by Phyllis Stiskin
After travelling by sailing ship from England to Sydney Town in the year 1849, young Charles Bampton at the age of four found himself at Bathurst 1850, where he grew into manhood learning the trade of saddlery, possibly with Rutherfords, (known first as Cobb & Co., then Rutherford, then back to Cobb & Co.). Charles married a Scottish lass at North Bourke where he had his saddlery business from 1879 in partnership with the famed whipmaker, J. B. Spratt, and they were among the first to use kangaroo skins and hides.
In 1883 a son Robert was born, then later William and daughter Marion.
The disastrous flooding of the Darling River at Bourke 1890, wiped out the home and business of the Bamptons along with practically all the township. Charles stayed in Bourke working on several stations. Jean Bampton with her children came to Lauff Street, Rockdale to live, where daughter Ruby was born and the children finished their education at the Rockdale Public School.
Charles joined his family at Lauff Street, and after the death of his wife in 1911, retired to Lymington Street, Bexley, growing a beautiful long white beard, which with his long white hair, rosy cheeks and very blue sparkling eyes, he was the perfect walking image of our ‘Santa Claus’.
Robert was a member of the Rockdale Public School Cadet Drum and Fife Band, and one of ‘Cope’s Hopes’ at that school. He was also a member of the St George Sailing Club and choir member of the Congregational Church. He joined the membership of the Orangemen’s Lodge, becoming ‘Sir Robert Bampton’, a Past Grand Master.
Robert and William learnt trades of carpentry and cabinet making with the furniture firm of Ricketts & Thorp, at Rockdale.
The sons of families, Stones, Toms, Beehags, Booths, Stewart, Fortesque, were some of their friends, nearly all played football. On the field William was nicknamed “Flea”, being small of statue and fast, they could never catch him.
In 1907, Robert married Elizabeth Booth in the Congregational Church, Kogarah. They built their home in Spring Street, Alexandria, as it was then called, later known as Park Avenue, Banksia, now Gardiners Street (Avenue) Banksia, the house still stands on the north side of the street.
Many a time I have watched sport played on the ground adjacent to our back fence, or from my special perch in our large and beautiful fig tree. One memorable occasion, we watched the passing out parade of the Light Horse Infantry, beautiful horses and their riders with red jackets and feathered hats. Walter Booth was among the riders. It was a glorious sight as they took the salute, then two abreast, they rode up the incline out of the park, near the right hand side of Lydham Hall, the only house I can remember being there then, about 1916. We called it the ‘big house up the hill’.
The home of Elizabeth and Robert, where Nurse Gannon attended three births of their five children, has had a few renovations and alterations, but from his ledger I can tell the cost of every nail, screw etc., originally put into it. It may be interesting to compare some of the prices (in pounds, shillings, and pence) of those times.
- May 1, 1909 land cost £40 in Spring Street
- Williamsons & Sons re transfer £2/16/0
- Refund of rates 5/7
- McMillan’s insurance 13/4
- Building permit 5/0
- Opening road permit 5/0
- Water fees 7/4
- Bricks, per thousand £2/8/0
- Municipal rates 13/4
- Water rates to June 30, 1910 3/4
Names mentioned helping or supplying of materials were: George Fortescue, Fred Booth (brother-in-law): painter, D. Cairncross, W. Burns, Grace Bros., T. Grounds, J. McAuliffe, Metters, S. Gissing, A. E. Cornish, M. J. Conlon, M. Hillier, Neaves & Co., John Keep & Co., George Hudson & Co., Binns, Wadge & Brown.
Unfortunately no addresses are given, but most are easily recognised.
Robert read the blue prints and supervised the building of the original ‘Kingsford Smith Aerodrome’ at Mascot, later it was a hanger, ‘The Kingsford Smith Aeroplane Hanger’.
William married Bessie Toms, daughter of Caroline and Charles Toms of “Dunalean”, Victoria Street, Arncliffe. Two sons of Eva Toms, Archer and Henry (Harry) are on the Roll of Honour at Bexley Public School.
Marion Bampton married George Frederick Parkes and they lived on the west side of Bexley Park.
Ruby Bampton married Frederick Smith, grower of the famous Georges River oysters at Tom Ugly’s Point, now gone to make way for the reclaimed subdivision of Sylvania.
This article was first published in the April 1982 edition of our magazine.
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Unless otherwise noted, images are courtesy of the Bayside Library Service Local History Collection.