockdale deals with the period over 70 years ago, when a fine orchard flourished where the Town Hall now rears its proportions; from the Grand Hotel to Bay Street was called “Frog Hollow”, and the oldest Aboriginal at Sans …
- Vale John Isaac Swann (1887 – 1963)The sudden death of the President of the St. George Historical Society, Mr. J. I. Swann, has left in our ranks a large gap which will be extremely difficult to fill. Since its inception some two years ago, Mr. Swann was the driving force and inspiration of this Society. Those of us who were privileged …
- Book Review: “The Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia” by Bill Gammage434 pages, published by Allen and Unwin 2011 Review by Laurice Bondfield Most of the history Australian books from Rockdale Library that I’ve so far reviewed have been on the shelves for a few years. This book was published last year, so is quite “hot off the press” by comparison. It is well worth reading …
- The Heritage of Bexleyby Kirsten Broderick, Local History Services Coordinator, Rockdale City Library The National Trust runs a heritage festival every year, and every year Rockdale Council tries to participate in some way. This year, Council is holding a range of activities and I was asked to give a talk at Bexley Library focusing on the heritage of …
- Reminiscences of 1900s Rockdaleby C. W. Napper I have been requested to present a description of the affairs of Rockdale in the early days of my youth, which, so I have been informed, would be of interest to my fellow members of the St. George Historical Society. On a first things first basis, I must mention that I …
- A Convict MaidSarah Bellamy was born in the small Worcestershire village of Belbroughton, the sixth of eight children of Richard and Elizabeth Bellamy, and was baptised on February 3rd 1770 at Holy Trinity Church. The church stands upon a former pagan Saxon burial ground, whilst the village of Belbroughton itself can proudly trace its origins to an …
- Centenary: Banksia Free Church, est. 1890Compiled by Walter G Kirton, Interim Pastor March 1990. Reproduced with Permission (Editor’s note: In 2017, the church, at 316 Princes Highway, Banksia, was sold and refurbished to become the Orthodox Church of St Savvas of Kalymnos). The fact that this independent church has been able to continue a fruitful ministry for Christ our Lord …
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- The Wood-Carters Of Early St. Georgeby B.J. Madden – Kingsgrove In Notes on the Early Life in Peakhurst, written in the 1930’s by Mr George Peake, son of Issac Peake and grandson of John Peake, it is stated that during the Gold Rush in the 1850’s, firewood was carted from the present St. George district to a place in Darlinghurst …
- The Aboriginal Tribes of the Sydney Regionby B. J. Madden – Kingsgrove In the short space of 70 years, the world of the Aboriginal tribes of the Sydney region, which had remained unchanged since the Dreamtime, became a living nightmare. The land which had been theirs alone for so long was suddenly and irretrievably lost to the fair-skinned newcomers of the …
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- The Affairs Of Rose Vale Villa, RockdaleWritten & Illustrated by Gifford and Eileen Eardley William John Iliffe was born in London in the year 1842 and came to Sydney as a young lad in 1852, where he followed various pursuits in the nature of employment. It is evident that he had a natural bent for plant cultivation for he took up …
- The Village of Arncliffeby Mr. V. M. Saunders It is necessary to be aware of a historic plan, of subdivision for most of the area covered by present-day Turrella and Arncliffe which was executed in the year 1861 and was only recently recovered for historical inquiry after lying in obscurity for about 90 years. This comparatively large area …
- An Early Illawarra Suburban Journey – 1890 Periodby Gifford Eardley A journey from Sydney to Hurstville in the early eighteen-nineties passed through a terrain which has been considerably altered, unfortunately not for the better, in the last seventy years or so. In the description of scenes and homes along the route no attempt has been made in this essay to group the …
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- Extracts from the St. George Call – Jubilee Supplement – 1904 – 1954supplied by Mrs E Eardley. 1977 The first issue of the St. George Call was published in January, 1904. The early days were not without the many difficulties which confront those who endeavour to establish a newspaper, and it was to the credit of the founders of the St. George Call that they placed it …
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- Back to Mortdale SchoolAs told by Mr. E. Fletcher, of Frederick Street, PenshurstMr. Fletcher was one of the pupils who enrolled in the opening day of the first Mortdale School, built in 1888.(Booklet obtained by courtesy of Mrs. J. Wotherspoon, Mortdale Public School.) Please note that some of the terms used in this article reflect the attitude of …
- Nominations for Election of Office Holders – July 2023 Annual General MeetingThe Annual General Meeting of the St George Historical Society will be held on Saturday 15th July 2023 at 2pm at Level 3, Rockdale Library. All office holder positions are empty at the time of the AGM.Nominations for positions are to be issued to Secretary no later than 7 days before the AGM.Nominations will also …
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- Captain James Cook R. N.Written by Gifford & Eileen Eardley Please note that some of the terms used in this article reflect the attitude of the author or the period in which the item was written and may be considered inappropriate today. It is questionable if, after a lapse of some two hundred years, there still remains any undiscovered …
- Designing and Dangerous Men: The Story of the Transported Cato Street ConspiratorsThe Cato Street Conspiracy of 23 February 1820 was an attempt by a group of radicals to assassinate the British Cabinet while they dined at the house of Lord Harrowby in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London.This act aimed to precipitate a revolution, depose the King, change Britain into a people’s republic, and liberate Ireland. The conspiracy …
- Henry Kinsela – Gentlemanbased on some recollections of Mrs. A. B. Christison In the mid 1880’s Henry Kinsela took up 27 acres of timbered land at the junction of Forest and Stoney Creek Roads. Here he built a gracious two-storied mansion “Kinsel Grove”, which faced east with a delightful view of Botany Bay. The entrance gates were in …
- Rocky Point Roadby Philip Geeves F.R.A.H.S. District Historian The majority of our pioneers made their homes along the Rocky Point Road. At the time of which we are speaking this road was primitive and often dangerous. The Rocky Point Road ran from Cook’s River Dam to Rocky Point, or Sans Souci as we call it today. It …
- Sir Joseph Hector McNeill Carruthers K.C.M.G. M.A. LLD.M.L.A. Canterbury 1887-1894; M.L.A. St. George 1394-1908 M.L.C. 1908-1932. Premier of N.S.W. 1904-1907 by Alderman R. W. Rathbone Joseph Hector Carruthers was born on 21st December 1857 at Kiama N.S.W. one of nine children of John Carruthers, a prosperous Scottish migrant farmer and his wife, Charlotte Prince. He was educated at William Street and Fort …
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- Lydham Hall Local Committee Annual Report for the Year Ended 29th February, 1980Once again it is my pleasure to report to Council and the St. George Historical Society another year of intense activity and sustained public interest at Lydham Hall. During the year 2,030 people visited the home, a decrease on the previous year but one caused almost entirely by a succession of petrol strikes which resulted …
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- The Latter Day Personnel of the Sans-Souci Tramwayby Gifford Eardley Through the courtesy of Mr. George Barnidge, of Sans Souci, one of the steam-tram drivers associated with the now long defunct Kogarah to Sans Souci Steam Tramway, which closed on Sunday, July 4th, 1937, we are able to publish a list of the personnel engaged with the running operations of this fascinating …
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- The Birth of a Bandby Alexander Belford Christison, M. B. E. In the year 1898, Mr. J. C. Walker of Rockdale, who had been a conductor of military and public bands in Sydney and suburbs for some years, decided to form a brass band in Rockdale. He had a few instrumentalists who were willing to join, but not sufficient …
- Calling All CarsIn 1894 the residents of Rockdale and district were entirely devoid of police protection at certain times. During big festivities in Sydney the few district police were withdrawn to reinforce the metropolitan squad. Rockdale Council was so concerned by this danger that it raised the matter with the Minister for Justice. On Boxing Day 1894 …
- Kevin Little, third-generation stained glass artist and restorer (1930 – 2022)Stained glass artist and restorer Kevin John Little was born in Sydney in 1930. Both his father, William Little, and grandfather, David McColl Little, worked in stained glass. David McColl Little established D.M. Little & Co. in Barden Street, Arncliffe in 1905, advertising as leadlight workers and glass merchants. Kevin Little designed, produced, and restored …
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- Book Review: Sydney by Delia Falconer, UNSW Press 2010 (293 pages)Reviewed by Laurice Bondfield Strictly speaking this is not a history book. It is more a meditation on what makes Sydney unique; one of a series in which “leading Australian authors write about their hometowns”. Nevertheless for history buffs there are many delights to be found in its pages. Chapters titled “Ghosting”, “Dreaming”, “Living” and …
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- Early Jewish Pioneers in the St George Areaby H.L. Kahana My topic concerns the early Jewish settlement in this area, the era of the Illawarra Jewish Association of the 1930s and the establishment of the Illawarra Hebrew Congregation in April, 1943. In the 1930s, the Great Depression raged. King George V and Queen Mary were succeeded on the throne by Edward VII, …
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- Sir James Joynton-Smith and the Building in Lydham Hall’s Bellingham Paintingby Bettye Ross The lovely scene in S.R. Bellingham’s painting of Coogee Bay, painted circa 1882, and hanging on the left hand side of the Dining Room fireplace has a story behind it. To begin with Sid R. Bellingham is referred to in a number of Art Encyclopaedias as an artist of unknown background or …
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- President’s Report 2021Well, who would have thought 2021 was destined to continue in the same vein as 2020 due to COVID-19 related sickness, death and Lockdown restrictions impacting family, friends, the business and health sectors plus leisure pursuits to name but a few? May Australia and hopefully the rest of the world turn a corner into a …
- Michael Gannon(A talk delivered at St. Michael’s Church, Hurstville on the occasion of its Centenary in 1987 by Alderman R. W. Rathbone) There is some doubt about when Michael Gannon was actually born. His marriage certificate and his convict records all indicate that he was born in 1798 but his death certificate would suggest it was …
- Book Review: Governor Macquarie, His Life, Times and Revolutionary Vision for Australia by Derek Parker, Woodslane Press 2010 (252 pages)Reviewed by Laurice Bondfield This book has been published to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lachlan Macquarie’s arrival as Governor of NSW. It is a straightforward biography quoting extensively from his journals, letters and dispatches so you get a lively sense of his personality and attitudes as well as a clear narrative of the events …
- The Bexley Ladies’ Collegeby Frances Stacey “Rockdale College” was originally founded by the Rev. C.T. Forscutt, when he was 40 years old. He was born in Newtown and became a preacher at the Enmore Tabernacle for some years. Later at the age of 40 years, he decided he would found a Boys’ School and was greatly encouraged by …
- Old St. David’s Church Of England Arncliffeby Peter Orlovich The following article, from the researching pen of Mr. Peter Orlovich, M. A. , a member of our Society, deals with certain phases of the early history of Old St. David’s Church of England at Arncliffe, and also throws light on the pioneering Hannam family who were amongst the early settlers of …
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- Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!On behalf of the St George Historical Society Committee, we wish everyone good health and happiness during the festive season.