Just inside the main entrance to Parramatta Park is an obelisk which marks the spot where Lady Mary Fitzroy, wife of Sir Charles Fitzroy, former Governor of New South Wales, received fatal injuries in a driving accident on December 7, 1847.
The Governor and Lady Fitzroy, accompanied by Lieut. Charles Masters, were setting out to attend a wedding in Sydney, when the four horses attached to their carriage became frightened and dashed wildly down the hill from Government House.
The carriage struck a stump, throwing the occupants violently out. The Governor escaped practically unhurt, but Lady Mary and Lieut. Masters were so seriously injured that they died the same day.
The maddened horses careered along George-street as far as Church-street, where they crashed into a building which stood on the site now occupied by Tattersall’s Hotel. As a result of the tragic happening, a gloom was cast over the whole Colony.
Subsequently Governor Fitzroy had an entrance made to the Domain (the Park) at Macquarie Street, and he used this instead of the George-street one. The obelisk was unveiled on Centenary Day, 1888.
Old Government House, Parramatta
Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW),
26 October 1933. http://monumentaustralia.org.au/
Kings & Queens of England Between the years of 1979 and 1981 Franklin Mint issued 43 pewter miniatures, as individual pieces, of all the Kings and Queens of England, from Edward the Confessor to Queen Elizabeth II. Britain’s Society of Portrait Sculptors commissioned the miniatures and the artist chosen to create the figures in this…
Our member and dedicated guide for the Walker Open Days, Hazel King, was recently awarded an OAM for her service to horticulture and to community history. Over 90 years ago her father came to Australia from England, where he had worked as head gardener on a large estate. He obtained employment, as head gardener, on…
Gertrude Moberly was born in Rockhampton, Queensland on New Year’s Day 1880. She was the sixth of Rev. Edmund George Moberly and Julia Frances Suttor’s eight children. Gertrude grew up in Walcha, New South Wales, where her father was rector. She moved to Sydney in 1894 where her sister, Nora Moberly, was matron of Dulce…
Sunbeam Mixmaster In the years between the First and Second World Wars, Ivar Jepson designed and built dozens of kitchen appliances, including the indomitable Sunbeam “Mixmaster”. Born in Sweden in 1903, Jepson loved to design things as a boy, studied engineering as a youth, and went to Germany to pursue graduate studies in mechanical engineering. …
Fifty-seven years ago, on the 25 February 1961, Sydney’s last electric trams operated on the La Perouse and Maroubra Beach lines. The last day of trams is a great date to remember for trivia nights. This wonderful image taken by D.R. Keenan shows an R1 class tram at Maroubra Junction on the day. It was…
I’m 87 years of age and I have realised I still have so many unanswered questions! I never found out who let the dogs out . . . the way to get to Sesame Street . . . why Dora doesn’t just use Google Maps . . . why we don’t ever see the headline…
Add your first comment to this post
×
Nurungi Printed Copy
Do not print this page until after the first of the new month
This window will automatically close after 10 seconds
