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| Hospital Photos: http://www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au |
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| The Sydney Morning Herald, 6/11/1905 |
Saturday, 4 June 2016
Marrickville Cottage Hospital
The Marrickville Cottage Hospital was designed by Morgan and Josephson
Architects with the foundation stone laid by Governor Hampden in April
1897. Consisting of two buildings, one fronting Lilydale Street and
another behind, the hospital opened 10 June, 1899. In 1902 an isolation
wing was added to the rear block (possibly resulting from the bubonic
outbreak of 1900) and a second building was placed on the front block in
1905. In 1913 the two buildings on the front block were joined by the
construction of a square towere over the present day entrance facing
Lilydale Street. In 1922 the site became the Marrickville District
Hospital, and by 1935 it was treating 7,237 patients a year and
contained 91 beds. By the 1970s a series of funding cuts saw a declining
usage for the site, and despite years public support the Hospital
closed in 1990.
John Howard - Dulwich Hill Boy to Prime Minister
John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia (serving 1996-2007) spent his early years living in Wardell Road, Dulwich Hill.
The Howard family operated a petrol station owned and operated by Mr Howard’s father Lyall and his grandfather Walter in the 1930s to 1955. The building still exists on the corner of Wardell Road and Ewart Street at Dulwich Hill. Mr Howard resided in the residence above the adjoining shop at 269 Wardell Rd.
As a teenager, Mr Howard and his older brothers Wal, Stan and Bob would work at the petrol station on weekends. In the book John Winston Howard: The Biography, Mr Howard recounted fond memories of working with his father.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working in that garage. I liked selling things, I liked serving petrol,” he remembered.
The property currently operates as a workshop.
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| Image Source: Commercial Real Estate |
The Howard family operated a petrol station owned and operated by Mr Howard’s father Lyall and his grandfather Walter in the 1930s to 1955. The building still exists on the corner of Wardell Road and Ewart Street at Dulwich Hill. Mr Howard resided in the residence above the adjoining shop at 269 Wardell Rd.
As a teenager, Mr Howard and his older brothers Wal, Stan and Bob would work at the petrol station on weekends. In the book John Winston Howard: The Biography, Mr Howard recounted fond memories of working with his father.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working in that garage. I liked selling things, I liked serving petrol,” he remembered.
The property currently operates as a workshop.
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| Sydney Morning Herald 14/01/1952, page 1 |
Wednesday, 28 October 2015
Oral History: Harvey Hatfield "A Story of Early Marrickville"
The following is an oral history that came from the City of Canterbury Library website. It originally appeared in the Canterbury District Historical Society Journal (S1 No6) from April 1967.
Seymour's Corner once the haunt of "blackguards."
As a lad of twelve I commenced work at Shrublands, Marrickville Road, It was then the home of Mrs. Smith, of Goodlet and Smith, earthenware pipe manufacturers. Before starting work, I was brought up at Canterbury. There, I used to go, with about a dozen other schoolboys, on the 7.30 a.m. train from Canterbury to Marrickville every Tuesday and Friday to buy meat to last several days. We could buy half a sheep for 2/6, stewing steak at 2 ½ d. 1b., and rump steak at 4 ½ d. 1b. Marrickville in those days was the main shopping centre as far as Belmore. The trams only ran as far as Marrickville and only as far as Cook Road in slack times.
I saw the construction of the extension of the line to Dulwich
Hill, and the opening ceremony for the extension was celebrated with a
banquet in the grounds of Shrublands.
When the first three shops were built in Marrickville Road, Dulwich
Hill, they were occupied by a fruiterer, grocer and draper. The
fruiterer was the late Mr. Tea Cave, whose family still carry on the
same business.
A prominent resident of Dulwich Hill was the late Marcus Clark. He had a
property which extended from Macarthur Parade along Marrickville Road
to Durham Street and to Beach Road at the rear. It was a familiar sight
to see him mounted on his black charger riding to business every day.
I can remember the police station in a private cottage in Petersham
Road. Inspector Stanwick was the officer in charge.
St. Clement's Church services were then held in what is now the school
hall at the rear. A small hotel standing on the corner of Marrickville
and IIIawarra Roads was known a "The Empress of India" and was owned by
Mr. Thompson.
Carmichael's "Success" Stoves had their first factory in a small tin shed where Coles’ Shoe Store now stands and from that point on, it was open paddocks to Victoria Road. There was nothing on the opposite side of the road from Frampton Avenue-to the corner of Marrickville Road and Victoria Road. The name "Blackguards’ Corner", came into use because of the larrikinisms at that point- of a group known as the Flat Rats.
FLOODS.
From Victoria Road to Sydenham Station was known as Tramvale, and whenever rain fell heavily for three or four days the road was deeply flooded and residents had to be rescued by the police in boats. People travelling by tram could not get off at Sydenham Road, but had to continue to Seymour's Corner.
I have seen most of the large factories built in the [strict, including Australian Woollen Mills, Globe Mills, Lears, General Motors, Malleable Castings, Fowlers Pottery and Shelleys Soft Drinks. Marrickville Margarine factory as established by Mr. C. Abel, who was proprietor of a large wholesale pastry factory in Newtown. At certain times C the year he had great difficulty in obtaining butter for his business, so he began the manufacture of margarine as substitute.
Marrickville was then a district of brick pits and numerous bakeries and dairies. Now one has to be content with block runs and no choice of milkmen. Every butcher employed a boy who rode a pony, with a basket of meat on is arm.' He would call with the meat for breakfast at 7 a.m., collect the order for dinner and deliver it before lunchtime. The greengrocer called with his cart three times week, collected orders and delivered the goods to the doorstep. The baker called every day. The "rabbit-oh" called three times a week and as many as half a dozen hawkers of fruit and vegetable every day.
What a different story today! Poor old grandmas have to trudge around the shops with perhaps two baskets and young mothers have to do their shopping and keep an eye on their children at the same time. Is this what you call progress? I don’t think so.
There was once a large hotel on the banks of Cook’s .River at Undercliffe. People used to go in bus loads to enjoy picnicking on the river. There were two boat-sheds at Tempe, one at Undercliffe, one at Wardell Road and one at the dam at Canterbury.
It was a pretty sight. There were oak trees and plenty of other timber right down to the river and plenty of sites for picnic lunches. I remember my father telling that a building on the bank on the Canterbury side of the river at Undercliffe was the old toll house. Vehicles were charged one penny to cross the bridge. The only other crossing was at Canterbury Road, Canterbury, three miles away.
Another picnic site was at the foot of Garnet Street, Hurlstone Park. It was known as Starkey's, named after Mr. Starkey, who owned Gladstone Hall, which extended from Ewart Street to the banks of the river. Another old hotel stood where the ambulance station is now. It was known as Donohues, and near it was a hundred yards cinder track. Quoits were also played there every Saturday afternoon. In 1905, I drove the first resident doctor, Doctor Curtis Hodgson, to start a practice in Dulwich Hill.
Two of the oldest shops carried on by the same families are Robert Harris’ (jewellers) and Broadley’s shoe store (Mr. Stan Reynolds). I was well aquainted with Mr. Jack Purdy, who was reported to be the first white child to be born m Marrickville. The property now occupied by the militia in Addison Road was known as Purdy's Estate.
A large area of land facing Agar Street to Newington Road was worked as a market garden by Chinese, and another area from the railway bridge in Livingston Road to Warren Road, was also a market garden owned and worked by a Mr. Moncur, after whom Moncur Street was named. Letters were mostly delivered on horseback, but Charlie Davison, Jim Gleeson, George Russell, Bill Stuanton and Len Attwell did the local shops on foot. Mr. R. G. Brereton, who built two shops in Marrickville in 1885 and opened a chemist shop, was known throughout the whole district for his advice and care of the poor and sick. He had a bigger practice than any medical man of that day.
I remember well the turning of the first sod of the railway line from Sydenham to Belmore. On that occasion they roasted a whole bullock, and had a greasy pig chase and a greasy pole at the top of which was a rooster in a bag as a prize.
(C.D.H.S.J. S.1 No.6.)
A STORY OF EARLY MARRICKVILLE
by Mr. Harvey HatfieldSeymour's Corner once the haunt of "blackguards."
As a lad of twelve I commenced work at Shrublands, Marrickville Road, It was then the home of Mrs. Smith, of Goodlet and Smith, earthenware pipe manufacturers. Before starting work, I was brought up at Canterbury. There, I used to go, with about a dozen other schoolboys, on the 7.30 a.m. train from Canterbury to Marrickville every Tuesday and Friday to buy meat to last several days. We could buy half a sheep for 2/6, stewing steak at 2 ½ d. 1b., and rump steak at 4 ½ d. 1b. Marrickville in those days was the main shopping centre as far as Belmore. The trams only ran as far as Marrickville and only as far as Cook Road in slack times.
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| Image Source: Marrickville Library Images |
Carmichael's "Success" Stoves had their first factory in a small tin shed where Coles’ Shoe Store now stands and from that point on, it was open paddocks to Victoria Road. There was nothing on the opposite side of the road from Frampton Avenue-to the corner of Marrickville Road and Victoria Road. The name "Blackguards’ Corner", came into use because of the larrikinisms at that point- of a group known as the Flat Rats.
FLOODS.
From Victoria Road to Sydenham Station was known as Tramvale, and whenever rain fell heavily for three or four days the road was deeply flooded and residents had to be rescued by the police in boats. People travelling by tram could not get off at Sydenham Road, but had to continue to Seymour's Corner.
I have seen most of the large factories built in the [strict, including Australian Woollen Mills, Globe Mills, Lears, General Motors, Malleable Castings, Fowlers Pottery and Shelleys Soft Drinks. Marrickville Margarine factory as established by Mr. C. Abel, who was proprietor of a large wholesale pastry factory in Newtown. At certain times C the year he had great difficulty in obtaining butter for his business, so he began the manufacture of margarine as substitute.
 |
| Image Source: Marrickville Library Services |
Marrickville was then a district of brick pits and numerous bakeries and dairies. Now one has to be content with block runs and no choice of milkmen. Every butcher employed a boy who rode a pony, with a basket of meat on is arm.' He would call with the meat for breakfast at 7 a.m., collect the order for dinner and deliver it before lunchtime. The greengrocer called with his cart three times week, collected orders and delivered the goods to the doorstep. The baker called every day. The "rabbit-oh" called three times a week and as many as half a dozen hawkers of fruit and vegetable every day.
What a different story today! Poor old grandmas have to trudge around the shops with perhaps two baskets and young mothers have to do their shopping and keep an eye on their children at the same time. Is this what you call progress? I don’t think so.
There was once a large hotel on the banks of Cook’s .River at Undercliffe. People used to go in bus loads to enjoy picnicking on the river. There were two boat-sheds at Tempe, one at Undercliffe, one at Wardell Road and one at the dam at Canterbury.
It was a pretty sight. There were oak trees and plenty of other timber right down to the river and plenty of sites for picnic lunches. I remember my father telling that a building on the bank on the Canterbury side of the river at Undercliffe was the old toll house. Vehicles were charged one penny to cross the bridge. The only other crossing was at Canterbury Road, Canterbury, three miles away.
Another picnic site was at the foot of Garnet Street, Hurlstone Park. It was known as Starkey's, named after Mr. Starkey, who owned Gladstone Hall, which extended from Ewart Street to the banks of the river. Another old hotel stood where the ambulance station is now. It was known as Donohues, and near it was a hundred yards cinder track. Quoits were also played there every Saturday afternoon. In 1905, I drove the first resident doctor, Doctor Curtis Hodgson, to start a practice in Dulwich Hill.
Two of the oldest shops carried on by the same families are Robert Harris’ (jewellers) and Broadley’s shoe store (Mr. Stan Reynolds). I was well aquainted with Mr. Jack Purdy, who was reported to be the first white child to be born m Marrickville. The property now occupied by the militia in Addison Road was known as Purdy's Estate.
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| Riverside Park, Cooks River Image Source: Marrickville Library Services |
A large area of land facing Agar Street to Newington Road was worked as a market garden by Chinese, and another area from the railway bridge in Livingston Road to Warren Road, was also a market garden owned and worked by a Mr. Moncur, after whom Moncur Street was named. Letters were mostly delivered on horseback, but Charlie Davison, Jim Gleeson, George Russell, Bill Stuanton and Len Attwell did the local shops on foot. Mr. R. G. Brereton, who built two shops in Marrickville in 1885 and opened a chemist shop, was known throughout the whole district for his advice and care of the poor and sick. He had a bigger practice than any medical man of that day.
I remember well the turning of the first sod of the railway line from Sydenham to Belmore. On that occasion they roasted a whole bullock, and had a greasy pig chase and a greasy pole at the top of which was a rooster in a bag as a prize.
(C.D.H.S.J. S.1 No.6.)
Saturday, 17 October 2015
Clever Theft from Seymours Store 1933
On July 18, 1933 the Sydney Morning Herald (page 9) reported:
There had been many robberies in the district
and the management of H. T. Seymour, Ltd., had been taking
special precautions against theft. All doors had been fitted
with burglar alarms and a special watch had been kept outside
the store.
The theft, first discovered by a female employee, was reported to Mr. J. Gabel, managing director, who was amazed to find the 18 inch by 12 inch hole in the concrete floor formed the mouth of a tunnel that ran downwards irregularly.
Mr. Gabel and Detective-sergeant Hayes and Detective Sharp, of Marrickville traced the stormwater channel to its nearest entrance, on a vacant allotment about 150 yards away from the store. Groping their way along the channel, in which a few inches of water was running and which was about five feet in height, they reached a spot in the wall from which the bricks had been removed.
Two miners' picks, a shovel, a big hammer, and an old pair of trousers were lying below the hole. The thickness of the brickwork which had been removed was l8 inches, and a Water Board employee estimated that the making of the hole would have provided a day's work for his men.
Pieces of string still further along the channel attracted the attention of the police. It proved to be portion of the string used to tie the stolen packages of tobacco. Following the narrowing channel they eventually emerged at an embankment of the Sydenham-Bankstown railway line close to Myrtle street.
The police considered the tunnel made by the
thieves to be worthy of a mining engineer. The gang, after
making the hole in the brickwork of the wall of the
storm-water channel, excavated a large hole with a diameter of
about 4ft 6in, the floor of which was level with the bottom
of the hole in the brick work. They had then made a narrow
opening in the top of this hole, large enough to admit a
man. Their next step was to make a second large hole above
this opening and about the size of the first hole. Their
excavations had then taken them to the floor of the building.
This tunnelling is thought to have taken weeks, because most of the earth from the excavation had been washed away in the channel by the previous week's rains. Working at night, the thieves are thought to have made a practice of entering the storm-water channel at the mouth nearest to the store.
The completion of the hole in the concrete flooring must have taken place either on Saturday or Sunday night as none of the company's employees was in the tobacco storeroom between Saturday morning and Monday morning.
The most remarkably planned robbery in New South Wales for many years was completed at Marrickville during the week-end, when the big department store of H. T. Seymour, Ltd., at the corner of Victoria and Marrickville roads, was entered by way of an underground tunnel and tobacco worth £400 was stolen.
The work was that of a gang of expert thieves. To enter the store the thieves tunnelled upwards for 10 feet from a storm water channel which runs under the store, and picked through the concrete flooring, eight inches thick, of the company's tobacco storeroom. The gang took their loot under ground to the stormwater channel, and then carried it for three-quarters of a mile to the channel mouth, where they loaded it into a car. The thieves' tunnelling operations must have occupied weeks, but in the store above there was no indication that they were at work.
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| Seymour's Corner at the corner of Marrickville & Victoria Roads was flanked by a Department Store on the Eastern side and a timber yard opposite. |
The theft, first discovered by a female employee, was reported to Mr. J. Gabel, managing director, who was amazed to find the 18 inch by 12 inch hole in the concrete floor formed the mouth of a tunnel that ran downwards irregularly.
Mr. Gabel and Detective-sergeant Hayes and Detective Sharp, of Marrickville traced the stormwater channel to its nearest entrance, on a vacant allotment about 150 yards away from the store. Groping their way along the channel, in which a few inches of water was running and which was about five feet in height, they reached a spot in the wall from which the bricks had been removed.
Two miners' picks, a shovel, a big hammer, and an old pair of trousers were lying below the hole. The thickness of the brickwork which had been removed was l8 inches, and a Water Board employee estimated that the making of the hole would have provided a day's work for his men.
Pieces of string still further along the channel attracted the attention of the police. It proved to be portion of the string used to tie the stolen packages of tobacco. Following the narrowing channel they eventually emerged at an embankment of the Sydenham-Bankstown railway line close to Myrtle street.
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| Manufacturers Exhibition (Marrickville Town Hall?) Seymour display can be seen on lower right. |
This tunnelling is thought to have taken weeks, because most of the earth from the excavation had been washed away in the channel by the previous week's rains. Working at night, the thieves are thought to have made a practice of entering the storm-water channel at the mouth nearest to the store.
The completion of the hole in the concrete flooring must have taken place either on Saturday or Sunday night as none of the company's employees was in the tobacco storeroom between Saturday morning and Monday morning.
Friday, 16 October 2015
The Case of Casey the Chimpanzee (Guest Post)
The following post has been written by Maggie Bester, a student completing her Masters degree at Sydney University. Maggie has alligned herself to the society for the remainder of the year. This is the first of a number of interesting posts she will contribute.
An unusual incident on the night of the 6th of December 1915 caused quite a disturbance among the residents of Marrickville. Mrs. Emily Russell, a local to the area, died during the pursuit of an escaped performing chimpanzee named “Casey”. The event was detailed with great zest in a New Zealand local newspaper several days later (sandwiched between a notice from the postmaster and an advertisement for the display of exotic wares):
_____________________________________________________________________
An unusual incident on the night of the 6th of December 1915 caused quite a disturbance among the residents of Marrickville. Mrs. Emily Russell, a local to the area, died during the pursuit of an escaped performing chimpanzee named “Casey”. The event was detailed with great zest in a New Zealand local newspaper several days later (sandwiched between a notice from the postmaster and an advertisement for the display of exotic wares):
(Fig. 1. “Local and General News”, Wairarapa Times, December 22, 1914, 4.)
Casey belonged to a Mr.
Thomas Fox, and before this incident was widely advertised in Australian papers
as a spectacle to which visitors, for a price of 6p, could purportedly come to
see with their own eyes Darwin’s “missing link”.
Darwin’s theories, and the question
of situating man’s place within the evolutionary process was one of much
fascination across the world in the early twentieth century, as exemplified by
this extract from the South Bend News-Times,
of Indiana, in 1922. Within this article, ‘Animal Student’ Ryley Cooper is
interviewed on his efforts to scientifically liberate the “man in the beast” and
thus create a “low type of humanity” – an objective achieved, he asserted, by
rearing in civilization several generations of chimpanzees.
The chimpanzee featured in
this article appears to be the one and the same “Casey” of Mr. Fox from
Marrickville. (Fox and his wife had moved to the States by this point in time.)[1]
(Fig. 3. “He’d Make a Man of a Monkey – and in our Generations”, South Bend News-Times April 30, 1922, 39.)
Following
Mrs. Emily Russell’s death, her husband sought damages against Mr. Fox under
the Compensation to Relatives Act of 1897.[2] He was awarded damages of
£450 by the jury, who heard the case in September of 1915:
(Fig. 4. “An
Escaped Chimpanzee”, The Farmer and
Settler, October 1, 1915, 4.)
[1] See Liz Clark’s blog post on Casey’s
life for further detail: Liz Clark, “Almost Human – The Sins of the Simians
Part 1”, Mad Bush Farm, http://madbushfarm.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/almost-human-sins-of-simians-part-1.html.
[2] “Compensation to Relatives Act, 1897”, New South Wales Consolidated Acts, http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ctra1897288/.
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