Killed by Lightning

It would have been a typically hot and steamy February morning in Campbelltown. By midday on Sunday, February 11 1883, the skies over the small village has darkened and, in a matter of moments, so too were the lives of the Denmead family.

The Denmead family, including parents James and Eliza and their children, had moved to Campbelltown by 1857. It was during the 1870s and 1880s that the family lived at Emily Cottage. James Denmead was a butcher in town and possibly had his shop adjoining the cottage. Two of his daughters living there in 1883 were Emily and her sister Mary.

This is how the Evening News of 16 February 1883 and a number of other newspapers around the country reported what happened that fateful day:

At about midday on Sunday last, while a Miss Denmead was standing at her bedroom window at Campbelltown, a flash of lightning struck the bed in the room, burning part of the curtains and killing Miss Denmead on the spot. An inquest was held on Monday last, when the jury found that the deceased had been struck dead by lightning.

It was poor Mary that was struck. She was only 21, not married and a whole life ahead of her. There have been many stories over the years that claimed it was Emily that was struck, however this is untrue. Similarly, many have believed that Emily Cottage was named after Emily Denmead, but this cannot be proven. There is another story that a retired sea captain lived at the cottage in 1865 and that he named the cottage after his brig Emily.

Emily Cottage taken in 2004

There are as usual, claims that ghosts have been sighted at the cottage. Two girls, an older and a younger one, are supposedly Emily and Mary. As well as claims of seeing a girl at the window, there are also claims of seeing a woman and a young girl dressed in nineteenth century clothing emerge from the back of the cottage, walk to a lemon tree, pick some fruit and return to the cottage.

Emily Denmead would later marry Ted Wearne in 1891. This was a controversial marriage, as Ted was from a staunchly Protestant family and Emily was Catholic. She died in Stathfield in 1944 aged 73.

Mary Denmead was buried in St John's Catholic Cemetery on the hill, along with other members of the Denmead family. (see below)

Next time you are passing Emily Cottage, that much loved icon of Campbelltown at the intersection of Camden and Old Menangle Roads, spare a thought and perhaps reflect back on that terrible day for Campbelltown and the Denmeads.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

HOLMES, Marie
Emily Cottage
In Grist Mills, Journal of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, Vol. 30, No. 2, July 2017

RENWICK, Manoa 2001
Emily Denmead and Ted Wearne of Campbelltown and Liverpool

The Women's Rest Centre

Long before parenting rooms became popular; there were women’s rest centres, buildings specifically built, often in the heart of town, for women and mothers to do just that, rest.
Becoming popular in the 1950s, they provided areas to lounge, wash, toilet and feed children whilst older children could play as mum enjoyed a nice quiet refreshment. It meant that mothers no longer had to rush home halfway through shopping to feed or care for their babies.

Women in Campbelltown were quick to express their appreciation of their new rest centre, opened on 21 March 1969 at a cost of $54,000, a beautifully designed and appointed building, it was the third building erected in the Civic Centre Complex, its position was chosen so that it would be as close as possible to the railway station, planned new bus terminal and proposed new library building, and was designed by architects Messrs. Davey, Brindley and Vickery, who had designed all of the Council’s new buildings.

The newly constructed rest centre looking towards Railway Street with the old Police Station visible in the background

 

Open each weekday from 9.30am-5pm and Saturdays 9am-12noon and serviced by an attendant, the centre included a lounge, powder room, facilities for preparing baby food and warming bottles, private cubicles for baby feeding and changing. Tea or coffee was available for a moderate charge and parcels could be checked into a cloak room, there was also a sheltered outdoor walled garden where older children could play. The rest centre proved extremely popular with local mums, travelling mums and pensioners, with many becoming regulars, dropping in each day for a cup of tea and a chat, perhaps this was the beginning of a mothers group or a new friendship.     

The interior showing modern facilities

Sadly as the years went by and shopping centres were built, the provision of a women's only rest centre was a duplication of more modern facilities available in these nearby shopping centres, the rest centre was converted into a training centre for Council employees and later demolished around about 2013 to make way for a car park.

 

Written by Samantha Stevenson

Sources: Campbelltown-Ingleburn News

The Three Brothers

A well-known landmark as you approach Campbelltown from the freeway is Hollylea House. This two-storey sandstock brick house was built by Nathaniel Boon next to the Plough Inn on Campbelltown Road about 1829, although this date in uncertain. With the realignment of Campbelltown Road, the old inn is now in Hollylea Road.

This photo of Hollylea House was taken in 1980

 

The building hasn't always been known as Hollylea House. In 1830 Nathaniel and his wife Sarah were proud parents of boy triplets, Nicholas, James and Jonathan. Someone having triplets today is quite newsworthy, so one can imagine how this caused huge excitement in the area in 1830. Capitalising on this considerable publicity and excitement, Boon licensed his inn under the sign of The Three Brothers in 1832.

Drama and controversy seemed to follow Nathaniel Boon all his life. Some of the dramas included:

• Indicted in a London court for stealing a watch and chain. He was found guilty and sentenced to transportation to NSW.
• Fred Fisher took Nathaniel Boon to court, claiming he refused to honour an agreement. But Boon satisfied the court that the signature on the agreement was forged. Boon then declared his intention to lay charges against Fisher for forgery.
• Boon standing for trial for the murder of John Phillips on Long Cove Bridge on Parramatta Road. He was heading towards Campbelltown. Boon was found not guilty.
• When convict Jane New escaped gaol in 1829 she made her way to Amos Crisp's house at Upper Minto. Three constables came searching the house and Jane escaped...to Nathaniel Boon's house! Boon had a connection to Amos Crisp through his mistress Sarah.
• His son Daniel was hanged for murder at Wagga in 1876.
• Boon's lifeless body was found in 1839 with marks on the throat caused by the effects of suffocation, brought on by drunkenness.

The Three Brothers Inn became known as The Traveller's Home in 1854, after it was licensed by William Ray. The inn closed its doors in 1858 after the railway line between Campbelltown and Liverpool was opened. It became a private residence known as Borobine House. It was renamed Holly Lea by parliamentarian John Davies after he purchased it in 1884. Today it is spelt as Hollylea.

Sources:

FOWLER, Verlie 1991
The Legend of Fisher's Ghost

FOWLER, Verlie
Hollylea, Leumeah
In Grist Mills, Vol. 25 No. 3, November 2012