Tragedy of the Terry Sisters

Campbelltown has experienced many tragedies over the years but the drowning of the Terry sisters in 1900 was one of the most shocking and heart breaking for the community. Lillian aged 15 and Irene aged 12 both drowned in the Georges River in March, 1900.

The Campbelltown Herald reported that the two St Patrick's Convent pupils had a half day holiday due to the Campbelltown Show. Two of the nuns from the school and a Miss Cecily Hill took their classes for a walk to the river. The two Terry sisters went for a swim in the shallow area but wandered into deep water and got into difficulties.

At the inquest, Sister Cecily stated six girls went in to bathe. She succeeded in rescuing two girls and tried to save Lillian and Irene Terry. She told the inquest "I grasped Lily by the hair. But, getting in to deeper water myself, I lost hold." The police searched the river and recovered the bodies two hours later.

The girls came from the New South Wales town of Hay and their bodies were returned there by mail train for burial. A large number of sympathising friends followed the hearse to the station and the children of the convent joined in the procession.

The photograph below shows their headstone in the Roman Catholic section of the Hay Cemetery. It was reported as the largest funeral Hay had seen.

                            W.Carter Collection (Campbelltown City Library)

Source: Campbelltown Herald March 14, 1900

Written by Andrew Allen

Charles Tripp- Radio Pioneer

Imagine the scene: its a cold Saturday night in early September of 1928 and a large crowd of Campbelltown locals have gathered outside Charles Tripp's Silver Star Garage at the corner of Queen and Dumaresq Streets. They are all rugged up against the cold to listen to a broadcast of the fight at the Sydney Stadium between the Englishman Kid Socks and the Australian Archie Cowan. But why have they gathered outside a garage in Campbelltown?

Charles Tripp was Campbelltown's pioneer radio buff. He was a member of the Wireless Institute of Australia from 1914.  Radio was very much in it's infancy at the time Tripp became interested. Charles would have learned about radio from two magazines of the period catering for the home constructor- The Wireless Weekly of Sydney and The Listener In.

In 1925, Charles built a four valve wireless set that was reported as a box-like structure. He then fixed a loud speaker on the front door of his garage on the corner of Queen and Dumaresq streets. The speaker was described as a horn type variety. The sound from the speaker could be heard fifty yards (45 metres) away. This attracted crowds who would listen on Friday and Saturday nights to boxing matches from the old Sydney Stadium or to popular serials.

Charles Tripp lived in Campbelltown for the remainder of his life. He died on the 17th of March 1953 and is buried in St John's Catholic Cemetery in Campbelltown.

Charles Tripp's early radio experiments are featured as part of Campbelltown Library's "Creative Campbelltown" display for the 2012 National Trust Heritage Festival. The display will be available for viewing at the H.J. Daley Library from April 14 to 29.

Tripp's Garage on the corner of Queen and Dumaresq Streets in 1940. Ralph's Chemist now occupies this site. Haydon Collection (Local Studies Collection. Campbelltown City Library)

Do you remember Tripp's garage? Let us know your memories.

Sources:

Holm, Marie (Tess) et al
Campbelltown 1930-1940: Dumaresq Street and Environs
Campelltown NSW: Campbelltown City Council, 1985