Hurley Park

The beautiful and peaceful Hurley Park is often overlooked in comparison with Mawson and Koshigaya parks. I find myself regularly drawn to it. It has a history that dates back to the early days of Campbelltown's settlement with it's convict-built reservoir and cattle tanks the dominant attraction.

Locating information about Hurley Park that was not associated with early water conservation construction proved a challenge. Much has been written about this aspect of the park and I will concentrate on the rest of the park in this post.

Hurley Park was either named for the well-known pioneer John Hurley or his son P.B. Hurley. John Hurley, a convict, had arrived in Campbelltown by 1832 and was listed as an innkeeper at the King's Arms. He was also a successful pastoralist and politician. John has been incorrectly identified as the man who saw Fred Fisher's ghost in 1826, probably because it sounded like John Farley who actually saw the apparition.

A 1948 aerial photo of Hurley Park

Besides the occupation of the cattle tank and reservoir, the park was originally a paddock where cattle grazed. According to Jeff McGill in his book Campbelltown's Streets and Suburbs, the park appears to have been used as a "common", however in 1897 it reverted to the Crown. Jeff further writes that Alderman Charles Bull led efforts to have the paddock declared a park. Hurley Park is mentioned in the Daily Telegraph in 1889 where it discussed how the residents of Campbelltown were very indignant at the state of the park. It wrote that some time ago the council tried to get the care of it vested in them, and they intended petitioning the Government on the matter.

Not much is written about the park until 1918 when the reservoir was the scene of a regatta that is referred to as Jack's Day. Most of the town went and there is a photo of boats and swimming to mark the occasion.

Jack's Day Regatta on the reservoir in 1918

Starting in the 1920s the park was a popular moonlight rendezvous for young lovers in Campbelltown. During the 1920s through to about the 1950s, it was common for teenagers attending dances at the Town Hall in Queen Street to be seen taking an alternate course home through Hurley Park. Apparently, old timers recalled after chilly mornings that horses were regularly found without their winter rugs after the teenagers moved them to the frosty ground! 

In 1926 Hurley Park was leased to Vince Tripp for one pound a year and for three pounds the following year. In 1933 debate raged in the town about whether or not cattle and bulls should be allowed to graze in the public park. The threat of bulls charging at people terrified the locals.

Former local historian Ed McBarron wrote about the trees in the park. He claimed that the trees came from the State Nursery in Badgally Road. The park was and is still home to Moreton Bay Figs, Canary Island Pines, Stone Pines, Bunya Pines and various gums and eucalypts.

According to Ed, the drainage gully in the park was once used as a favoured place to play two-up on Sunday mornings. There was always one bloke posted to act as "cockatoo"!

The park was the scene of a tragedy one day in 1961. Six year-old Greg O'Brien from nearby Allman Street drowned in an excavation that was dug for a new playing field. It added to other drowning tragedies in the cattle tank in the 1920s and 30s.

There was even a rubbish tip in the park. Maps show the location adjacent to Lithgow Street, not far from where it meets George Street. It was quite small and no traces remain. The park was also home to an early inn where Dumaresq Street once met George Street.

In the 1960s the park was reconfigured for sporting fields. Baseball was played regularly on the new sporting field and football and cricket were later played.

Baseball on Hurley Park  in 1970

Do you have any interesting memories from Hurley Park that you would like to share?

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

McBarron, Ed

The Trees of Hurley Park 

In Grist Mills Vol. 2, No. 2, April 1984

Daily Telegraph, 12 August 1889, p5

Sydney Morning Herald, 1 September 1961

McGill, Jeff et al 1995

Campbelltown's Streets and Suburbs: how and why they got their names

Campbelltown: Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society

McGill, Jeff 1993

Campbelltown Clippings

Campbelltown: Campbelltown City Council

Voices From the Past

Some years ago Campbelltown Library received grant funding to digitise our collection of audio visual material. Included in this collection were audio cassettes of oral history interviews recorded in the mid to late 1970s. These interviews are particularly valuable as they record memories of Campbelltown people born around the late nineteenth century or early twentieth century. For example, we can listen to descriptions of what businesses occupied Queen Street in the early 1900s and of people who lived and died long ago.

Listen to Rita Brunero's recollection of the regatta on the convict-built reservoir in 1917; Aline Haydon's ostrich story or Ambrose Bourke's experiences of enlisting for the First World War. These are just a sample of many wonderful stories featured in Campbelltown Library's Voices From the Past Display. 

This will be the first time these interviews have been made accessible to the public. Learn more about these people and hear their memories at HJ Daley Library during History Week from 2-10 September.

Hillsborough

If you have lived in the area long enough, you might remember a little slab cottage on the western side of and very close to Appin Road, a few kilometres out of Campbelltown. Long demolished, this cottage was known as 'Hillsborough' and was one of a number of properties owned by the famous Hume family. The 'Hillsborough' property has been the focus of recent archaeological investigation and the land and former homestead are now part of the new Figtree Hill development at Gilead.

Taken in 1977 (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

In 1823, 84 acres were granted to John Kennedy Hume and he named this grant 'Hillsborough'. John was the son of Andrew Hamilton Hume and brother of the explorer Hamilton Hume. The name 'Hillsborough' was probably named after the birthplace of Andrew Hamilton Hume in County Down, Ireland. John also acquired land in the vicinity of the town of Gunning between Goulburn and Yass. Evidence reveals that John only lived at 'Hillsborough' for around 10 years and raised cattle there during that time. John Kennedy Hume was killed by bushrangers near Gunning in 1840.

'Hillsborough' later passed to John Kennedy's son Andrew in 1859. It was later owned by Lucy Hassell in 1888, before passing to Jo and Francis Williams in 1917. The property continued to change hands until Stefan Dzwonnik owned it in 1981.

Taken in 1980 by Daphne Kingston (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

The remains of the homestead include foundations, concrete paving, stock fencing and an orchard. As part of Lendlease's rezoning proposal, the area around 'Hillsborough' will be protected for environmental conservation.  As part of this, the plan is to include some public walking trails and signage which is allowed within the conservation areas, around the historical remains. 

An interesting anecdote: Appin Road in the 1820s was often the location for raids on settler's homes by thieves. But the carpenter who built 'Hillsborough' had, knowingly or unknowingly, built in a safety factor. If thieves or bushrangers came crashing through the front door, they would soon come to a crunching full stop. Hillsborough's front door was just four feet eight inches high! The door is still held by the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society.

Taken in 1989 by Daphne Kingston (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Collection)

The 4ft 8in front door of 'Hillsborough' displayed at the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society's home at 'Glenalvon'

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

"History Corner" by Verlie Fowler

Hillsborough

913 Appin Road, Gilead

Heritage Assessment and Management Strategy

Tanner Kibble Denton Architects

June 2017

 

Those Golden Wattle Days

Beginning in 1917 the children of “Campbelltown Superior* Public School” gathered, boxed and sent thousands of golden sprigs of wattle to their “city cousins” in inner Sydney for Wattle Day.

Reported in 1920, the children spent a pleasant afternoon picking and packing the “rich glory of gold” after obtaining Mr Elletson and Mr Bocking's kind permission.” Quite why they sought the earlier town Mayor’s okay we can only speculate, perhaps they were collecting further afield than the school grounds? But whatever the source the sprays of vibrant yellow were certainly well received, with several appreciative replies from inner-city school children.

Young recipient, Charles Dobeson, of 4B Gardner’s Road Public, lamented there was very little growing around their area, being in the middle of the "factory district" and what there was, was of “inferior quality.”

Pupil, Leslie Levy proclaimed, “The fragrant smell was all over the place - all the boys were smelling it. OUR two trees had very little on them.” Another decried theirs were - “stunted with poor sandy soil.”

Among the 7th class "a good many already had wattle when they came to school but soon discarded theirs for yours." Many letters noted Campbelltown as being blessed being close to the bush.

Teacher, Mr Long even hoisted a bunch up the flagpole along with the flag and the school gave a cry of three cheers for the boys and girls of Campbelltown.

Wattle trees blooming in the Memorial Wattle Grove outside H.J. Daley Library.

Wattle has always held a prominent place in Australia’s consciousness, using it for display, symbolism and reminders of home during WWI. First nation peoples used the tree for thousands of years as food, fuel, medicine and objects like spears, bags and boomerangs. Though the first official Wattle Day was celebrated in 1910 the golden wattle was only officially proclaimed as Australia's national floral emblem 1988.

In 1923, the school children of Campbelltown had kept their promise to the "city kids" with the wattle seemingly harvested on an industrial scale! Mr Klein of Paddington S.P.S. reported that all 1500 of their children were, by 11 o'clock, wearing the Campbelltown wattle.

Charles Gardiner of Balmain wrote to say their sprigs were being sold for a penny/half penny a spray - to raise funds for books in the library.

The last word we’ll leave to Leslie who wrote, “Your kindness to us proves you do not easily forget your friends.”

 * Superior Public Schools were schools that were officially recognised as providing both primary and post-primary education.

**Postscript. 

The Teacher Librarian of Campbelltown Public School, Debbie Gilroy, has kindly contacted us to say that the school children had asked Mr Bocking's permission because they walked out to his property to collect the choicest wattle. 

Thank you very much Debbie for shedding some light on the story.

Written by Michael Sullivan

References:

Wattle Day Pleasantries: Campbelltown Pupils' Gifts to their City CTN news Fri 27 Aug 1920

Wattle for City Children. CTN IBN News Aug 1923 p1,8

National Museum of Australia

Old Film Brings Campbelltown Back to Life

An exciting film has recently come to light showing life in Campbelltown in about 1958. The home movie made by local Stan Reeve, provides an insight into a slower paced and more innocent time. The recently digitised film runs for approximately 15 minutes and features various personalities who were prominent in Campbelltown at that time. Moving pictures often reveal so much more about a person's personality compared to still shots and this film is no different. Unfortunately, there is no sound.

The film opens with a view of the Ducat house where today's Macarthur Square is located followed by scenes featuring the Camden Tram 'Pansy' as it steams along beside Narellan Road. Keep a watch later  for cameo's from St David's church, St Peter's church and a small slice of the northern end of Queen Street.

Here is the film:

Gillian Blackstone, Stan Reeve's son Tom and a few others have identified the people in the film. Thank you to Tom Reeve for sharing his father Stan's home movie. The film is copyright to Stan Reeve.

The following is the breakdown of people with a brief description that matches the time in the film:

1.20    John Farrow (cub)    Back left

1.20     Paul Bartley (cub)    Middle

1.21    Elizabeth Farrow    Middle

1.12    Suzanne Farrow (plaits)    In front of Elizabeth   

1.26    Charlie Hannaford and Eric Henson at Scout Hall

1.26    Dianne Penfold    In GFS uniform (middle)

1.26    Roger Woollard    Scout leader (top left) 

1.26    Hazel Routley    Middle left

1.26    Mary Foulks    grey skirt next to Hazel

1.26    Phyllis Rixon (nee Gorrie)    Far right in green

2.29    Mrs Woollard (nee Shafer)    Holding pram

2.56    Harold Reeve

3.02    Mrs Price

3.05    Betty Mercer    Green hat

3.05    Bob Pratt    Centre

3.09    Margaret King    Wife of Dr Ted King

3.13    Eric Avenell    Grey suit right

3.15    Herb Lee

3.36    Julie Lee (Blue dress)

3.40    Rev. Louis Anderson

3.43    Lilian Sproule (nee Bradman- Don Bradman's sister)

3.47    Audrey Larnach    Pink

3.53    Mrs Reeve and Marj Bursill (Pink hat)

4.02    Athol Tompkins

4.10    Dave Archer    Red and white tie

4.24    Dr Ted King

4.27    Hank Reeve

4.40    Beth and Lynne Fairburn

4.49    Merle Bromley

5.01    Mrs Fairburn (Jnr)

5.33    Marj Bursill

6.00    Reeve and Fairburn children

6.16    Hilda Davidson

6.57     Meg King (check skirt)

7.06    Ted King Snr and Mercy

7:30    Leila and Mrs Spearing

7.34    Jim Helm

7.56    Charlie Hannaford at his home 'Miramichi'

8.56     Billy North

9.51     Rev. John Rofe

10.01    Bob Dinney

10.26     Mrs Steele

10.45    Field Day at St Elmo Estate with Eric Routley

11.38    Mrs Witts

11.54    Ron and Jean Cameron

12.27    Harold Reeve with grandchildren

12.55    Freda Ballard and Betty Burgin

12.56    Percy Marlow

13.04    Percy Marlow and Harley Daley

13.26    Emily Longhurst

13.45     Mrs Wolledge

13.52    Bert Kitt

Harley Daley: life as a POW

This week I got to know the man that our Campbelltown Library is named after a little better. Harley or HJ Daley served proudly on Campbelltown Council as General Manager for an incredible 41 years. Harley was captured by the Japanese and made a POW at Changi Prison in Singapore during World War II. After a visit from a family connection this week, the war diary of Harley was lent to me which allowed me the privilege of reading the harrowing and powerful moments of his time as a POW.

Harley left Campbelltown with an expectation that he would serve his country for a relatively short period. Little did he know that it would be five years before he would return to his friends and family as well as his beloved Campbelltown.

Harley enlisted on 13 June 1940 and served in the ill-fated 8th Division. He wrote that he was always keen to do anything of importance on the 13th. Three years to the day after he enlisted he wrote in his diary "Three years since I signed on the dotted line and wanted to be a soldier. When I look back, what a waste it has all been." His diary began on 10 March 1942. He wrote "As I sit here in my cell (?) - at least I am a prisoner of war - I will commence what I have promised myself for some time and relate some incidents from our stay in Malaya which no doubt will be of some interest in later years."

There are many entries where Harley describes the appalling conditions of the camp. On 19 November 1942 he describes how he "Inspected new camp site - lousy - and crawling with bugs. Anyway we are quite accustomed to them but it is a bit tough when you have to push them out of bed in order to crawl in." Harley would quite often describe the food- or lack of it. Eating rice was a daily struggle. Malnutrition was rife and he would often write about men he saw such as on 21 December 1942: "Three more parties have arrived during the past 3 days and I have never seen men in such a sad state. Many of them are just able to walk owing to malnutrition and are covered with sores." Harley too struggled with malnutrition and would occasionally write about his drop in weight. On 17 May 1945 as the war was near an end he wrote "Weight steadily dropping and I am now down to 9 st. 1lb." 

Significant milestones were always noted in Harley's diary but often written in an understandable  melancholy tone. "19 March 1942: What a birthday. I am on liquid diet and could not even keep that down- feeling lousy. Have a good position on top balcony but the bugs are terrible." He would always remember and write about family birthdays, describing the pain of not being with them to celebrate. He would receive letters from his wife Gleam but quite often it could be over a year before they arrived. On 3 May 1944 he received a letter from Gleam dated March 1943. He would often express his disappointment of the absence of photos of the family in the letters he received.

Eventually the war came to an end and somehow Harley Daley had survived Changi. On 11 August 1945, only days after the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed Harley wrote "Jack Lennon woke me at 0400 to say that Japan had agreed to Allied terms of unconditional surrender." A month or so later on September 18 how the big day had arrived and that they embarked about 11am on Duntroon and had lunch on board with plenty of meat!

The last entry in Harley's diary was on October 6 where he wrote: "And so we reach the final stage. Had a rehearsal this morning for disembarkation tomorrow at No. 11 Wharf, Woolloommoolloo. Then to Ingleburn - fancy finishing up there. Expect Harry and Jim will be there- hope they bring a bottle. Even now it is hard to believe that within 24 hours we will be back with our families, away from all this monotonous routine, bickering and whingeing. Oh to be free again. We have had a remarkable trip- 19 days on the ship and this is the first without sunshine. I will now start packing- "And so Tomorrow".

Harley James Daley, the man known as 'The Father of Modern Campbelltown' died in 1987. He pre-deceased his wife Gleam. He had two daugters: Del and Cheryl.

Harley's diary is unavailable to the public.

Written by Andrew Allen

Harley and Gleam in period costume at the official opening of Glenalvon during the sesquicentenary celebrations in 1970.

From Thoroughbreds to Clydesdales

While for many years the Blairmount estate was the home of Thoroughbreds, it later became the home of champion Clydesdales, bred by Mr Frank Young.

Frank was born in South Australia in 1885 and played a big part in the wool industry. As a young man he excelled at football and rowing. After school he was sent overseas to England and the continent to learn the wool business. On coming home he had enough knowledge and experience to join Commonwealth Wool and Produce. He would ultimately become its chairman and managing director in 1911.

Frank was described as “not being loquacious”. He did not really like talking about wool, or business, but he did like talking about football.  By 1937 he was the chairman of the Woolselling National Council, trading about 3 million bales of wool a year. But Frank’s side passion was the breeding of Clydesdale horses.

Widgiewa Blackwood, Champion Clydesdale Stallion at
Dandenong Show, prior to being purchased by Frank Young. 
(The Australasian, 19.12.1931)

He purchased Blairmount in 1929, and immediately set about modernising it. Sewerage, water supply, and electricity were some of his earliest concerns. One of his first equine purchases in the same year was the ten year old stallion Bangaroo Lettre, by the imported stallion Royal Warden. Bangaroo Lettre had made his name standing for the Glen Innes Experiment Farm. Frank purchased some mares, including two imported from Scotland. He then proceeded to build his herd of mares using Bangaroo Lettre. Around 1933 Frank purchased Widgiewa Blackwood, who had been imported in utero, and was a stallion who had already built a good reputation. Frank would use Widgiewa Blackwood over his mare herd and produced quality horses, who would take prizes at many agricultural shows, and be sold for good money. The Australasian paper in 1937 would say “Mr Frank Young’s Stock are Strong in Breed Type”, and “the sound average good quality of the brood mares on the property is beyond question”.  Frank was President of the NSW branch of the Commonwealth Clydesdale Society that same year.

Mullamuddy Fancy, one of Frank's early mare purchases,
Champion Active Draught Camden Show 1935
(SMH 6.4.1935)

Unfortunately, in 1942 Frank was reducing his stock, selling 8 of his mares at auction, and in 1946 making a further reduction. It makes me wonder if he was not in good health, as he passed away in 1950 at the age of 65. Blairmount was eventually sold in 1954 to Mr Stan French whose Eschol Park property adjoined Blairmount.

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources - Trove