Menangle Park Silos

Chances are you have noticed that the silos at Menangle Park have sadly been demolished to make way for the new development. These silos stood undisturbed in the vacant paddocks on the Thomas Vardy Estate for many years. They were a testament to Campbelltown's farming days and the importance that agriculture once played in the area. It was hoped that they would be retained and perhaps integrated into parklands as part of the new suburb. Alas, this wasn't to be. A report published shortly before development started wrote of the significance: "The proposed removal of the silos in the southern portion will have a greater than minor heritage impact." "Although the silos are not listed on any statutory registers, they are important to the local area as evidence of dairying in the Campbelltown district, and dairying practices in the 1930s." "They are examples of a standard concrete silo design promoted by the NSW Government Department of Agriculture during the 1930s Depression as structures associated with the NSW Government unemployment relief scheme of that period." "Consideration should be given to partial retention of the silos for interpretational purposes."

One person who was sympathetic towards saving the silos was Cr Warren Morrison. In 2018 he said, "It would be perfect timing as we head towards the Campbelltown bicentennial in 2020 to try to preserve our history wherever possible". "The silos can be seen from the Hume Highway, and they are a visible reminder of our past as an agricultural region". Another proposed project that never eventuated was the establishment of a Military Memorial Precinct in the vicinity of the silos. It was envisaged that the silos could be restored and painted with WW1 graphics.

Unlike the iconic silos on Appin Road, I have been unable to find much information on the Menangle Park silos. There are references on Trove to silos in the Menangle area, but it is unclear if they are the silos on the Vardy Estate. The estate property was originally granted to Thomas Byrne in 1812. Thomas Vardy later became owner of the land about 1840. The property appears to have operated as a dairy farm in the twentieth century and, along with the information about the unemployment relief scheme of the 1930s, helps date the silos to that period.

I came across a photograph taken around the 1960s of the silos and an adjacent house. Also included below is one of a similar view taken in 2020 and three years before demolition.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Menangle Park Land Release Area Volume 1

South West Voice, 9 October 2018

Christmas in Campbelltown- 100 Years Ago

The festive season in Australia in 1924 was threatened by the waterfront disputes that had developed through the year. Luckily for Campbelltown, the disputes had minimum impact on Christmas. The Campbelltown News reported a week before the big day what various businesses offered for the community. Most of them had decorated their shop windows with their usual enthusiasm and Christmas spirit. Besides decorations, each business also displayed their Christmas goodies, which was typical for the time. Some notable standouts included:

Solomon Brothers- This firm stood on the southeast corner of Queen and Dumaresq Streets. The Solomons had taken over the business from Percy Marlow five years earlier. They had 5 windows to show off their products.

Solomon's Store c.1928

Winton and Ireland- this shop was located in Railway Street. They were grocers, ironmongers and produce merchants, where their three windows displayed an exceptional range of crockery and Christmas fruits. They were anticipating a 'heavy rush during the coming week'.

C and E Nicod- had recently specialised in electrical ware and pictures. The paper described these pictures as making splendid presents. I can only speculate on what they mean by 'pictures'. Perhaps it was associated with the new phenomenon of electricity and displaying some type of pictures with a glow! Or maybe it was related to moving pictures? I would love to read theories from anyone.

Reeve's Emporium- This iconic business was known for its Christmas decorations. H.S. Reeve had an emporium on the corner of Patrick and Queen Streets, which was built around the turn of the century. Reeve described his toy department as the headquarters of Father Christmas. The shops range that year was described as most surprising (I think they mean it was good). What an exciting shop it would have been for children!

Reeve's Emporium is the building in the background of this photo

Miss M Keller- This shop was on the southern corner of Queen and Patrick Streets on the opposite corner to Reeve's Emporium. This was also an exciting shop- for all ages, especially those that loved chocolates and ice cream. It was the place to buy a box of chocolates for ant sweet tooth that Christmas.

The Model Bakery- Mr W.J. Boweher had recently opened up his new bakery on the southeast corner of Queen and Broughton Streets. He installed a three-bag oven capable of turning out three bags of flour in bread every 3 and a half hours. He was ready for the Christmas rush by baking buns, cakes and pastry.

C.J. Storey's Furniture Shop- was located near the town hall. His idea of a perfect gift included a perambulator, go-cart, or an easy comfortable chair. What a simpler world it was back then!

And finally, Charles Tripp's garage business on the southeast corner of Dumaresq and Queen Streets. Charles was a fanatical fan of the early wireless. That year he encouraged people to listen to a wireless set if the weather was unfavourable. He was only too keen to demonstrate this new technology and help you "listen-in".

Charles Tripp (photo courtesy of Marie Goodsell)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our History Buff readers!

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown News. Friday 19 December 1924, page 1

Joseph and Mary

I have been reading an interesting account of a convict ship that arrived in the colony in 1829. A Cargo of Women: Susannah Watson and the Convicts of the Princess Royal by Babette Smith is a gripping account of the lives of the women convicts aboard the 'Princess Royal'. The book outlines the dire poverty these women endured in England and how it contributed to each woman's fate. Many of the women dreaded the journey and destination they were about to encounter, but others welcomed the opportunity and regarded it as a means to escape their desperate situations. Although much of the focus is on a female convict named Susannah Watson, it touches on most or all of the convicts. One such woman is Mary Ann Taylor.

Mary Ann, found guilty of highway robbery, was a dairymaid from Wiltshire and had been assigned straight from the ship's arrival in 1829 to Campbelltown and Reverend Thomas Reddall. It did not take her long to find a man in the male dominated tiny settlement. Joseph Giles was assigned to landowner William Howe of Glenlee Estate. Glenlee homestead, built before Joseph was assigned there, still stands proudly on land between Campbelltown and Menangle. Joseph Giles was also born in Wiltshire, in the village of Salisbury around 1800. A Protestant, he arrived in the Colony on board the Marquis of Hastings in 1826 as a convict. The work Joseph did for Howe included gardening and dairy farming. An indication of the good character of Joseph and Mary is revealed in the recommendations supplied by Reddall and Howe. Rev. Redall said that Mary Ann 'has conducted herself tolerably well since she has been in my family', while William Howe, supporting Giles, said he 'has been in my employ since his arrival in the Colony and has conducted himself in a proper manner. I consent to his marriage and undertake to receive them both into my service.' Joseph and Mary stayed with him until Joseph obtained a ticket-of-leave at the end of 1834.

Glenlee homestead taken in 1980

Babette Smith provided an insight into the long journey Mary Ann experienced on the 'Princess Royal'. Despite most of her fellow passengers coping well with a particularly warm day on the voyage, according to the surgeon's log, Mary Ann found the heat on the ship oppressive and collapsed after helping to clean the lower deck. Surgeon Wilson found her lying on her berth and red in the face. Two weeks later, she sat for too long on the upper deck and dramatically fainted into a delirious fever.

Following Joseph's ticket-of-leave, the couple moved to the Stonequarry district (today's Picton) and Joseph worked there as a stockkeeper. They later moved back to Campbelltown where Joseph became a police constable. This was not uncommon for convicts to be employed as policemen. However, Joseph was caught stealing a hat in February 1838, despite his recent successes. He was sentenced to an iron gang for 12 months and lost his ticket-of-leave. Mary Ann was left to support herself and her young daughter Sarah without their cattle which were forfeited to the Crown.

Again, Joseph displayed good behaviour and the major in charge of the stockade at Campbelltown recommended a remission of his sentence. He was later described as a quiet and laborious man, well- spoken by his superiors. He later obtained another ticket-of-leave and Mary Ann joined him in the Liverpool area. Joseph died in 1847 at Denham Court. Mary Ann later married a William Banford the following year at Denham Court. They had no children. Despite a considerable search, I am unable to be sure what became of Mary Ann. It is also unclear what happened to William Banford.

I ran a cemetery tour last September at Denham Court Cemetery. I explained that the oldest grave with a headstone in the cemetery belonged to a Joseph Giles. The very weathered stone stood on the edge of the church yard, as it has done for 177 years. It was only after reading about and researching his wife Mary Ann in the last week that I realised the connection.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

SMITH, Babette

A Cargo of Women: Susannah Watson and the Convicts of the Princess Royal

Campbelltown Pioneer Register

Inspector McMillan

Frank McMillan left his mark on the community by serving with distinction in the NSW Police Force. He further left his mark in the sporting world by producing an outstanding rugby league player in son Frank Junior. Frank Senior was a popular bloke in town and his sudden passing left Campbelltown in shock.

Franklin Cutbush McMillan was born on 15 August 1868 at Mount Lydia Farm, Uralla, in the New England area. He entered the Police Force at the age of 21, with the old Belmore Police Barracks where Central Station is now his first posting. Not long after in 1892, he was sent to keep order at Broken Hill when the miner's strike broke out. He also spent time at other remote locations such as Wilcannia and White Cliffs.

He quickly worked his way up to 1st Class Sergeant where he was stationed at Parramatta. He then received a transfer to Campbelltown in 1917 after a "splendidly representative gathering" at Jubilee Hall in Parramatta. Their loss was Campbelltown's gain.

After spending some years in Campbelltown as an Inspector, Frank was then transferred to Bourke and then Young. Huge farewells followed in both towns again. In his Young farewell they called him "one of the grandest gentlemen in the service. Duty first and pleasure afterwards was the lesson he always taught younger policeman.

In 1927 Frank McMillan retired from the police force and made his way back to Campbelltown. This indicated his affection for the town and what must have been enjoyable years experienced here.

Frank Cutbush McMillan (Photo from Michelle Delaney Collection)

Frank was the father of an Australian rugby league player and coach by the same name. Nicknamed "Skinny", Frank McMillan was a full-back and played nine tests between 1929 and 1934, two as captain. He has been named as one of Australia's finest players. He played for Western Suburbs and captain-coached them to the 1934 premiership. He was the first coach of the newly formed Parramatta club in 1947. Sport appears to have run in the family. Frank senior was a bowls enthusiast and very good player.

Frank McMillan (Photo from Michelle Delaney Collection)

Frank senior died on 28 April 1932 after suffering a heart attack at his home on the corner of Moore and Cordeaux Streets. He was aged 63 and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery. 

Class of 1902

Campbelltown Library was thrilled to recently receive a donation of a photograph of Ingleburn Public School taken around 1902. This wonderful gem was found in a Lifeline store in a northern Sydney suburb. Unfortunately, almost all of the children are unidentified. However, a name can be put to two of the students. Malcolm McInnes is identified as the boy 2nd from right in the back row and Alan Buchanan McInnes is the boy with the white-collar 2nd from right in the second back row. The photo was taken by A.R. Brown.

Some interesting features of the photo include the hats worn by the teachers in the back row, which were typical of the time. Some of the students also have their hats by their side or on the ground in front of them. A few of the younger children have moved as the photo was taken, resulting in the usual blur. How disappointed their parents must have been. However, the detail that attracted my attention the most was the gun that the young boy 7th from the right in the front row appears to be holding! I have blown the image up and I am convinced it's a gun. No wonder the boy to his left appears nervous! I will stand corrected on this.

The McInnes brothers Alan and Malcolm lived all or most of their lives at Ingleburn. A year before the photo was taken, 8-year-old Alan had suffered painful injuries when he fell from his father's cart. The wheel ran over his head, but he made a full recovery. Alan married Mary Asher in 1925 and died at his home "Iona" in 1967 aged 75. Malcolm died in 1961 aged 71. He appears to have lived most of his life in Chester Road. Both brothers are buried in Denham Court Cemetery.

Thank you to Maria Richards for this generous donation.

Written by Andrew Allen 

Update

My colleague assures me that it's definitely a toy gun!

Update 2

I have just become aware that Malcolm McInnes senior was an alderman on Ingleburn Council and built and lived in the well-known stone cottage on Chester Road, Ingleburn.

The stone cottage with an unidentified boy at the front (possibly one of the McInnes brothers) c. 1904

Alderman Malcolm McInnes, father of the boys in the photo. He died in 1917.

 

Aero Estate

An early housing estate in the area was Aero Estate at Ingleburn. The estate, situated on the western side of the railway line, was also known as Blomfield Estate. The Blomfields were descendants of Captain Richard Brooks of nearby Denham Court. Richard's daughter Christiana married Thomas Blomfield. 

The vacant paddocks were subdivided in the 1920s and marketed as Aero Estate later in the decade. Information about the sales appeared in Sydney newspapers in early 1927. In the Daily Telegraph of 12 March 1927, the following notice appeared under the heading of Subdivisions: Six Estates Offering- Today's Sales and under Ingleburn "Today, at 3pm, Peach Bros. will offer at public auction, on the ground, 850 acres of choice residential and farm land, fronting the main Southern Road and the railway, at Ingleburn. The land for sale is known as the Aero Estate, and is subdivided into one, three, five and acre farmlets, in addition to a number of home sites". Advertisements the next month boasted it was "right at station" and buyers could choose between one, three and five acre lots from 30 pounds.

In 1939 Aero Road, which ran through the estate, became the first road in Ingleburn to be sealed. It was sealed for army purposes from the Military Camp to the railway station.

The estate continued to be developed into the late 1950s. In late 1969 Council announced plans to rezone the entire area light industry. All hell broke loose. Protests and petitions were the order of the day. Local residents who were living the dream on the estate were about to have their lives turned upside down. However, residents were eventually victorious, and the plan was dropped. Only a decade later Council overruled objections and approved light industry.

Aero Road was blocked off and became a minor road. In 1987 a new road bridge over the railway connected with Williamson Road. The level crossing closed, and Old Aero Road was renamed MacDonald Road, in honour of early landholders.

How Aero Estate and road got its name is confusing. According to locals Arthur and Jean Hounslow, around the First World War years when aviation was in its infancy, students from Sydney University used to travel there to use grass sledges. They then started using gliders and once they got used to it, they would sit in the glider and have it projected and come down over the flats over Ingleburn. However, according to Margaret Firth in her 1977 oral history interview, an early model aeroplane landed in a property named Moorland where the estate was later developed. A man and a woman had flown the plane and either a mechanical fault or lack of fuel forced them to land in the paddock. A huge crowd gathered, with "people coming from miles around".

An undated photo of Aero Road below the twin bridges from the freeway (Copyright NSW Main Roads 1929-1984)

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Margaret Firth oral history interview held at Campbelltown Library 23 November 1977

Arthur and Jean Hounslow oral history interview held at Campbelltown Library 23 May 2013

McGill, Jeff et al Campbelltown's Streets and Suburbs: How and why they got their names 1995

Daily Telegraph, 12 March 1927, p10

Kerr, David, Old Ingleburn in Grist Mills: Journal of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, Vol 21. No.1, March 2008

"Digger" Black

My recent Denham Court cemetery tour covered a former Ingleburn identity Clive "Digger" Black. Unlike everyone else I covered on the tour, "Digger" has no headstone to mark his grave and therefore his final resting place in unknown. "Digger's" story is covered below, taken from notes I made for the cemetery tour.

Clive “Digger” Black is buried in this cemetery in an unmarked grave. About 15 years ago when I started in my current role as Local Studies Librarian, I was asked to locate the grave by his daughter Maureen. I was unable to do this based on what I had to search, including the burial register for the cemetery. His location is still unknown.

He was born in 1913 at Ingleburn. “Digger” lived in Glenham Road (no longer exists but did in ’39- now Williamson Rd) and worked as a milk vendor/ dairy farmer 1935. Brother Oswald was also a farmer. His mother was Agnes Matilda and his father, once a Mayor of Ingleburn, was named Oswald. “Digger” enlisted in the army- in the Citizen Military forces or Land Army in 1941 and was discharged in 1944. He married Teresa Shanahan in 1950.

With his brother Oswald they saved Vincent Butters from drowning in Bunbury Curran Creek in 1924 after Vincent had swung out on a rope into deep water. Vincent hadn’t meant to let go as he couldn’t swim and went straight down. Oswald dived in to drag him to the shore and Clive pulled the lifeless body out from the slippery shore and began resuscitation. First standing him on his head, then rubbing hard and working his arms and legs until one of the boys stood on his stomach and he spluttered back to life. The Black family still have the hand-written thank you letter in their possession.

Digger Black’s dairy was the first to have a tractor in Ingleburn- A Lanz Bulldog. It had to be started by applying a blowtorch to the manifold and cranked with the removable steering wheel. Interestingly, the Lanz agents came at the beginning the war and removed it’s made in Germany label.

He later lived in Oxford Road and then Ingleburn Road in 1964 and listed as dairy farmer. Oswald had moved to Bringelly. Digger was president of the Ingleburn Bowling Club and was a well-known footballer. He was from accounts a sociable man.  He has a park named after him in Ingleburn.

“Digger” Black died from heart complications at Liverpool in September 1966 at the family home at 71 Oxford Road. He left behind a wife and 6 children.

Thank you to Digger's son Clive who provided information and generously donated the above photograph of his father.

Written by Andrew Allen