Year: 2019

  • John Cade, AO

    Dr John Cade was educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours in Medicine in 1934. The son of a physician who worked as a superintendant at several mental hospitals, Dr Cade joined St Vincent’s Hospital as a Resident Medical Officer in 1935 and the Royal Children’s Hospital in 1936. Later that year…

  • Parramatta River

    The River as a Rowing Course Between 1830 and 1880, rowing was the most popular sport in Sydney.  This popularity probably had a lot to do with the success that Sydney rowers had achieved in World Championship events.  The first Australian to win a World Championship was Ted Trickett, who, on 27 June 1876, beat…

  • Literary Speaking

    Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine …. A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. Dijon vu – the same mustard as before. Practice safe eating – always use condiments. Shotgun wedding – A case of wife or death. A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy. A hangover is…

  • My Heart Will Go On

    A HAUNTED mirror once owned by the doomed captain of the Titanic is set to go under the hammer for £10kUK ($12,775AU) This antique is believed to be possessed by the ghost of Edward John Smith – who left it on his dressing table before setting sail on the ill-fated ocean liner’s maiden voyage. His…

  • The Mortlake Gas Men

    The Gas Employees Union was one the earliest associations of organised industrial labour in Australia. The New South Wales branch, which was established in the wake of the NSW Trades Union Act, 1881, granted workers the right to be represented by a registered union. The subsequent 1885 Factories and Shops Act provided for the inspection…

  • Soft Lights, Early Nights

    In the period 1880 to 1900 the full potential of the three basic energy systems for domestic lighting was finally realised. Oddly, an efficient method for using gas and oil lighting took hold just as electricity was being accepted and moving toward its ultimate triumph. The patenting of the impregnated silk mantel by Baron von…

  • Can You Help?

    One of our members, John Byrnes, who is also a member of the newly formed Strathfield Homebush Historical Society, would like to hear from anyone interested in researching any aspect of Homebush Bay. If interested, reply to john.mail@ozemail.com.au to keep in touch. John is about to commence a review of Aboriginal history across the Bay…

  • Care and Compassion

    During WWI approximately 160,000 Australians had been wounded, some of them permanently incapacitated.  They would need to be restored to health and those unable to resume their former occupations needed to be re-trained and supported.  Many needed assistance for the rest of their lives. During that time Eadith Walker formed a close relationship with soldiers…