Tom Frost

Thomas Frost was born on September 10^th 1889. He was a Campbelltown man his whole life. Born to parents John and Elizabeth Frost, he was one of 14 children, and was baptised, confirmed and buried at St Peter’s Church, Campbelltown, as was his father before him.

Thomas, or Tom as he was known, married Theresa May Watson in 1924 in Camden. During the 1920s, Tom showed a few horses at the Campbelltown Show, including his trotting horse “Clarry Elmo”, as well as exhibiting shorthorn cattle.

Tom, who was described as a large framed man, lived at 304 Queen Street. This was a brick house set right up to the footpath. His dairy consisted of a long paddock of 23 acres where Koshigaya Park and the H.J. Daley Library are today, running along the railway, and behind the old Town Hall. Fisher’s Ghost Creek ran though the land, which he leased from P. Maher of Douglas Park. The dairy buildings on the property were built of timber and fibrolite, and had four bails for milking.

In the corner of Tom’s land was a railway gatekeeper’s residence. The cottage was used by a man named James Ashford. Ashford always seemed to at loggerheads with Tom Frost with constant bickering. It was told that one of Tom’s cows developed milk fever and the owner pumped the udder up with a bicycle pump- a recognised treatment at that time. Ashford on viewing this procedure disclaimed to a third person- “See what his doing, pumping the udder up to get a better price for her at the sale!”

On the census, Tom stated his occupation from 1913, up to 1954, as a dairyman. He died in 1955, and wife Theresa died in 1958. She is buried with Tom at St Peter’s Cemetery.

We can't find a photo of Tom! Please let us know if you can assist.

Tom Frost's house in Queen Street (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

Memories of South Western Campbelltown, NSW 1931-1938 – Fred Seers

Dairy Farming in the Campbelltown Area – Ivor G. Thomas lecture notes, CAHS

McBarron, Eddie 1990

The Soldier's Settlement - (Poultry) Campbelltown, NSW 1918-60

One of the three - Jonathan Boon

 Nathaniel Boon and his wife Sarah were the proprietors of the Three Brothers Inn (later known as Holly Lea) with licenses ranging from 1832 to 1835. Their Inn was named for their triplets, Nicholas, Jonathan and James whose birth was announced in the Sydney Gazette in November 1830. 

Jonathan Boon, (one of the triplets and possibly the most well-known), was a publican, very handy with his fists, and a good horseman. It was reported that he was a good prize fighter, and also an excellent race rider. He acted as Clerk of the Course at Picton races during 1856. He established the first hotel in Wagga – The Commercial, and held the licences to several pubs in both Wagga Wagga and Albury from the 1850s through to the 1870s. He married his wife Sarah, a publican’s daughter, in 1854 in Picton.

He had several racehorses in the 1850s including Lady Basquine, Lorimer and Whalebone, and was keen to match race them for large prize money. Lady Basquine and Whalebone were later stolen from Jonathan.

For a very short period of time during 1860 Jonathan tried his luck at the Snowy River gold diggings but seemed to spend more of his time fighting in several boxing matches. He then moved to Albury where he became a publican again, and a member of the Albury Jockey Club.

Around 1865 Jonathan moved back to Wagga where he unfortunately had to declare insolvency. It was at this time he was described as a horse trainer. By 1868 Jonathan held a publican’s licence again. 1870 saw Jonathan insolvent again, but bounced back by 1872 to open his hotel named The Retreat. 1877 saw Jonathan insolvent yet again, being unwell, and losses in business due to drought.

The All Nations Hotel, previously known as the Builders Arms, 
one of the Wagga Hotels that Jonathan was proprietor of. (fb)

When Jonathan retired from the hotel business he turned his hand to being a veterinarian.

Jonathan was often seen in court, either as a witness or defendant, often had up on charges of drunkenness, use of profane language, assault, or other such charges, including being the plaintiff in a case where he had been stabbed by another man during a scuffle. The last twenty odd years of Jonathan’s life seem to have had an increase in court appearances. After taking ill at home, in his old hotel The Retreat, in Peter St Wagga, he was taken to hospital where he expired on the 15^th May and was buried in Wagga.

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources - Trove, facebook page lostwaggawagga

Remembering the Victims

On Friday morning November 25, I  had the privilege of presenting a talk on the Richardson-Lack massacre on the front lawn of the Council building. The presentation was combined with a convoy against domestic violence. Campbelltown Council today installed two purple benches as part of its 16 days Activism Against Gender-based Violence- one on the site of the massacre and one at Koshigaya Park. The Purple Bench Project honours all victims of family based domestic violence.

If you haven't already, I recommend you read our post from some years ago on the massacre at the following link:

https://campbelltown-library.blogspot.com/search/label/Lack%20Sarah%20Sophia

The above photograph was taken on the exact site of the 1849 massacre. Seated on the purple bench are Alan Jarman and his daughter. Alan is a descendent of the victims and pinpointed the site from original police records.

Written by Andrew Allen

The Immigrants Home mystery

 For some time now we have been researching the old “Immigrants Home” in Campbelltown, which was part of Caroline Chisholm’s scheme for placing new immigrant women into situations in the country where they would not fall prey to the temptations and poor conditions rife in Sydney for single women. 

The home in Campbelltown was a stopover for further travels into the “interior”. Similar homes were created in Goulburn, Maitland, and other locations. 

The good citizens of Campbelltown held a public meeting on the 5th February 1842, and resolved to “form a home for Immigrants in Campbelltown upon the plan adopted by Mrs Chisholm.” They felt that “it would afford great facilities to the settlers in the district, besides being attended with numerous advantages to the Immigrants themselves”. The home would be funded by public subscription. 

It was noted that the meeting was held at the Roman Catholic School House, which was what is now known as Quondong, the Visitor Information Centre. 

There has been some dispute as to where exactly the Immigrants Home was, but we believe we have solved the mystery.  We have a very poor photo of the “Old Immigrants Home” from the Town and Country Journal with a small accompanying article. The image was taken by P.C. Marlow. Many people believed Quondong was the immigrants’ home, but the article and photo in the Journal does not bear this out. We have tracked down a couple of sources that place it on the opposite side of the road to Quondong, on a block that ran between the convergence of Old Menangle Road and Appin Road. Where these two roads came to a point was where the house was. (1979 Aileen Hayden Oral History). 

In the obituary of John Hurley, it was noted that “Mr Hurley came to her (Mrs Chisholm) and besides materially helping her by his influence and purse in her admirable scheme he gave her a large house in which the immigrants could find a home whilst awaiting a situation.” This makes complete sense, as the block on which the old house stood was originally John Bolger’s grant, which had been sold to James Meehan, and eventually leased by John Hurley in around 1833, and known as Hurley’s Farm. 

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources - Trove, Oral Histories

Korean Comforts Fund

The Ingleburn RSL and Citizens' Comforts Fund was set up to provide support to servicemen in the Korean War 1950-1953. In 1953, the fund provided comfort packs that were sent directly to the soldiers. The packs were greatly appreciated by the men and reminded them of what they were missing from back home. Perhaps most importantly they demonstrated that the boys were not forgotten and that their service was appreciated by people they left behind. 

Two of the contents that appeared to be the most welcome were candles and beer. The candles were particularly useful, as in many places artificial light was the only source of illumination for the men. However, for the thirsty local soldiers, Aussie beer was the highlight in the comfort packs. The diggers sent back letters of thanks that probably shocked some local wowsers. 

The Campbelltown-Ingleburn News published a selection of the messages of thanks sent back by the soldiers. One such message from an L.A.C. Miller read "I was wondering if you may know of a girl of 17-18 who would like to write to me, I only get a few letters." I wonder did he receive a reply?

A total of £307 was raised for the comfort packs by the fund.

Above is an example of a comforts fund hamper from World War II (Australian War Memorial)

Sources:

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News 15 September 1953, 26 May 1953

McGill, Jeff 1993

Campbelltown Clippings

Campbelltown: Campbelltown City Council

Written by Andrew Allen

Coronation Day

Campbelltown awoke to the sound of bells chiming from St Peter's Church on the morning of the Queen's coronation. They started at 8am and continued until 11am, echoing around the town and for miles away. An amplifying system was intricately set up in the bell tower the night before.

Campbelltown has always loved a street parade and this day was no exception. A procession made its way up Queen Street to the showground, where an impressive Dedication Service was held, followed by a full sports program for children. The newspaper reported that Queen Street was "a flutter with bunting, flags were flying and the Town Hall facade a brilliant fairy land of lights. However, the window dressing of shops left a lot to be desired according to the newspaper reporter!

At 10.30am the procession started from Fisher's Ghost Creek, linking up with school children at Dumaresq Street and the army at Allman Street. Following the army detachment came the Mayor and Mayoress and the Town Clerk and then the floats. The candidates in the Queen competition followed, and then a decorated ambulance and a Leumeah float with the title "The Greatest Show on Earth". All up the procession was about three quarters of a mile in length and the marching was in time! Crowd estimates for those watching were estimated at an impressive three thousand.

Mayor Farnsworth gave a speech at the Dedication Service at the showground. Miss Joyce Channell was announced the Queen competition winner and children's sports followed. Coronation certificates were presented to the children as a memento of the day.

The day's celebrations showed how much the monarchy still played an important part in people's lives. Almost 70 years later after the Queen's passing we have paid our respects to this amazing woman and her long rein.

Written by Andrew Allen

This image is believed to have been taken on the day of the coronation in 1953

How we planned our Coronation Celebrations

It was almost 70 years ago that Queen Elizabeth II was coronated at Westminster Abbey. I thought I would see what Campbelltown had planned through the Campbelltown Ingleburn News on the date of the coronation 2 June 1953. I will post again tomorrow on how it all went.

Miss Campbelltown Tops the Poll- Splendid Voting in Queen Competition was the title on the front page of the local paper on the day of the coronation. Suitable female candidates were chosen from various local committees to raise funds for the Coronation Celebrations at the Campbelltown Showground. The funds would go towards refreshments and entertainment. A program of events for the day was drawn up that included a procession of floats from Fisher's Ghost Bridge; an address by the Mayor at the Showground; dedication service; investiture of the winner of the Queen Competition; dancing by Mrs Lowe's pupils; sports and Rovers' Programme and Barbecue.

The newspaper featured an article about Minto's candidate for the Queen Competition Noreen Hunter. She was the centre of attention and mixed with the "gay competitors" at a dance held at Minto School of Arts the Friday before the coronation. The gala dance was attended by a "sprinkling of men in uniform". Noreen looked striking in a dress of broderie Anglaise.

Apart from the Queen Competition and the program of events for the day, other stories in the issue were the usual mundane regulars. Closure of a slaughter house at Campbelltown was prominent, as was news on the development of a site on Pembroke Road for a new Leumeah school. A coroner's inquest into the death of Reginald Rix on Sydney Road was another article of interest. Otherwise, the usual wedding reports, including the wedding of Theresa Foreman to Gordon Clegg, along with sports reports and classifieds dominated the rest of the paper.

I will post again tomorrow with how the day went.

Written by Andrew Allen

Queen Competition entrants

Source:

Campbelltown Ingleburn News 2 June 1953