Louisa Fisher

An amazing photograph came to light last week. The library was sent a remarkable image of  Louisa Fisher- the sister of our famous ghost Fred Fisher. This is the first time the library has seen a photo of one of Fred Fisher's immediate family. I wonder did she look like her brother Fred? The only description we have of Fred Fisher is through convict records. They describe him as having average height with a fair complexion and brown hair. Not much detail there.

Louisa Ellen Fisher was Frederick's younger sister. The photograph is in the possession of a direct descendant of Fred and Louisa's brother Samuel. Samuel Fisher's son Samuel migrated to Australia to find out about Frederick's estate. There were concerns of fraudulent activities. Young Samuel remained in Sydney and married there in 1849.

Thank you to the descendant John Wise for sharing Louisa's photo with the library. John's link to her and Fred was proven with a DNA match.

Louisa Fisher is photographed above. Date is unknown. (photograph courtesy of John Wise)

Written by Andrew Allen

Rixon and Burrows

Most of us know the story of Frederick Fisher and the events that lead to his murder by George Worrell. The lives of the main characters involved such as Fisher, Worrell and Farley have been well documented. Some of the lesser known contributors to the story however have little information written about them. Two such people are the three young boys who found the blood stains on the fence- the two Rixon brothers and young Burrows.

On 25 October 1826, ten year old Robert Burrows and two of his half brothers Thomas and Henry Rixon, had been fishing in Bow Bowing Creek (can you imagine trying to catch fish in there now! Apparently a fish called a gudgeon was in abundant supply). They elected to take a short-cut back to Appin Road by crossing Fisher's horse paddock. The boys were about to negotiate the fence which separated the farms of Fisher and Worrell when they noticed blood on the fence. The uppermost rail had splashes of blood as big as a hand. The boys raced back to Campbelltown and raised the alarm. Their discovery eventually resulted in the discovery of the hastily buried body of Fred Fisher.

Robert Burrows was baptised on 6 October 1816 at St. Luke's Liverpool. He was the only son of Robert Burrows and Amelia Rixon. His father, Robert Burrows Senior, was a convict who arrived on the Earl Cornwallis in 1801. He married Amelia Rixon in 1816 at St. Luke's and tragically drowned at South Creek on Aspinall's farm at Windsor in 1820. Burrows was Amelia's third partner (she was recognised as married to James Rixon without officially marrying him).

Not much else is known of Robert Junior's life. He married Mary Smith in 1843 when he was aged 27 and died at his residence at Balmain in 1851, aged only 35.

Unlike Robert Burrows, the two Rixon boys involved in the discovery of blood stains, came from a large family. On the front page of the Sydney Gazette of 19 January 1806 it was reported that “On the night of last Sunday Amelia Rixon, the wife of a private in the New South Wales Corps, was safely delivered of three infants, two of whom are living and have a very promising appearance, the third was sadley still born” .The triplets were the first to be born in the colony. The surviving triplets were James and Benjamin. Thomas and Henry were born in 1808 and 1810 respectively. This makes both of them considerably older than their half brother Robert Burrows when the blood stains were located.

Both Thomas and John later served as police constables and appear to have remained in the Campbelltown area. Thomas also worked as a farmer and miller. He died in Campbelltown in 1883 and is buried in St Peter's Cemetery. Henry died the following year. Both had large families and their descendants still live in the region.

One can only imagine how their grisly discovery in 1826 affected them for the rest of their lives. Regardless of how they felt, all three boys played a significant role in the story of one of the world's most famous tales of murder and its apparition.

Written by Andrew Allen

The Myths and Truths of Margaret Farley

The story of John Farley is well-known, as the man who reputedly saw Fred Fisher’s ghost. His wife Margaret also has an interesting story.
An article in a Sydney newspaper of 1892 by the Hon. James Norton relates a tale his father, an early colonial solicitor, told of a young country girl who obtained a position in London, was wrongfully accused of stealing a silk ribbon from her employer, and sentenced to death. Her sentence was commuted to transportation for life after the intervention of some “humane persons”.  After arriving in the colony, this young woman continued her domestic duties in the service of James Norton Snr. Mr Norton had a client, one John Farley who had become a prosperous and respectable man. Norton claims that “it is obvious that Mr Norton (Snr) must have acted as friendly mediator, and thus started on its course one of the most beautiful romances of the early colonial days”!!!
This got me started on some research about Margaret Farley, which rather debunked these romantic assertions!
Margaret Shuttleborough (also written as Chittleborough) stood 5’ 3 ½ in. tall, had a dark complexion, dark hair and hazel eyes. She had been tried in the Old Bailey in October 1810. Her theft was not of a silk ribbon, but rather she had stolen quite a number of items from her then employer Samuel Ballin and his wife Hannah of Great Prescott Street, London. Margaret stole and pawned a watch, a shawl handkerchief, a silk cloak, two gold brooches, two handkerchiefs, a pair of gold bracelets, two shawls, four caps, a pair of stockings, three gowns, eight yards of lace, and a pair of bracelet snaps! Samuel spoke to both his servants about the missing items, after which Margaret absconded from the house. Samuel found Margaret at Bishopgate Street, and made her return with him to his home. Police were called for and after some enquiries she was taken into custody. She was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death.  Her sentence was commuted to 21 years.
Margaret arrived in Sydney aged 19 on board the Minstrel, on October 25th, 1812, 10 months after John Farley’s arrival.
Somewhat problematic is the claim that James Norton may have been instrumental in the marriage of Margaret Shuttleborough and John Farley. Their marriage took place in Sydney on February 2nd, 1814, and James Norton Snr did not arrive in Sydney until 1818. The tale told by James Norton is a pretty one, if not factual! Margaret and John married at St Philip’s Church of England, which stood where Lang Park is in Sydney today.

St Philips Church of England 1817 (visitsydneyaustralia.com.au/grosvenor-street.html)

The Farleys did not have any known children. John died in 1841, and Margaret received an absolute pardon in 1842.  She stayed on in Campbelltown and became the licensee of the King’s Arms in 1843. It was reported that after her husband John’s death, she claimed that he had invented the sighting of Fred Fisher’s ghost because he had been drinking with Fisher and Worrall the night Fisher disappeared, had seen them walk home together and suspected that Worrall had something to do with Fisher’s disappearance. The ghost story was put about to provoke some action.
 It is here that Margaret’s trail disappears. I could find no death record, no re-marriage. I would love to know what happened to Margaret, as she came into quite a bit of money and property after John died. 


Written by Claire Lynch


Sources
Trove
Ancestry
NSW BDM

In the Footsteps of Fred

Very little physical evidence in Campbelltown, if anything, is left to reminder us of the brief life of Frederick Fisher. All traces of the house where he lived, a storeroom and brick building he built, his farm and the fence (or possibly bridge) where his ghost appeared have all disappeared. Even the location of his grave has been lost to history.

Records associated with the court case surrounding the murder of Fred Fisher give us some idea of where these sites were. There are also articles written about the appearance of the ghost in the years following the reported sighting. One such early article was written in 1836, only ten years after the murder. Although not entirely accurate (it refers to John Hurley as the man who claims to have seen the ghost of Fisher and not John Farley), it does offer us with some food for thought, especially considering it was written so soon after the murder and ghost appearance.

The article appeared in Tegg's Monthly Magazine. This publication was only in existence for a few months during 1836. The Tegg brothers were booksellers and publishers in London and came to Australia in 1834. There are some descriptions in Tegg's article that gives us clues about some of the Fisher sites. The article described how Hurley (Farley) passed Fisher's house 500-800 yards when he claimed to have seen the apparition of Fisher. Fisher's house was on the site of the old Bank of New South Wales. This bank, demolished around the late 1950s, was in Queen Street and a few buildings to the north of Dumaresq Street. It was located about where today's Romanoff Clothing Store is at 215 Queen Street. Therefore the location of the ghost sighting, according to Tegg's article, would be about 457-731 meters south of this location along Queen Street. It was on the western side of the street, the same side as his house. If this is accurate, it would mean the location is further south of one of the main candidates for the appearance of Fred Fisher's ghost- the old water course at the corner of Queen and Dumaresq Streets. Many people believe it was a bridge that Fred appeared on however, the first mention of a bridge didn't surface until 1859 when a John Lang wrote about the story. This was 33 years after the event.   

The Bank of New South Wales is the building to the right in this photograph. It stood on the site of Fisher's house. The photo was taken in 1893.

Tegg's article also gives a description of a building behind Fisher's house that was built by him: "The visitant to Campbelltown must have observed as he strolled through the village, a large unfurnished brick building, fast mouldering to decay, which seems to have been intended at the time of its erection for a store". Incredibly, this brick building was still in existence in the 1960s. There was also a stone storeroom behind it. Most of this building was demolished in the 1940s.

The sandstock brick building built by Fisher, still standing in the 1960s. (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, Alex Goodsell Collection)

Thomas Davies Mutch, a politician and historian in the first half of the 1900s, also provides opinions on where Fisher's sites were located, based on his research. Mutch pinpointed the site of the murder and the blood-stained rails from a contemporary sketch plan. The ghost, therefore, sits on the southern boundary of Fisher's farm, 55 rods westward from Queen Street. The southern boundary of Fisher's farm was in line with the southern side of Allman Street. Therefore, according to Mutch, the site would be about 276 metres (55 rods) west of Queen Street and directly in line with Allman Street.

The location of where George Worrall buried Fisher was researched by historian Verlie Fowler in about 1980. Using maps and descriptions from Worrall's trial, she was able to locate the sight. It is now where the railway line passes over the dry creek. (see photo below).

Fowler Collection, Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

The mystery of exactly where Fred Fisher was re-buried in St Peters Cemetery is, and always will be, a mystery. Theories have always been thrown around, but the truth is that we will never know the precise location.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

THOMAS, Ivor G. 1948
Frederick George James Fisher
In Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society: Journal and Proceedings
Vol. 1, No. 1, pp84-89

Fisher's Ghost: A Legend of Campbelltown
In Tegg's Monthly Magazine
March 1836

The Haunted Harrow

Almost everyone in Campbelltown would be familiar with the story of Fisher's Ghost. Not many however would be familiar with "The Harrow"- the pub where John Farley ran to 'in great fright' to break the news of his ghostly tale. The Harrow therefore played an important part in Campbelltown's history. This is why I was fascinated by a discovery I made on Trove last week of an article from the Australasian Chronicle in 1841, just 15 years after the Fisher's Ghost legend was born. It appears that The Harrow became well known for other ghostly experiences other than those related to Fisher.

The Chronicle describes a letter written to the editor about "great alarm and sensation" in the village arising from strange experiences in the old pub.The letter explains that "...some unusual noises were heard, at unreasonable hours, in an old house occupied by Messrs. Shields and Patrick, in which is conducted the butchering business. These parties have been obliged to leave the premises every night, in consequence of the rumbling noises heard all over the building, and take shelter in adjoining houses." It went on to describe how a man named Baker had once lived there but had to vacate the premises because of the hauntings. The letter further stated that "I have often heard him say he could not get one night's rest in a week from the rattling and tumbling heard aloft when the serial beings were conducting their midnight orgies." I love the language.

The old Harrow actually survived for approximately another 118 years. It was built probably in 1822. Prominent businessman and ex-convict John Patrick owned the license shortly after the Fisher's Ghost experience. David Patrick researched the pub's history extensively and managed to pinpoint its exact location. He wrote an article in Grist Mills in November 1998 outlining his results. After John Patrick's ownership, the building would be used for various shops including a general store owned by the Graham Brothers in 1896, a fruit shop for G. Packer in 1915, C.W. Parker's Store in the 1920s and Romalis' Fish and Chip shop and café. It disappeared without trace after this. It is now the site of the Campbelltown City Centre in Queen Street, directly opposite Lithgow Street.

 

The Harrow became C.W. Parker's Store. This photograph was taken by Tom Swann in 1920. (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

 

 

 

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

 

Australasian Chronicle Saturday 27 November 1841, page 2

 

PATRICK, David

The Harrow: the Fisher's Ghost Pub

In Grist Mills 11 (3), November 1998

 

"The Legend of Fisher's Ghost" - musically speaking.

The legend of Fisher's Ghost has been celebrated in popular culture in many ways over the years. Related in countless newspaper articles, as well as poems, songs, books, plays, an opera, and film, it once attracted the attention of notables such as Charles Dickens, who published a version of the story in his magazine "Household Words", and entertainer John Pepper, who used it as the subject of one of his stage illusions in Sydney in 1879.
Campbelltown City Library is fortunate to hold a copy of one of these tributes - "The Legend of Fisher's Ghost", written by Catherine Fields musician Jimmie McFarlane, and produced by Don Watt at Earth Media Studios, Milsons Point. With Jimmie's band "Country Road" playing the backing, the single was released with another of Jimmie's compositions on the flip side - "The Camden Train".

The cover of "The Legend of Fisher's Ghost" 

The record was completely financed by the licensees of The Good Intent, Jim and Evonne Rook. On Thursday March 19th, 1981, they launched the record at a special event at the hotel.


Jimmie McFarlane sitting on Fisher's Ghost Bridge

Jimmie was born in Bulli, and spent some years of his life at Glenmore House, in the foothills of the Razorback near Camden. Writing "The Legend of Fisher's Ghost" was prompted by a strong interest in the local area and it's history. Sadly Jimmie died at the age of 46, but we are able to remember him though his work. We have very kindly been given permission to upload "The Legend of Fisher's Ghost" via the following link.



Written by Claire Lynch
Sources
Campbelltown Ingleburn News 1981
Macarthur Advertiser 1981
Special thanks to the McFarlane Family (Casey McFarlane, Glenda Wenban, Sandie McFarlane)

Thomas Hammond

One of the most prominent people in the early days of Campbelltown was Thomas Hammond. He was born on 15 July 1792 in Gawsworth, England. Thomas became a London brick maker who, at the age of nineteen, had been transported for seven years. He arrived in Sydney on the General Hewitt in 1814. He received a grant of 100 acres at Campbelltown when his sentence expired and he named this property Clari Montes.

The convict ship Genral Hewitt

 

In 1824 Hammond married Ann Byrne, the daughter of an Appin settler. The marriage produced eight children. The family worked hard at Clari Montes, planting grapevines, hops and fruit trees. His family reportedly lived in a 'commodious dwelling' with outhouses. As well as possessing a strong knowledge of farming, Hammond also put his skills in brickwork to advantage. He was granted land on the corner of Cordeaux and Queen Streets, where he built an inn which he named the Kings Arms. It consisted of 12 rooms, a kitchen and stables. He was also awarded a contract to convert Cooper's public house into a courthouse and gaol in November 1826.

The Kings Arms Inn, photographed in 1886 when it was known as The Club Hotel

 

Thomas Hammond also played a significant role in the story of Fisher's Ghost. At George Worrall's trial, Hammond, who knew Fred Fisher, said of Worrall "In July he offered to sell me some boards of Fisher's, which he was authorized to dispose of by a written power, and would show it; but he never did. The boards must be taken away immediately, he added, for fear of an execution be put in, and that Fisher had left because he was afraid of a persecution for forgery." While talking to Worrall, Hammond noticed that he had a pair of trousers on which belonged to Fisher. Cross-examined, Hammond said: "Fisher was a much smaller man than the prisoner, and it was the tight fit of the trousers that lead me to notice them; also the cut- the prisoner being a country farmer."

Thomas Hammond also ran a boarding school known as the Campbelltown Academy or Clari Montes Academy during the 1830s and 40s. The school operated at Clari Montes and was still in existence in December 1844. In promoting his school, Hammond pushed its healthy and retired situation, the extent of the grounds that allowed pupils to exercise and entertain themselves. Fresh fruit and vegetables and dairy produce were in abundance for the pupils to take advantage of. Three teachers were employed, high fees were charged, but the school proved unprofitable.

Thomas was often writing to Sydney newspapers about various causes. In 1835 he was involved in a public stoush with Dr William Kenny over his underpayment for the doctor's services for attending to his family. Kenny's extraordinary advertisement in the Sydney Gazette was meant with equally frank language from Hammond in the following issue. Thomas also regularly wrote to the Government, pushing for the growth and improvement of the town.

We have a physical description of Thomas Hammond provided by local historian J.P. McGuanne in his Centenary of Campbelltown in 1920. "He was tall, this, slimly built; his thinish lips seemed responsive to inward jokes, which he occasionally expressed."

Thomas Hammond lived out his days at Clari Montes (sometimes known as Claremont) where he died in 1876. Despite his convict past, he was described as a "Gentleman" in the burial register. Hammond Place, Campbelltown was named in his honour.

There are not many physical reminders left of Thomas Hammond's days in Campbelltown. The King's Arms on the corner of Cordeaux and Queen Streets has long gone, replaced with today's City Hotel. Clari Montes is also long gone- it's house, orchards and grapevines obliterated by urban development. The property, I believe, was in the vicinity of today's new suburb of Macarthur Heights. Parish maps support this claim. The Thomson family of St Andrews ran a dairy farm on the site in the twentieth century. Even his gravestone appears to have disappeared. Thomas was buried in St Peter's Cemetery. The grave is today unmarked, although a number of sources refer to a marker in the past. He is buried in Section A, Row M, number 2.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

FOWLER, Verlie 1983
A Stroll through St Peter's Churchyard

LISTON, Carol 1988
Campbelltown: The Bicentennial History

HOLMES, Marie 2012
A Scrapbook of History: stories of the Macarthur District

McGuanne, J.P. 1920
A Century of Campbelltown

Fisher's Ghost Manuscript Comes to Light.

Recently the library was fortunate in acquiring an unpublished manuscript entitled "Call Not Tomorrow Thine: the story of Fred Fisher." The hefty typewritten tome must surely be one of the most in depth studies of our most celebrated resident at over 300 pages in length.

Written by James.W. Downing in the fifties and early sixties the manuscript is obviously a labour of love, perseverance, diligence, and a doggedness for detail. James researched many sources held at the Mitchell library, NSW State Archives, the Attorney General's Office and London Public Records going as far as to contact connected individuals such as Fisher’s Great Grand Niece.

His intention was to bring to light the most accurate and truthful story of Frederick George James Fisher, for those who had been "misinformed down the years by a stream of imaginative screeds." In many ways his search for snippets of truth are as entertaining as the ghost story itself with James hunting down a lost map showing the whereabouts of Fred's body in the uncatalogued papers of a former cabinet minister.


Impression of Fisher.

The interconnected stories of Fisher, John Farley and George Worrall are covered but also a host of other characters connected with them, including the tale of Fred's bother, William and his lengthy efforts to secure his intestate brother's farm and other items. On March 24th, 1827 an auction of Fred's personal effects took place. In a letter to his mother William wrote "His personal property was sold for little or nothing and I was obliged to stand an idle spectator." Bidders included John Patrick, the Rev. Thomas Reddall and Chief Constable Burke.

Sadly, J.W. Downing died before he could see his work published. His wish was that everyone could have access to his manuscript and so on our website we have published Call Not Tomorrow Thine in PDF format.

The library would especially like to thank D. Tyssen and P. Stewart whose efforts have saved this manuscript so that it can be shared with others.

James Downing's manuscript.

Lost but not forgotten...

During the era of silent films, Raymond Longford, a prolific director, writer, actor and producer, and Lottie Lyell, regarded as Australia’s first film star, formed a production company. (Longford had directed  “The Sentimental Bloke”,  generally considered to be the finest silent Australian film.)  In May 1922, Longford-Lyell Australian Productions was launched, with initial capital of 50,000 pounds. Sadly, the backers of the company did not wish to remain in production, and liquidated the company, but Longford and Lyell persisted as independents with Longford-Lyell Productions. The first film made by the new company was “Fisher’s Ghost”!! Made in 1924 on a budget of 1000 pounds, the film was rejected by the Australasian Films-Union Theatres combine, on the basis it was “too gruesome”, and so Longford sold it outright to Hoyts for 30 pounds for a one week season.  It was belatedly released in October 1924, with the magazine “Everyone’s – Incorporating Australian Variety and Show World” saying of the film – “we desire to point out that, having in view the limited capital at the disposal of the producer, we have every cause to congratulate him on having made a most entertaining story out of one of the most astounding tragedies in the history of Australia”. The film was also shown in England and Scotland, to great acclaim.

Sadly, despite much searching and investigation, from Australia, to Britain, to America, no copy of the film “Fisher’s Ghost” has ever been found. How wonderful it would be if a copy were to finally come to light!

Written by Claire Lynch

 Sources:

Local Studies Pamphlet Files

“Australian Cinema : the first eighty years”  by Graham Shirley and Brian Adams 1983

The Man who saw The Ghost!

A great deal has been written about Frederick Fisher, of Fisher’s Ghost fame, but there would have been no story if John Farley had not seen the ghost! There is only a little information about John.

John Farley arrived in Australia in 1812, having been tried at Old Bailey Second Middlesex Jury in 1810 for stealing a quantity of clothing from a dwelling house. He was found guilty and sentenced to life. Transported to New South Wales, aboard the “Guildford” in 1812, he spent the next five years in the service of Governor Macquarie. He petitioned for mitigation of sentence in 1818. John may have received this mitigation of sentence, as he was on a list of persons to receive land grants in September 1818. 
John became a settler, and was described by Rev. Reddall and Major Antill as ‘capable and industrious’. He again appeared on a list of orders for land grants in 1825.
In 1826 John played a role in the mystery of Fred Fisher, being the one to whom the ghost “appeared” thus leading to the finding of the body. Theories abound as to the veracity of this sighting; regardless it has made its way into the history books. It was certainly not enough to scare John Farley away from the district!

By 1828 John and his wife Margaret were prospering on their 325 acre farm on the Appin Road south from Campbelltown. He had also been appointed a Constable.
John Farley was recommended for Absolute Pardon later in November 1837; the same year he built the early colonial home “Denfield”. There is no doubt that John was a respected citizen. He died in 1841, and is buried in St Peter’s Churchyard, Campbelltown. John went to his grave saying he had seen the ghost of Frederick Fisher.

 

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources -

www.historyaustralia.org.au

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org

http://colsec.records.nsw.gov.au

http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au

Library Pamphlet files

A Stroll through St Peter’s Chuchyard Campbelltown N.S.W  by Verlie Fowler

Our "Ghost Post"

Locked away at H.J. Daley Library is an old rail from Fisher's Ghost Bridge that once spanned Fisher's Ghost Creek near Airds Cottage. The piece of wood has an interesting history as Jeff McGill describes in his Campbelltown Clippings book.

According to Jeff, the rail became famous as the finish post for the Campbelltown Picnic races in the early 1970s. It was famous because in the years that it was used as the finish post the races were repeatedly washed out. It started in 1970 when race promoter, Deirdre O'Dowd, called the main event the Fisher's Ghost Cup.

It seemed "Fred" was unimpressed. The rain came down in torrents and the horses virtually had to swim up the track! The rest of the event had to be cancelled.

The next year the name reverted to the old title of the Campbelltown City Cup and the sun shone brightly. However the next year the meeting was named again after "Fred" and the rail was used as the finish post. It was completely washed out and three other meetings that followed were as well.

Deirdre brought the post back to her house and stored it in the garage. Within six months she received an excess water bill for a half a million gallons of water, due to leaking pipes!

I use the "ghost post" for the occasional display and school tour. Yes, it almost always rains on the day it's brought out of storage. A sure way to break any drought!

                            Fisher's Ghost Bridge in Southern Queen Street

Written by Andrew Allen

Source:

McGill, Jeff 1993
Campbelltown Clippings
Campbelltown: Campbelltown City Council

Fred's Lack of Spirit

This Sunday, June 17 marks the 186th anniversary of the death of Fred Fisher, so I thought it was timely to share the following story with you. When I interviewed local identity Norm Campbell in November 2011, he spoke about the night in 1956 the town came out to witness the re-appearance of the ghost of Frederick Fisher. The ghost was scheduled to appear at midnight on the night of June 17. 

Publicity for the event was started by Sydney radio station 2UE and a liquor company that sold spirits (no pun intended) in the weeks leading up to the night. They had promised that "Fred" would make an appearance that night. Estimates of the crowd from the Campbelltown-Ingleburn News were around the 1500 mark- an extraordinary number considering Campbelltown's population. The newspaper counted the cars at 229 at 11.25pm. By the time midnight had come around those that were still there had waited up to three hours. There was no entertainment and the night was freezing cold but the crowd waited patiently for midnight.

In his interview, Norm relayed that the local police sergeant Whiteley accused him and Jim Vernon, both from the local newspaper, of stirring things up. Norm tried to explain that it was 2UE that originated it all.

Approaching midnight the crowd began to leave the warmth of their cars and began to congregate along the bridge. At midnight of course nothing happened and the crowd slowly drifted away. The newspaper described how "the anti-climax seemed to hit the crowd as a body. People were not backward in saying what they thought. Typical was a woman from Crow's Nest who said it was terribly disappointing after leaving a warm home to wait three hours for nothing." Many had left feeling Campbelltown had let them down.

Within a half an hour only a handful remained. By 12.50 only 2 had remained, determined to be the last in case something appeared. Norm remembers when he left the scene, while walking through long grass, literally stumbling over the local doctor Thomas. He was sitting in the grass with camera just in case the ghost appeared!

Norm Campbell's interview as well as many other interviews can be accessed by contacting the local studies section of the library. A small number of interviews can be borrowed from the library and this number will increase in the near future.

This photograph was taken at Fisher's Ghost Bridge in the 1950s. Note the mannequin on the railing of the bridge. (Ivor G. Thomas Collection, Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

Written by Andrew Allen