Until 1782, English convicts were transported to America. However, in 1783 the American War of Independence ended. America refused to accept any more convicts so England had to find somewhere else to send their prisoners. Transportation to New South Wales was the solution. Life in Britain was very hard. As new machines were invented, people…
If you look at enough Great War memorials, it becomes apparent there is little uniformity in the way they are presented. Some list names in alphabetical order, others separate these by rank or in the order individuals enlisted. Before 1927 there was no national agency to collect the names of those who served or died…
It is with sadness we record the recent passing of Peter Woods. Peter was a long-time member and supporter of our society He joined Concord Council in 1977 and served for a total of 26 years, including 10 years as Mayor, remaining with the City of Canada Bay for a term following the amalgamation of…
The People on Australia’s Banknotes Australian banknotes contain portraits of Australians and others, from royalty to poets and preachers, who have played a significant role in the life of the nation. The people on the banknotes have made defining contributions to Australian society in many fields of endeavour, and their mark on our national story…
It is with much sadness we wish to inform you of the passing of Betty Stirrat on 2nd June at the age of 96. Betty was a former member of our society and one of our last direct links with Dame Eadith Walker and the Yaralla estate. Her father was the electrical engineer on the estate and…
There is substantial evidence to suggest that the very first gravestone ever dates back thousands of years to Roman and Celtic cultures. As modern technology progresses, new discoveries are still being made about the origin of famous and mysterious ruins. Historians have recently come to believe, through new evidence, that Stonehenge was actually a burial…
Just a reminder that our June speaker, Ian Burnet, will be talking about his new book, The Tasman Map. It delves into the story of the first Dutch voyages to Australia, set against the background of the struggle of the newly formed Dutch Republic to gain its independence from the Kingdom of Spain and the…
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay “them.” 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. 3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. “An idle mind is the devil’s…
Stereoscopes and Stereographs Were the Original Virtual Reality The shocking power of immersing oneself in another world was all the buzz once before—about 150 years ago. Virtual reality has been with us for a long time. The earliest stereoscope has been attributed to Sir Charles Wheatstone as well as to David Brewster. Both worked in…
Alexander Green was sentenced to transportation for the term of his natural life in 1824 for the theft of “brown stuff” from a shop. Born in 1802 in the Netherlands to a circus performer, he was recorded as a tumbler by trade. He arrived in Sydney on the Countess of Harcourt, aged 22 years of…
On 11 December 1920, the town clerk of the Municipality of Concord wrote to the Board of Fire Commissioners of New South Wales requesting assistance to form a local voluntary fire brigade. Town Clerk, H. A. Furness, stated that: “At last meeting of the Council of this Municipality I was directed to ask you that…
Harry was a valued member of our Society. Military history was one of his passions, and his immense knowledge was extremely helpful any time we were arranging new displays around our collection of militaria. He was also an intrepid traveller, visiting many places around the world where the average traveller would never think to visit. …
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