How to Renovate and how NOT to Renovate!

Two of Campbelltown's most historic and treasured buildings both underwent renovations in the 1960s. Campbellfield at Minto and Macquarie Field House both had work done to them. In the case of Macquarie Field House, the renovations saved the house from demolition or falling down. In the case of Campbellfield, the "renovations" almost completely destroyed one of the most valuable examples of colonial architecture and construction, not only in Campbelltown, but the entire country.

Campbellfield at Minto was built on a grant of 800 acres made to Dr William Redfern in 1811. Redfern came to the colony as a convict in 1801 and became a medical practitioner and respected colonist. He retired to his farm at Campbellfield after 1816 and built this house before 1820.

In the mid 1960s crude and disastrous renovations were carried out on the cottage. The first lot of alterations and additions saw a detached kitchen and stables demolished as well as closing in of the rear veranda and the house extended at the northern end. Further renovations virtually destroyed the building, leaving only the stone flagged veranda, a chimney and stone cellar intact. Redfern expert and historian Arthur Jones, who was a teacher at nearby Minto Public at the time, was told by his pupils that Redfern's house had been pulled down. When he went to see what happened at recess, he found that most of the building had been demolished.

Now for the good story. Macquarie Field House in the early 1960s was in a sad state of decay. At one stage it faced likely demolition. In fact it had fallen into such a state of dilapidation that it was almost beyond restoration. A melancholy ruin on a lonely hilltop and mercifully mostly hidden by trees. Enter David Jamieson. He leased the property from the Department of Agriculture and between 1962 and 1963 completely restored the house, entirely at his own expense. It was restored to the requirements of the Government Architect and the National Trust. What a pity Campbellfield didn't have the same requirements. It became Jamieson's home and arrangements were made by the Trust to make periodical inspections. Today this grand old colonial house stands proud on that same hilltop adjacent to the new suburb of Macquarie Links.

An interesting fact about the restoration of Macquarie Field House was that the house's missing fireplace mantles were replaced by marble mantles from "Subiaco", one of the finest colonial homes built in Sydney. It was located at Rydalmere and built between 1833 and 1836 and demolished in 1961.

Below are before and after photographs of Campbellfield and Macquarie Field House after their renovations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbellfield, Guernsey Avenue, Minto
A Heritage Study For the Ministerial Development Corporation, February 1996

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, 15.7.1975

Sydney Morning Herald, 22.9.1961

Macquarie Field House and it's restoration- notes from James Munro's Notebook

Macquarie Fields House to be saved- newspaper extract from CAHS Dr I. G. Thomas estate.

The Drunk's Express

In the 1940s an old liquor law was re-introduced that meant anyone was forbidden to drink at a hotel on a Sunday unless they travelled more than 25 miles. They were regarded as "weary travelers". Occasional raids were made by police to check identity cards which would prove where they lived. As Campbelltown was 32 miles from Sydney it was seen as a prime target for drinkers. This was good news for hoteliers looking for business and thirsty out-of-towners after a weekend drink, however it also proved to be a nightmare for hotel owners at the same time. It was also understandably unpopular with thirsty locals.

The train that the town came to dread was the arrival of the 1.30pm at Campbelltown Station. It became infamous as the "Drunk's Express" or the "Ghost Train" as it was packed with hundreds of loud-mouthed city louts that invaded Campbelltown every weekend. One hotel that attracted these louts was the Royal, located inconveniently or conveniently depending on your situation, next to the railway station. The licensee of the time, a Mr Knap, commented "They're the roughest crowd I have ever seen in my life. They come in hundreds. I slam and lock my doors at 3pm on Saturdays, and they stay locked until 5.15. By then they are nearly all gone again, but in the meantime, they nearly kick my doors in."

In January 1944 a sailor and two female companions travelled on the 'ghost train' for a drink at the Good Intent Hotel. They ended up spending a night in the lock up after they were charged with various offences after a boozy brawl. Newspaper reports describe there being about seventy people inside the pub and several waiting to get in. The magistrate for the hearing said "that shortly there will be a beautiful argument about the question of bona-fide travelers. It is apparent that most of these people come to Campbelltown only to get drink, and I have very grave doubts about most of them being bona-fide travelers."

The Good Intent Hotel was one hotel that attracted huge numbers of 'travellers' in the 1940s (Steve Roach Collection)

Written by Andrew Allen

Source:

Truth, 16 January 1944, p22

Campbelltown Clippings by Jeff McGill 1993

Nurses and Hospitals

It's hard to imagine that up until fairly recently it was expected that when a woman got married she would give up her career. This was certainly the expectation in nursing. Recently we interviewed Elsie Evans, who began her nursing career in the early 1940s.
"...I went from that to the theatres and I stayed in the theatres until about '48, and then I moved over to King George which was the obstetric hospital attached to PA. I stayed there until I was married because then you had to resign."
One way for these women to continue their nursing career was to set up a private hospital. Elsie explains - "That's why you saw a lot of these obstetric hospitals set up by nurse so-and-so. They would just get a house and set it up as an obstetric hospital but you couldn't work in the public system."
Historically Florence Nightingale had given the vocation of nursing respectability for women. She had also, supported by Sir Henry Parkes, been in favour of the idea of matrons managing hospitals, not being subordinate to doctors.
With no hospital in Campbelltown, one of the earliest of these private hospitals was at Mrs Huckstepp's home "The Pines", in Innes Street. Run by Nurse (Mrs) Rachel Huckstepp, it provided maternity facilities for expectant mothers. Mrs Huckstepp's eldest daughter would be sent to fetch Dr Mawson when a birth was anticipated, and Mrs Huckstepp would also accompany Dr Mawson to more distant properties when he attended women giving birth at home.

Rachel Huckstepp (photo CAHS, donated by Judy Coppini)

A number of other hospitals were operating, including "Kyla" in Lithgow Street, run by Nurse Newbury, from the beginning of WWI and "Norma" in Warby Street, under the care of Nurse Brock and Nurse Wilson in the 1920s. Nurse Wilson would later move to "Nattai" in Lindesay Street.
Two of the more well known private hospitals were "Avro" in Coogan Lane, and "Milby" in Queen Street. "Avro" operated during the '30s to the '50s and "Milby" from the '20s to the '50s. "Milby" was primarily a maternity hospital but did take other types of patients.
Also in the '50s were "Bramwell" and "Braemar".
If anyone has any memories of these early private hospitals we'd love to hear from you!


Written by Claire Lynch


Sources
Elsie Evans oral history - Campbelltown City Library
Grist Mills Vol.12 No.1 "The Huckstepp Family"
Campbelltown - The Bicentennial History - Carole Liston
From Nightingale nurses to a modern profession : the journey of nursing in Australia - Dr Georgina Willetts
Trove