Jimmy Helm's Cottage

The Helm family of Campbelltown settled in the area as early as 1859.

 James Baptist Helm, born c1851, is thought to be the son of German immigrants who arrived in Australia on the ship Beulah as Assisted Passengers. His father was known variously as Ludwig, Louis and Levice, and his mother was generally known as Catherine.

 His wife, Elizabeth Smith was born in Ireland, but came to Australia as a baby. Her family went straight to Maitland, but came to Campbelltown two years later. It was here she would meet James Helm and they married in 1876. Her father Robert was a Railway employee who was killed in an accident at the Sydney Rail Yards. Robert and his wife Mary are buried at St John’s.

 James was one of the early fettlers employed at the Campbelltown Railway by NSW Government Railways. James and Elizabeth had three children, Mary Agnes, otherwise known as Pearl born 1877, Lewis James born 1883 and Patrick born 1887. The family lived at a tiny cottage in Lindesay Street. Tragically, Patrick drowned in a tragic accident at the Woolwash. During the holidays in 1907, Patrick headed to the Woolwash with four friends, none of whom could swim more than a few strokes. At a spot known as the “Elbow” he entered the water, found himself in difficulties and was unable to get back to the bank. His mates tried to render assistance to no avail. Patrick was buried at St John’s Cemetery.

 Daughter Mary Agnes married John Walker, and they continued to live in Campbelltown.

Son Lewis James also continued to live in Campbelltown, but never married. He lived in the same small cottage in Lindesay Street, which was commonly known as Helm’s Cottage. His sister’s daughter Mollie Walker looked after him in his old age. Catherine Helm, Elizabeth and James Helm, Patrick Helm, Lewis James Helm, and Mary Agnes Walker (nee Helm) are also all buried at St John’s. The little cottage, which had been known as Helm’s Cottage in Lindesay Street was eventually demolished in 1973. 

Helm's Cottage, 160 Lindesay St (Bagley Collection, CAHS)

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources 

Trove

"More than bricks and mortar" by Andrew Allen

Rachel

Last week I was invited to the launch of Jeff McGill's new book titled Rachel. Jeff's book has been 40 years in the making and is the result of meticulous research and passion, typical of his books. I enjoy the way Jeff transports you back in time. I feel as though I am there on the crowded and chaotic goldfields; with Rachel on her horse as she chases brumbies through the Warrumbungles or sharing her overwhelming grief for her husband, taken so early as many from that period were. What a life she led. Too often the lives of women such as Rachel are overlooked, despite the significant contribution she made to the places she lived. It is easier to write about men from the time as their lives were regularly described in glowing obituaries. However, pioneering women's achievements were often overlooked. This makes Jeff's Rachel all the more deserving of recognition.

If you are seeking a book that you can't put down for your next read, look no further than Jeff McGill's Rachel. Published by Allen Unwin- Australia, it is available at most book shops and copies have been ordered for Campbelltown Libraries.

Written by Andrew Allen

A Sporting All-rounder

Campbelltown has produced a number of sports people that have got on to make a name for themselves in the national and international arenas. Names like Joe Quinn, Alyson Annan and Jack Crawford come to mind. However, I discovered on the weekend that another sportsman from Campbelltown had success in two sports and his name has largely been forgotten.

Cecil Dudley Seddon was born in Campbelltown on 3 July 1902 to parents Hezekiah and Janet. He dropped his first name and became known throughout his life as Dudley. The Seddon family played an important role in the development of Campbelltown. Dudley's father Joseph Pickles Seddon moved to Campbelltown in 1887 and purchased the cordial manufacturing business off Mrs Hurley. The factory was located in Short Street, opposite the train station.

Dudley first took an interest in rugby league and excelled at it. He played for the Newtown "Blue Bags" from 1920 to 1926. He was one of the New South Wales rugby league team's three-quarters in a representative match against Queensland on 5 June 1921.

Although Dudley was described as tenacious and plucky, he was quite small in stature and it was this disadvantage that made him switch to his other passion- cricket. He made his first-class cricket debut in a 1926/27 Sheffield Shield match against Queensland. A middle order batsman, Seddon made just six and four. 

He had to wait a year to make his next appearance, which came against Tasmania. Dudley failed again, only making 10 and 22 in his two innings.

He made three appearances in New South Wales's winning 1928/29 Sheffield Shield campaign. His best performance came against Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where he made a pair of half centuries (80 and 59). In his final first class innings that summer, he made a career best 134 against Tasmania.

However, it was probably as a national selector that Seddon became famous. He was a selector for the national team along with Sir Donald Bradman and Jack Ryder for the 1954/55 season against England. He was a national selector from 1954 to 1967.

Dudley Seddon died at Dulwich Hill in 1978. 

Written by Andrew Allen

Then and Now Photographs

 Here are some more then and now photographs showing the changes to various local sites over time.

This is the corner of Hoddle Avenue and Grandview Drive, Campbelltown probably in the 1960s.

The same scene in 2022. Established trees now obscure the view!

This building was part of the Russian Orthodox settlement at Kentlyn.

I assure you the building remains relatively unchanged from the above shot!

The building known as the Coaching House at the southern end of Queen Street before it was renovated in the 1960s.

This what it looks like today. This group of colonial terraces was thankfully saved from demolition in the 1960s.

Written by Andrew Allen

The lost name of Riversford

I recently came across a reference to Riversford Railway Station, in relation to Menangle, which I had never heard of. I started to investigate the name Riversford, and have come up with the following information. The earliest reference I could find was the death notice in 1852 of Joseph Edwards, late of Riversford, Menangle. Edwards leased a farm of about 180 acres. In 1856 a Post Office was established at Riversford, described as being between Campbelltown and Picton. Another death notice was for John Ryan in 1859, late of Riversford, Menangle, who was also a lessee farmer at Menangle. Mrs Sarah Rose also appears in the newspaper – she was a washerwoman and midwife from Riversford. Her husband George Rose was a shingle splitter. In 1859 a place was appointed for the sale of spirits etc, wholesale, at Riversford. All the above persons are mentioned in the book “They worked at Camden Park”. In 1860, an article about railways in the Sydney Morning Herald states that “Beyond the Nepean a high embankment carries the railway to a cluster of houses known as Riversford, the residents in which are chiefly cultivators of the rich agricultural land though which the line runs for some distance, and which is the property of the Messrs. Macarthur”. The roads must have been pretty bad, as William Dawson, office and farm worker at Camden Park, was advertising for labourers for five weeks work of road repair in 1860. In 1861, another railway article in the SMH stated “Beyond the Menangle River, a long embankment is finished as far as it can be, pending the erection of the viaduct. The adjoining cutting, and some light embankments, extending though a small hamlet known as Riversford, are almost finished…” In the same year Riversford was appointed as a place where a Public Pound would be erected, established and maintained. William Dawson was appointed poundkeeper. Another lessee farmer, John Ryan of Riversford, Menangle, was also reported as deceased as well as John McCain, storekeeper and blacksmith of Riversford.

The Railway Hotel, shown above, built in the 1850s, was on the then Eastern side of Menangle Rd but the re-alignment of the road would now place it either under or on the Western side of the road. 

The Riversford area was also where the railway camp was located. Due to the activity in the area between 1862 and 1864, many workers were camped in that vicinity. In September 1st 1862, the Riversford railway platform was opened as a temporary terminus. It was built by the contractors for the line, at a cost of 115 pounds, and closed in July 1863, when the Menangle Bridge was opened. In 1863, the Riversford post masters wife, Mary Anne Kelly was reported deceased, her husband Dennis Kelly was also the Catholic school teacher. The name Riversford was beginning to fall from general use, being replaced by Menangle. In 1865 the Post Office was to be known officially as Menangle rather than Riversford. Bailliere’s NSW Gazetteer and Road Guide of 1866 referred to Menangle with Riversford in brackets after it. The last mention of the name Riversford I could find was 1879, when the public pound was abolished, and Riversford was no more. Riversford is remembered today only in the name Riversford Road in Menangle Village.

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources - 

Trove 

"They worked at Camden Park" Burnett, Johnson, Nixon & Wrigley

"Early Menangle" J.J. Moloney

Easter in 1945

It is fascinating to read old newspaper articles about Campbelltown and how much life has changed. I was reading the Campbelltown News in 1945 and an article describing what happened over the Easter period. The weekend was completely devoid of sport and unlike today where various football codes play on Good Friday, back in 1945 sport anywhere was strictly forbidden. This extended locally through to the Easter Monday.

Every Good Friday since 1936, the Maryfields Franciscan Novitiate celebrated the "Via Crucis" or "Way of the Cross". 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 at the final station. In 1945, heavy rain reduced the number of pilgrims that attended, although 8000 still made the journey. I was amused by the language the paper used to describe how such an influx of visitors affected the town: The influx of visitors on that day very quickly depleted the edibles and cordials at the local Cafes and refreshment shops, and with Saturday being a closed day food commodities and these establishments were practically nil for Easter Monday's influx of visitors. Imagine how our current population would cope with this inconvenience today.

Crowds gather for the first Via Crucis at Maryfields in 1936

Written by Andrew Allen

 Source:

Campbelltown News, Friday 6 April 1945

The 1961 Flood

The Macarthur region experienced severe flooding this week and we are all looking forward to overdue sunshine. Floods are nothing new to Campbelltown. One of the worst was in 1961. Newspaper coverage was extensive and fortunately a number of photographs were taken to capture the extent of the inundation.

Locals Share The "Big Wet" was the headline from the Campbelltown-Ingleburn News that week, indicating that nowhere in the area escaped. The deluge started on the Saturday afternoon of November 18 and continued relentlessly through to the Sunday morning. The paper reported that "Residents awoke at dawn on Sunday morning to look out upon a sea of water". Traffic was driven to chaos as most of the roads around Campbelltown were closed. Residents in the low lying areas prepared to leave as the flood waters rose. The peak of the flood at Campbelltown was at 7.30am on that Sunday morning and downstream at Glenfield at 9am. Even Queen Street was under water and not trafficable until about 8am.

The severest flooding of homes in the municipality occurred at Macquarie Fields where Bunbury Curran Creek flooded adjacent areas. Police and rescuers there used rowing boats to visit the affected homes to ensure the occupants had left. This proved difficult however with the strong current.

The rain cleared up a little after Sunday and through to Monday. Then on the Tuesday morning just before 9am, a flash storm resulted in 160 points (40 millimetres) of rain in 20 minutes, and within 30 minutes caused flooding worse than on Sunday morning. The drainage from Sewer Lane (today's Dumaresq Street) blocked from excessive floodwater. Some of the places affected were Tripp's Garage and the Balalaika Cafe Library!

One of the areas heavily affected was Minto. Residents who has lived most or all of their life there thought it was the worst flooding in memory. The floor of the studio of well known sculptor Tom Bass was flooded and some models were affected.

The following photographs were taken at Minto from the Number 2 Railway Cottage.

Written by Andrew Allen

Source: 

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, 21 November 1961 p1