Friend of the Strays

There is a strong argument for Patrick "Paddy" Hunt as the most colourful character in Campbelltown's history. Over the years Paddy earned the title 'friend of the strays' and became a familiar figure as he searched for food to give the stray cats and dogs of Campbelltown. Locals always knew when he was around by the number of dogs gathered.

Dressed in a navy blue suit and hat Paddy walked Queen Street almost every evening regardless of the weather, searching the garbage cans for scraps to feed the strays. In 1970, the then Member for Campbelltown said "Paddy Hunt was Campbelltown's conscience with regard to the treatment of animals" and "Paddy would go without things himself so that he could have food for his animals."
On one occasion, Paddy was featured in a TV program for his kindness to stray animals.

Paddy Hunt was born in Leichhardt in 1897 and came to Campbelltown with his parents in 1930. He was described as a "natural hard-doer" and worked at odd jobs around the town, particularly gardening.

According to Paul O'Loughlan, Paddy was also a very keen racehorse follower. He would regularly describe an entire race from start to finish and this once included the 1940 Melbourne Cup won by a 100-1 outsider named Old Rowley. He backed it and won a fortune!

Paul also described how Paddy would retrieve half smoked cigarettes from rubbish bins and keep the unused tobacco. He would then add a liquid to it and add it to his tobacco supplies.

Paddy was knocked down by a car while attempting to cross Queen Street one night in 1978. He was searching for scraps to feed the animals at the time. He never fully recovered from this accident and died in hospital on January 7, 1979. During his time in hospital he requested that a bird bath be installed in Mawson Park. This wish was fulfilled and a memorial to Paddy next to the bird bath was erected early that year.

This is the Patrick "Paddy" Hunt Memorial Bird Bath in Mawson Park, Campbelltown

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News 30.1.1979, 5.12.1978, 9.5.1978
"Campbelltown Recollections: stories from our past" interview with Paul O'Loughlan

The Struggles of a Local Postmistress

It is difficult to imagine anyone surviving on just 10 pounds a year, even in the first half of last century. Yet this was all that Elizabeth Greenwood survived on for running the post office at Wedderburn from 1896 to 1927. Miss Greenwood was appointed to run the postal service at her stone cottage at Wedderburn following a petition by the residents in March 1896. Michael O'Shannesy would deliver the mail to Wedderburn Post Office on horseback, three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Letters held by the postal archives reveal her struggles to make ends meet. She begged for a few pounds to buy pigeonholes and a notice board. The Postmaster-General responded however saying he was not obliged to pay for extra expenses for "non official" offices. Over the years she also requested postal authorities to boost her yearly income of 10 pounds but without success.

In 1927, the post office closed its doors when Miss Greenwood became too ill to run it any longer. She eventually sold the cottage in 1936.

The stone cottage that Miss Greenwood ran as a post office still stands in Wedderburn Road. It has been neglected for years though with only the external walls still remaining.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Macarthur Advertiser 9.2.1994

HOLMES, Marie
"Wedderburn" in Grist Mills Vol. 10, No.2
April 1997

We Need Your Help!

Campbelltown Library recently had some photographs donated to us. One of these photographs (above) is of a Fisher's Ghost Festival street parade in the early 1960s. The image shows a large group of girls in front of a banner that reads "The Flying Garlands" (click on the image for a larger view). Behind this banner are others that read Please Help! Note the young girl at the front about to perform a hand stand.

The photograph is taken in Queen Street near the corner of Browne Street. In the background is the old Macquarie Cinema demolished in 1979 and a house now also demolished.

Does anyone know who the flying garlands were? Please let us know.

Written by Andrew Allen

Update

One of our library staff located a State Library photograph of a group of girls performing acrobatics in the same parade on the same day. The photo has a caption of "Parade and fete in Campbelltown to aid the Beverley Park Orthopaedic Hospital for handicapped children". It is dated the 5th of September, 1957.