Mawson Park

(Grahame Sandry Collection)

The site of Mawson Park is as old as Campbelltown itself. It was here that Governor Macquarie named Campbelltown after his wife Elizabeth’s maiden name Campbell. A plan drawn up by surveyor Robert Hoddle in 1831 showed the area bounded by Cordeaux, Howe Browne and High Streets as a market reserve. High Street later became Queen Street.

In its early days the area was the scene of many brutal punishments handed down to convicts. Five criminals, including bushranger Richard McCann, were hanged on gallows erected on the reserve in February 1830. Near the gallows were the stocks. It was here that an old woman spent four hours in the stocks in the rain for using obscene language. The stocks and gallows were opposite the court house in Queen Street.

The reserve was surrounded by three inns: Forbes Hotel, the King’s Arms (later the Sportsman’s Arms) and the Hope Inn. The latter also faced the court house and was next to the stocks. The first licensee recorded was Isaac Rudd in 1841. The Hope Inn was no doubt named because of its proximity to the court house where life and death decisions were handed out. The large inn burnt down in 1854. We can only guess at what it would’ve looked like as no photos exist.

The Reserve for Public Recreation was approved 23^rd March, 1874, and dedicated 4^th February, 1876. It would appear that a possible roadway parallel to Browne Street opposite the court house was in existence at some time and divided the Recreation Reserve from the buildings facing Queen and Browne Streets. This was absorbed into the Recreation Reserve by 1874. Howe Street once extended to Cordeaux Street but by 1970 it was merged into the park.

A view of the park from the tower of St Peter's Anglican Church

Cricket and tennis were played on “The Green” and a sporting pavilion was erected. There are some interesting and amusing stories regarding cricket matches over the years. Appin Public School played a cricket match against Campbelltown Public School on "The Green". A white-painted two-rail fence surrounded "The Green" in those days and the grass was long and unkempt. One kid hit the ball and scored half a dozen runs while the other kids searched for the ball in the long grass. It’s hard to believe today. Another story concerned John Hurley, the son of Campbelltown Pioneer of the same name John Hurley, who hit a massive shot into the window of St Peter’s Church! Similarly, local Jack Nash was recorded as smashing a ball from the park so far it reached the train line and landed on a train bound for Sydney!

Besides the Hope Inn, a number of buildings once stood in the reserve. A house called “Myee” was located at the corner of Browne and Queen Street and they were adjacent to three terrace houses which had there frontage to Queen Street. One of these was lived in by the town’s first lamp lighter named Bamford.

"The Green" was named Jubilee Park in 1935, to mark the occasion of the king’s Silver Jubilee. Toilets and watering facilities were installed. In January 1938 the park was officially named Mawson Park in honour of Dr William Mawson, a highly regarded doctor for 28 years in the town and brother to explorer Douglas Mawson. A pergola, shelter shed and entrance were erected at this time with two plaques on the pergola commemorating the event. Another doctor was honoured in 1944 with the establishment of the Dr Jones Memorial Baby Health Centre within the park.

The park was even the scene of a shooting in 1941. A young woman aged 19 named Pearl Medcalf received two bullet wounds after an altercation with a man in one of the shelter kiosks. The first shot blew the top off her finger and the other penetrated her left leg and lodged in her right thigh. She struggled across the park to the police station to report the incident. She was formerly a Rixon from Campbelltown. The man was later arrested.

Numerous pageants have been held in Mawson Park over the years. A carnival in aid of the Coronation Gift Fund was organized in 1954. Another fund-raising event in the 1950s was the ladies’ woodchop! In 1956, the annual Fisher’s Ghost Festival and Miss Spirit contest raised funds to build an ambulance station and a music shelter in Mawson Park. The music shelter was dedicated to the memory of those who served in World War 11. It was replaced in 1991 by a War Memorial.

Fisher's Ghost Festival celebrations in the park (Sloper Collection)

A number of commemorative plaques have been erected in the park. A bird bath and watering place for animals was erected in memory of Patrick (Paddy) Hunt for a lifetime spent caring for the town’s strayed animals. He died in 1978.

In 1977 locals objected vehemently to a proposed change of shape to Mawson Park. This would've been brought about by the extension of Railway Street through to Cordeaux Street. The proposal meant that 940 square metres would've been lost with a sweeping curve connecting both streets. People power won the day and the park remained unaltered. 

As far as the botanical beauty of the place is concerned, the park has come a long way since 1926. In that year a report described "The Green" as "a bird's nest full of swallows, an eyesore to the town and a disgrace to the Municipality". This resulted in a program of tree planting, including many evergreens. Most trees planted in the park were associated with commemorative events. Today the park is a haven from the hustle and bustle of the city with its trees, manicured lawns and beautiful flower beds.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Camden News, 27 February 1941

FOWLER, Verlie

Mawson Park, Campbelltown,  A Heritage Park

McBarron, E.J. (Ed)

Mawson Park, Campbelltown NSW: Notes on History and Trees

Dr Mawson

William Mawson was not quite four years old when he came from England, with his parents Robert and Margaret Mawson and his younger brother Douglas, in 1884. The house where the Mawson family settled was in Plumpton. William and Douglas were educated at Woodstock (later Plumpton) Public School, Forest Lodge Superior Public School and Fort Street Model Public School. In their youth, both William and Douglas sang in the choir of St Andrew’s Cathedral.

William entered the Faculty of Medicine at Sydney University graduating with honours in 1904. He then became Resident Medical Officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. After his residency he practiced in Gundagai from 1906. Dr Mawson brought the first X-ray to be used in country NSW.

Dr William Mawson married Miss Jessie Louise Oliver Davis in 1905. They had three children Robert Windram (Bobbie), Dorothy and Jeanne.

It is recorded that Dr Mawson came to Campbellown in 1908/1909. At this time Dr Mawson was offering honorary medical attendance and assistance to the community. The Campbelltown Bed Endowment and local Relief Fund Committee was formed in 1909 because Dr Mawson wanted to be able to provide free medicines to the needy. Fundraising was ongoing and enabled the Committee to endow a bed at Camden Cottage Hospital and the Campbelltown Cot at Renwick Hospital, Ashfield.  He continued to provide free medical services for those in financial difficulties. Dr Mawson was a member of the British Medical Association and Captain of the A.A.M.C. Reserve.

Dr Mawson bought the medical practice of Dr Dight who was a tenant of Glenalvon in Lithgow Street, Campbelltown in January 1910.  He built ‘Mulwaree’, a house and surgery in Cordeaux Street opposite St Peter’s Anglican Church in 1913.

Dr Mawson and his wife were very active community members. He was a member of the St Peter’s Anglican Church Committee and choirmaster at the church. He was both President and a Trustee of the Campbelltown School of Arts, President of Campbelltown Orchestral and Musical Society and Campbelltown Rifle Club.  Other activities included Vice President of both Campbelltown Agricultural Society and Campbelltown Wallaby Football Club and he was the conductor of Campbelltown Choral Society. Singing was his greatest love.  Dr Mawson was also a lover of animals.  He was particularly fond of a retired trotting horse, named ‘Man Friday’, who was given to Dr Mawson to pull his buggy. The vets had said that ‘Man Friday’ would never race again until the Doctor said that the horse had travelled from Campbelltown to Wollongong in 35 minutes! ‘Man Friday’ was returned to racing and won many more races.

Dr Mawson owned the Millhouse in southern Queen Street and had it converted to the Milby Private Hospital in 1925. Macquarie Theatre was owned by Dr Mawson, some of the sandstock bricks from the mill were reused in the construction of the theatre in 1926. It is said that the doctor wanted to provide a place for the youth of Campbelltown to have fun. The theatre was also used for jazz and old time dancing classes, ballet classes, balls, school speech nights, dance and euchre parties, variety concerts and even auction sales. Dr Mawson lent the Macquarie Theatre free of charge for charitable fund-raising purposes. The Ambulance Benefit night in December 1929, for example, was in support of the Liverpool and District Ambulance which served a vast area of Western Sydney including Campbelltown.

Dr Mawson was held in high esteem amongst the community. His services and contributions to the town must have been unselfish and kind. Full of compassion and drive to achieve the corner stones that communities are made of.

Mawson Park was named in honour of Dr William Mawson in 1937. Included were a pergola, shelter shed and entrance to the park. Two plaques were erected on the pergola: one engraved with ‘Commemorative pergola to William Mawson Esq., M.B. Ch.M’ the other with ‘Erected by the citizens of Campbelltown in appreciation’.

Sadly, in February 1931, Dr Mawson suffered a stroke and was unable to continue his practice. Therefore he retired and a social event at the Town Hall on the 24^th July 1931 was held in honour of Dr Mawson and his wife.

Late in November of 1936 news came that Dr Mawson was a patient in Gloucester House, R.P.A. Hospital.

Dr William Mawson passed away at his then home in Turramurra on 4^th June 1939. He is buried in St Peter’s Anglican Cemetery, Campbelltown.

By Cathy Mitford

Crowds gathered to witness the unveiling of the memorial to Dr William Mawson in Mawson Park, Campbelltown 1929-30.

 

Grist Mills Vol.15 No.2  July 2002.      History of  Mawson Park.  By E.J.McBarron