People places and events have shaped our local area over a very long time, and must be recognised.
We could rely on archival photos or on the many books written by a local historian, the late Councillor Ron Rathbone, who passed away in 2007. But this is not good enough. We need visual representation of places and people so that our residents can better appreciate our significant past in its geographic context.
I uncovered a wealth of information in my 23 years of research for my Moorefield Racecourse (1888-1951) book. This information would have been lost forever had the story of Moorefield Racecourse not been told. My Moorefield Racecourse Facebook site and Moorefield material on my website keep the story active. New information, for which i am grateful, sometimes becomes available. And this is what history is about -new information sometimes is found.
I had many engaging conversations with elderly residents over the years. I became good at extracting information from my interview subjects!
Our local history is unique and special to us. However, it needs to better acknowledged and valued in Bayside Council, and this Notice of Motion from Councillor Sedrak will help to move this along.
We can recognise historical buildings such as Lydham Hall, St Elmo in Harrow Road, Dappetto in Wollongong Road, Tempe House, Wilson’s cottage or homes in which significant people lived. Don Bradman lived with the Cush Family in Frederick Street, Rockdale when he played cricket for St George Cricket Association.
There are public buildings such as Arncliffe Post Office, Arncliffe Fire Station. And the original building in the grounds of Arncliffe Public School, Teluba in the grounds of Arncliffe Primary School. Bexley Fire Station and the former Bexley Council Chambers underwent re-adaptive uses as has Banbury Cottage in Chandler Street, Rockdale. Primrose House, Dolls Point has been restored to its original grandeur, and is now a school.
Engineering sites must be included into our list and acknowledged as part of our history.
Past residents have made valuable contributions to our local area across so many areas.
The Moore family, were involved in the local community. They lived in a grand Victorian house, “Moorefields” which faced President Avenue., Kogarah this is the only mention of the word, Moorefield where an s is added. Peter Moore supported the Cottage Hospital, later to become St George Hospital and St Patricks Church, Kogarah. The family are commemorated with a stained glass window in the Church. Peter Moore was one of the powerbrokers in the local area for many years.
The most famous person to live in Bexley was Sir George Reid at no 2 Beaconsfied st between 1893 and 1896.he was Premier of NSW from 1894-1899 and Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 -1905. From 1910 to 1916 he was Australia’s High Commissioner in London.
We could talk about Christina Stead, who lived in Lydham Hall, Bexley before the family moved to Watsons Bay. Christina attended St George Girls in its inaugural year in 1916. She became a world famous author and was the recipient, in 1974, of the Inaugural Patrick White Award. “For Love Alone.” Since 1979, there has been the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction.
In 1904, George Fortescue moved to Arncliffe and opened a factory on the corner of Loftus St and Hirst St. In later years, it became Federal Machinery and specialised in the manufacturing of agricultural machinery. Its IXL brand was recognised over Australia.
Edward William Esdaile, a skilled instrument maker went into business in Hunter St, Sydney – he made or imported field glasses, microscopes, aviation instruments, sextants. Edward moved to Rockdale in 1887 and settled in Gordon St, now Farrar St Arncliffe in 1889. In 1908 ,he purchased The Towers in Forest Road , Arncliffe.
Thomas Saywell was an astute business man, who left his mark on Brighton. The development he had envisaged was a bathing enclosure, a hotel and several streets of semi -detached cottages linked to the proposed Rockdale Railway station by a steam operated tramway.
Samuel Cook had been responsible for having Scarborough Park set aside in 1879, and was instrumental in obtaining land for Arncliffe Park. When he realised development was about to take place along the western shore of Botany Bay, he brought considerable influence to bear on the then Lands Minister James Farnell, to preserve the beach for public use. The name Cook Park was gazetted on March 30 1886.
There are many more that could be added here. Nancy Hillier, Sir Joseph Carruthers, Peter Depeena, Bill o’Reilly, Alby Thomas, Bruce Sharp.
Residents and Historical Societies can be invited to submit nominations to this project. One in each Ward i believe would be appropriate. The presentation would be best presented in a stand-alone week, such as History Week in September of each year.
I commend you to support this Notice of Motion
Anne Field
