Historic Loo

It's not often that a toilet block is honoured with a permanent conservation order. In February 1982 this rare event occurred when a disused four-seater lavatory at Denham Court was recognised for its heritage significance. The "four seater" model outhouse, hidden for decades by a bougainvillea, was believed to have been built in the early days of Queen Victoria's reign, when Denham Court homestead was converted to become the Miss Lester's Seminary for Ladies. The two-room timber construction is about six by three metres and each room has a bench with two holes suspended over a deep pit. It was believed to have been built between 20-30 years after the homestead and, as it seemed to big to belong to the house, must have been associated with the school. The design suggested it could have been a demountable structure to be moved to another location if the occasion arose.

The four seater "dunny" at the Denham Court property pictured in 1994 (Photo by Alex Goodsell, Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

The Heritage Council originally planned to put the order on the entire Denham Court property but the owner protested saying that only the house and the lavatory justified preservation. It was decided that all the other outhouses were not of historical interest.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, February 16 1982

[Denham Court] by [Ruth Banfield]

Sydney Morning Herald, February 10 1982

Latest Then and Nows

These images are taken near the intersection of Appin Road and Woodland Drive, St Helens Park. The above shot was taken in 1983. St Helens Park House can still be seen through the trees.

This shows St John's Catholic Cemetery taken in 1984 and today. The 1984 service was for the Sesquicentenary of the church.

The service station in the above 1981 photograph has gone replaced by the front lawn of Council's Civic Centre.

Many changes in this comparison shot. The Quest Campbelltown now blocks out the view of the two-storey Hollylea on the left of the 1980 photo.

The older images come from our recently acquired Trevor Richardson Collection.

Written by Andrew Allen

The "Hope Inn" - on this day 165 years ago

We have mentioned the “Hope Inn” a couple of times in other posts, but have managed to unearth some more information about it.
Henry Thatcher was the earliest  publican of the Hope Inn (1838)  that we know of, followed by Michael McQuade (1839). The Inn which was situated on a block fronted by three streets – the Sydney Road (now Queen Street), Browne and Howe. This large block originally belonged to William Howe. It's frontage on the main street was 118 feet, (36 metres).

Bordered by Browne, Howe and the Main Road, opposite the court house.

The two storied brick building was built on stone foundation, and had 10 rooms, a bar, and a flagged verandah the whole length of the building. Outhouses included a brick kitchen with a store attached, two stables – one weatherboard and one brick, capable of housing 14 horses, and a granary. A large yard and garden were at the back of the building.
Isaac Rudd had the licence from 1840 to 1846. He was followed by William Rixon who took on the Hope Inn licence in 1847, however Rixon died the same year, and the following year his wife Ann Rixon took on the licence. Records do not show who held the licence from 1849 to 1853 however William Henry Phibbs had it in 1853, after marrying Ann Rixon in 1852.
The Hope Inn was advertised in February 1854, for sale by auction. It is reasonable to assume Edward Fitzgerald purchased the Inn at the auction held on March 1st of that year as his licence was dated 21st April 1854. Unfortunately this would not be a happy purchase for Edward.
On Tuesday 14th November 1854 a fire destroyed the Hope Inn completely. All of Edward Fitzgerald’s furniture, stock of spirits, ale and porter, and 200 pounds cash were destroyed. Locals took up a collection for Edward, and he moved to the other end of town, taking up the licence of the Farrier’s Arms. Along with the Inn a store also burned down, which had only recently been opened by a Mr McGrath. It was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that “in consequence of the want of an engine people could only stand and look on, instead of lending efficient aid”. A fire brigade was still 37 years away.
We do not have a picture of the Hope Inn, however it does appear on an 1840 map of Campbelltown, faintly written. The large block on which it stood eventually was absorbed by Mawson Park and the Bowling Club.

Very faintly, the Hope Inn is marked on this 1840 map of Campbelltown.

Written by Claire Lynch
Sources
Trove
With many thanks to Brendan Leenders of Museum Macarthur

Making Cider

With the increase in Campbelltown's population beginning in the 1950s, industry became important to the town. People needed somewhere to work. Crompton Parkinson and Nile Industries were established early. Another significant company named Bulmer Australia was to set up a plant in Campbelltown in 1969.

The plant cost 1.5 million dollars when it was erected on Badgally Road that year and a further one million dollars in machinery completed the operation. In 1972 Bulmer's bottling plant was opened. This meant that the entire process of making cider "from the apple to the bottle" would be carried out in Campbelltown. The cider was formerly transported in bulk to a bottling plant near Sydney. The cider produced at Campbelltown supplied 90% of the use in NSW in 1972.

The company would make a strange brew called 'scrumpy'. It had the most alcoholic content at 8.5% and was one of Bulmer's principal lines. They also made Strongbow, Sweet Strongbow and the non-alcoholic Apple Cyder (with a Y). The name of the vats where the cider was fermented were called Brisbane and Wattle. A Bulmer tank was either named after a capital city or a native Australian wildflower.

The company made significant extensions to the Badgally Road factory in 1982. Bulmer's were having trouble keeping up the demand for cider around this time and business was booming. The factory was also great for local employment. It had also broken new ground by selling to Japan.

In early 2003 Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) bought the Bulmer's Australia business.

Witten by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News: Nov 7 1972, Dec 18 1979, Jun 15 1982

Hairdressing to Health Foods

A recent request for information regarding a particular building in Campbelltown led me to discover some information about a former resident as well as the building he occupied.

Born in 1842, Francis Joseph married wife Mary McMahon in 1885, and then came to Campbelltown in 1886, wasting no time setting up in business as a hairdresser and tobacconist on Queen Street.

It would appear that four children were born to the Josephs during their time in Campbelltown.

Frank operated out of the same building for just over 12 years, but then, it seems, moved into a brand new building in 1900, on the corner of Queen Street, and Sewer Lane (later to become Dumaresq Street).


F. Joseph Hairdresser and Tobacconist on the side of the building right in the
 centre of the photo. (Photo c1900 Campbelltown City Library)



Frank must have been a bit of a character, as his advertisements in the paper often took the form of poetry, with such entertaining stanzas as

“ Who is it when you’re old and grey

Takes the snow of age away

And makes you jolly, young, and gay,

FRANK JOSEPH”

The Joseph family stayed in Campbelltown until 2nd May 1907 when Frank and his family moved from the district. He was given a farewell at Edmonson’s Railway Hotel, where he was presented with a gift by a number of residents as a token of their esteem and respect. 

The census of 1913 shows Frank Joseph living in Leichardt, and in 1916 he died. I was unable to trace any further information about his family after leaving Campbelltown. Over the years other businesses operated in the store, including Mort Clissold's barber shop (before he moved further up Queen Street to Atherstone). During the 1960s and '70s a health food was operated here by Daphne and Colin Hendrie. It's street address was 237 Queen Street.

The Health & Bulk Foods store sometime between 1971 and 1977.
Photo - CAHS

 It, along with its neighbors, was finally demolished in 1977 and is now the site of David Wilson Chemist.

237 Queen St was demolished with it's neighbours in 1977.
Photo - Trevor Richardson Collection, Campbelltown City Library

Thanks to Julianne, daughter of Daphne and Colin Hendrie, who spent a lot of her childhood in this building.
Written by Claire Lynch


Sources
Trove
Our Past in Pictures
Norm Campbell
Grist Mills Vol.31 No.1
1974 Phone Directory





"Via Crucis" at Maryfields

Maryfields Franciscan Novitiate celebrated its first “Via Crucis” or “Way of the Cross” on Good Friday in 1936. The service depicts Christ’s journey to Calvary, and consists of the 14 stations of the cross, culminating in the preaching of the Passion sermon from the final station.
It was believed to be the first open air celebration of the Via Crucis in Australia, following examples from Europe and the United States.
Special railway timetables were put in place to transport pilgrims coming in from the city, as well as police to control traffic and the NRMA to supervise parking arrangements for the many vehicles expected. St Johns Ambulance were also on hand. The railway stop was at “Rudd’s Gate” on the Campbelltown Camden line, immediately opposite the entrance to Maryfields.
A special choir of 200 St Vincent de Paul brothers was formed for the singing of the “Stabat Mater” – a 13th Century Christian hymn to Mary, depicting her suffering at Christ’s suffering. The choir also accompanied the priest from station to station and modest Australian hardwood crosses marked ‘the way’
On the day itself, reportedly more than 30,000 people were in attendance, and many newspapers spoke of the “remarkable religious fervour amid unforgettable scenes that were displayed at the pilgrimage of ‘Via Crucis’ in the picturesque grounds of the Franciscan Novitiate at Maryfields, Campbelltown."


The Franciscan monks with the wooden crosses in 1936.
Photo: Franciscan Provincial Office Collection
 (Local Studies Collection. Campbelltown City Library)

In the year following, with the support of the local community and various Catholic groups, the Franciscans imported a set of 14 French statues for the 14 stations and installed them with water features and gardens. In view of the numbers from the previous year, the Railway Department constructed a new 500 foot long platform. It was estimated that the crowd was even bigger than that of 1936. In 1938, the name “Rudd’s Gate” of the railway platform was changed to “Maryfields”.
Over the years, with the closing of the Campbelltown-Camden railway in 1963, and the relocation of the Novitiate in 1983, numbers dwindled. In 1990, after two years of cancellations due to bad weather, the Stations were no longer held on Good Friday.
Since 2000, there has been a resurgence of interest, and in 2010, more than 2000 people observed Good Friday at Maryfields. The following year the Friars marked the 75th Anniversary of the first “Via Crucis” at Maryfields.


Written by Claire Lynch


Sources
Trove
Campbelltown Clippings by Jeff McGill
Macarthur Chronicle 26.4.2011

Apex Park: Past and Future

An exciting new Billabong Parklands Project is coming to Campbelltown. The $18.75 million water recreation space will be delivered under the Western Sydney City Deal Liveability fund and located in the city centre in Apex Park, Bradbury. The next phase of design is underway and ideas are welcome from the public. The project is forecast for completion in June 2022. A fascinating and exciting future awaits! But what about Apex Park's past?

The park, first known as Fisher's Ghost Park, was opened on June 19, 1971. It was constructed by the Apex Club of Campbelltown and officially opened by Mayor Clive Tregear. A sum of $2800 was set aside by the club for the park. The "futuristic play area" as the newspaper described it, featured a vintage car, fort and a fire engine. It also featured seven bronze plaques which all tell the story of Fisher's Ghost. They can still be found in the park. A fireworks display and pony and train rides for the children marked the occasion.

Despite being taken in 1979, this view hasn't changed too much. The bridge is still there but with a path leading to it. The vegetation around the creek has obviously grown also. (Trevor Richardson Collection).

On June 3, 1989 the new Skateboard Bowl was opened by Mayor Jim Kremmer in Apex Park. Sometimes referred to as the Mexican Hat Rink or Sombrero, the skateboard bowl provided hours of entertainment for the youth of the town.

Mark Gatherer, Michael Fanning and Jim Kremmer at the opening of the skatebowl on June 3 1989. Michael Fanning grew up to be surfing champion Mick Fanning.

By 1997 Apex Park was looking run down and shabby. That's when members of the original Apex Club got together for a huge clean up. Led by former president Gerry Bakkers, the retired members rejuvenated the park to its former glory days.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, June 15, 1971

Macarthur Advertiser, October 29, 1997